Chapter #61Hijacking Javits by: Seuzz   "You seen enough?" Caleb asks as the three sophomore boys—Bhodi Weaver, Justin Orr, and their new best friend, Andrew Webb—saunter off.
"Sure. Let's go get a shake or something."
* * * * *
"So tell me more about what's going on at school," you tell Caleb after you've settled in at a nearby McDonalds. "About the basketball team and all that."
"I knew you weren't paying attention back there."
"Was so. I'm trying out for the basketball squad, apparently." You slide your straw in and out of your chocolate shake. "Tell me about it."
"You care?"
You rub your eye and shrug. "I guess I'm not surprised Gordon's trying to get back on the squad. I guess I am surprised they're having tryouts again."
"Well, they've got a slot to fill, since they kicked the guy they think is Gordon off."
"So why don't they just promote someone from the jay-vee squad?"
Caleb throws his hands up. "Beats the fuck outta me. It's not like I'm making the decision. Maybe it has to do with those Eastman guys that're moving over."
"Yeah, what about them?"
Now it's Caleb's turn to rub his eye. "It's two guys who go to Eastman," he sighs. "They were on the squad there, but they're moving out to Westside and want to play for us now." He cocks his head. "Maybe that's how come they're having tryouts again. Because there's two guys who want to join, but there's only Gordon's slot to fill."
"So why are they letting other people try out?"
"I dunno, Will. I do know that they're putting the whole squad through the wringer. Everyone has to compete in the tryouts, even the guys who are on the squad now. It's like they're starting over from scratch."
"You mean they might cut some of the current lineup?"
"Maybe. I heard Carson say that everyone is on the line. Except, of course, for Patterson," he adds, and sucks down some of his shake.
"Or Javits," you mumble as you suck down some more of your own.
* * * * *
Saturday afternoon. You've changed motels so as to avoid people you know. Meanwhile, Andy Jensen and Justin Orr have been by to offer their gratitudes and respects (and to show off their new bodies, you suspect). Webb you now clearly remember from the time you ran into him while impersonating Bhodi: a pink-skinned bully with a tendency to smirk down his nose. Clayborne, meanwhile, turns out to be a strapping hulk-in-training. His biceps already fill out the sleeves of his t-shirt, and his athletic shorts disclose thick calves and bulging thighs. He's better-looking than Webb, too, even if he's got a few zits popping out of the top of his cheek. (Justin somehow can't escape having zits!) His features are regular, and his brown, wiry hair twists into stiff waves over the top of his ears and neck. His gruff baritone also contrasts favorably with Webb's squeaky tenor; and where Webb's snub nose makes him look childish and insolent, Clayborne's upturned snub and large, serious eyes gives his face a vulnerability that contrasts well with his hardened limbs.
And tonight he's planning to use his muscles, his hair, his snub nose, his decent grades, and his reputation as a shy and thoughtful romancer to snag Kaylee Mercier's body for Grant, and/or Leslie Osbourne's body for Mrs. Matthias. As he swaggers out the door with Webb trailing behind, you have to admit that he probably won't have a hard time of it.
You're glad they're gone, though. You have your own appointment to keep, and he'll be meeting you here.
Seth Javits. Caleb gave you a boggle-eyed stare when you told him what you wanted to do. You had decided after tasking him with calling around to find out more about this "fight" that your replacement got into with him.
It's not clear why blows got exchanged, though you can guess it had something to do with Javits being an asshole and with the altered Gordon being ... well, with still being Gordon Black, alpha asshole deep down inside. Apparently it happened in the gym, in front of Steve Patterson, when "Will" went in to talk about trying out for the squad. Anyway, someone said something, and "Will" and Seth wound up punching each other. It might have worked out to your doppelganger's advantage, though: more than one person, Caleb reports, says that Patterson is giving "Will" a chance on the team only because he slugged it out with the bigger, meaner Seth.
Maybe you're pissed at Javits for what he did to your replacement; maybe that's how come you want to steal his body, his mind, his girlfriend, his life, and his future. Or maybe you'd want them for yourself anyway. Whatever the reason, you do know that being Seth Javits will be a huge improvement on being a Will Prescott who has to skulk out of sight around cheap motel rooms.
