Clayton's POV
Clayton woke up that morning to a loud beeping sound. He rolled in bed, using his hand to look for his phone to stop the obnoxious sound. He couldn't recall setting an alarm before going to bed the previous night.
He finally found the phone, only to discover that the beeping sound was not coming from his phone. With a sigh, Clayton slowly sat up on his bed, seeking around for the source of the disturbance.
His senses instantly picked up the sound emanating from the golden box. He promptly opened it and found that it was the smart watch that was beeping.
He sighed and tapped the 'V' icon, which was blinking red. Immediately, the same hologram that had emerged the previous day showed up with a message.
[A NEW TASK HAS BEEN ASSIGNED ]
[DO YOU ACCEPT] [YES] [NO]
Clayton instantly clicked [YES], remembering how he had mistakenly tapped Yes, the previous day in the hotel kitchen.
A hologram projection of Nova showed up. " Hello Blue John," he said with a half smile, that was hard to notice through his mask.
" Hello Nova, what task do you have for me today?" He asked.
[ MISSION BRIEFING]
[ SUBJECT IS HENRY MCGUIRE, A 38-YEAR-OLD MALE. HE IS SCHEDULED FOR PAROLE RELEASE FROM PRISON TOMORROW AFTER SERVING THREE YEARS. YOUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE HE DOES NOT REACH ANNA OREGON, HIS PREVIOUS VICTIM]
[INTELLIGENCE SUGGESTS MCGUIRE POSES A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THIS INDIVIDUAL. YOUR OBJECTIVE IS TO INTERCEPT MCGUIRE UPON RELEASE AND REDIRECT HIM AWAY FROM ANNA OREGON, BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY]
[SUCCESS IS CRUCIAL TO PREVENTING POTENTIAL HARM AND UPHOLDING JUSTICE. EXECUTE YOUR MISSION WITH PRECISION AND DISCRETION]
[GOOD LUCK]
Clayton's eyes narrowed as he received the mission briefing, his expression turning stoic and determined.
He nodded curtly, his jaw clenched in resolve. "Understood," he said, his voice firm and authoritative.
"The rest of the information that you would need has been sent to your communication device," Nova informed him, and suddenly, the hologram disappeared.
Clayton blinked; he wasn't even given the time to answer. He needed additional information about Henry McGuire if he was going to properly perform his assignment.
He heaved a sigh, bringing out the laptop from the box and turning it on. It was as if everything had been personalized to suit the user, Blue John, from the welcome greeting on the screen to the smallest details.
He smirked when the message box showed up, and he opened it. Files flowed into the laptop, and he started going through them one after the other.
The man, Henry McGuire, had been convicted of rape and assault but had gotten a small sentence of three years, owing to a lack of solid evidence.
His victim, Anna Oregon, had been 17 years old when the incident happened, and she was also his stepdaughter.
Her mother had left her with Henry to go on a vacation with her friends, only to return to a violated daughter. She was guilty of neglect.
Somehow, Clayton could see his own mother in the case. She had neglected him while growing up, and sometimes, he had to beg to feed himself, because his mother had abandoned him at home.
" fuck!" Clayton cursed, viewing more case files.
He found out that it was not the first time that Henry was convicted of the crime, and Henry was related to a high-profile politician who was powerful enough to bury the case.
Anger fired up in Clayton as he read more information about the man and his connection to the high class. No one knew who was sponsoring Henry McGuire; it was all conjecture.
It made Clayton upset that the upper class could get away with crimes just because they were rich and powerful. Justice is for all, irrespective of status, he thought.
"Henry McGuire, I'm coming for you." He murmured to himself as he got ready to leave.
Clayton had a lot to do that day. He had been invited to the orientation program at Kingston Elite Institution, and it was required that he attends as he was officially now a student of the institution.
When Clayton was ready, he packed his backpack and came out of his room. He could hear sounds coming from the kitchen and was surprised to see his mother in the kitchen for the first time since the event four nights earlier.
