Gregory Girls Gone Wild - Chapter 30: Chapter 30

Waggoki Hall of Classic Literature overlooked the east side of campus. The east side was pretty by Gregory College standards, with more attempts at gardens and green areas, although none of it was well-maintained.
Against the railing steps of Waggoki Hall, Danika huddled against the harsh wind.
Rainey remarked, "It's fascinating that you can be early for this but not for work."
Danika smirked. "Miss me?"
Rainey ignored that. "How was work today?"
"All good, boss." Danika wore a thick maroon trench coat and combat boots. Her hair was tied in a tight ponytail, making her look feral. "Ready to meet Sam Stabbings?"
"Nope. But let's do it anyways."
It was the day of the long-awaited meeting. Rainey had woken up in the morning with a feeling of dread and an upset stomach. Fiona had done her best to comfort her but Rainey had spent the whole day distracted in her classes, waiting for time to pass unbearably slowly.
Now, she and Danika ventured inside the entrance of Waggoki. The marbled floor was the color of pink salmon, reminding Rainey strongly of Pepto Bismol. The hallways were deserted, which was strange considering that it was barely six o'clock in the evening. Rainey had a sudden suspicion that the whole building had been emptied, perhaps for this very meeting.
"You know what Fiona told me this morning?" Rainey said suddenly.
A faint brush of darkness fell over Danika's eyes, but it vanished before Rainey could blink. "No, what?"
"She offered to call in a couple of her guy friends to escort me to the meeting. Some muscle protection against Sam Stabbings."
"What is she—the mafia?" Danika said incredulously.
"Well, she is Italian," Rainey cracked a smile. "Do you think I should have taken her up on her offer?"
Danika looked at her. "If that's what you want. But I always thought you and me made a pretty good team."
"Me too." Rainey was relieved. "It's nice of her though, isn't it?"
They fell into silence as room numbers began to appear on the walls. Rainey counted mentally, 1001...1002...1003...1010...
They stopped at Room 1011. Glancing at Danika for reassurance, Rainey took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
"Come in, come in! Sorry, it was supposed to be open!"
Startled, Rainey recognized the voice. She opened the door to Room 1011 and found a white desk, in an office that mirrored the exact delivery office Rainey had been in before.
Her jaw dropped in shock. "Loralie!"
Danika stirred besides her. "Oh, Loralie is it? I've heard so much about you."
The secretary was dressed in a blood-red dress that plunged at the neckline. She stood up, palm outstretched. "And you must be Danika. Why in the world does Rainey hide you?"
Danika gave a confused smile but went to shake her hand. Rainey was red-faced, remembering vividly the contents of her and Loralie's last phone call.
My fingers writhing inside you.
"So what brings you to Waggoki today?" There was a twinkle in the secretary's eyes, a playful, cat-like gleam.
Rainey was in no mood for her games.
"Gregorium Avidante," she said firmly. "I have an appointment to meet Sam Stabbings."
Loralie sat back in her chair, her eyes traveling over the length of Rainey's figure. Rainey felt naked against her gaze, despite her oversized hoodie.
"What a courageous lion you are," Loralie purred. Danika's eyes flickered between the two of them. "He's right inside. Go ahead and enter—he's waiting for you."
"Not you," she added to Danika who had made a move to the office door.
"Why not?" Danika demanded.
"You did not make an appointment nor are you a member," Loralie said politely. "Mr. Stabbings will see Rainey Dumar and only her."
Danika crossed her arms. "And what if I say no?"
Rainey touched her shoulder lightly. "I'll just be on the other side of the wall, okay? I'll yell if I need you."
Danika looked uncertain. "I don't like leaving you alone—"
"It doesn't matter what you like," Loralie interrupted. "Sit and wait, Ms. Reddy, or the appointment will be postponed."
Danika whirled around, ready to argue, before Rainey gripped her arm. She gave Danika a warning look before stalking over to the other side of the room. The wall on this side was encased with black glass, and Rainey had another strange suspicion: someone was watching her.
With an encouraging nod from Loralie, Rainey opened the door. It was large and abnormally heavy. She struggled to open barely a foot, to the disappointment of Danika who was desperately craning her neck to peer inside. As soon as Rainey slipped in through the barest of cracks, the door swung shut, almost hitting her in the face, the metal making a loud whacking noise.
"Hello, Ms. Dumar."
A man sat behind a brown, oaky desk. Rainey's attention was caught swiftly by what was on top of his desk.
"Don't mind Sam," the man said. "He's very friendly."
