The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)

A Coup Quashed

Previously: "Dinner and a Side Plot" 

"Well, what is everyone standing around for?"

It's Wednesday morning, and you're in the girls' locker room, having just changed into workout clothes for first-period practice. There was an odd, charged atmosphere in the changing room when you entered—no one was talking—but you'd put it down simply to shock at Michelle's disappearance from the squad. Now, though, as you look around, you see that half the squad—more than half!—are gathered in the doorway with their arms folded. They are clustered around Cindy Vredenburg, who is staring at you with a look of open contempt.

"We have to have a team meeting," Cindy says.

You roll your eyes. "After practice, Cindy."

"No, now. Because maybe you don't want to go to practice after we've had the meeting." A faint smirk shows on her lips.

A chill strikes your heart as you realize that she's making her move now. Your eyes dart over the faces of the girls clustered about her: Yumi Saito (an expression of gloating triumph on her face); Lin Pol (inscrutable); the Garner sisters (looking a little embarrassed).

"Alright," you sigh with pretended exasperation. "What do you want to talk about? Michelle? Who replaces her? Because that's—"

"Have we already started?" Yumi interrupts. "Because I move a vote of no confidence in our squad captain."

"Pfft! That's funny, Yumi—"

"I second the motion," Cindy says.

"Okay," you sigh, "all in favor?"

"Aye!" Yumi exclaims, then starts as Cindy, with a frown, grabs her by the shoulder.

"Hang on," Cindy says. "First we have to vote on the voting procedure."

"We've already started voting," you retort.

"It has to be a secret ballot."

"We've already started voting," you repeat. "Haven't we, Yumi?" You smirk at her.

"Well, then, we suspend voting," Cindy says. Her expression falters. Again, you sigh.

"Do you need me to dig out the school handbook?" you ask her. "There are procedures we have to follow. Once a vote starts, it has to be carried through to the end. Unless," you add with a mischievous smile, "you want to table the motion and close the team meeting. It can then be revived at a later meeting."

Cindy's face is now a rictus of anger. "Okay, then we table the motion."

"A point of order has been made," you chant. "The chair rules against it. The vote will proceed. Kendra?" She jumps as you turn to her, and looks stricken. "How do you vote? Aye or nay?"

Her eyes bulge with fear, and they dart between you and Cindy as her mouth hangs open. But you lift an eyebrow, and her will crumbles. "Nay," she mutters with downcast face. "Gloria? Maria?" They also vote "Nay": Gloria with a wariness, and Maria with a clear sense of confusion and mystification. "I also vote nay," you announce, and you don't hide your glee at having outmaneuvered Cindy in this very tight corner she tried putting you in. "You know," you add softly, "it takes a two-thirds vote to win a 'no confidence' motion, and four of the nine members of the squad have already voted against it. Cindy, how do you vote?"

Her expression has curdled up into one of frustration and fury, and she twitches behind her folded arms. Her mouth works. Finally, she says, "Abstain."

"Eva?"

She looks trapped, and glances quickly between her sister and the back of Cindy's head. Then, looking very pale, she murmurs, "Abstain."

"Jessica? Lin?" They too with quiet anger abstain.

"That makes it one aye, four nay, and four abstentions. Motion defeated. Any other business?" They all glare at you mutely. "Then I declare this team meeting concluded." You give them all your plumpest smile. "Everyone onto the floor. Except you, Yumi. I think you should sit today out, think about what you did. But stick around. I want to talk to you at the end of class."

* * * * *

You run practice briskly and dispassionately, offering no praise but making no criticisms either, even when Cindy in her anger- and shame-distracted state messes up badly a couple of times.

"Pretty good today," you tell them after breaking early. "All things considered. Now, you all know we're down one person since Michelle quit, but we know who's coming on in her place. It's Jack Li. Trouble is, he can't make it to first-period practice, so we're going to have to set up an after-school practice session. Three-forty-five to five o'clock. If your schedule can't fit that in, you need to talk to me. Anyone know they can't make it?" There's only sullen silence from most of the girls. "Good. But let me know soon as you can if something comes up. We'll start tomorrow!" You clap your hands. "That's all!"

Then you turn to the bleachers, where Yumi is perched way up high. You crook a finger at her. Glowering, she comes down to meet you. You greet her with a tight smile.

