Tara Randel - Always The One

The large cafeteria was bustling with activity, noise echoing off the high ceilings. The hot lunch aroma had his stomach growling, but he stood in the designated spot to observe as the kids found their places at the tables. He might be here to get the truth out of Hannah, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t take this job seriously.

As the kids got busy eating, Derrick noticed a motion out of the corner of his eye. The young boy from earlier, Tommy, stood by his table and wildly waved his arms. Curious, Derrick headed his way.

“Is there a problem?”

“The guys don’t believe I’m working with you.”

Derrick swallowed a chuckle. “Well, technically, you’re a student.”

“So am I working with you or not?”

“In a limited capacity.”

“What does that mean?” asked a smaller boy with glasses and a serious expression.

“It means I do the work, but I will listen to Tommy’s report at the end of the day.”

Tommy puffed his chest out, fist-bumping the boys around him. The serious boy motioned Derrick to come closer. Leaning over, the boy whispered in his ear, “Tommy is mean.”

“Really?”

“He thinks he’s the boss of everyone.”

Derrick sent Tommy a narrow-eyed glance. The kid suddenly looked unsure of himself.

“Can you make him stop?”

“I can certainly try.”

This earned him a big grin and a serious case of hero worship. He wanted to show these kids how to get along without taking advantage of their places in the power structure. He’d hated that hierarchy when he was in school and imagined it hadn’t changed much.

The lunch hour ended and Derrick spent the afternoon doing various security tasks: patroling the campus, going over the surveillance equipment with Glen, monitoring some of the student activities. With only a half hour left of classes, Derrick headed to his position outside the front door to watch over the lineup of cars for student pickup. He hadn’t gotten far when he heard a ruckus come from the direction of Hannah’s room. He took off on a brisk run and skidded in front of the door. The voices were louder now, more alarmed. He pushed the door open to step into bedlam.

Girls were running about, checking inside desks and cubbies. Boys scurried around the perimeter of the room, rummaging through bookshelves. Hannah was calling them to order, without much success. Tommy stood before a cage, the door wide-open, a grimace on his face.

Hannah finally noticed Derrick and came over.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his tone sharp, his reflexes ready to take control of the situation.

“Sally is missing.”

His instincts to protect a child kicked in. “Can you give me a description?”

“She’s stout and short legged, with short brown hair, a bit fuzzy, wearing a pink ribbon.”

He gaped at Hannah as she described her student.

“Sally’s our class guinea pig and she’s escaped her cage.”

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