#23 Vanadium- Chapter 11
I'm not sure about the continuity between this chapter and the last, but I had writer's block and this chapter was started at school where I couldn't check the last chapter. I got over my writer's block, though!
If there was one thing that Larry Malloy (Professor Larry Malloy, that was) hated, it was being treated like a child. And that’s exactly what he feltl ike when Carrie dropped him off in front of James Madison High School with nothing more than some vague directions to the Principal's office (just find the front entrance, and go into the front office, and ask for the Head Principal, she’d told him) saying that she had to go grocery shopping before going home and it was better if they split paths here, because she was sure that he didn’t want to go grocery shopping with him. That was true, but it didn’t help the whole "I feel like a child dropped off for his first day of school at a new school and don’t know anyone" thing.
It brought up memories that he didn’t want to relive- his high school days, when he was the one being bullied instead of the other way around. He might be rude, but he had taken the mandatory psychology class in school and remembered enough of it to acknowledge that he was being a bully. But he liked it and had no intention of changing. Ever. They deserved it.
Grumbling under his breath, he stalked into the school, slamming the front door open as well as the door to the main office which was just inside the front doors. He walked up to the counter and scoffed at the name plate on the desk behind the counter, which read
Noa W. Morin
The Wizardess
What sort of school was this, where the secretaries not only practice witchcraft but flaunt it?
"Can I help you?" An elderly woman asked as she walked out of the back room. She couldn't be much more than five foot, and so looked tiny to Larry's over six foot self. She was thin with many wrinkles and snow white hair, but still had an air of toughness about her- a plus when working at a high school.
"I need to speak to a Mr. Ian Woon," Larry drawled. He just wanted to get this over with. The sooner he talked to the man the sooner he could convince him that he didn't belong here and he could just go about his merry way and receiver his pay check once every two weeks as per usual. It might be nice to have more time to work on his plotting...
"I'm sorry, but Mr. Ian Woon is expecting someone right now. I can schedule an appointment with him tomorrow, if you'd like?" Noa W. Morin suggested, looking sincere. Larry gave an exasperated sigh.
"I don't want to speak to tomorrow. I need to speak to him today." Larry snapped.
"I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Ian Woon is waiting for a guest to arrive and it would not do to keep him waiting. I can schedule you for tomorrow, but he is busy today," Noa W. Morin, the secretary, retorted.
"I did not take a ten hour flight to get here just to be told to come back tomorrow!" Larry growled. "You go into Mr. Ian Woon's office right now and tell him that Professor Larry Malloy of The University is waiting out here to speak to him."
"I am not going to disturb him, Professor" the secretary, Noa W. Morin, snapped back, putting a sarcastic emphasis on his title.
"You will disturb him, and then you will tell him that Professor Larry Malloy of The University is waiting to speak to him. And if you don't I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell," he threatened.
"I work with high schoolers every day. You don't scare me," Ms. Morin deadpanned. Larry glared. He reached a hand into his hair, which was greasy and looked as if it hadn't been washed in days, and pulled out a small, black... thing. He eyed it, shook his head and placed it back in his hair. He then stuck his hand in his hair again, this time pulling out a small white... thing... that was moving. Ms. Morin eyed it with disgust.
"Now if you'll just come here a moment..." Larry muttered.
"What are trying to do? I am not going anywhere near that thing!" she shreiked.
"No worries," Larry said. "It's coming to you." And if one quick motion he reached behind the counter, grabbed Noa W. Morin's head, and used his other hand to shove the small, white thing into her ear. She stopped flailing immediately.
"What can I do for you, today, sir?" Noa W. Morin asked politely.
"I need to see Mr. Ian Woon. Tell him that Professor Larry Malloy from The University is waiting," he told her. She turned and disappeared into the hall of offices behind the desk and Larry took a seat in one of the chairs in the small lobby to wait, setting his single suitcase down beside him. He hadn't packed for long since he wouldn't be here long anyway. He gave a small smile and congratulated himself on a job well done.
"Gotta love nanotechnology" he said.
Running total: 10,279/50,000
I broke 10k!