Word traveled pretty quickly. Harlan and Jake MacKinnon were meeting after school to sort out their differences—without any interference from family, friends, and most of all, teachers. How news of the fight never made its way to Principal Terashita or any of the staff was a mystery. Perhaps the principal had been too busy with the drama auditions to keep up with what was going on inside the school, but that didn’t account for the teachers. Noble had an idea that the staff were well aware of Jake’s bullying and figured this was the day he would get what was coming to him. That was all well and good, but part of Noble’s plan was to have the confrontation stopped before it happened, demonstrating that Harlan was willing to fight for himself without there having to be any actual violence.

But it was a couple of minutes to four and although there were at least thirty or more students filing into the hallway at the rear of the school, there still wasn’t a teacher in sight.

Noble and Harlan stood in the hallway just outside the boys’ change room, waiting for Argus. Argus emerged a minute later with a sly smile on his face.

“Is it all set?” Noble asked.

Argus said nothing, choosing instead to show Noble the two lengths of wire he’d removed from the change room’s light switches.

“Good,” Noble said.

Argus slipped the wires into his jacket pocket.

Just then Jake and his toadies entered the school through the rear doors. There were six of them altogether and they all looked as if they were ready to fight their friend’s battle for him.

“So you decided to show, huh?” MacKinnon said, gesturing to Harlan with a flick of his head while he kept his hands deep inside his pockets. “I thought a dog like you would have run off with your tail between your legs.”

Harlan shook his head with a smile. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” He knew what was in store; and was more confident because of it.

Jake looked over at Noble. “So what do you have in mind? You gonna let me fight your little brother, or what?”

Noble ignored the “little brother” comment. Harlan was often mistaken for a little brother because he was so much smaller than the others. Harlan, however, was angered by the comment, and would use that rage to his advantage.

“Be my guest,” Noble said.

“Then let’s step outside.”

Nobel shook his head. “No, not outside.”

“Where then?”

“In there.” Noble pointed to the change room. “Two of you go in, the last one out is the winner.”

Jake smiled. Obviously the thought of an enclosed space appealed to him. “Nobody else inside, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then let’s do it!” Jake seemed eager to get inside the change room.

“Hold on!” said Argus, blocking the doorway. “What’s in your pocket?”