Sam?
There was a monkey on his desk, a furry, brown cute thing that cooed at Rainey. The whole office was like a jungle, pots of colorful flowers in the corners, a large palm tree that overshadowed the man, like a tropical paradise.
A monkey—Rainey couldn't remember the last time she had seen one in real life, except when she was a kid at the zoo. Her eyes were drawn to it, the way one's attention is caught by unusual things.
"Allow me to introduce myself," the man stood up, hands in the air. "My name is Sam Stabbings. I run the temporary business of water delivery services for Gregory College, and I have to say that I am immensely pleased by your work."
Rainey blinked at him. Sam looked to be in his late twenties, tall, mischievously handsome, with slicked-back, gelled black hair. He reminded Rainey of a salesman at an advertising agency.
"Your name is...and his name is Sam too?" Rainey spluttered.
"Some people call him Sammy for short," Sam replied, patting the monkey. "Who's a good boy? Who's my good monkey?"
Rainey stared, transfixed.
He stood up. "Where are my manners? Please sit. But shake my hand first."
His hand shake was hard but brief. Rainey's hand throbbed as she sat, leaning as far away as possible from the monkey.
To her grim satisfaction, Rainey could see Danika and Loralie through the dark glass. So I was right, she thought. It was a one way mirror.
Sam seemed to read her mind. "A nifty design when you prefer not to be seen."
"Is it like this at the other office too?" Rainey said angrily. "Were you there, watching me haggle with Loralie?"
Sam laughed. "Yes, I was there the first time. But like my secretary told you, I was out for the rest of the semester. An unplanned excursion of mine—bad timing, really. I left lots of recruits, like yourself, with a lot of unanswered questions."
"I do have questions. I—"
The monkey whined suddenly. Rainey stopped, afraid.
"Oh, poor thing," Sam tutted. He glanced at Rainey. "Well, do you have it? For Sammy?"
Rainey stared at him blankly.
"The banana, Ms. Dumar!" Sam said, exasperated.
"O-oh." Feeling like an idiot, Rainey retrieved the banana from her backpack, slightly mushed, and slid it across the desk. Things were beginning to fall into place.
Sammy unpeeled the banana, his protruding lips swallowing a piece. He stopped whining, to Rainey's bemusement.
Sam looked satisfied. "You followed all my instructions. Admirable—we're going to get along wonderfully, aren't we?"
Rainey felt a pang of dislike. She looked at him coldly. "Who are you, Mr. Stabbings? Why are you so preoccupied with my life? What do you want with me?"
"I see you're more of a get to the point kind of gal, hm?" Sam leaned forward, petting the monkey on the head. "I am an alumnus of Gregory College. I graduated a few years back but couldn't stay away, I'm afraid. And in addition to running the water delivery business, I am also an official adviser to the Phoenix Kings."
Rainey shivered. Finally, finally!
"There's been a mistake, Mr. Stabbings," she swallowed.
"Call me Sam."
"I never wanted to join the Phoenix Kings. I was recruited against my will by Ethan Kankle."
At the name, Sam's expression turned dark. "Ah, Ethan. I've met him a couple times. I thought his breed of moron would have been extinct by now."
Rainey bit back a surprised laugh.
"You don't like him either, I take it?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rainey shook her head hesitantly.
He sighed. "Well, to be frank with you, he wasn't supposed to recruit you the way he did. He was supposed to vet you, court you—strike a friendship, I mean. I have no idea what is going on in that young man's head. You're certainly not Phoenix Kings caliber, are you?"
Rainey bit her tongue. "No, I'm not, sir."
"Does it offend you that I don't think you're qualified?"
"On the contrary," Rainey replied. "I think you know best."
Sam chuckled. "You flatter me more than half my staff." He narrowed his eyes. "Nonetheless, you did pass the recruitment test with flying colors. My secretary, however, tells me that you want to turn down our invitation, is that correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you know much about the Phoenix Kings?"
"N-no, but—"
"Then here's a quick history, Ms. Dumar," Sam leaned back against his chair. His monkey doppelganger stared at Rainey, unsettling her. "You're looking at the son of its founder."
He said it was a flourish like it was meant to impress her. He continued, "My father started the Phoenix Kings in the seventies in an effort to protest against the Vietnam War."
He stroked the monkey lovingly. "It was a heroic organization, developed to combat against unlawful authority, decrepit leaders, and violent evils. After the war ended, it became more like a brotherhood. I tried my best to keep it running during my four years here, but like many valiant organizations, it collapsed without a common enemy."
