October 21st, Sunday, Chairman Fitzgerald's office 1:27 pm Normally Chairman Fitzgerald would not be in his office on a Sunday afternoon, but today he had some large affairs that needed to be put in order that could not wait to be delayed. Upon completing each page of his work, he would glance up and note the time, promising himself he would conclude his business and be away before three. Before he could observe this clockwork habit again, his office telephone rang. Most of the people he ever bothered speaking with knew not to contact his office on the weekend, so he could choose either to ignore it or educate them. Fitzgerald picked up the receiver briskly and stated into it, "Yes?" "Do I know you?" he demanded, not recognizing the voice on the other end. It was gentle and polite but also very flat and tedious; he wondered if this was a poor joke of some student's. He had no one working for him today to filter out the improper calls, hence his apprehension. The person on the other line was persistent, but polite. "Information regarding the students? ...Ah, the players. Are you quite within your mental capacities? Do you understand I could have you reported to police authorities for the invasion of student privacies? ...Very well, I'll hear you out. But you had better make it worth my time. I am not normally scheduled these hours, and so I am an impatient man today. "...Do you have proof? ...Are you aware of the implications you are making? ...I see. ...Yes, I understand. But I am still wary. Please identify yourself. ...Spell it. ...My opinions regarding the sports team are inconsequential. It is true I disapprove of them, but the Dean and I have made an arrangement regarding their status. I fully intend to honor this agreement regardless of how it turns out. ...I must once again remind you of the severity of your accusations. ...That is...something I had not considered, I must admit. But that also leads me to wonder how you might have that sort of information. ...Very well, I shall look into this further. But if I can find nothing, I shall have the proper authorities sent to your residence at once, and you shall be at the mercy of the court in regards to this matter. I am not overly fond of those who peer into others' private business. ...Good day. And do not call this number again." He frowned severely, cradled his head in his hand for a moment, and considered what he was about to do. Voicing his opinion over Rosewood's decisions was one thing, but this... Yet if his informant was correct, then the entire university might be in considerable danger. Everything he and his contemporaries had labored for would be undone. The ends would have to justify the means in this situation. With some reluctance, the Chairman abandoned his present duties, left his office, and headed outside. Take my love, take my land Take me where I cannot stand I don't care, I'm still free You can't take the sky from me Take me out to the black Tell them I ain't comin' back Burn the land and boil the sea You can't take the sky from me There's no place I can be Since I found serenity But you can't take the sky from me... "Implication" Valencia was still feeling a little under the weather, but only so much that she would sniffle on occasion, or sneeze once in awhile, or require a tissue now and then. Out of all the ladies, she had been affected the least by the illness; now she was healthy and glowing, and there was a bounce in her step. Kasumi noticed her cheer at once when they met, and felt her heart floating. She still couldn't get over the idea that she had a girlfriend, much less a perky, friendly, intelligent, and beautiful one like Valencia. She gave the Hispanic woman a pretty smile and drew her into her arms, kissing. "You're looking radiant this afternoon." "Why thank you. You're beautiful as always." "As always, huh?" Kasumi grinned and leaned closer to nibble Valencia's neck. Durante grinned and felt herself go a little woozy; Kasumi's breath tickled. She drew back and their eyes met; Valencia was suddenly entranced by her girlfriend's stare, the uninhibited desire smoldering behind lavender rings, the raw sexual power and potency she carried around her without even knowing about it. She had always been attracted to Kasumi's strength and confidence, but now she was looking at it in all its naked glory. It honestly felt a little startling. "We should do something together," she said, reaching out to touch her face. Valencia's hair was silken; it felt glorious having someone's fingers weave through. Kasumi's lips hopped across her forehead, planting moist mementos, foreshadowing eroticism. "Wh...what do you have in mind?" "Something fun and energetic. We've been trapped