The first four hours of the sunny school day had passed, and the breakfast break in the spacious cafeteria was nearing its end. Most students were ready to return to class as soon as possible, before the bell rang.
"Who exactly is this old man? And is he really a homeless guy?" Chris asked curiously while finishing his breakfast plate, leaving only a milk carton. He casually slid it toward Joey, who accepted it without objection.
Alex quickly replied as he set his phone aside, having been holding onto a photo he saved earlier that morning, waiting for the right moment to share it. Now seemed like the perfect time.
"Yeah, he's not a real homeless guy. I don't know the full story, but they call him the 'Pavement Poet.' He recites his rhymes everywhere, from West Brooklyn to the Manhattan Bridge and even Midtown New York. His name is Gary, but people know him as the Great Poet. They say he was caught trying to sneak into one of Berry Corporation's properties."
"Wow, that old man doesn't seem scared at all, judging by his actions," Joey remarked, amazed, as he finished his milk.
"And what did they do to him when they caught him? There's no way they'd just let a gray-haired guy like that go without at least detaining or punishing him, right?" Chris asked nervously, shifting uneasily on the stiff edge of his chair, which was just as uncomfortable as the other seats in the bright cafeteria.
"They eventually let him go. He didn't steal or damage any private property. They just found him there. Still, he claimed that the men working for that agency don't have hearts beneath the fine suits they wear—just emptiness." Alex paused briefly, then added thoughtfully, "I found myself pondering that statement last night while researching him."
Joey, having finished his breakfast, asked, "Why are we even talking about this old man in the first place? Seriously."
Alex interrupted him, saying, "First of all, this old man seems to know a lot about the conspiracies going on in this city, especially those involving Berry Corporation. Second, before becoming a wandering poet, he had some kind of connection to gangs and the criminal underworld. Have you heard of the Crimson Dragons? He has a complicated history with them from his younger days. At least, that's what I've heard. And lastly, we don't have any other leads."
Joey pondered this for a moment, trying to piece together the truth. Gary might be the key to uncovering some of the mysteries surrounding Berry. "Alright, guys," he said, "we only have this old man or, as Mr. Lex put it, this one lead. To get what we want, we need to meet this old man somehow, but without rushing or being reckless."
He slammed his hands on the cafeteria table, signaling the end of their discussion. A tingling pain shot through his hands from the impact, making him regret it slightly.
Chris nodded in agreement without hesitation, and Alex followed suit after adjusting his glasses.
He slammed his hands on the cafeteria table, signaling the end of their meeting. A dull ache spread through his palms from the impact, and he regretted the act slightly.
Chris agreed instinctively, and Alex followed suit after adjusting his glasses.
Most of the cafeteria seats had emptied by then, and the faint hum of the air filter echoed softly between the scattered tables, where a few students still lingered.
Out of nowhere, a strange boy joined them. He seemed suspicious at first glance. With a smirk, he said, "Can we join in on this crazy activity of yours too?"
His smile was different from Chris's—more provocative.
Chris replied cautiously, fully aware that this person had always been sharp-tongued and confrontational during the four years they'd spent together at school.
"What do you want, Jeremiah? Or are you just here to waste my time again with more nonsense? Seriously, man, I swear—"
Jeremiah interrupted him, smiling confidently.
"All I'm saying is, we'd like to join in on whatever this is since we seem to have a few things in common worth looking into."
Jeremiah's smile grew wider, carrying a layered meaning.
"You and who else? Diller or Dennis?" Joey asked, still unmoving in his seat.
"Well," Jeremiah began, "after some lengthy discussions and convincing the last member, Slim and I decided to ask you directly if we—and Rodri—could join. Honestly, Slim convinced me. He believes he saw some strange people two weeks ago when I was dropping him off after a long drive that day. Ever since, he's barely been able to sleep. That's why he wants to check it out with you guys," Jeremiah explained in detail.
"What kind of strange people are we talking about? Like a human-like robot whose left hand turns into a gun?" Joey asked skeptically.
"Hold on a moment." Jeremiah turned and called for Slim.
When Slim arrived, he looked barely close to Jeremiah's height but was shorter than Rodri, who stood silently behind him. Rodri had dark skin like Joey and Alex, was tall, sharp-featured, and bore distinct Latin traits tied to a place known as "Big B."
