"You're saying two students at this school were responsible for the arson, and violent crimes against other students," The police officer said.
"But one helped you? The one who was expelled and supposed to be in another country?" The officer's partner asked.
"Yes, we aren't sure if he was helping us or what..." Magenta said.
They were at the hospital, waiting for Jasper to come out of treatment.
The police officers who dropped them off stayed for questioning Magenta, Shelby, and Blue.
"We will contact Mr. McCartney for further questioning."
They mentioned the ordeal with Spider Wells too, and all that happened in the recent months.
"Thank you for helping us and we wish the best recovery for your friend," the officer said, tipping his hat in gratitude.
After the officers left, Magenta went to the vending machine and leaned against the wall. Holding the lemon tea to her chest, she paused. Her mind felt blank, but she knew there was a lot more to think about and process. For one, Gwendolyn wanted to kill her and her friends, because she hated Magenta.
Magenta knew Gwendolyn didn't get along with her, especially as they had been academic rivals. But Magenta had never imagined that Gwendolyn's hate went so far as to become insidious, poisoning everything in its path. Even Reese was involved in all this, but Magenta didn't know the full extent.
Reese saved her life, by throwing his knife at Gwendolyn's, but for what, Magenta still did not know. He could have let Gwendolyn kill Magenta, but he did not. Gwendolyn said Reese was her "subordinate," but in what way, it was unclear.
With all these thoughts, Magenta trudged back to the waiting area.
"Mag, we can go in to see Jasper," Blue waited for her outside Jasper's patient room.
"Oh, is he doing okay?" Magenta asked.
"See for yourself," Blue held the door open for her.
"Magenta," Jasper lay in the hospital bed, looking frailer than ever. He was in wraps from the waist down, but at least he still had a small smile. Shelby sat next to him she'd been crying. Her eyes were streaked with the salty residue of her tears, and her lips were redder than usual. Her hand lay on top of Jasper's, and she bent over Jasper, asking him if he needed water.
"Jas, oh my god. I'm so sorry...this is all my fault," Magenta crumbled then, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Blue supported her and led her to a chair.
"No, hey, Mag doesn't say that. It's not your fault. It's not your fault some people are just psychos. Don't blame it on yourself. We love you," Jasper said.
"I'm sorry," Magenta wiped her eyes as she apologized.
"But what I'm curious about is what Reese was doing here? Didn't he move to another country?" Jasper started the discussion.
"Yeah, I wonder how he got here too. Unless he's super rich and got his luxury plane, then I can't think of another explanation." Shelby said.
"My guess is he has connections to Spider and Gwendolyn somehow, and his family supports theirs," Blue said.
"Hm, that would make sense," Magenta said.
They had heard the McCartneys were rich and had power. They just didn't know how much power they had.
"Hey, you should rest, Jasper. We'll leave you for now, we should all get some rest." Magenta said.
"Yeah, but maybe we should call our parents first," Blue advised.
"That's true. I need to call my mom," Magenta said.
Blue and Magenta went to look for a phone nearby.
___
Reese was glad Gwendolyn was in custody.
He never liked her, always lording her 'status' over his. The heart list was fun for a while, but once everyone knew about it, the game was over. If only she knew the truth about Reese she wouldn't treat him like the dirt under her feet.
Now he could focus on the task at hand, getting his revenge without other people meddling and getting in the way.
Reese wanted to destroy everyone and everything in his way. Once he was done he could finally fly to a tropical island and enjoy his time. He needed to come up with a way to entice his little lovebirds, so he could get rid of them once and for all. As long as they were still alive, he wouldn't be able to rest.
It was their fault he now had a target on his back.
From younger girls to police officers, they were all after him, trying to get Reese prosecuted. Reese wasn't worried about escaping arrest, because of his father's status.
No more leniency. No more nice guy.
Cracking his knuckles, Reese bent forward as he flicked through his phone.
The charity ball was in a couple of hours, the one that his father expected him to attend. But Reese had no intention of going to the ball dressed up in a suit and tie, all modest and respectful. Instead, he was going to do what he did best.