indoors all day doing nothing but lying down. I want to get out and move. We should go dancing together." "Sounds lovely. Where to?" Kasumi drew back, drinking Valencia's beauty in until she was bursting with it. "There's a place I know not too far from here. Plenty of good songs, great atmosphere...some wine, maybe." Valencia's mouth spread out far and she laughed softly. "Are you talking about my place?" "Sure. And we can have a romantic lunch first." Valencia blushed as Kasumi leaned in closer. Whatever ailments had been slowing her down were long gone by now. Having her girlfriend in full form again, aggressive and wild and ignited by passion, was exhilarating. "I thought you wanted to get out." "Mm-hmm, but I want it to be private." Valencia nearly melted as her girlfriend brought her sultry voice to a whisper. She agreed without hesitation, and it was all she could do to fumble for the keys and get her car started. The drive to her high-rise felt like decades: every traffic light seemed to have it in for them, the roads lengthened and twisted and dragged on no matter how fast she went, and all the cars in front of them drove slow, too slow, far too slow for her haste and need. Valencia almost broke out into impatient tears before finally finding a parking space and hovering into the elevator- - to her apartment door- - inside where she turned the lights to a soft glow and stumbled to her stereo- - their meal put on hold as graceful, feminine fingers touched her, and soft, feminine lips caressed her body, little by little. They danced slowly, drinking in the desire. Their eyes met and burned with a hundred-thousand silent yearnings. The friction between their skin and their clothes and the heat throbbing from their cores was agonizingly wonderful. The songs drew them further and further to the brink. The beautiful scent coming from Kasumi- the body wash she had used, the fragrance from her hair, the faint aroma of an imitation designer perfume coming from unexpected places, intoxicating the dark-haired woman. Their saliva as they kissed deeply. The touch of carpet against their bare toes. The thrill shooting up and down their bodies as their skin was exposed. Kasumi patiently unbuttoned Valencia's dress shirt, and kissed down her chest, unclasping her brassiere with a clumsy but gentle twist. She left her shirt on but removed her own; Valencia was petrified, enraptured, by the woman's beautiful bare chest. She reached to take her perfect breasts into her hands, but Kasumi grabbed her wrists, firm hands in total control, pressing their mouths together and salivating because it was so, so good. Valencia shuddered and whimpered a little as she was forced against the wall, magnificent fireworks and blasts going through her head. They were in celebration not warning; all these many weeks and more she had wanted Kasumi to take control, to make love to her, to ravish and enjoy her- and to be treasured, loved, and lusted over as well. Valencia moaned for joy as she felt rough, beautiful hands touch her chest, skin faintly tickling skin, sending shivers everywhere. Kasumi discovered the blissful, rubbery feel of her nipples and pinched them delicately, until Valencia's cries turned to squeals. Their sex was neither flowery nor forceful, just simply wonderful, a thing that rushed headlong into bliss, occasionally pausing to elicit deeper and greater wonders. By now Kasumi had removed most of Valencia's clothes, and was kneeling down to lick her taut, toasted tummy. Valencia could barely stand anymore, her lover was relentless- and still in her jeans, her rich black hair (with the shining silver streak) cascading over her magnificent womanly back, muscular and bursting with unseen sexual potency. Valencia could have spent the entire day kissing, massaging, and tickling this area on its own- but she would have her turn, she would have her turn. Spots formed in her eyes as Kasumi inhaled the rich odor wafting from her panties, and before pulling them down, she ran her slim pink tongue down the center, pressing just firmly enough for Valencia to cry out, and shudder in rapture. The best was still to come. Without saying a word, Kasumi led her naked lover to the couch, her hair somewhat askew, the need volcanic in her eyes. This was lust at its rawest. She half-directed, half-laid Valencia on the slick Corinthian leather (oh, bliss! To lay naked upon the cool, slick surface!), and climbed down to join her, chest bare and gorgeous, legs still confined to her blue jeans, a half-naked goddess thirsting for sex. Kasumi had never truly made love before- her first two sexual experiences had been the result of drunkenness, and she could not recall either one very clearly, or