Slim began to explain:
"How should I put this? I haven't talked much about it except to my family, Miss Manzi from Mimi Manz's Diner, Jennifer, Dennis, and maybe a few others afterward… Well, they looked like reptilian humans, covered in scales.
I saw them near the intersection we always pass after leaving Mimi Manz's. They were gathered in one of the alleys there. At first glance, I thought they were just regular guys until the scales and those huge mouths started showing—especially the thick, heavy tails. For a moment, they looked human, but then they shifted into reptilian humanoids. Imagine that, man!"
Alex commented,
"Which is why my grandma always forbids me from going into old alleys ever since I left elementary school."
Chris questioned skeptically, as the expectations seemed to diverge from the direction of his and the group's conversation.
He thought there were some unclear points in Salim's words. By heaven, what had he just heard?
"Are you sure, Salim, that you weren't hallucinating or something? Look at what you're saying: human reptiles? That doesn't even make sense! I think you should reconsider your words."
His words sounded strange and puzzling in some way. Everyone had heard about and discussed the reptilian theory as kids. "Don't you think, on that day, you were just imagining things?"
Salim felt irritated by Chris's harsh and neutral tone toward him. He replied in a clearly annoyed voice, his eyes flashing sharply:
"And you too! Look at your own words! You talk about alien men and conspiracies... do you even realize what you're saying? And then you come to question my words?"
Jeremiah tried to calm his friend Salim down. While he knew he should stand by him, he decided to intervene to ease the tension. But before he could act, Rodri interrupted suddenly with a strong slam on the table.
The entire cafeteria trembled from the impact of his hand hitting the table, and he shouted in a booming voice:
"First of all, I'm not here to believe in any of you or your hallucinations. No shady corporate men, no stupid lizards! I've got two friends who believe in nonsense, and that's the only reason I'm here.
So, everyone calm down now! This endless arguing over these empty ideas is pointless, and all this complaining is unnecessary!"
Rodri looked at them all sharply, as if warning them not to lose control.
A murmur rose from a group of students in the distance, some calling them fools and wondering what was happening amidst this manufactured chaos.
Joey intervened, speaking in a calm, steady voice, trying to diffuse the tension more subtly and effectively than Rodri:
"Rodri is right. We're not here to fight or waste time with endless debates. We need to agree as a team.
No matter how different our opinions are, everything will have its time and place soon enough."
After a brief moment of reflection, Joey made the final call. With hesitant approval from Chris and Alex, they decided to include Rodri, Jeremiah, and Salim in their plans.
"We'll meet on 52nd Street at 5 PM, near the burnt-down shop," Joey said, mentally mapping out the meeting plan.
Jeremiah agreed with Salim on the set time. There was no urgency, as everything would happen after school hours. The timing was almost perfect for them, especially since Rodri had shown interest in keeping up with his friends.
As Jeremiah and the group walked a fair distance away from the old cafeteria where they had been sitting, the agreed-upon time was finalized between them. They exchanged a silent look of confirmation before departing.
#3#
"Someone has been watching us for a while."
Joey whispered as he leaned back in his seat, finally identifying the observer after the number of students between the desks had thinned out.
Chris asked with growing curiosity, "Who are you talking about? Do you mean the janitor over there?"
Joey replied cautiously, "Over there, at the table in the corner near the second support pillar in the third row. That girl sitting with a notebook and pen in her hand. I think she's been watching us since the beginning of the day."
Chris responded, surprised, "Do you mean LilM? Or the girl sitting across from her? Amy? Yeah, are you talking about Amy or LilM?"
He added, "Amy and her friend LilM were sitting together during breakfast, and they're about to leave since the bell's about to ring."
Joey answered, a bit tense, "I know, I know! Lower your voice, you idiot. I mean Amy. She's been watching us ever since we were talking this morning on the bus. Don't you think that's strange?"
Chris took it lightly, saying with a smirk, "Maybe this Amy has a crush on you, or perhaps on one of us. Don't rule out Alex or David, even though David isn't here today. Remember, you said this kind of thing happened to you about a month ago, didn't you? Back on your first days at school."
After a pause, Chris added more seriously, "And what's so strange about a pretty girl watching us? Maybe she's interested in me or something like that.
Also, lately, we've been making quite a bit of noise here and there, especially when talking about the Berry Agency and whatnot. People have every right to judge our behavior."
Chris quickly shrugged off the matter, and Joey followed his lead after a while.
