Chapter Ten

The Rebels did not meet in the morning. Korah was late for breakfast and did not make it into the cafeteria on time; Esther chose not to eat breakfast and stayed in the library, sipping her tea. Lisa made it early into the cafeteria for breakfast but did not manage to talk to Andrew as her friends forced her to eat with them. What made it worse was that they learnt in different classrooms.

The classes at Preston Prep Academy were dependent on the results that each student acquired on their entrance examinations into the school. There were a total of four classes: Blue, Green, Orange and Yellow.

Blue was for those who scored an average of 85-100 percent in total, Green was those who scored an average of 70-84 percent, Orange was for those who scored an average of 60-69 percent, and Yellow was for those who scored an average of 50-59 percent in total. There was no discrimination based on the classes whatsoever as some students who made it to the Yellow class still performed better than those in the Blue class during the end-of-term examinations.

Korah was in Grade 12 Blue, Esther was in Grade 12 Green, Andrew was in Grade 12 Orange and Lisa was in Grade 12 Yellow.

Since the four could not meet during class time, they exchanged notes during the two minute break that they had after every class.

Andrew saw Lisa in the hallway during his break and handed her two pieces of papers. "Give the other note to Esther if you happen to see her. I already spoke with Korah."

Lisa nodded and walked off without saying a word. What they were doing was important but school was also important. Her score on her entrance examination wasn't all that great and she was trying her best to maintain a 70 percent average score on her school exams. She really did not want to let her mother down.

Lisa found Esther just as the bell rang for their next class. It was time for their third class of the day, only one more class to go before lunch time. Esther was rushing to her next class with thick Science textbooks in her hands.

"Esther, wait up!" Lisa yelled, hoping her voice rose above the noises of chattering and footsteps coming from the students surrounding them.

When Esther heard her name being called out she stopped in her tracks and scanned the halls to find out who had called her. She saw Lisa waving her hands in the air a few feet away from her and made her way over to her, pushing other obstructing children in the process.

"Hey, Lisa," Esther greeted once she reached where Lisa was standing. "Is anything the matter?"

"Here," Lisa said and put on of the notes on top of Esther's textbooks as her hands were full. "That's a note from Andrew. He told me to give it to you."

"Okay. Thanks."

"I have to get to class now. I'm getting late," Lisa said.

"Right. Goodbye," Esther said and turned away to go back to her classroom.

Esther was the last person to enter the classroom and the teacher was already there.

"Wow! Esther Brown late for class? This is a first," Mr. Darwin, the Biology teacher said.

Mr. Darwin was a forty something year old man. He had brown eyes and greying hair. He had laughter wrinkles on his face and a potbelly. However, no one could imagine him without his potbelly. Mr. Darwin was an easy teacher to get along with as he was always telling uncle jokes and smiling. He was one of the easiest teachers in the school to approach.

"Good morning, Mr. Darwin," Esther greeted.

"Good morning, Esther," Mr. Darwin replied. "Now, do you mind telling me why you were absent to class yesterday?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, Sir."

"Just take your seat," Mr. Darwin said and turned away from her to the white board behind him. He wrote Carboxylic Acids on the board and mumbled, "I just don't know what's wrong with the kids of the school these days. You skip classes and don't come back for weeks."

"What do you mean, Mr. Darwin?" Esther asked curiously.

"I mean that some students whom I had I my class at the beginning of the school year no longer come for class, and I don't think they asked for permission to skip or change classes," Mr. Darwin said. "For example: Richard Jones. He is the most recent student who stopped coming for class. I mean, if you don't like my class then you can just go to Principal Winter and request a change. That way you wouldn't hurt my feelings and leave me ghosted. Esther, promise me that you won't disappear from my class."

"I have no intentions of doing so, Mr. Darwin," Esther said with a nervous smile.

"You see, Esther. This is why you're my favourite student," Mr. Darwin said a little too loudly.

"Mr. Darwin!" A boy yelled from the back of the class. Esther recognised the boy as Wilfred. Wilfred was a troublesome student and a class clown. Mr. Darwin was the only teacher who actually enjoyed his presence in the classroom. "You told me that I was your favourite just last week."

"Oh, Wilfred. You should have known that was a lie," Mr. Darwin said and the entire class laughed.

"I can't believe you chose her over me," Wilfred held a hand over his chest. "She's not even as good looking as I am."

"Please, Wilfred," Mr. Darwin said, "everyone in this class knows that she is way better looking than you are, and a hundred times better behaved."