very fondly- so even though she appeared to be brimming with confidence and sexual strength, on the inside, she was careful and uncertain. Valencia's response to her loving was nothing short of miraculous: she picked up very quickly. Valencia had the honors of removing Kasumi's jeans. As soon as she tired of the foreplay, she bolted upright and leaped into her lover's arms, unbalancing her and sending her falling to the opposite end of the couch. Although she desperately wanted to gorge herself on Kasumi's body, she wanted everything in plain sight first, and so wrestled the other woman for control of her pants. They happily fell to the floor, and so did Kasumi's grey boxer shorts. She looked so mesmerizing in that one short moment that Valencia simply had to pause and admire it. "Gorgeous," she whispered, tracing her finger down Kasumi's cleavage. She had considerably less pubic hair than Valencia, and in spite of her earlier domination, seemed refreshingly timid just lying there, her skin bare and glowing, her eyes staring back with eagerness and uncertainty. She was human again, and Valencia loved her. The two bodies melded together and the long, slow, sweet lovemaking began. Kasumi seemed like the perfect lover, insatiable yet inexperienced, strong yet very loving, forceful yet always giving, always ready to send her lover flying, always out for her pleasure. Valencia reclined, spread her legs, and held Kasumi's hands as her lover explored her body- front and back, top and bottom, side to side and everywhere else she could reach. Her lips sealed perfectly over Valencia's taut nipples; her tongue felt silken and strong against her throbbing vagina; her fingers were gentle as they tickled, touched, squeezed, pinched, and penetrated. Valencia came hard and leaned her head back, eyes squeezed and mouth open, gasping and calling out her name. They kissed deeply once the squall settled, holding onto each other, the last barrier broken and their love complete. Valencia recovered surprisingly fast. "That's enough of that, lover. It's my turn now. I hope you're ready to have your mind blown." "We'll see," she grinned, before kissing back down her lover's body. Valencia squirmed and groaned under such delicious pressure. Well, maybe one more time wouldn't hurt... - Amy Nguyen, family: none (deceased); right back- "So, how are the others holding up?" Terra smiled at Fausta as they opened another box and started pulling out fresh books. Their scent was mesmerizing, inspiring, like the smell of fresh earth and the woods and grass after the rain. Robin was taking the day off and so Parody was left entirely to their care. Fausta, newly-recovered from her illness, brushed her bangs from her forehead, mentally reminding herself to make an appointment for a haircut later. "Kasumi and Valencia got over it quickly. From what I heard, they were back at the O and A, dancing and flirting like nothing had ever happened. Felicity's coming and going: one minute she seems fine, and the next, she's sneezing and sniffling again. Nadia got the worst of it, unfortunately, but she seems to be doing better. I'm very glad the rest of you were able to hold down the fort while we were away." She smiled admirably, making Terra feel excited and elated. She usually didn't see her coworker and teammate in such a good mood; it was refreshing. "It wasn't easy," she admitted. "We had to switch everyone around and play new positions- well, except for Lauren, I mean. We even put Freya out in the field." "I'll bet that was a laugh," Fausta snickered. "I hope the little Teutonic wonder didn't make a complete fool of herself." Terra turned pale and wondered if she should explain everything or not. It hadn't been Freya's fault, of course- hopefully Fausta would understand that. "Well, complete is such an encompassing word." "Oh god," she groaned. "Perhaps you should spare me the details. Help me lift this up, will you?" "Sure." One of the boxes needed to be relocated, and this one was full of dictionaries- in other words, impossible to lift with her bad arm. "On three: one, two, three." She coughed as some dust was disturbed and they set it down in the corner, then opened it and started shelving again. Parody was in dire need of an inventory boost. Fausta resumed: "So in spite of Lady Hohenheim's blundering, did the team pull out all right? Who were you up against?" "Didn't anybody tell you?" "I'm afraid my forceful personality has caused me to become rather unpopular," she grumbled sourly. Terra gave her a sympathetic look. "Um...I guess it's partly my fault, too. Well, I mean, I don't know your number or your email..." "Save it; it's not like we're really friends. So how did it go?" "Well, we