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Chapter 24: University of Terror
 By Jim Caple |
Previously at 24 College Avenue: Former 24 housemate Katie Maynard is recovering from an insurgent attack in the war. Her old housemate, Nicollete Mayle, tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug at a summer track meet in Paris and just admitted to Josh Williams that she is indeed guilty. Cheerleader Mandy Stevenson had an affair with State College basketball coach Jimmy Medici, who tried to pay her off when she thought she was pregnant. Red Devils mascot Jenn Robbins got drunk at a party and wound up having sex with a 14-year-old early entry student in her oral speech class. Danny Edmonds has moved back into the house after being dismissed as a resident advisor in the dorms for improper behavior. Former resident Ahmed Muhammed started a fight at the World up when he insulted Zinedine Zidane’s mother outside the French team’s hotel. And the house, which is due to be torn down for an urban renewal project, was just raided by the Department of Homefront Protection . . .
Katie lifted her right hand, her only hand now, and wiped the tears from her eyes.
Her parents’ visit was supposed to make her feel better but it just made her feel worse. Her mother attempted to cheer her up by repeatedly saying, “God never gives us more than we can handle’’ and Katie wanted to believe that, she really did, but she was finding it rather difficult at the moment.
Then there was her father, her dear, emotionally restricted father. She had never seen him cry (nor laugh for that matter) while growing up on the farm, not even when a torrential storm just about ruined the year’s crop. But he burst into tears the instant he entered the hospital room and saw Katie laying in bed, her left arm missing below the bicep, her right leg amputated midway up her thigh. He had come to comfort her but she wound up needing to reassure him that everything was going to be all right, that the doctors promised with the advances in artificial limbs, she could be playing shortstop by next softball season.
He brushed away his tears and hugged her. He held her tight and rocked her, saying, “That’s right. That’s right. We’ll play catch again by the barn like when you were growing up. And I’ll pitch to you and we’ll play the old game. Remember? A ball that got past the pitcher and hit the barn was a single, a line drive off the barn was a double and a ball over the roof was a home run, but what was a triple? I was thinking about that on the flight over here but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember what a triple was. Isn’t that strange?’’
“It was a ball off the door,’’ Katie said.
“That’s right,’’ her father said. “Now I remember.’’ He hugged her again, but stopped when he noticed he was pulling at her catheter. He adjusted his hold and tried again, only this time he placed too much weight on Katie’s chest and it caused her to let out a low whimper of pain. He pulled back again and kissed her on the forehead.
“There, there, Katie-bird,’’ he said. “Well be playing against the barn before you know it.’’
Only Katie didn’t hear him because she was too busy thinking that if her father had this much trouble hugging her, what hope did she have that any other man would ever even try?
The doctors interrupted to say Katie needed to rest and her parents would have to leave. They kissed her and promised to be back first thing in the morning. Katie told them she looked forward to seeing them but that they should be sure to get a good night sleep after the long flight. And if they could bring a book, she would appreciate that as well.
“Oh, that reminds me,’’ her father said. “I meant to give you this.’’ He pulled a newspaper from his coat and placed it on her bed stand. “You can read it later. I’m just glad you weren’t around to be mixed up in that.’
“I always knew living in that house with all those kids was a mistake,’’ her mother scolded. “Like that girl who posed in her underwear? Why would she do that? She seemed like such a nice girl when we met her.’’
Katie assured her mother she didn’t know (she really didn’t) what made Nicollette pose for the magazine but that yes, it was shameful. They said their good-byes and when her parents left, Katie picked up the paper and read the headline screaming across the front page:
“HOUSE OF TERROR!’’
She read on:
Department of Homefront Protection executive assistant vice-secretary George LaConner said Sunday night’s raid on the house at 24 College Avenue was proof that the government’s often criticized surveillance program is both necessary and working.
“I shudder at what might have happened had we not been able to move now against this terrorist cell,’’ LaConner said. “If the liberals had their way, this house of pedophiles, pornographers, anarchists, agitators, extortionists and steroid fiends would still threaten the community and perhaps the entire country. Thank God we were able to act when we did.’’
The raid resulted in the arrests of at least six current and former State College students the government believes were actively involved in plots directed at the nation’s homefront security. LaConner said the house had been under surveillance for a long time and that recent “chatter,’’ including email, internet, video and cell phone records, prompted the government to act before it was too late.
No charges have been filed yet but LaConner said his agency is still sorting through all the possible crimes and will announce the specific charges within the week. ‘‘Convictions will be s slam dunk,’’ he said. “Frankly, right now it’s simply a matter of determining which crimes NOT to charge them with.’’
Names of those arrested haven’t been officially released but government sources revealed that they include former State College sprinter Nicollette Mayle, current cheerleader Mandy Stevenson, Red Devil mascot Jenn Robbins, Daily newspaper photographer Steve Hamilton and marching band trumpet player Bonzi Bangor, plus a former dorm R.A. named Danny Edmonds. Red Devils football captain and former house resident Kenan Hill is also believed to be involved but was already in custody on sexual assault charges.
Mayle is suspected of operating a steroid distribution ring, according to a source who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. “She already tested positive for steroids and we have records of her meeting with a doctor known for providing performance enhancers to a wide range of athletes,’’ the source said. “Plus, we have video of her attacking a housemate in a steroid-induced rage.’’
The source also hinted that Stevenson and Bangor are involved with a conspiracy to extort money from State College basketball coach Jimmy Medici with a fake pregnancy and paternity scheme. Robbins, the source indicated, had sex with a teenager while Edmonds supplied alcohol to underage dorm residents for the purpose of getting them drunk and using them in porn videos. The source would not speculate on Hamilton’s arrest but it may be related to his earlier jailing for refusing to provide the government with unpublished photos he took of the Brawlin’ Italian riot that resulted in $20 million in damages.
“We’ve been watching this house for a long time and trust me, these are not innocent college students,’’ LaConner said. “These are bad people who were posed to strike. In fact, we are still searching for a fanatical Arab former resident, Ahmed Muhammed, who was apprehended last year for his role in a terrorist plot at the World Cup.’’ . . .
Katie put down the paper. What the hell was this guy LaConner talking about? She didn’t know the new residents but she knew the old ones and knew they couldn’t be involved in anything like this. Nicollette dispensing steroids? Nonsense. And Ahmed a fanatic terrorist? Ahmed was arrogant and got on Katie’s nerves but the only thing he was fanatical about was soccer. She did, however, admit that the supposed charges against Danny were all too believable.
How could the government suspect her friends of such awful crimes? Why were they listening in on their phone calls and tracking their internet use anyway? What was going on back home while she was literally sacrificing her body for her country?
“I need to get home and clear this up,’’ she said.
It was only when she attempted to get out of bed that she remembered she only had the one leg.
Next: On His Most Serene Highness’s Secret Roster
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