"I can't argue with that," Wilfred said, "and she is kind of cute too."

A chorus of 'awes' filled the classroom, and Esther walked to her seat with her head down. They would act all nice now and go behind her back later.

Esther placed her books on her desk and took her seat at the front of the class. She sat on the left side of the classroom, close to the entrance door and on her right was Dalphon. Esther was surprised to find Dalphon sitting beside her. She usually sat next to a boy named David Davidson. However, as she looked around the classroom, she noticed that David was seated at the far back, in Dalphon's seat.

"G'morning, Esther," Dalphon greeted with a shy smile.

Esther nodded in acknowledgement, "Good morning, Dalphon."

Esther then remembered the note that was handed to her by Lisa. Shockingly, it had not fallen from where it was placed (on the textbooks). She picked up the note and opened it up. It read:

Let us meet up in the gym at lunch time, Andrew.

"What's that?" Dalphon asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Esther shook her head and tore up the note, "It's nothing."

"Is that a note from Dexter?" Dalphon asked and Esther gave him a deadly look. "Is he your boyfriend? You guys are found together a lot these days and I think you make quite a cute couple."

"Firstly, no. Secondly, gross. There is no where on earth that I would be found alive dating Dexter Paige," Esther replied.

"Dalphon! Esther! I would prefer it if you two do not speak while I am teaching. It makes me feel somewhat inferior to you. You can continue with your conversation after the bell rings," Mr. Darwin said.

"Sorry, Sir," Esther said at the same time that Dalphon said, "Yes, Sir."

Esther ignored Dalphon for the rest of the lesson and paid attention to Mr. Darwin's teaching.

---

By the time lunch time came around, Esther was already exhausted from all the learning and catching up she had to do. She had only missed one day of school and that had to be the day that their teachers gave them multiple notes and assignments.

Esther made her way to the cafeteria immediately the last teacher left the classroom. She barely ate breakfast and she was in no way going to miss out on her lunch. However, she still remembered that she and the other three were supposed to meet in the gym. She wanted to be the first in line to get her lunch and she needed to get her lunch before the doors to the cafeteria closed, by then, no one would be allowed to enter or leave the cafeteria.

Esther ran to the cafeteria, disregarding all forms of orderliness and throwing her manners out the door as she pushed other students in the process. She had most definitely learnt how to be an example to others when the was elected as the Vice Student President but after what Dexter told her, she wasn't sure if she was still of importance.

Sure, Dexter did say that some students saw her as someone of great authority, but she didn't know those students. Dexter was someone she worked with and he knew how well she worked. Apparently, from his words, she did not do a good job. Well, she was going to show him how important she was to him and how good she was at her job... but that would be after she had her lunch.

Esther was pleased to find that she was one of the first to enter the cafeteria. She made her way to the line and picked up a tray, a spoon and a fork, and a napkin. There were about ten or eleven other students in the line. Esther waited patiently for her turn and once she got the chance she chose beans, fried rice and one of the lunch ladies blessed her with a large drumstick. She then grabbed a bottle of cold mineral water made her way out of the cafeteria immediately.

"Esther!" Someone called her name from behind her as she speed walked.

Esther recognised the voice very well; nevertheless, she continued to walk at the same speed. She turned her head to look at the person who called her and smirked when she noticed that he was having a hard time catching up to her. However, her joy was short lived as he finally caught up to her and stopped her from walking by placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Esther, didn't you hear me calling after you?"

Esther turned around to face Dexter, "Oh, no. I did hear you calling for me. I just chose to ignore you and have you chase after me. Did you want to tell me something?"

"Yes, I do," Dexter said. Esther was smiling inwardly. Dexter was probably feeling bad for what he said to her and wanted to apologise for it.

"I'm listening," Esther said with her food tray in her hands and her head held high.

"About what happened in the kitchen..." Dexter started, "Before you stormed out angrily you grabbed a coffee mug from me. That coffee mug belongs in the kitchen and Bertha wants it back."

Esther looked at Dexter in shock and disbelief. She really wanted to smack him right across the face.

With gritted teeth Esther replied, "It's in my locker. I'll return it to the kitchen myself."

"Okay. Thanks. Bertha would have never let me back into the kitchen if I lost Miss Greene's favourite coffee mug. Alright, I'll be going now. Oh and, Esther, don't talk with your teeth grinding against each other like that. It may lead to them being chipped and you really sound like a Grinch whenever you speak like that. "

Dexter punctuated his sentence with a genuine smile and turned around and walk away, into the cafeteria.

