Chapter Twenty Two

Hero's Call: Chapter Twenty Two

Calliope Bishop to the office please, a voice came through the halls from the PA system. Calliope Bishop to the office.

“Uh oh,” Bill chided Cali jokingly. “Someone’s in trouble.”

Cali gave Bill a bemused look.

“Ha ha,” she replied humorlessly. “I’m sure I’m in so much trouble. I wonder what’s up?”

Milo shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” he suggested. “Probably some award for being a model student or some crap. They’re always calling you to the office for stuff like that.”

Cali nodded absently. Not once had she ever been called to the office to be rewarded for being a model student and Milo knew that very well. She knew he was kidding, but there was something ominous about that announcement. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was, but a feeling of dread had crept over her. She had a sudden urge to fake sick and go home, but it would require her going to the office to tell someone and that was the exact place she was trying to avoid. She would just have to face the music. Cali figured she was probably being silly anyway, making a mountain out of a mole hill.

“I guess I’ll catch up with you guys later,” she said to Milo and Bill, and walked back down the hall the way they had come to main corridor of the building where the office was.

The principal’s office was separated off from the main corridor by several floor to ceiling glass panels. Up against the glass on the inside was a row of cheap plastic chairs in the school’s colors, red and white. The office itself was separated by another bank of floor to ceiling windows that separated the reception area from the principal and vice-principal’s offices. Cali could see Mr. Bradley and Mr. Schultz in their respective offices working diligently at whatever it is that principals and vice-principals do. She had been too distracted to notice the young man sitting in the plastic chairs alone as she had walked up. As she entered the office, however, their eyes met instantly.

He wasn’t any older than her or one of her friends. He had a shaggy mop of dark brown hair that was almost black. His eyes matched his hair exactly, making them look as if they had no iris, just two big pupils sucking in light like a vacuum cleaner. He was wearing a pair of jeans that fit well, but hung low on his hips and a t-shirt for one of Cali’s favorite bands under a light blue hoodie. She stood in the entrance for time on end while the young man looked her directly in the eyes. A torrent of emotions washed over her in an instant. She felt cold, alone, hopeless…excited. How could a simple look make her feel like that?

“Cali,” one of the receptionists said, snapping Cali out of her trance. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she agree, blinking herself back to reality. “Everything’s fine.”

“This is Xander Tabernacle,” the receptionist told her. “Mr. Bradley would like you to show him to his classes today. Here’s his schedule.”

She held out a small rectangle of paper, and Cali crossed the room to the desk to take it from her. She looked over it briefly. The schedule was almost identical to Milo’s. The only class they didn’t have together was Biology.

“Ok, no problem,” she said to the receptionist and turned to Xander who was now standing.

He gave her and uninterested look.

“Hi, Xander,” she said happily. “I’m �"”

“Calliope Bishop,” he said for her. “I heard the announcement. Pretty name. Greek muse of epic poetry, right?”

Cali nodded hesitantly. No one had ever known that. It was kind of a random bit of information to just have rattling around in your brain. Who was this guy? He certainly wasn’t like any of the other guys at Buckland. His presence alone stirred things in her she’d never felt before. It was terrifying and exciting all at once. Cali couldn’t help but notice how much she enjoyed the feeling.

“You can call me Cali,” she said, blushing.

“I like Calliope,” said Xander coolly, and opened the door of the office to let her exit before him.

“Okay,” she said sheepishly. Her face turned a brighter shade of red. “Your first class is World History with Mr. Hanson. It’s just around the corner.”

She turned left out of the office and made her way toward the nearby hall. Xander walked in step with her as they wound through the students that were milling about trying to get to their first class of the day. While most people didn’t seem to even notice Cali as she walked in their midst, every single student turned their heads to look at Xander. It was more than just gawking at a new student. In some it was awe. In others it was faint recognition. And others still looked at him with a blank expression that bordered on melancholy.

Mr. Hanson’s classroom was the first on the right. Cali stepped through the door with Xander and all heads turned to look at them. Milo waved at her and she gave him a small smile in return. The other students just stared at the dumbly as they made their way to Mr. Hanson’s desk.

“Hi, Mr. Hanson,” Cali said, holding out the schedule for him. “This is Xander. It’s his first day at Buckland.”

Mr. Hanson regarded the new student with a bored expression. “No kidding,” he said sarcastically. He looked at the schedule and handed it back to Cali. “There’s a free seat in the row by the window. Third desk back. Take a seat.”

“I’ll be back to walk to you to your next class,” Cali told Xander. “Have fun.”

Cali left the class giving Milo a small wave on her way out.

