Prologue:
Date: August 21, 2007
Time: 2:31 PM
Location: Solstice High, Middleton, California.
***
The last day of summer vacation finds the campus at Solstice High eerily silent. Summer school ended about a month ago, and tomorrow will see a burst of activity as returning and new students alike clomp through the halls in search of their classes, but today is - at least in theory - reserved for those teachers who need a little more time to prepare their classrooms for the influx of students.
However, one of those teachers is more interested in argument than preparation.
***
"This is an outrage!"
The elderly man slams his fist against the desk with surprising strength, a scowl etched into a face that seems almost used to its presence. The man's grey hair, growing only on the sides and back of his head, is sticking straight out as if in indication of his anger, and his white lab coat hangs down to his ankles. He takes a moment to regain his composure, noting the mild irritation in the headmaster's eyes, and straightens his cokebottle glasses before speaking again.
"Look, Cerociento...surely you understand how ridiculous this request is!" he pleads.
His slender counterpart behind the desk eyes the old man, his fingers interlaced in front of his mouth and his icy blue eyes on the professor. His black hair hangs down to his shoulders and his black business suit seems both crisp and well-worn at the same time. He moves his hands, allowing the professor to see his slighly smaller than average nose and thin lips as he speaks. "I don't believe it was a request, Kain," he says, the slightest traces of a proper Spanish accent to his voice. "The schoolboard was not pleased with the circumstances under which Miss Kurosawa departed, and I've been dealing with the fallout all summer long. Now," the principal says, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet, "I know that it was your comments about her lack of expertise-"
"That's the understatement of the century. That stupid cow didn't even understand simple Euclidian geometry, let alone pre-calculus! How was she allowed onto the faculty in the first place?" Kain interrupts angrily.
The principal's eyes narrow, and he stands on his side of the desk, his full six foot two inch height towering over Kain's mere five foot six inches. "I know," he says, his voice calm and quiet, "that it was your comments about her lack of expertise that led her to leave our institution. Since you caused her departure, you get to teach her course. Or, to put it more bluntly," he adds with a wry smile, "shit rolls downhill."
Professor Kain sputters angrily for a moment, his face turning several shades of red before returning to its usual aging parchment color as he calms down. "...I suppose there's no getting out of it, then...fine, I'll do this for one year, but I expect someone to take over the algebra classes for me by the time the Fall Oh-Eight semester starts, or I'll be tendering my resignation," he says firmly. The principal's mouth twitches slightly at the corners, as if he were smiling, and Principal Cerociento sits back behnd his desk. As Kain turns to leave, the black-haired man clears his throat, causing Kain to turn back around.
"This might make your situation a little more palatable, Kain..." Cerociento says, pushing a manilla envelope across his desk to the grey-haired man. Kain takes the envelope, and opens it quickly, scanning the papers within. Now, it is Kain's mouth which threatens to break the mood with a smile, as the elderly man turns his attention back to Cerociento.
"So, I see you've arranged for her to be my TA during my final algebra class of the day."
Kain's tone carries almost the vaguest hint of gratitude, and Cerociento's ears don't fail to pick it up. The principal smirks to himself, shuffling papers around a bit before looking up at Kain. "She requested that Teaching Assisant be one of her elective classes...her initial request was to be assigned to the school library, but her form got a little losti n the pile...by the time I found it again, the position of library assistant was already filled by another student," the principal says, a twinkle in his eye.
Kain notes the twinkle, but goes immediately back to reading the file. "Hm...she's a sophomore, but you're already putting her in my AP Calculus course? Interestink," he says, a slight hint of his own native accent beginning to sneak throgh as he actually breaks the routine by giving an honest half-smile. "That sounds like family of mine, definitely." As Kain continues leafing through the papers, he comes across a second student dossier, and blinks as he reads the name. His eyes widen, and he turns his gaze to Cerociento, whose fingers are interlaced in front of his face once again.
"You're joking, right? You honestly expect me to teach this...this psychopath?" Kain's voice has risen slightly in its pitch, and Cerociento smirks from behind his hands. "Why not? He failed in Kurosawa's class...I'm sure you can do a better job of educating him," the principal quips. Kain's grip on the envelope tightens, but before he can speak, Cerociento holds up two fingers.
"They're a package deal, Kain," he explains, his words silencing the outburst Kain was about to make. "Either you get both of them, or you get neither. Unlike with regards to the algebra class, you have a bit of a choice in this matter," Cerociento informs the math teacher. Kain stares at the envelope holding the dossiers, thinking quietly to himself for a moment. Finally, he turns to the door, still holding the envelope at his side.
As Kain leaves the office without further comment, Cerociento allows his smirk to blossom into a full-fledged smile. He reaches to the black phone on his desk, and dials a couple of digits to get one of the classrooms. Lifting the receiver, he holds it to the side of his head, waiting for an answer. As he hears the voice on the other end of the line, he adjusts his grip slightly, making the phone easier to manage in his position.
"Professor Lawson, this is William Cerociento. Would you be so kind as to step into my office?"