Esther watched Dexter hop away from her with anger written over her face. He really needed a slap. A few seconds after Dexter was completely out of her sight, Esther continued her journey to the school gymnasium.

"Hey, Esther," Lisa said as Esther stormed into the gymnasium, "long time no see."

The other three were already in the gym seated on the bleachers. Esther walked up to them and sat with them. She placed her food tray on her laps and looked at Lisa.

"What do you mean 'long time no see', Lisa? You saw me two periods ago."

"What I mean is that I have barely spoken to you since Sunday," Lisa explained. "Sunday was kind of a free day for us and you weren't available yesterday. Was anything the matter?"

Esther shook her head, "No. I just didn't feel like going for classes yesterday."

"Why did you storm in here angrily?" Andrew asked.

"Ugh. Because of that fool named Dexter Paige," Esther replied.

"What did he do this time?" Korah asked.

"Nothing! He was just being his usual stupid self," Esther said, trying her best to not explode. "But I don't want to talk about it. He is my superior and I have to respect his position as my leader."

"Yes, but he also has to respect your position," Lisa said. "You may be inferior to him but you have almost as much power as he does. If anything were to happen to him you would be in power."

"Let's just carry on. I just want him out of my mind," Esther said and picked up her spoon. She said a short prayer, scooped a spoonful of rice and shoved it into her mouth.

"Wait. Where did you get that food?" Andrew asked, with his hand pointed at her food.

"From the cafeteria, obviously," Korah replied on behalf of Esther who couldn't speak because she was still chewing.

"You had time to get food? Why didn't you get food for me as well?" Andrew asked, sounding hurt.

"I didn't think about that. And even if I did, I wouldn't have made it out on time," Esther replied honestly. "And don't you have extra food in your dorm room? I know that every new term you come to school with loads of snacks. You can ask Bertha to let you use the kitchen later and cook your food."

"Aren't you two hungry?" Andrew asked Korah and Lisa..

Lisa shook her head, "I'm used to going on diets."

Korah also shook his head, "Bertha knows me. She'll probably notice that I wasn't there during lunch and save some food for me."

"Well, this is unfair," Andrew huffed.

"Andrew," Esther began, "would you like me to leave some food for you?"

"Yes, please," Andrew said with a wide smile on his face, his attitude completely changed.

"Can we please get to the point of this meeting?" Korah asked. "We have exams after next week and I'm nowhere near ready for it."

"Right," Andrew said, all playfulness gone, "I asked us to meet because we have to come to the conclusion of this Principal Winter matter. That is almost one million pounds gone and we need to know where they went. I think that we should do some more research on Principal Winter."

"But we don't have any electronics and we can't go sneaking into his office again," Lisa said. "He'll obviously be more careful this time."

The four sat quietly, deep in thought.

"I have an idea!" Korah suddenly said out loud. "Let's go to the computer room and do our research there."

"But in order to use the computers we will need a teacher's supervision. We can't let the teachers know what we've been doing behind everyone's back," Esther said.

"I still don't see why we can't inform the teachers," Lisa said. "It doesn't make sense. Obviously the teachers would be interested in this case. Their boss might be a fraud and their students are missing. We should at least tell them."

"I have orders from the Student President," Esther said, "Dexter receives orders from Principal Winter. Going against him will be like going against Principal Winter. If Principal Winter is not a fraud and we tell this to the other teachers, I might lose my scholarship."

"I agree with Esther. And even if we tell the teachers, what if one of them is involved in the case of the missing students? That will be a blow on our part," Korah added.

"Okay, but what were you saying, Korah? How are we going to use the Computer Lab without a teacher's supervision?" Andrew asked.

"I have my ways. Follow me to the Computer Lab."

---

The Rebels made their way to the Computer Lab. They entered the lab one after the other. Mr. Stone, as usual, was seated behind his desk. On his desk was his lunch: a plate of potato chips and sausage, and a bottle of soda. However, he was not looking up. His eyes were fixed on his phone.

"Good morning, Mr. Stone," they greeted unanimously.

Mr. Stone was frightened and jumped up from his seat, dropping the phone on his desk in the process. "When did you four get in here? And don't scare me like that again. You might give me a heart attack."

"We're sorry, Mr. Stone," Korah apologised on behalf of the group. "We just wanted to find out if it is possible for us to use the computers. We want to do some research."