And for Seth himself you have fashioned a good hiding place: the mask of Dane Matthias, but with a brain-band attached that copies your own mind and memories, and all covered over with golem paint. Once you slap it on Seth, it will transform him into an obedient golem who will take Dane's place. It will have to pretend to be Matthias without having his memories, but how hard will that be? You were mostly able to do it when you had to wear the mask—except for getting fuckways with Chen—and the golem will be exactly as smart as you.
Hrm. Well, better it than me, you reflect.
But first, of course, you have to knock out and copy Seth, the way Bhodi and them managed to knock out and copy Webb and Clayborne. Man, it would be so embarrassing if you screwed up where they didn't!
* * * * *
Two forty-seven. "He's not coming," you tell Caleb as the minutes tick well past the two-thirty meeting time. Caleb had set it up by text, telling Javits that you wanted to talk to him to "clear the air" between you before the tryouts.
"He's coming," Caleb says from the window, where he's watching the motel parking lot through a crack in the curtains. "He'll want another shot at breaking your face."
That's exactly what you're scared of. So there's two reasons you feel like throwing up. One, Javits might not show up. Two, he might.
You're about ready to start peeling the wallpaper from anxiety when, a few minutes after three, Caleb thrusts the curtain back into place. "He's here," he hisses. "Just pulled up across the way."
"Didn't you tell him which room—?" you start to ask, but Caleb grabs you and shoves you toward the door. Your heart goes into your throat as you're thrust onto the sidewalk outside.
Seth Javits drives a bigger and manlier truck than Will Prescott ever did, and though he's got an inch or two more in his legs than you he has to hop to the ground as he dismounts. He does a double-take and grimaces hard when he sees you. You catch your breath: Most of the right side of his face is stained by a black-and-purple bruise centered on his cheekbone, and his right eye is partially swollen shut. As he strides up, you also see that he's got an obvious cut on the left side of his mouth.
You hope his face doesn't hurt too much, for it will be yours soon. Then, as Seth bunches up his fists, you hope that your face isn't going to start hurting too much.
"Prescott," Seth hisses. "The fuck do you want?"
"I just wanna talk," you stammer, and hold up your hands. You back into the room, bumping into the door which bumps into Caleb, who is hiding behind it. "That's all."
"About what? About how—?" Seth freezes, and his good eye narrows. For a moment he studies you closely, and you lick your lips.
Then he snorts. "And what's this gay shit about getting me out to a motel?"
"It's where I'm staying. Uh, I'm kind of in trouble at home."
"I don't want your fucking sob story, motherfucker. I wanna know what the fuck you want!"
You back deeper into the room, and carefully keep your eyes off of Caleb. "Can we just come in and have a civilized conversation?" you squeak.
"Yeah, you want a civilized conversation now," Javits retorts, but he does stride into the room after you. "You'll keep your fucking hands to yourself, though," he adds as he slams the door behind him. "'Cos if you don't, I'll bash your face into the bathroom sink so it'll—"
It'll what? You'll have to find out when you're him, for Caleb steps up and smoothly reaches around to slap his palm against Javits's forehead. You leap forward to help him catch the ballplayer as he wobbles, folds up, and topples to the floor.
"Jesus," Caleb says after he's scrambled back onto his knees. "Did you do that?" He points to Seth's face. "With these?" He grabs you by a bicep.
You throw him off. "Shut up, man, or I'll give you a taste of the same."
Caleb hoots. "You couldn't raise a bruise on me if I gave you ten minutes with my hands tied behind my back!"
"Bet I could after I'm him." You nudge Seth with your toe, and Caleb pales. "That's right, you weren't thinking about what comes after this, were you?"
"Well, I'm thinking it now," Caleb mutters. "What are you going to do? Like, with me, when you see me at school?"
You shrug. "Are you going to be yourself still? All the cool kids are turning themselves into other people."
"Alright, what are you gonna do about Tilley?"
Now you wince. Seth Javits is your friend Keith's personal monster. Not a week goes by that he doesn't hurt or at least humiliate him. "I'll play it by ear," you mutter.
Caleb's reply is interrupted by the chirp of a phone, which Caleb finds in Seth's pocket. He lets out a low whistle after checking it. "Here's someone else you need to think about." He turns the phone to you.
You blink. It's a text from Jeremy Richards, a former friend of yours and Caleb's—until he became best friends with Seth and joined the basketball team. You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
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