"I want you to know, Yumi," you say, "that I don't hold any grudges about this morning. You and your friends just fucked up your play, that's all. Or, actually, I guess I should say that you fucked up their play for them." You smile tightly at her again.

"I know all about Kendra, and how she was supposed to vote with you. She'd have been the sixth vote you needed. But you needed it to be a secret ballot, so I wouldn't know if it was her or Gloria or backstabbed me. Kendra's a snake, but she hasn't any guts. The only reason I let that vote happen was so she and you and Cindy would see that you can never win. But I'm not going to give you or Kendra or anyone another chance.

"I can tell you're not happy on the squad, Yumi. And now no one is happy with you either. I'm telling you this as a friend"—your smile is the twist of the knife inside the phrase—"that I think it's best if you quit the squad. No one likes being miserable. And no one likes hanging around with someone who is miserable."

Tears are puddling in her eyes now, even as her face burns with fury. But your gut tells you it's best to make sure, so you add: "And if you don't quit, I'm going to have to go to Coach Tesla and tell her that you're a disruptive influence and need to be taken off the squad. Today's vote—you the only one voting 'aye', everyone else voting 'no' or abstaining—proves that."

For a long moment you think she's going to explode with curses, and maybe even hit you. But, quivering with anger, she wheels and marches off. At the door her fury finally overcomes her, and she flips you off over her shoulder without turning around.

You shake your head sadly. Poor Yumi. Her replacement—when the time was ripe—could have been a very useful ally on the squad. But now she might not even earn the honor of being replaced with a doppelganger.

* * * * *

You don't hear anything from Yumi before the end of the day, and you don't speak to Kendra either, preferring to let her twist with anxious uncertainty. The important thing is the meeting you set up with Michelle. Naturally, you didn't approach her directly, but got Number Two to set it up. She and Number Three are waiting with you in the shadow-hung gym when the appointed hour—eight o'clock—rolls around. None of you speak or move as you wait.

The door creaks open at a little after eight, and a figure enters. The gym echoes as the door bangs closed, and footsteps sound. After a minute, Michelle's voice calls out, "Hello?"

"Over here, Michelle!" you call, and hold up your phone. She follows that dim lantern over, but says nothing even after she has joined you. She looks very wary and uncertain.

"Thanks for coming out," you tell her. "I know you probably didn't want to. But believe me, you're going to be so glad you did."

"Kim said you wanted to talk to me," Michelle says. She is eyeing Number Three. "She didn't say anything about, um, Steve being here."

"He had to be here. He's part of what we have to talk about, part of what I have to show you. But first— Have you ever heard of doppelgangers, Michelle?"

She stares at you. "What? Well, yes," she adds when you repeat the word. "They're, like ... legendary creatures?"

"They're doubles," you interrupt. "Twins, sort of. People, or things, that look exactly like other people." Michelle nods, mystified. "Well, Steve and Kim here are doppelgangers."

You let the declaration hang in the air as Michelle glances between you and the others. "I don't understand," she finally says.

"They're doppelgangers. These aren't the real Steve and Kim. Never mind what happened to the real Steve and Kim, but these aren't them. Haven't been them for, oh, about week now, I think? The guys replaced the real ones."

"Okay," Michelle says. She edges back a step.

"I can tell you don't believe me. I wouldn't believe me in your place, either. But I can prove it. Because they're not just doppelgangers, they are my— Well, 'slaves' is such an ugly word. I call them doppelgangers, but in a sense they're more like magical robots. They're not real people, they're fake people, and they're under my control. They have to do everything I order them to. That's how come Kim asked you to come out here, I ordered her to. Isn't that right, Number Two?"

"That's right, boss," the doppelganger replies tonelessly. Like Number Three, she has been staring mutely at Michelle.

You're about to continue when Michelle bursts out with a nervous but angry laugh.

"Okay, Chelsea, this is hilarious. I know, Halloween's this Friday, and this is a prank. But what do you want?"

"I want to show you I'm not joking, Michelle. Number Three, unbutton your jeans and pull them down. Number Two, suck off Number Three."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see the two duplicates complying. But your concentration is on Michelle, who gasps in surprise. You step forward and seize her by the elbow before she can flee.

"Don't worry, Michelle," you softly assure her. "No one's going to hurt you. I want to help you, in fact. I want you to be my partner!"

Next: "Convincing Michelle" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 3)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 3)"