"No," Mr. Stone said and sat back down in his chair.

"What?" Andrew asked as though he had not heard what Mr. Stone had said the first time.

Mr. Stone popped one of the potato chips into his mouth. "You heard me. I said no."

"But why not?" Andrew asked.

"I am pretty sure that you know the new rules that Principal Winter enforced last Saturday," Mr. Stone said as he picked up his phone from his desk. "You students are not allowed to use the computers without supervision from a teacher. I'm a teacher but this is my lunch break, and I do not feel like supervising anyone right now. Come back later."

"Please, Mr. Stone," Lisa pleaded.

"No. Now leave. I would like to enjoy my lunch in peace," Mr. Stone turned on his phone and clicked an app called Fruity Slush.

The Rebels looked at Korah, expecting him to say or do something to help them.

"I see that your phone is working perfectly," Korah said to Mr. Stone.

"Ah, yes, it is," Mr. Stone said with a pleased smile on his face. "Even better than it was when I bought it."

"Do you remember what you said after I fixed it?"

"Yes, very well," Mr. Stone replied, "I promised to reward you. I'm a man who keeps his promises."

"I glad you remembered," Korah said. "I want this to be my reward."

"Huh?" Mr. Stone asked with confusion written all over his face.

"Reward me by allowing me and my friends to use the computers," Korah said. "Remember, you are a man of your words."

"You smart fellow," Mr. Stone scoffed. "I have to applaud you on that. You really know how to take advantage of opportunities."

"I've been learning how to do so my whole life. Gotta thank my mother for that."

"Alright. You can use the computers, but only for fifteen minutes. I can't risk losing my job just to remain true to my promises. If Principal Winter happens to catch you, just know that I had no hand in it."

"And what if I don't finish my fifteen minutes today?" Korah asked. He was certain that fifteen minutes was more than enough to research what they wanted but he was worried in case they needed to research some more in the days to come.

"Smart chap. Then you can come back some other day to complete the fifteen minutes. This research must be really important to you."

"It is. Thank you, Mr. Stone," Korah said. He then turned to The Rebels, "Let's go."

"Wait. Esther Brown, you should know that food isn't allowed in the Computer Lab," Mr. Stone said. "Especially not drinks. You have food and a bottle of water on your tray."

"But you're eating here," Andrew pointed out.

"I am your teacher," Mr. Stone said.

"Then aren't you supposed to be leading by example?" Lisa asked.

"Well... Uhm... I'm older than you... Ugh, you four are a smart bunch, aren't you? You know what? Just do whatever you want. I don't care anymore," Mr. Stone relaxed into his seat and threw another chip into his mouth.

Korah led them to the computer at the far back of the Computer Lab. "Let's use that computer."

He occupied the chair that was behind the desk on which the computer that they were using sat. He turned on the computer and then turned on the WI-FI.

"Is there any WI-FI connection?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah. It's connected to the school's WI-FI but it'll be a little slow because of the school's geographical location," Korah replied.

Once the computer was connected he went straight to Google Search. He entered Evan Winter and clicked search.

"Does the school have any Vice Principal? 'Cause if it does, I've never seen or heard of him, or her," Esther said and took another spoonful of her rice. She then placed her tray on the desk and tore out a large piece of the chicken. "I'm done, Andrew. You can take the rest. I used the spoon but I didn't use the fork."

"Thank you, Esther. And regarding your question, I don't think we have one. The school used to have one but a few years back, for some reason, the rules changed," Andrew replied.

"It's finally loaded," Korah said and they all fixed their eyes on the screen of the computer.

On the screen was a short biography of Evan Winter.

Evan Winter is the current principal of one of the most prestigious schools on Landgema Island: Preston Preparatory Academy. He was born in the year 1973 and has been the school's principal since the year 2015.

That was all the information the internet had on him. There was no picture of him and he did not have any social media accounts.

"Well, that didn't help in any way," Lisa said.

"Scroll down," Esther said and Korah did so using the mouse. "Look there. Isn't that a photo of Principal Winter?"

"Yes, but the name accompanying the picture is Eugene Walter," Korah said.

"Just click it," Esther said.

Korah did as instructed and clicked the website. It took a few seconds for the website to load but when it did, The Rebels were shocked by the outcome of their research.

"What!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Whoa," Korah said.

"No way," Andrew said with a mouth full of rice, "would any of you have guessed?"

"This is unbelievable," Esther said.