The Scoop.

Question.

Question.

Question some more.

Interrogate

Interrogate

Interrogate some more.

Rumors had been swirling for awhile.

Around campus.

Around the large university town.

Word had spread that there was a person on the loose. Students avoided their night classes. Subsequently, a curfew put in place. Night classes would be suspended for a time. Until they could discover what was going on with the situation. What to do about the situation.

Law Enforcement was involved from the beginning. When the very first incident occurred. Nerves around the campus were understandably high. Exams were just around the corner. Right before the holiday break was to commence.

No one was leaving the town, though. A travel ban had been instituted as well. Until the person or persons responsible would be brought in, brought to Justice. Everyone was under suspicion. Suspicious of one another too.

Jitters does not even describe the atmosphere of fear.

What happened that night was rather usual enough. Campus parties were a thing. A right of passage in an otherwise predictable world. This was the time of life where a person learns that friends come and friends go. Tough lessons to learn at such a thought time of life and a beautiful time of life.

A time of life where the world is at your fingertips.

That is the problem. The solution is as far away from the remedy. This precarious time of life is a time of maturing. Of getting ready to embark on the World of Work.

A time when one learns who their true friends are.

The ones who stick by you through thick and thin. Come hell or high water.

Doxxing.

Boxing.

Ghosted.

Mosted.

Words and quiet actions of deceit behind the catch them if you can cat and mouse game. Of the cell phone capers.

Clyde was walking to the the newspaper building for his usual Night Editor shift. As was routine, he stopped by the local convenience store to pick up the breakfast of champions combination of a large black coffee and aluminum foil wrapped sausage sandwich. He was never quite sure if he should buy breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper as his shift ended in the wee hours of the morning.

Right before the paper was printed, bundled and sent out for delivery. As the Night Editor, Clyde had the important job managing the night workers and ensuring a quality product was developed.

As he walked along, something, the current events, kept nagging in his mind. Because he had a campus job, he had special clearance to walk post curfew.

As a matter of fact he directed two of his best reporters to go out in the beat to try and bring to an end the story terrorizing the campus.

Clyde had no leads. But the paper was working feverishly with local law enforcement to find the perpetrator.

Students were dying.

Now. Grounded. Unable to leave the campus as everyone was now under suspicion. He arrived at the newspaper and entered as usual—everyone and everything was a abuzz with activity.

He loved it here.

He loved bringing truth to the public.

The motto at the newspaper was “Dig and Dig Hard.”

For the story.

For the scoop.

He checked around the building, did a head count. And breathed a sigh of relief that all his workers were present and accounted for.

He approached his two reporters and asked if they had any updates. On the story of the moment. They shook their heads no. They asked if they could go out on the beat, scour the town, to see if they could find any clues. Anything at all. To put this dreaded incident to rest.

Jitters does not even describe the atmosphere of fear.

Impersonation.

Some merciless, stupid person was impersonating other people. Let’s call him “Jaded.” Jaded, pretending to be their friend nd would text a student, after he targeted them. Texting familiar things to them and asking to meet up. It was then that the person was never seen again.

As the two beat reporters reviewed information about the latest victims. They took some notes. And decided to head out.

Since the beginning of the campus crisis, each and every time a newspaper person left the building and returned they were to sign the white board—both while coming and going.

Reporter Jon was a tall and rugged guy. Unafraid of anyone or anything. If anyone crossed his path, he really could squash them like a bug. Quickly. His partner reporter Jess was another guy, slightly less big, but had the presence of an astute prodigy. Never taking no for an answer. Willing to say the quiet part out loud.

Blurting😳. Jess paid no mind to the weird looks that came her way. There was a murderer on campus. Jess took it seriously. In this day and age, the cell phone was both a blessing and a curse. Which they were both about to find out.

They decided to divide and conquer. Jon was to head to the Arc and walk around and both eaves drop on other’s conversations as well as engage them if there was anything “new” they had heard. After all Jon called himself a “muscle head”and thought he may do a lift or two💪🏻💪🏻

Jess, far more serious, but not a fun hater, smiled and headed to the science building, the chemistry lab specifically to “sniff” around for a clue.

After about an hour, Jon received a text that Jess was headed back to the newspaper. “Dead end.” The text displayed. Jon high fives the gym friends and headed back. Looked at his cell phone “See you there in about 15 min.” He thumbs upped👍🏻Jess and headed on.

Jess was methodically going through the chemicals in the chemistry lab. An astute student of science and all things “beaker.”

As Jess sniffed and looked through the cabinets, she heard a noise. Shoes. Walking down the hall in the chemistry lab direction.

Jess decided to do a brave act.

Jess hid.

In a cabinet.

To see just exactly who was coming to the lab at this time of night.

Sure enough, the door lock was being manipulated. And the door swung open. Jess held her breath.

Just then. Quiet as a mouse. Jess came knee to face with the person responsible for the so called campus “Meet, Great and Defeat”. The person most assuredly responsible for the fear that gripped the campus.

How did she know. She sniffed out the beakers and discovered someone had been taking the poisonous crystals and replacing them with,

Salt.

Sugar.

As the chemistry lab was experimental place, no one would suspect if an experiment had the right “ingredients.” They would move on to the next powder. She witnessed this person move about the lab and take certain powerful powders and crystals and replace them with salt or sugar.

Jon arrived back at the paper and to his dismay discovered Jess was not there. He walked briskly over to their security tech person to check to see if the text indeed came from Jess’s cell phone. After a few minutes they discovered the message did not,

Come from Jess’s cell phone.

Panicked, Jon raced out the door toward the science building. Screaming, “Call the Police, Science Building.” And many of the other newspaper employees dropped what they were doing and began running after Jon.

What happened would change Jess’s life for ever.

Just then, as “Jaded” began to gather his crystals and powders, and put them in a bag, he reached for his phone. He texted Jess. As luck would have it (or not). Jess’s phone buzzed—too loudly—and the murderer slowly turned around and walked in her direction. She was still hidden, but he was coming closer.

So. Jaded said. “Ok. Jess.Come out come out wherever you are. I know you are here. It is now time and your turn for your “Meet, Greet, Defeat.” As he was coming closer, Jess remembered there was a fire extinguisher just a few feet away (She had had to use it from time to time during science experiments🙂)

She thought, if she ran very quickly, she could grab it, engage it and blow smoke right in Jaded’s eyes and then run like her life depended on it.

Which it did.

Depend on.

She made her move and Jaded lunged closer. She grabbed the extinguisher and just then Jaded grabbed her arm. He attempted to put some white powdered stuff in her face but her reflexes saved her and she swung around and blew the extinguisher powder smack dab in Jaded’s face. He swore and fell off balance and Jess ran.

At that very moment, Jon and the newspaper entourage arrived and Jess screamed, “He’s in there, He’s in there.” He’s got drugs, he is just throwing them around, Be careful. Jon ran in. He, now face to face with Jaded. Jon said, “You are done, man, give it up.” Jaded attempted to throw the powder right into Jon’s face. Thank God, his wrestling days came back to him and he ducked, went for Jaded’s knees and knocked him out cold. Turned him over and tied him up.

Stay tuned……….