played against Hartford Community College. I know, I've never heard of them, either. They weren't too bad- they got a penalty kick in." "Sounds like you all really screwed up." Terra snorted indignantly. "Come on, don't say that. Freya just made a mistake." "Oh. Well, if that's the case, I can understand. Normally I wouldn't be able to forgive putting someone like her on the field, but it sounds like Leena didn't have a choice. What happened, did she use her hands?" "Yeah. And she also- oh, wait, you said not to tell you the details. Anyway, Fleur and Rain scored for our side, so we won. All the same, though, we'll be glad to have you all with us." "I'll be glad, too," she admitted, rubbing her nose with a tissue. "I hate being sick. Usually I can still go out and exercise if I have a cold, but this time I was bedridden. I could almost hear myself wasting away." "I know what you mean," Terra grinned. "One time I had a little fracture on my tibia bone from an accident, and I couldn't walk for days." "What sort of accident? Some...martial arts exercise?" "No," she giggled, "I wish. It's embarrassing. I was playing with my friends- this was before high school- we were playing and I wanted to see if I could break a cantaloupe open with a kick. It, uh...it flew pretty far. I had a scar until my junior year of high school- you can still see a little pink mark if you look hard enough. Want to see?" "No thanks. I've had my fill of scars already." "Oh, right. So, um...what do you like to do? I mean, I know you said we're not friends, but I barely know anything about you." "This is true. You all seem to favor that ludicrous nickname of yours so much that it- um, hello." Fausta looked up and saw a very distressed Alice towering over them. Hawthorne was unemployed, so it was no surprise to find her browsing a bookstore on a Sunday afternoon, but she looked even more skittish and pale than usual, like she had just witnessed a highway accident. "Could you two please come with me for a second?" she asked. "Um, we're sort of on the clock still," Terra said. "I know, just come with me. It's an emergency." The weight of her words convinced them, and the two abandoned their work to follow her (Fausta, of course, closing and locking the store before going any further). She led them to the parking lot and asked if they had a car. Fausta did, but she wouldn't drive an inch until she heard what this was about. "Okay, but try not to let this out to anyone that's not on the team, all right? Elisa, Freya, and I are the only ones who know, and they asked me to get everyone together. Chairman Fitzgerald just got a call from someone, I don't know who, and they said that we cheated in those last two games. He's seriously considering it and has already started an investigation." In spite of the gravity of this news, Fausta seemed well-composed. "The Chairman's not an idiot. If he's using his time to look into this, then he must have something concrete to base all this on." "How can you even say that?!" Terra demanded. "We all know he's had it in for us ever since this team started!" "True, but Mr. Fitzgerald isn't the sort of person that'll use anything he can in order to remove us. Think about it for a second. If he's investigating these allegations, he must believe in them to an extent. He must also realize that if something like this were to get out, it would create a huge stir, and would tarnish the school's reputation. Obviously, since he's the sort of person that would detest the public's negative views, he wouldn't be going about this frivolously." Terra still couldn't believe what she was hearing; she didn't even want to admit how logical Fausta's argument was. She, and Alice, were still under the impression that the Chairman was their villain and tormentor, and was simply using this as an excuse. Fausta took her car out of the parking lot and drove. "Where to?" she asked Alice. "We can't go to the school. The Chairman has started calling police and private detectives. Freya's house isn't an option since she has family staying over and she doesn't want them involved, so I've offered my place. There should be room enough for everyone. It's Greendale Apartments." "I know where that is," Fausta mumbled. "I think that's where Kasumi and Felicity live, too," Terra added. "I know. I haven't told them yet, though. I'll see if I can't reach them." She pulled out a cell phone; Fausta asked for her to hold off. "Before you do, could you tell us exactly what the Chairman is accusing us of? 