14: Coming In Style

"Well? Will you actually explain what you wanted thirty million for??" Struan asks, his voice eager, yet skeptical.

"The academy is a huge money grab scam, right?"

"No?"

"Exactly!" I say, ignoring his answer. "So what do they want?"

"Money?"

"Exactly!"

"So what are we gonna give them?"

"Money."

"No!"

Struan glares at me and punches me. "Get to the point already!"

"Hehe… Anyways… let's put the plan in action now, shall we?"

"WHAT PLAN!?"

I pull out a tube labeled 'Assorted Animal Figurines' and shake out a few until I get a bird — a bald eagle. I place the thumb-sized toy on the ground and as soon as I let go, it rapidly grows into a full-sized bird. It ruffles its feathers and looks around with an ill-tempered glare, but doesn't fly off.

On a strip of paper, I quickly scribble a message and stick it in the bird's waiting beak before Struan can even see what I wrote. The regal bird looks a bit silly with a crumpled tube of paper sticking out from the sides of its beak, but it will do. Grabbing the eagle from the sides, I toss it high into the air and watch it fly off.

The momentary dismay on Struan's face slowly fades as he realizes my intent — I wasn't about to break our promise and wreak havoc, at least not just yet.

I'm not really sure what to do to clear his lingering suspicion, but I guess only time will help. I really do intend to keep my promise.

Seconds later, a boom shakes the city as the eagle breaks the sound barrier, then turns into a streak of light as it speeds over the horizon.

"Uhh… I don't think bir—"

"It's fiiiine. Don't question it!"

Pulling out a little leather sack — or rather a pouch — I place it on the ground. At first glance, it looks only large enough to fit a handful of quarters.

I stick both my thumbs inside its opening and gradually pull them apart. I keep pulling and pulling, while the opening of the pouch continues to grow longer and longer, until it is bigger than the sack itself.

Struan watches incredulously as the tiny opening somehow widens large enough to accommodate me. You'd think he would have already gotten the impression from seeing it stretch to fit stacks of bills inside, but apparently not.

I sit on the ground and swing my feet into the pouch. Instead of stopping where the ground should be, my feet keep sinking inside. As if sliding into a swimming pool, I lower the rest of my body into the pouch and let go of the edge, seamlessly entering the pouch holding our newly 'created' fortune.

Light, mottled brown covers me like a spacious dome as I freely walk around inside, the sun outside providing the illumination.

Massive bundles of pale, bluish-green papers stacked at the end of the pouch greet me as I walk forward. The aroma of fresh money and leather fills my nostrils as I inhale deeply and get to work, distributing my precious loot into the individual suitcases tossed inside.

Finished, I head back to the watermelon-sized hole of light. Stretching it open, I pop out of the bag and dust myself off.

"Aight! Let's head off now, ourselves!" I say.

"I didn't mean 'get to the point' that fast!" Struan says.

Ahhh, finally. There it was — the protest.

"It'll be fiiiine," I say.

***** ***** *****

A black limo pulls up to the intricate, wrought-iron academy gates, which open with a metallic screech.

Heads turn as the limo drives along the streets of the academy, everyone trying to get a peek at who sits behind the tinted windows.

Reaching the main reception hall, Struan and I step out of the vehicle, both of us looking dazzling and red carpet ready.

"Welcome to Eagle Super Academy. We have been expecting you."

The principal, assistant principal, and a few others are there, waiting to greet us.

I nod in acknowledgement and allow them to guide us to their reception area. Struan follows suit.

All sorts of fruits and pastries await us in the room. A waiter comes by to ask us for our drinks. I grab a few snacks and sit on a plush couch to nibble. Moments later, he comes back out and gives me my coffee and Struan some orange juice.

My eagle flies over to me from its perch near an elaborately carved table, now perching next to me on the edge of the couch. I scratch its head and neck with a long, neatly manicured fingernail and it nuzzles into my hand, looking like the most content bird in existence… Well, as content as an eagle can look.

The principal and assistant principal sit on the couch opposite of us, and so, I begin.

"Our family believes in the future of supers…"

I give a dramatic speech about the future of supers; my family's belief in the mission of the academy; and the importance of education, community, and all that drivel. I finish it off by saying my family wishes to play an active part in the development of supers with a gift of $30 million.

They eat it right up — especially the $30 million part.

I gracefully raise my hand, and with a sharp flick of my wrist, I snap. Two men in suits, looking like bodyguards, walk in carrying suitcases. They place the bags in front of us and unzip them with a swift motion.

The principal and assistant principal shoot up, the greed clearly written on their faces. It's obvious they both are doing their best to contain themselves and not to pounce on the stacks of money.

"However!" I loudly say, causing the two to jump and look at me like guilty puppies.

"Of course, since our family wishes to play a more active role in the development of supers, we were sent here to participate. Additionally, our family asks for the funds to be used for constructing a new, state-of-the-art training facility for the students, with any leftovers used for scholarships," I continue on.

"Lastly, our family does not wish to be known as supers, so you must not publicly disclose our identities. We will be enrolling under these names" — I slide forward an envelope with documents containing the names Struan and I have been using for many years at this point — "Please make it happen."

"We are most gracious to be chosen for your generosity!" They cry out in synchrony. "Consider it done!"

I nod. "Also, our tuition payment is included in our donation. That should pose no problems."

"Understood! It would be brazen of us to ask for more."

[Ama… this is called a bribe.]

[Not if it's big enough! Then, it's called a gift or donation.]