The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)

Jumping Jack

Previously: "Taken in Trade" 

You are awake early on Thursday, with that sense of compulsion that is becoming very familiar. Some decision has been made, and there is now nothing to do but put it into effect. You DM Number One at her x2z account, and text Will, telling them both to meet you at Panera for breakfast no later than 7:30. In Number One's case you are sure of her getting the message, but you call Will directly at 6:45. He sounds grumpy and sleepy when he answers, but quickly becomes alert and pliant, and promises to get to the restaurant in time with the items you tell him to bring. You yourself are there by seven, and spend the extra time with a cup of coffee and the business plan Number Five sent you last night.

He has three recommendations. The first would be to establish a more flexible supply source, either by negotiating an arrangement with the supplier to replenish supply as inventory runs out, or by finding alternate sources of supply to augment those of the regular seller. The goal would be ensure that supply matches sales rather than limiting sales to actual supply.

This would then allow for his second recommendation, to aggressively market the product to a much wider clientele, rather than to the "same old fucking stoners" that Chen has been servicing. In particular, he recommends pushing hard into the junior and sophomore classes.

The third recommendation would be to drop Chen's sub-dealers and if possible cut out Chen himself, because of the way they scare potential customers away with their surly, hostile attitude. In place of the old, small, network of sellers, he suggests using a much larger number, most of them casual users themselves. These would be motivated by selling them an inventory not so large that they become abusively desperate to sell, as Chen and his current network are, but one too large and at too great a cost for them to themselves absorb.

As for replacing Chen with a duplicate, Number Five is ambivalent. It would allow the business to be reorganized (something he doubts the real Chen would be willing to do) but he is not certain of Chen's usefulness otherwise. He has no head for business, no real social presence of his own, and though good in a fight he is basically just a "rat fucker." Instead, Number Five recommends trying to wrest the business from Chen, and to replace him with a duplicate only if there's no other way to get hold of his trade.

* * * * *

Number One arrives a few minutes early with a bright and eager expression, and is all blonde dimples as she settles in across from you with a coffee. She listens intently as you tell her that you have decided to replace Jack Li with a doppelganger; her expression tightens when you describe the ultimate place for him in your plans; but she is all smiles again after you have explained that she wants this too. You are still outlining how the replacement will be carried out when Will arrives. There are bags under his eyes, and even after he's got his coffee he looks a little dazed. It's on account of the early hour, he insists as he hands over the metal strip and the mask that you told him to bring. He asks who they're for, gets kind of a vacant look when you give him the name, and then says, "Oh, him."

You also tell him to keep his after-school schedule clear and to stay up at the school, for there will be a meeting afterward to introduce him to the other "numbers." When he asks who the "numbers" are, you tell him that will be cleared up then, and that he is to answer to the name "Number Six." "I thought I'd be more than a number to you, boss," he mutters, but you tell him he'll understand.

With that accomplished, you all head to school, though you linger in the parking lot long enough to glue the metal band into mask, using the paste you brought from home.

* * * * *

You bend the rules third period to get Jack Li's schedule from the secretary. You find that you could talk to him during your lunch period, but decide to intercept him at the start of his sixth-period class instead, so as to give Number One time to have baited the trap with a text. So you're loitering in one of the gym basketball courts when, to your surprise, Jack comes out of the boys' changing rooms already in shorts and a t-shirt.

He looks very good in them. Jack is tall—a touch over six feet—with dark hair pushed up in a handsome pompadour, and regular features that relax easily into that beautiful smile. He has broad shoulders and a good chest that tapers down to a flat belly. But his legs are his best feature, being strongly muscled with a good shape; but he is attractive because all of him is in proportion to this best feature.

Is it a disappointment to add that he is gay, and confidently so?

He looks puzzled when he sees you waiting, but he's got a pleased smile as he comes up to greet you. "So who are you looking for, Kim?"

"You." You grin back. "How was the dog park yesterday?"

"Heh! Nice. It would'a been more fun, but Susie had to blurt out we were all from Westside, so no one got flirty with us." He cocks his head. "We could go back this afternoon if you're interested."

"Are you?"

He shrugs. "If I can get out of something."

"Chelsea?"

Your reply startles him. "How did you know?"

"She told me about it. She texted me to make sure you didn't blow her off."

He sighs. "Okay, Kim, now you're putting me in a tough spot, 'cos basically that's what I was planning to do." He glances over as Parker Stott, looking almost as good in his gym clothes, but with legs that are less appetizing for being so hairy, comes out.

"What if I told you there's money in it?"

Again, Jack looks startled. "Money?"

"She's going to try to get you to do it for free, but there's money in the Spirit Club budget, so if you play hard to get, there'll be some money in it for you."

"What's this about money?" Parker asks as he joins you. "Bruh, you got one of your girlfriends so horny she'll pay you for it?"

"Chelsea Cooper," Jack tells him with no enthusiasm. Parker falls into a coughing fit. To you, Jack says, "How much? It'd take a lot to get me to do something with Chelsea."

"Dude!" Parker gasps. He is almost as red as a tomato as he recovers from his fit.

"Don't do it for Chelsea, Jack, do it for the other girls. You like the other girls, don't you? Eva and Jessica, Lin, Cindy—"

"Bruh, how many girls are trying to jump your—?"

"Shut up, man," Jack says. He is clearly irritated. "Chelsea wants me to teach the cheerleading squad some dance moves."

Parker's jaw drops. "Come on, you're not going to say no!"

But Jack remains sour and obdurate. "At least meet with her," you plead. "If you really don't want to do it— Here's what we'll do. I'll go with you to see her, she'll make the pitch, you tell her you'll think about it, and then you and me'll go off to talk, and if you still don't want to do it, I'll be the one to tell her you turned it down. How's that?"

Jack sucks in a deep breath. "You're trying so hard, Kim," he says as he exhales, "that I can't say no."

"I'm not trying to make you."

"Yes you are. But I'll go." He punctuates his promise with a half smile.

"Thanks!" You tickle his belly through his t-shirt. It feels rock-hard, but he flinches a little, and his smile widens into a cheeky grin.

* * * * *

Your last class of the day is all the way on the other side of school from the gym, so you have to rush to get from the one to the other after the final bell has rung. Fortunately, the basketball court is empty for the moment, so there's no one to see as you mount the stairs for the loft.

Number Five is already waiting for you inside, his expression flat and empty, save for the toothpick that he casually chews; you gesture him to wait behind the door while you take the mask from your bag and set it on a crate near at hand. Neither of you speak, and the time passes quickly as you sink into a daze that is interrupted only briefly when Number One arrives. She glances around in surprise, then steps over to the side to watch the door with you.

More time passes, and you become alert again only at the sound of footfalls outside; you also become now aware of other sounds as well: the squeak of rubber soles on the polished wood of the court below, and hoarse shouts. But you ignore those.

There's a knock at the door, and Number One says, "Come in!"

The door opens and Jack Li steps in. He's forced a cheery smile onto his face. "Hey," he says as he pushes the door closed behind him. "I'm—"

Number Five grabs him from behind as you pick up the mask. Jack's face flushes a deep red just before you shove the mask onto it.

Next: "A Gang of Seven" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 3)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)"