'Cheating' is too broad a topic." "Uh, yeah. Umm, let's see. I think it had something to do with one of us paying off St. Thekla's and Hartford to throw the games." "Ridiculous, but go on." "Well, I don't know if he believed it or not, but I heard that students from both schools suddenly received a large amount of money, and that one of the players on our teams recently withdrew nearly the same amount from their savings." "How did you hear about all this?" Terra wondered. "Elisa's friends with the Dean's son and daughter, and since Rosewood confided in them, they confided in Elisa. You know, since she's a member of the team and all. As for Freya, I think her father has a business relationship with the Chairman's wife." "I didn't know Mr. Fitzgerald was married," Fausta commented. "Anyway," Alice resumed, "the grapevine is only so long, so the only people who know are people who need to know. I only heard about it because I was in the library at the time when Elisa got the news." "That's messed-up," Terra sighed glumly. The three women were completely silent for a long time, at least until Alice returned to her phone calls. Felicity was at work with Nadia, and Kasumi wasn't even answering her phone; Alice became worried. She knew better than to call Amy and Shannon, who would also be at work, so she tried Rain's number. "I'm at the store," came her garbled reply. "If you can loan me your fridge for awhile, I'll come over. I suppose you all want me to share my snacks." "That would be really generous of you, sweetheart. We can pay you back." "I'd appreciate that. See ya soon." They arrived at Greendale shortly. Alice spoke up and reminded Fausta she needed a special tag on their car or she would be towed (which she provided), and the three women got out and headed for Hawthorne's place. "Who else is coming?" Fausta said. "Oh, Freya and Elisa said they'd handle everyone else. Right this way. I live on the first floor. There." She opened the door and let them inside. Alice's apartment was fairly large, certainly big enough to hold the entire team- but only because it was so spartan, so bare, so simple and empty. Alice said it reminded her of her cell back at the institution- one of the only places she could really be comfortable. "Brr," Terra shivered. "If it were me, I probably wouldn't decorate my place to remind myself of a mental institution." "It does lack a certain character," Fausta muttered. Alice only had one couch and a single chair for her dining room, so some of her guests would have to sit on the floor. She promised she would pass on telling the whole story until everyone had arrived; in the meantime, she went outside and started jogging around her complex. Alice was definitely nervous about this change of events and wanted to ventilate her emotions constructively; Fausta admired her for this and decided to come with her. Terra preferred to face her shell-shock stationary. - Freya von Hohenheim, family: Ezekiel, Alita, Gauss, Ida von Hohenheim; manager- Fitzgerald didn't want to believe a word of it. No matter what his feelings were in regards to the soccer teams, he wouldn't stand to have anyone accusing the students of bribery. He was too proud of the college, too proud of his accomplishments, and too proud of the hard-earned reputation Carnegie now boasted (ironically, largely in part to the teams' efforts) to let something like this suddenly destroy everything, which is why he was so devoted to uncovering the truth. He made sure to identify the informant who had called him, and investigated the person to the best of his abilities. They clearly had information regarding bank withdrawals and deposits- else how would they know about this at all- unless they were a student, or they knew a student... Or if they themselves had made the transactions... "Calm down," he advised himself as his mind began to wonder. "There is a slippery slope ahead and I cannot afford to venture any closer. I must only examine the facts. I must arrange interviews with the members of all six teams. I must determine who would have access to the bank information, who would be able to afford that sum, and the total amount of the sum. Most importantly, this must not become a spectacle. I will not allow Carnegie's reputation to hang on a baseless accusation." A few of these questions were easy enough to answer. While only a few of Carnegie's young men could have this disposable income- among them the Dean's own son- Carnegie's ladies were a different matter. Nazario, Lacroix, Durante, Hawthorne, Hohenheim, Velur, Berkeley, and Andre were all above the middle-class means...and furthermore, Velur's account showed a pattern of withdrawals that nearly matched the sum in question. Interesting. "Logically, if one of the teams did bribe the other players, wouldn't the perpetrator be a woman of less than average skill? It would certainly help her chances. From what I have