The monkey cooed, rubbing his cheek against Sam's palm.
"May I ask you a question, Rainey?" he asked quietly.
She nodded.
"Are you happy with Gregory College's current dean?"
"Uh—I don't know. He's not very popular, is he?" Rainey said uncertainly.
"This current administration is an abomination," Sam said emphatically. "Since he was unethically elected, Dean Perry has done nothing but plague this campus with selfish ideals and inefficient bureaucracy. He manipulates the water contamination for his own personal use. Rainey, do you know that without the Phoenix King's financial support, not one student in this campus would have access to clean water?"
"What are you saying?" Rainey frowned. "Do you mean that the Dean has something to do with the contamination?"
"He has everything to do with it," Sam said satisfactorily. "More than you know."
A fragmented light had entered his dark eyes.
Rainey examined him. "What's his plan?"
"It doesn't matter," Sam said. "We're going to force him to resign, or better yet, convince the board of directors that he's unfit for office."
"How?" Rainey scoffed. "By stealing cars?"
Sam smiled like a kid caught with a hand in a cookie jar. "Do our current methods bother you?"
"You stole my sister's car, so yeah, I guess it does."
"Big demonstrations attract larger attention, Rainey," Sam said. "And your sister will be compensated handsomely after the Dean is out of office."
"We'd like to be compensated now," Rainey replied. "I want out of the Phoenix Kings, Mr. Stabbings."
"Still?" Sam clucked his tongue.
"Yes."
"I'm disappointed to hear that," Sam frowned. "I always thought I gave a rousing recruitment speech. It pains me that you're so unaffected."
He clasped his hands. "As you know, we are a very...private organization. Not that we have anything to hide, but we would rather keep our more personal matters close to heart. With that in mind, it's difficult to let go of a member. Even though you're only a new recruit, you are already privy to valuable information we'd rather keep under wraps. You'll have to sign a non-disclosure form, of course."
"I can do that," Rainey said immediately.
"And there's a matter of default payment," Sam said casually.
Rainey's heart quickened. She looked up at him.
"There's a price for taking up somebody else's spot, Rainey," Sam said coyly. "Nothing is free. Labor is gold."
He whistled. Sammy, the monkey, picked up a ballpoint pen on the desk with his tail and handed it to him. He scribbled something down, licked his finger and ripped off a Post-It note.
At his insistence, Rainey reached over and grabbed it. Her heart completely and utterly sank.
"This..." she said. "This is an impossible amount."
Written on the Post-It:
Five thousand and five hundred dollars
"The cost of a semester's tuition at Gregory College," Sam replied. "Money owed to us."
"I—I can't pay this," Rainey's head swam. "At least not right now—I have expenses, money to send back home...next year's tuition to think about."
"Why would you be saving up for next year's tuition?" Sam chuckled. "We already cover that."
Rainey stopped short. "What?"
Sam tapped the ballpoint pen against the edge of the desk. "The Phoenix Kings covers all member's tuition starting at recruitment semester. Didn't Ethan tell you?"
"Ethan never tells me anything!" Rainey exclaimed. "How is that even possible? Where's the money coming from?"
"We have generous benefactors interested in the reduced role of Dean Perry at Gregory College," Sam explained. "They take care of us. Of course, they prefer anonymity. Rainey, didn't you ever wonder how you were accepted for another semester at Gregory College?"
"I-I applied for a loan," Rainey said, embarrassed.
"Your loan was declined," Sam said. "We covered your remaining tuition for this semester."
Stunned, Rainey stood up, almost toppling her chair over. "I never asked you to do that! I know how you people work—you help me out a little, like giving me a promotion and then you suck me in deeper. It happened before, but hell if I'm going to fall for it again!"
"Calm down, Rainey," Sam said, bowing his head. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought this would please you. We knew you were in financial stress so we took it upon ourselves to shift a part of your burden on us. We meant no harm. Without us, you wouldn't even be sitting here right now; you wouldn't have even had any classes to attend."
Rainey forced her breathing back in control. She couldn't believe it—her loan had been declined? The bank must have made a mistake...or maybe they really had refused her. It wasn't like she was in great standing.
"You have another year left, right?" Sam said softly. He smiled, his teeth sharp and sparkly, fake-like. "We could take care of that small nasty problem called money."
Rainey sat back in her chair, head swimming.