 

Daniel didn’t pay much attention during Mr. Hanson’s history class. He couldn’t take his eyes off the new guy. He couldn’t tell why exactly, but he didn’t like him. They hadn’t even spoken, and already he was under Milo’s skin. Had that been the way it went with Devon? Was it an instant dislike, or did they work up to it? Milo couldn’t remember. He couldn’t help but notice, however, that Mr. Hanson had seated him in Devon’s old seat since the bully was still recovering in the hospital. Was that some kind of sign, an omen that spelled out exactly what Xander and Milo’s relationship was going to be like for the rest of their high school career?

What rankled Milo’s skin even more was that Cali liked him. She’d probably deny it if Milo asked her, but it was obvious. He’d known her far too long to not be able to read her body language. She was comfortable around Xander for some reason. And if Milo wasn’t mistaken, there was a distinct lightness to her step as she left the room. She had to like Xander? Milo would have been fine with Cali liking any other guy in the entire school, even Devon, so long as it meant she didn’t like Xander.

Xander also appeared to be some sort of savant with word history. Idiot savant, Milo thought bitterly. He was able to answer every question Mr. Hanson threw out and even corrected the teacher once or twice. It visibly irritated Mr. Hanson, but he somehow managed to keep his cool. Who was this guy?

Milo made a solemn promise to himself that he’d find out one way or another.

 

When the bell rang to dismiss the first class of the day, Milo hopped up from his desk and stood by the door waiting for Xander, hoping to get a word in with him before Cali came back to take him to his next class. The other students filed out of the room quickly, leaving Xander behind to lethargically make his way back to the hall. He didn’t even seem to notice that Milo was clearly waiting for him. Milo had to actually clear his throat to get the kid’s attention.

“Hey, man,” he said, making his voice a little deeper, a little more menacing. “I’m Milo. A friend of Cali’s.”

“Yeah,” Xander answered. “So?”

Milo could feel the hatred welling in him. He took a moment to calm himself down as to keep the concussion blasts from sending Xander through the wall on their own accord. “You like her?”

Xander shrugged. “Maybe,” he said noncommittally, adding, “Cute butt.”

Milo tried to burn holes into Xander with his eyes without actually burning any holes in him.

“Don’t screw her around,” Milo said flatly. “or you’ll have me to answer to.”

Xander gave him an appraising look. “Is that it?”

Milo gave his new enemy one last glare. “Yeah. That’s it.”

“Great,” said Xander, bemused. “Catch ya later.”

He stepped out of the classroom just as Cali walked up.

“Hey, Xander,” she said happily. “Sorry I’m late. Got help in Psych. I see you met Milo. He’s a friend of mine.”

Xander smiled. “He was just telling me that, weren’t you Milo?”

Milo nodded once and Xander grinned at him slyly. Cali seemed not to notice the unspoken heated exchange that took place between them.

“Great,” she said, grinning. “Let’s get moving, we’re behind. You two have almost every class together so you can chat more later.”

Milo rolled his eyes when they turned their backs on him and walked down the hall toward Mrs. Pogue’s Psychology class. He had to spend the entire day with this clown? That was exactly what he needed.

 

Xander had decided to adopt his new name for two reasons. For one thing, Terrence Swanson was a bit old fashioned, as Xena suggested. And for the other, while he doubted anyone would be able to recognize the name given how long it had been since he’d last been called by it, there was still an outside possibility that hearing it would spark something in someone’s memory and cause a very uncomfortable conversation. Uncomfortable for them, as he’d certainly have to destroy them to keep his secret hidden from the world as he’d done for well over a century.

The remainder of his first day of school passed quickly enough even though it was like watching paint dry for such an advanced mind such as his. He had studied and restudied every single subject and mastered them years and year ago. Couple with Destructo’s memories and knowledge, Xander was certain his IQ would be well over three hundred. It wasn’t his mission to learn while he was attending Buckland. He could have taught every class. His mission was to locate the new Hero and report back to Destructo so the Villain could crush the new comer before his career got off the ground. A simple enough mission.

So simple, in fact, that he’d already accomplished it. What Destructo didn’t know was that he had gained the ability to sense an active Hero Gene many, many decades before Destructo had managed to find that sample of his DNA. He knew the second Calliope and Milo had gotten within ten feet that they had both activated not long before he’d arrived at their school. Milo was nothing. As a minor a Hero as they came. It was Cali that could cause problems. Xander suspected she didn’t even have the slightest clue how much power she truly had. She would have to be dealt with delicately.

He could have left the school at the end of first period. His mission was complete. It was his duty to report back to Xena or Destructo on what he’d found. But what fun would that be? In fact, Destructo’s plan was a little too mundane for Xander’s taste. With the free time he’d had in each class listening to the teachers drone on he had concocted his own plan. One that actually relied on Destructo’s plan being successful. So he would be the good clone, do what his creator asked of him. But only insofar as it furthered his plans along. And what devilishly Evil plans they were.