seen, though, Velur is an exceptional athlete. But...then again, she was missing from that last game. I believe many of the team's better players were also in absentia. Yes: Nazario and Durante among them. Very interesting. But nothing conclusive." He deducted that the men could not have bribed St. Jerome's, since they lost the game, nor could they have bribed Hartford, since that game had been cancelled. The women's team was now in the crossfire by default; Fitzgerald pursed his lips tightly as he wound his way through the labyrinth. What concerned him was not the well-being of the soccer team, but the fate of the students and the school should this news ever spread. Parents and students would suddenly find Carnegie very unsatisfactory: both for the bribery and the student who completed the transaction. Not only would they refrain from enrolling, but their actions would cause other schools, other people, to look at Carnegie in a bad light. The police would no doubt get involved, and the small, struggling school would then only be known for its infamy. Worst case scenario, it would shut down entirely. "Damnation," he hissed. "It had better not get out. It had better not. Even if these accusations are completely false, the very idea of a bribery will kill us. This world does seem to be overpopulated by people who'd rather believe a vicious lie than the virtuous truth. I have to go about this in the most cautious manner." The only person he had told so far was the Dean, and only because as the overall head of the school, she had the right to know what was going on. She may have been Fitzgerald's rival, but she was no fool: he trusted her to keep everything secretive. But what about the students...? And what about Miss Velur? As of now, she was Fitzgerald's best suspect. Naturally he would avoid making any accusations until he was perfectly sure of their validity. Pointing her out now would be like opening up a dam; everyone would find out at once. His mind frittered and fretted as he tried coming up with a way to ascertain the truth quietly. Rosewood returned not a moment too soon, still looking pale and disheveled. Fitzgerald had told her everything, or at least everything he knew so far; she was fighting to keep this under wraps as diligently as he was. She had left to contact her children, whom she felt also deserved to know what was happening- against the Chairman's wishes. She knew he wouldn't understand; he only had a wife to think about, and she was out of the country at the moment. "I'm back. Mary and Jerry both know, and they've both promised me to keep it to themselves." "Let me say once again how utterly rash and foolhardy that was. Letting you in on this is one thing, but your...children..." "I will not stand here and let you say anything bad about them, Helmuth," she replied coldly. One could easily imagine the image of a she-wolf defiantly protecting her cubs against a predator, burning in her eyes and in her voice. "They're my children, for God's sake. You may as well tell me I can't trust my husband, God rest his soul." "But your son and daughter are acquainted with a member of the women's team, if I'm not mistaken," he countered icily. "You may not feel it is necessary to inform her, but will they?" "I believe the team needs to hear this so they understand everything," she said, lowering her voice. "If you were being accused of a crime, you'd want the very same." "Communications between students is like lighting a match in the woods, and their word is deadlier than any bonfire. I will wash my hands of this, Rosewood, and you will have to assume responsibility. But let us change the subject." "Indeed. We have better things to argue about while we still have the luxury." She sighed wearily and wiped a stray black lock of hair from her forehead before sitting down. They both had several bottles of water at their disposal and would no doubt need them. "Let us go over what we know first. Just before one-thirty this afternoon, you received a call from an informant tentatively identified as Lisa Masem, claiming that one of the students in Carnegie's soccer team bribed the previous two teams into purposely losing the games. She backed her claim up by giving you the exact amount deposited, third-party testimonial, and even knowledge of a recent deficiency in one of the students' funds, but did not reveal any specific names. What you have are the names of all the students who could possibly afford this sum. Including my son." "There's no need for you to be emotional," he muttered. "I dismissed the possibility of the men's involvement since their last two games could not have been affected by bribery." "Right, due to their loss and the cancellation. So