Wreak havoc.
--
"Jasper got stabbed? Oh no, no. This is not happening. I'm getting on the next plane to get you. We are all going home as soon as Jasper recovers. What is your school management thinking? Reckless," Shelby's mother Donna spoke over the speaker phone.
"Yeah, okay ma. We start the Christmas holidays soon anyway so we're supposed to go home."
"No I mean, I'm pulling you out of Oakstone. They have not been protecting you or any of the students. This is crazy, I should have done this quicker. How could we wait until one of our children gets injured?" Shelby's mother insisted on coming to get her daughter.
"No, ma! I love Oakstone. I mean, apart from the weird things happening these past months, I love it here...please don't transfer me, I only have one year left," Shelby pleaded.
"Hmph. We'll see. I am going to call the management. And then I'll talk with you again. Stay safe, and if anything happens you had better inform me or so help me I am suing the school before we leave for good," Donna reminded her daughter.
Magenta tried to calm Shelby down, booping a hand on Shelby's nose.
"Hey, maybe your mom is just really worried right now. I'm sure she may come round when you talk again. She loves you and wants the best for you. It makes sense, even I would want my child to be safe if I had one, and if I knew she was not I'd do everything I could to make sure she was safe." Magenta said.
"Ugh, I can't even be angry cos' you're right," Shelby said, looking to the ceiling.
Jasper told Shelby he wanted her close to him and she went to sit by his side. Jasper told Shelby quietly that his parents were on the way to the hospital. Shelby got quite emotional again.
"No, Jasper, your mom hates me, how am I supposed to face her? How am I supposed to say, yes I was there with Jasper but no, I couldn't stop him from getting stabbed? How have I supposed to..." Shelby's tears dropped onto Jasper's T-shirt.
Jasper's parents arrived at the hospital, and the mother came to Shelby after visiting Jasper for a while. As Jasper's mother walked up to Shelby by the vending machines, Shelby tried to greet her formally. With precision and speed, Jasper's mother slapped Shelby across the face.
"How dare you!" Tina Frend said.
Shelby clutched her cheek, staring at Jasper's mother, tears welling in her eyes.
"Mrs. Frend, I'm, I'm sorry if I did anything to offend you," Shelby said.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I thought you were a good match for my son. I thought you could protect him. I am going to call your mother and you are going to stay away from Jasper from now on."
Magenta, seeing all this, jogged up to Shelby and Mrs. Frend.
"Mrs. Frend, please, it's not because of anything Shelby did or said. It's my fault. Please blame me," Magenta said.
"You...I don't even have the words for you. I want you out of my sight. All of you. You are the reason my son was hurt!" Mrs. Frend pushed Magenta, Shelby, and Blue towards the exit of Jasper's room.
Shelby was super anxious now that Mrs. Frend separated Jasper from her.
Blue and Magenta finally convinced Shelby to get a shower after Shelby spent the rest of the day trying to get a glimpse of her boyfriend. Jasper kept asking for Shelby but Tina told him Shelby left, which caused anxiety for Jasper too.
By the time Jasper could be wheelchaired around, it was one day to Christmas. Blue's mother arrived that day, to speak sense to Tina Frend.
"Tina, I know you are just worried for Jasper. But look at our children, none of them are doing well and without each other, we are taking away their feelings of security. Let Jasper see his friends at least once before we all go back to Rose City. You remember how we supported you when you fell and got injured too, right? Imagine if we weren't there? How would you feel," Blue mother said.
Mrs. Frend would not relent even with kind words and encouragement, and she left on an earlier flight with Jasper in tow.
"We're not even safe yet. What if something happens to him again? What if Reese comes back? What if he tries to kill us again?" Shelby wailed, as they sat on the plane.
"Hush child. We cannot fret about every single thing under the sun. I know firsthand what it is to worry as a mother. And I know you are worried too about Jasper as his girlfriend. But let's go home first, where I can make you your favorite dish. And then we can talk more okay?" Shelby's mom said.