"I've pulled some of your records." Sam opened a drawer and took out a piece of paper. "Your grades are delightful, especially for a working student like yourself. Are you thinking about medical school, Rainey? Although your grades could take you almost anywhere, we do have a good program at Gregory College. And it would be free."
"Are you bribing me?" Rainey asked quietly.
Sam smiled. "I'm merely suggesting that you take what is already given. You've already gone through the hard part, Rainey, with or without knowing about it. What's the harm in letting us give a little?"
Rainey swallowed. "I'm not—it's not a good idea."
"Just think about it, that's all," Sam said, licking his lips. "If you do decide to go ahead in your termination, let Loralie know. She'll give you the paperwork and will accept cash or check. Otherwise, I'd like you to attend one of our meetings, Rainey. You'd be surprised at how quickly your first impression of us will change."
Rainey said nothing.
Sam eyed her carefully. "Ethan will let you know the time and location."
"Ethan would rather eat shit than reach out to me again," Rainey said. "Me too, actually."
"No need for drastic measures," Sam said, amused. "You two will be working the same route again, starting tomorrow." At Rainey's jump of shock, he added smoothly, "You'll be the boss, of course."
"He's not going to like that," Rainey said, astounded.
"No, he's not," Sam grinned. "But Ethan needs a good dose of subordination. He's under the strictest of orders now—best behavior."
"Oh." Rainey didn't know what to think.
"I think that about wraps things up." Sam stood up. "I see your girlfriend over there is quite anxious to see you in one piece."
Rainey looked over at Danika on the other side of the glass, squinting as hard as she can and evidently failing to see them.
"She's not my girlfriend," she mumbled.
"In the weeks to come, Rainey," Sam tucked his blazer professionally. "You may be contacted by people who are not friends of mine. It would be wise of you to keep your lips closed in reference to this meeting. I look forward to seeing you again."
Dismissed, Rainey left the strange office in a daze. The monkey cooed a good-bye.
Danika looked relieved.
"Thank God," she said. "It felt like you were in there for hours."
"Ms. Dumar, do you need anything from me?" Loralie asked, smiling sinisterly.
She knows, Rainey thought.
She suddenly felt suffocated. Without another word, she grasped Danika's arm, and fled from Room 1011.
"Hey—" Danika began. "Bye, Loralie!"
"See you later, darlings."
Outside of Waggoki, Danika finally managed to stop her. The sun had set, dark shadows moving across their faces.
"Slow down, Rainey. What did he say?"
Rainey sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "It's complicated, Dani. I have to pay to get out of the Phoenix Kings."
She told her the amount of money and watched as Danika's face darkened.
"Those slime bags!" Danika exclaimed. "How can they rip you off like that?"
"They paid my tuition for this semester," Rainey said blankly. "That's why."
"Why would they do that?" Danika frowned.
Rainey shrugged.
Danika looked at her. "What can I do? I can lend you some money or—"
"No," Rainey interrupted.
"A fundraiser—"
"I can handle this," Rainey told her. "I-I just need some time to figure it out."
She didn't tell Danika about the Phoenix Kings offer to pay for her next year's tuition. The idea was too unsettling to even think about.
"Well, what was Sam like?" Danika asked, sounding worried.
"Strange guy. I don't know if I like him or not," Rainey said truthfully. "And he had a monkey."
"What?"
Rainey filled her in while Danika walked her back to her apartment, refusing to let her tread the streets alone. "Also, Ethan's back on our delivery route."
Danika wrinkled her nose. "Unbelievable. You got demoted?"
"No, he's working for me this time," Rainey smiled. "And for you too."
Danika grinned at her. "Can you do that?"
"I'm the boss, right?"
"I wish I could have seen Sam," Danika said regretfully. "I'm curious to see what kind of guy leads a cult like the Phoenix Kings."
They entered the narrow street where Rainey lived. A light shined from her apartment window—Mariah was home.
"Sam wasn't what I expected," Rainey said thoughtfully. "He wasn't crazy. He was actually pretty smart—"
A large guy appeared from the corner in between the market stores. Hidden by the shadows, he made a motion towards Rainey. Danika pushed her off the sidewalk and then punched him right in the face.
"OUCH!" the guy hollered and crumpled to the ground.
Rainey stumbled backwards, absolutely winded. It had all happened in a flash.
"Oh," she heard Danika say. "I know you, don't I?"
Rainey stared at her uncomprehendingly. Danika was massaging her knuckles. Then, she did a double take at the guy groaning on the ground.
It was Mickey O'Brien, current boyfriend of Gavin Smith, and suspected member of the Phoenix Kings.