As for Alex, who was always the quiet one, he observed LilM leaving the cafeteria behind Amy, his heart aching ever so slowly.
Alex thought it was time to leave since the bell had rung, signaling the start of their next class, until…
The girl and her two friends broke the silence by slamming their palms loudly onto the table in front of them. It seemed the table itself nearly protested under the force. Then, with a loud and challenging voice, she declared:
"How about we finish what we started? Our race around the basketball court in the gym? Or are you afraid of losing, Morris Keynes?"
She stood in the middle of her two friends, who seemed exhausted from chasing after her all morning.
Joey and the rest knew this girl all too well. Her arrogant tone and constant complaints about their old race were unforgettable. She still held a grudge over her humiliating defeat when Joey, on his very first day at school, outpaced the fastest person in all age groups during gym class.
Joey smirked defiantly and replied:
"I was just waiting for you to ask. I thought you had given up and accepted your defeat. What do you say we head to the sports arena now? I'll prove to you once again that victory will be mine."
Everyone easily recognized the girl and her two friends. Jennifer was on her left, while Chloe, the challenger, stood with a broad smile.
Chloe responded in a tone filled with confidence:
"Don't be so arrogant, Joey. In today's debate, I'll make you regret your pride, and you won't be able to outshine me."
Meanwhile, Alex watched the scene in astonishment. He muttered under his breath:
"Since when did Joey and Chloe become friends?"
Alex couldn't make sense of the contradiction unfolding before him. He was used to seeing Chloe bully Joey and others like him, especially since the start of this winter. Now, she seemed eager to compete with him enthusiastically.
Chris, sipping his juice in a playful tone, improvised a rhyme:
"I don't know, but it all began
When Joey came close, and the race was planned.
In gym class, they crossed paths one day,
And their first challenge paved the way.
Jonathan Keynes triumphed with might,
But Chloe refused to accept the fight.
She tied with him and said with pride,
'We'll race again—fate won't decide!'
Over and over, they'd clash and dispute,
Sometimes he'd win, and sometimes she'd lose.
In every gym class, the pattern replayed."
Then, with a grin and a chuckle on his face, Chris added:
"And today they race again—what's on the horizon?
Will they settle the score or immortalize their rivalry in legend?"
#4#
During the five-minute break between classes, a group of students gathered. Chloe and Joey decided to settle their ongoing argument during this brief interval. Amy removed her heavy blue jacket and handed it to her friend Jennifer, stretching to warm up. On the other side, Joey did the same near Chris, who waved goodbye and went to sit next to Alex on the bleachers scattered across the gym.
The countdown echoed across the open space. As the number "one" rang out, Joey and Chloe launched forward like arrows from drawn bows. The crowd cheered enthusiastically for Chloe, but their shouts didn't break her focus on her goal—especially Delir, who called out her name loudly and shamelessly.
Chloe pushed ahead steadily, overtaking Joey with calculated steps at the first curve. He stayed close behind her, like a shadow that refused to leave. Her breaths quickened, and she whispered between gasps, weighing her resolve: "I've trained every morning since the last time we raced... I won't lose to him again."
Each step made her muscles feel heavier with exhaustion, but she refused to give in. Meanwhile, Joey was steadily increasing his speed. His eyes gleamed with determination, and he briefly closed them, as if drawing strength from a mental break: "Just a little more... I have to hold on... just a little more." He caught sight of the finish line, though Chloe was still five steps ahead.
They approached the finish line. In a critical moment, Joey surged forward, his feet pounding the ground with intensity, and overtook Chloe, breaking the finish line first. The brief silence that enveloped the crowd gave way to thunderous cheers as Joey surpassed Chloe and crossed the line, his throat parched.
Sweat dripped from Chloe's face as she panted, looking at Joey with a mix of crushing frustration and astonishment. "Damn it... I was so close to winning... Damn," she muttered.
The students gathered around them, all eyes now on Joey, who stood exhausted, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his arm. He extended his hand to Chloe to help her up, his voice trembling as he said, "That was an amazing race, Chloe. You pushed me to my absolute limit."
Unable to complain or make excuses, Chloe accepted the outcome—she had asked for the race, and she got it, win or lose. This thought made Joey's cheeks flush with a slight twinge of guilt.
Chloe smiled wearily, shaking his hand with sportsmanship. Biting her lip in stiff frustration, she said, "Next time, I'll be the one crossing the finish line first."