Phil Williams - 2050 - Psycho Island

“That was campus police. They’re saying that they caught Blake with drugs. We need to go sort this out. Do you think Silas might be able to help us again?”

Naomi shook her head, her face taut. “I told Silas we’d never ask him to bail us out again. I’m so sick of Blake’s bullshit. We should let him suffer the consequences of his actions.”

“Do you really want this in the news? It would kill your presidential campaign before it even started.”

Naomi shook her head and let out a breath. “I’ll call Silas, but I wouldn’t blame him if he stood on the sidelines this time.”

They changed into more professional attire, and their autonomous sedan drove them to Georgetown University. They lived six blocks from campus, so it was a short trip. The campus featured many gothic stone buildings erected in the 1800s and 1900s. The college was still bustling that Saturday night. Underaged students walked to and from house and dorm parties, whereas most upperclassmen were at off-campus bars and clubs.

The autonomous Toyota parked in front of a nondescript brick building. The parking lot held a few vehicles labeled Georgetown University Security. Naomi and Alan went inside. A portly middle-aged officer sat at the reception desk. They waved their hands over the chip reader and explained why they were there.

A few minutes later, they were led through security to a back room. Inside the windowless room, Blake sat with a female security officer.

The small woman stood from the table and said, “I’m Officer Trask.” They shook hands. “You must be Mr. and Mrs. Sutton.”

“Yes,” Alan said.

Naomi glared at her son. He gave her an arrogant nod in return. Blake was a stocky man with a good-size gut, covered by an oversize hoodie. His stubbly beard covered his chin, jawline, and part of his neck tattoo. He was twenty-two but looked thirty.

“Have a seat.” Officer Trask gestured to the square table.

They sat around the table, Naomi and Alan flanking Blake, with Officer Trask sitting opposite them all.

“Silas Gomez is supposed to meet us here,” Alan said.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Officer Trask said.

Naomi had left him a message, so she had no idea whether or not he’d show.

“This is the situation,” Trask continued. “We found large quantities of MDMA in your son’s dorm room. We believe he’s been selling drugs on campus for quite some time.”

Blake said, “I’m not—”

“Shut up,” Naomi said, giving her son a look that could kill.

Blake looked down. “They’re not mine.”

“Enough.”

“We also have four eyewitnesses who claim to have seen your son selling drugs on campus,” Trask said.

“If he’s guilty, what are the next steps?” Naomi asked.

“I call Metro Police, and they handle it. I only waited as a courtesy to you and your husband, and so you can contact your lawyer.”

A knock came at the door, then it opened. Georgetown President Silas Gomez stood in khakis and a button-down shirt. “Hello, Naomi. Alan.”

Naomi stood from the table and approached the middle-aged man. “Thank you so much for coming, Silas.”

“You’re welcome,” Silas replied, shaking her hand.

Alan also stood and greeted the college president.

Silas said, “Officer Trask, I’d like to speak with you alone for a moment.” Silas looked at Naomi. “We’ll be right back.”

The officer left the room with Silas.

As soon as they were alone, Naomi asked her son, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I didn’t do nothin’,” Blake said. “Campus security is fuckin’ racist.”

“Are the drugs yours?” Alan asked.

“Of course they are,” Naomi said.

Blake crossed his arms over his chest. “You really think, if I was white, I’d be here?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I’m sure campus security is biased against people of color,” Alan said. “Maybe they made a mistake.”

Naomi frowned at her husband. “Stop it, Alan.”

“Y’all mufuckers don’t know what it’s like,” Blake said, his jaw set tight.

“You’re right, Blake. I don’t know what it’s like to have everything given to me on a silver platter only to piss it all away.”

“Naomi, that’s not helpful,” Alan said.

“It’s true.” Naomi stared at her husband for a moment to cement that fact.

“Y’all don’t know shit,” Blake said. “I’m not white, and I’m not black. You have no fuckin’ idea the bullshit I go through every day.”

The door opened, and Officer Trask and Silas stepped inside.

Silas said, “Officer Trask will stay with Blake so we can talk.”

Silas led them to an empty office and shut the door behind them. Silas sat behind the desk, Naomi and Alan in the chairs opposite. Silas was tall and thin with wavy salt-and-pepper hair.

“I’m really sorry about this,” Naomi said.

“Please,” Silas said, holding up one hand. “I understand how difficult young adults can be.”

“What can we do?” Alan asked.

“I don’t know. Normally, we’d call the police and expel him.”

“Normally?”

“This isn’t a normal situation. I do acknowledge your status as a friend of Georgetown University.”

“This is his last year,” Naomi said. “What if he finished the year online?”

“That’s a possibility, but we’re still obligated to report the crime,” Silas said.

“Blake has felt very alienated here,” Alan said. “It’s not easy for him. He doesn’t fit in with the white students or the people of color. I think the drugs were his attempt to gain acceptance.”

“That’s unfortunate. Here at Georgetown, we try very hard to be an accepting and inclusive campus. I understand the difficulties of living in two worlds. My mother’s from Mexico and my father’s from Virginia. It wasn’t always easy navigating the two cultures, but I do think we’ve made great strides in this country over the years.”

“I think, given the circumstances, a strong warning and removal from campus would send the proper message,” Alan said.

Silas nodded and looked to Naomi. “What do you think?”

“I think my son has real problems that we as a family need to tackle, but involving the state will only compound these issues,” Naomi replied.

“I think we can accommodate, provided you remain a friend of the university. By the way, we’re looking for donors for the new VR center. Would you be interested in becoming a gold-level donor?”

Naomi pursed her lips and said, “Of course.”

Naomi wrote a check for 100,000 Fed Coins, nearly wiping out their savings account. But Blake avoided expulsion and arrest.

They drove across campus to Blake’s dorm, with campus security in tow. Officer Trask escorted them to Blake’s dorm room so he could collect his belongings. He was no longer allowed on campus without a security escort. Blake lumbered along at his own pace, his escorts slowing their pace to match his.

Blake’s dorm room was outfitted with an OLED television, with nanospeakers for perfect surround sound. His walls were an homage to drugs and women with large derrieres. Somehow he had affixed a mirror on the ceiling over his bed.

Naomi packed a suitcase with his clothes.

Officer Trask stood by the door.

Blake looked around his room and said, “Damn, we need to hire some movers.”

“We will,” Alan said. “Just pack what you need for the next week or so. The movers will get the rest.”

Naomi’s phone chimed. She swiped right and said, “Vernon, can you hold on a minute?” Without waiting for an answer, she said to Alan, “I’m taking this outside.”

Alan nodded.

Blake scowled at his mother.