CHAPTER 15:
Failed Negotiations
Monday arrived and Trent came across Tucker and his buddies, Ash and Hew, sitting out the back of C Block at Interval just before the bell for assembly. ‘Hi Tucker,’ he greeted him in as friendly a tone as possible. He felt a little nervous about Ash and Hew being there, as they had staunch looks on their faces. Both were very athletic looking, Ash a sinewy Maori and Hew a burly but slightly overweight guy.
‘UBBA! Nord! Got this week’s payment yet?’
‘Yeah. Sure,’ he sighed and dug into his pocket. Trent paused when he noticed Tuckers hair was exactly the same as when he’d seen him the day before. ‘I thought you were getting your hair permed yesterday?’
‘Decided just to go for a trim instead.’
Trent was sure it was the same length as before, but didn’t argue and handed over his body-guarding fee.
Tucker snatched the money out of his hand, a broad smile on his face. ‘I’m going to have a good lunch today, lads.’
Trent continued to stand there wondering what he should say next. He really wanted this business to end. Perhaps if he approached Rex and tried to talk to him, he could sort something out. The only thing was, he didn’t have the guts to do it on his own and it would have been good if Tucker could be there with him for support.
‘Well what are you hanging around for?’ Tucker scowled. ‘Ubb off, you’re cramping my style. I don’t want some year-nine smell hanging around me like a bad lump of turd!’
‘Well, I was just thinking...’ Trent’s heart beat fast. He didn’t want to make another enemy, especially not a guy the size of Tucker, but he had to say something. ‘I was hoping that maybe we could go and see Rex.’
‘What?’ Tucker’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
‘Talk to him. Maybe I can sort something out.’
‘What do you need me there for?’
‘Just in case he tries to beat me up.’
‘He will, I can tell you that much, ubbhead! If he lays one eye on you, he’s going to pound the crap out of you!’
‘But I can’t just go around avoiding him all the time. This is costing me too much money. I can’t afford to keep paying you this much. I’m having to draw money out of my savings to cover your fee. If you’re there, he won’t try anything surely? If he sees that you’re there to protect me, he’ll be too scared to do a thing.’
Both Ash and Hew snickered.
‘You better believe it, ubbhead!’
‘So, what’s the problem?’
‘If you approach him and try to talk to him that would be provoking him, that’s what! I don’t believe in provoking people.’ He turned his head momentarily to call out to a year-ten boy who was passing by. ‘Hey Bader, you moron! You think you’re tough, don’t you ya little shrimp? Why don’t you come and take me on, eh?’ The 14-year-old quickened his pace and disappeared around the side of the building. ‘Chicken!’ Tucker yelled out. ‘Typical useless year-tenner! Thinks he’s the greatest soccer player in the world. Now what was I saying? Oh yeah, I don’t provoke people. You shouldn’t either. My advice is to steer clear of Cassidy. If you go provoking him, then don’t expect me to come to your rescue.’
‘But what if you’re not around and he tracks me down anyway?’
‘Then just call my name, I’ll be there.’
‘Who do you think you are, Tucker?’ scoffed Ash. ‘Superman?’
‘Superman’s an ubbhead! He can’t even handle an iddy biddy bit of kryptonite. You wouldn’t see me wimping out as soon as someone brings out a bit of that stuff.’
‘Yeah, but bring out the food and you’re weak at the knees.’ Hew chuckled.
Tucker didn't even look at his friends. ‘So, Nord, just keep going as you are and you’ll be fine.’
‘But sooner or later I’m going to run into him and there’s going to be no way of escaping.’
‘Well we’ll worry about that then, won’t we?’
‘Ok,’ Trent said reluctantly, but it didn’t give him any more confidence.
The bell rang so that was the end of the negotiations. Trent walked along just ahead of them as they merged with students heading to their classes. Trent’s eyes widened when who should he see walking in their direction but Rex and some of his friends. Fortunately, Rex hadn’t seen him yet, but a thrill ran down Trent’s spine when he saw a chance to cash in on his investment. He turned his head but Tucker and his two pals had diverted down another path moving at quite a hurried pace.
Trent ran after them and caught up to them. They slowed their pace, so it wasn’t too difficult. It was as if they had been in a hurry and then at the last moment decided that they had plenty of time. ‘Hey Tucker, where are you going? The hall’s the other way!’
‘We’re taking a detour.’
‘But this is the long way.’
‘So what? We’re in no hurry to get to assembly.’
‘But Rex was back there!’
‘Was he? Can’t say I noticed. So what?’
‘Why couldn’t we have walked past him?’
‘He would have tried to give you an ubbering, wouldn’t he?’
‘But you’re here. You could beat him up instead.’
‘I’m not in the mood for dishing out ubberings today.’
‘But I’ve paid you good money!’
‘Ha! Good money? You have to be kidding me. You’re getting my services for a budget price.’
‘I don’t want to have to keep running away from him all the time. You’re paid to protect me from him, not to keep me away from him.’
‘What’s the difference? Besides, I’m not your hitman, am I? What are you paying me for, to protect you or to act as your goon?’ He turned to face Trent, his face darkening. ‘If you want me to be your hitman, you’d better be willing to fork out more than twenty measly dollars!’
‘Can’t we just walk past him? We don’t have to provoke him.’
‘Walking past him is provoking him! Man, you can be a total ubbhead sometimes, ubbhead!’
‘Is there anything I can do that doesn’t provoke him?’
‘Dying?’ Ash sniggered.
‘Yeah, dying!’ Tucker growled. ‘Maybe that’s what you should do, Nord. One thing’s for sure, if you go provoking him, you will be dead, mark my words! Even I won’t be able to save you then.’