you think the ladies might be responsible." "Many more of them could afford the amount in question," he admitted. "One...in particular...has habitually withdrawn nearly this same amount from her account ever since enrolling in the college. The only exception...seems to be a few weeks ago, when these transactions stopped." "So it was unlikely she would have withdrawn recently," Rosewood muttered. An idea suddenly struck her, and she reeled back in surprise. "Just a moment, now! How did you find all this out?! This was a private account!" "I hired an investigator to look into it. She was fairly eccentric, but she also had police credentials, so there's no need for concern." Rosewood relaxed, but she still seemed wary. "Did this investigator tell you what these deposits were for?" "She claimed they were unrelated to our situation. Given the length of time the student made them, and the time between when she stopped and when the games were played, I'm inclined to believe her. I suggested that the student could have just saved up that withdrawn money and used it later, but I haven't heard her response to this." "It would be a rather foolproof way of masking a bribery," Rosewood muttered. "But I still don't want to consider a student." "I told you not to get emotional over this," Fitzgerald stated. "The well-being of the entire college is at stake here, as is the privacy and protection of students who have nothing to do with this. Whether a member of the women's soccer team is responsible or not, we both have a responsibility to uphold, and I do not want anything interfering with that." "I understand," she said. "I just think..." "I highly doubt it as well," he admitted, numbly pursing his lips together. "But it does seem suspicious. St. Thekla's was undefeated until they played Carnegie, and many of Carnegie's best players were absent during the Hartford game, presumably ill." "But why wait until now?" she wondered. "Why not bribe Anolis as well, when there was more at stake?" "Yes, I had thought of that, too," he mumbled. "It really wouldn't make sense for them to start now, not unless they had something significant to gain from it. Losing to one or both of those schools would not affect their chance to enter the national tournament...but then there is the prestige of defeating an undefeated team. There are too many factors." He sighed and leaned back; Rosewood had never seen her rival look so beaten before. She could understand his exhaustion: she was feeling all of her fifty-some years today. After trying to relax for a few minutes, Fitzgerald revived a little. "A thought has just occurred to me. Thanks to your...involvement, no matter what actions we may take, people will find out about this, and they will make a mockery of this academy. Perhaps in order to soften the blow, we should examine the characters of the ladies in question. If they are of virtuous mold, the public will have little reason to criticize us, and if they are not, then they might serve as a scapegoat, in order to preserve the school as a whole." Fitzgerald spoke with such indifference and nonchalance that it sent blades of ice running through Rosewood's blood. She bolted upright and glared at him. "Helmuth, how could you?! I know you have issues with my proposition, but this is taking things too far! Examining their personal profiles- using them as scapegoats- trying to focus the blame on a group of women who are in all likelihood innocent..." "You are becoming far too emotionally involved," he stated, harshly and loudly. Fitzgerald's eyes were like lifeless crystals as he gazed back at her, and rose to his feet. "Perhaps I can convince you with a story. When I was a boy, I lived under relatively poor conditions, and I did not own very many pleasurable things, but the one possession I could honestly call my own, to love and cherish, was a Labrador retriever I had named Haydn, after my favorite composer at the time. The two of us were quite inseparable; we were the best of friends. Though I had little, I was perhaps happier than other people my age who had plenty. We spent many years together, until one day, my faithful Haydn contracted rabies. He bit a neighbor and hospitalized him, and so my father had no choice but to put him down. That was unquestionably the most painful episode of my entire life, but it had to be done. Do you understand now, Anastasia? We are in exactly the same position. One way or another, we must protect the college from what is about to happen. It is our responsibility." "In that case," she whispered thickly, "I will do what I can to keep this information private." She closed her eyes, powerless to stop him.
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