Shelby nodded tearfully, unable to speak as her mother hugged her.
Magenta sat with Blue on the flight. Their parents allowed them to sit next to each other, still quite delighted at their being together.
Blue's mother treated Magenta like a princess, spoiling her silly. She sat on the seat next to them on the other side of Blue.
"Magenta, what meal do you want?" She asked, leaning over Blue.
Magenta said, "I don't want to eat yet, Mrs. Harrison. But I'll let you know if I get hungry."
"Oh okay, don't be shy to tell me!"
When the plane was in midair, some people started having stomach aches and complaining about the air stewards.
"What is in the food? We all have diarrhea! Are we being poisoned by the air stewards?" One person said.
Just then a person on the aisle next to Blue and Magenta collapsed on the ground. The air stewards went to assist the person, but he was already dead when she checked for food lodged in his throat and a pulse. The air hostess stepped back in fear.
"Oh my god! They are trying to kill us all!" Another person observed.
Everyone who was eating stopped, discarding their food or throwing up at the sight of the corpse.
Magenta had a fishy feeling about all of this. She suspected Reese had tried to poison them but failed. In the end, investigators came just before everyone left. They inspected the scene and asked a few questions before releasing all the passengers and allowing them to leave. That left more questions for Magenta. If Reese was trying to kill them but failing. There must have been someone fighting for them, or trying to protect them.
Magenta's suspicion was confirmed when she turned on the news once she was back home in Rose City.
Reese McCartney, a 24-year-old man has been arrested by local Oakstone police. The suspect was apprehended in his apartment. Mr. McCartney is a suspect in the latest hate crimes against two local students from Oakstone Academy. Police have been informed of the latest plans to attack and further harm the two students with viable evidence and proof of plans found in the apartment. The informant is known to be Reese's father, Mr. Kirk McCartney.
Magenta couldn't believe her eyes and ears.
Reese was twenty-four and not eighteen? And his father outed him?
Blue was there with her too, and they sat there on the couch shelllshocked.
There were no words to describe how they felt now, knowing that Reese had fooled them and that Mr. McCartney had known all along.
___
"Get me out of here!" Reese asked, slamming his hands against the cages holding him.
"Get me my father, Kirk McCartney. Oh, then you'll all be in trouble," Reese laughed, stepping back.
Reese's eyes were bloodshot, his usually swept-in-perfect-places hair was a mess, his clothes rumpled.
But when Mr. McCartney walked into the room with a black laptop and USB as well as his phone, Reese's face grew pale and white. The police officers he'd been taunting all smirked, moving aside for Mr. McCartney.
"Ah, yes. You thought I was unaware of all your plans? That you could do anything you wanted? That is where you are wrong. My son. I knew about your heart list. Your plans with Gwendolyn. What you both did to Spider and the other students in Thundering and Oakstone. I have been working with a special forces agent while you have been working with a hidden man destined to be found. I knew your master was training you in his ways all those days I was away from home. You had a tracker on you the whole time."
Reese patted his body frantically, trying to find the tracker.
"It's planted in your phone." Mr. McCartney explained.
Reese tugged at his hair, screaming in frustration.
"You'll let me out, soon," Reese cast his bets, but this time he was on the losing side.
"I am sorry to say, you will be put away for a long time. I will not allow you to be detrimental to yourself and those around you."
"It's because you don't want me to ruin your name and image." Reese snarled, hitting the bars again.
"Be thankful though, this will be a lighter sentence than you deserve. I am your father after all."
Reese let out a barking laugh before his laugh twisted into a smile.
"Father? Were you my father? You were never around and when you were you didn't even care. My master was much more a father than you ever will be," Reese said.
"I'll get you, you're on the top of my list now!" Reese continued, his anger doubling as he continued to rattle the bars holding him in the dingy cell.
"I know you will," Kirk said, with a sorrowful smile, before he left, effectively shutting away and shunning his son as his for good.