‘It’s a flying elephant!’ Hew barked suddenly.
‘It’s a hot air balloon!’ Ash leapt in.
‘No, it’s Blubber Man!’
The two burst out laughing.
‘UUUrrrrbbaaarrrrr!’ Tucker growled. ‘Watch it you two!’
Nord found no amusement in their words either. ‘Tucker, I’m worried that Rex might deal to me when you’re not around. What’s going to happen then?’
‘Are you still going on about that, Nord?’ Tucker glared. ‘I can’t be following you around 24 hours a day. Like I said, you’ll have to pay me a lot more if you want a more comprehensive service rather than just the budget one. So why don’t you just sod off? You’re really starting to get under my hide.’
‘You said it.’ Hew smirked.
‘Fine!’ Trent grumbled, far from satisfied. ‘I’m going! But you better be there if Rex tracks me down!’ He stormed away.
He spent the first period of the day brooding. At interval, he sat down alone outside B Block, munching on a chocolate biscuit. An older student, a tall skinny guy, stopped beside him, peering at him. Trent returned the stare, believing he knew the guy from somewhere. Probably at his old school.
‘You’re Trent Nord, right?’ the guy asked.
‘Yeah.’
‘I’m Norman Shuker. Used to go to Te Arawa Primary.’
‘Oh, ok.’ The name did sound familiar, but he still couldn’t quite pinpoint him.
‘You look troubled. Everything ok?’
Trent sighed. Even though he couldn’t remember Norman exactly, he had a friendly face. The fact that no bad feelings prodded at Trent, probably
meant the Norman was one of the good guys. It was nice to have someone to talk to about his troubles too. ‘I’ve got a bully after me.’
‘Oh no,’ Norman sat down. ‘Who’s the bully?’
‘Rex Cassidy.’
Norman sat taut and his eyes scrunched up. ‘What? Rex?’
‘Yeah.’
‘He’s no bully. Well he only bullies you if you are a bully. Are you a bully?’
‘No!’
‘Well then what’s the problem?’
‘I kind of accidentally made a pass at Vanessa.’
Norman’s eyes widened and then returned to normal. ‘Ah, I see. So, you believe he’s out to get you to make you pay for making a pass at her. You never seemed like the kind to try it on with senior girls.’
‘I’m not and I didn’t. It was an accident, really.’
‘Well ok, maybe it was, but I guess I can sort of understand the problem. Vanessa was definitely the wrong girl to accidentally make a pass at.’
‘I know! I’m dead. Do you know what Cassidy does to people who disrespect his girl?’
‘Well yeah, I’m quite aware that Rex is very protective towards his female friends and with Vanessa he kind of like just snaps and goes overboard. I’ve seen him mess some guys up who tried messing with her.’
‘So, it’s true then? I heard he beats up people just for talking to her.’
Norman burst out laughing, ‘Who told you that crap?’
‘I heard rumours.’
‘Man, that is total crap. The guys he beat up harassed her in some way. You know, like saying really bad things about her, manhandling her, or… or making sexual advances on her.’
‘It’s that last one that worries me. And I heard he put a guy in a coma for roughing her up. Some guy called Luke Shirley.’
‘A coma?’ Norman burst out laughing again. ‘Man, someone has really been pulling your leg. That’s bullshit man. He never got put him in a coma.’
‘But he beat him up really bad?’
‘Yeah, but I heard Luke had a knife to her, man. He was making all kinds of threats. That was some serious shit and the cops got involved in that one too.’
‘Doesn’t make me feel much better though. I even hired a bodyguard, but I think I’m wasting my money. I don’t think he even wants to deal with Rex.’
‘And who’s this bodyguard? Has Jean Claude or Rob Van Dam been on site or something?’
‘Tucker Pyles.’
Norman’s jaw dropped. ‘Tucker Pyles?’
‘Yeah, I’m paying him twenty bucks a week for his services.’
Normal nearly laughed. ‘Are you mad? Why the hell would you think that guy could beat Rex Cassidy?’
‘He said he could.’
‘Damn, Trent, you are one gullible twit! Tucker Pyles is a total moron. He can’t battle his way out of a wet paper bag, he just uses his size to intimidate people. It’s his two pals; Ash and Hew, you would want to hire, but even those two are barely a match for Rex. You should see what he did to them about a year at one of the school dances. You’ve been had, my friend.’
‘No way.’
‘Yep. You’re wasting your money. There’s no way Pyles can help you.’
Trent began to see the truth now and he suddenly felt very silly indeed. ‘No wonder he always seemed to be avoiding having to do is job. No wonder he had every excuse in the book not to challenge Rex.’
‘Now you know.’
‘Oh, God. What do I do? He’ll probably want to kill me too if I stop paying him protection money.’
‘Look, Trent, if I wasn’t scared to death of the guy and his two heavies, I’d help you out. But the only one who has the guts to stand up to them is Rex Cassidy himself. Or maybe Will Ullman.’
Trent flinched. Neither of those two were viable options, especially not Rex. ‘What do I do then?’
‘I don’t know. But look, Rex is a good guy. Just go and talk to him. Try to explain the whole situation to him.’
‘But what if he won’t listen? You said he just snaps when it comes to her.’
‘Yeah, but it was last week, right? He hasn’t come looking for you yet. He’d find you if he was. So maybe he’s cooled down a little?’
‘I don’t know. People keep telling me he’s been looking for me.’
Norman sighed. ‘Maybe. Perhaps you’re right to lay low for a bit longer.’
‘I think I might have to.’