She looked up upon his entrance and said, "...Finally decided to come out of your room." Debbie mumbled, glancing up at her son.
Clayton scoffed, taking a seat at the kitchen island. "...Finally decided to be sober," he fired back at his mother.
Debbie rolled her eyes and said, "I've decided to stop taking them. The drugs, I'm quitting Clay." She mumbled, putting a slice of pizza in her mouth.
He chuckled. If they gave him a dime for every time his mother announced she had quit doing drugs, he would have been a rich man by now.
"You have been saying that since I was born. Your words don't mean anything again, mom." Clayton murmured, shaking his head.
She rolled her eyes, pushing the box of pizza towards him. Clayton gazed at the box before arching a brow at his mother. His mother was acting weird by being polite and offering him pizza, he thought.
He arched his brow, " Really? This is all you got for breakfast. Pizza?" he mocked.
Debbie shook her head, chuckling. "It's not like you have the money for a full breakfast meal, Clay. Be grateful and eat that," she muttered.
Clayton frowned. If his mother was providing pizza for breakfast, it signified that she had something else in mind, and if he was not mistaken, she was going to ask him for money.
He cleared his throat. "What do you want?" he murmured, going directly to the topic.
She inclined her head to the side, a sneer on her lips. "I don't want anything, Clay. I'm feeding my son," she mumbled.
He snorted. "You stopped feeding me when I was six years old, mom. What do you want?" he asked her.
She rolled her eyes and finally sighed. "Okay, though not the reason I got breakfast, I need money. One grand at least. I know you have been paid for the month." She said.
He laughed hard. He could read his mother like the back of his hand. He had nothing, but even if he had, he doubted he would give her a grand for drugs or to clear her junkie debts.
"If you haven't noticed, I lost my job a few days ago, and I don't have money to give to you," he stated, taking up a slice of pizza and nibbling a chunk.
He moaned because it fucking tasted fantastic. He had planned to get breakfast before the orientation program, but the pizza would do.
His mother gazed hard at him with narrowed eyes, attempting to determine if he was serious or joking. "You can't lose your job, Clayton. You must be joking," she stuttered.
Clayton grumbled, taking up another slice of pizza as he fastened his backpack. "I'm not kidding, mom. I lost my job a few days ago, and you would have known that if you weren't busy getting high!" He fired at his mom.
She blinked, wanting to speak, but he cut her off. He was obviously not in the mood to amuse her.
" By the way, I got accepted into Kingston." He said angrily, walking out of the house, making sure to bang the door for effect.
Sometimes, he wondered why his parents had agreed to have a child if they were not going to be responsible for the child. One was in prison serving time for a crime, while the other spent the entire day being high on narcotics.
Clayton caught the train to the upper sector and this time, he made sure that he stayed in the front carriage. He wasn't sure he could battle with anyone for a seat.
The train stopped at the last subway station. Clayton got off and took a bus that dropped him at the Kingston Elite Institution bus stop. From there, he had to walk the rest of the way to the school gates.
Even from far away, the gates looked huge and impressive. The name KINGSTON ELITE INSTITUTION was clearly carved into the gate for all to see.
Kingston Elite Institution was the top school in New Eden for training smart and talented young students. It was known for producing some of the country's best and most disciplined people.
Located in the capital city, the school had modern buildings, the latest technology, and experienced teachers who were experts in their fields.
It had a long and proud history. The government and public respected it highly, and its graduates were seen as heroes who stood for honor and excellence.
Expensive cars moved smoothly through the gates, their shiny surfaces sparkling in the light. They looked like they were part of a well-planned show, each one a symbol of money and style.
There was just two other folks on the sidewalk with him and it didn't surprise him that students came to the Institution in their fancy cars; they were rich and had to flaunt their wealth.
The security guard at the gates halted him and with a glare on his face, spat. " Your identity?"
Clayton swallowed and hurriedly pulled out the Kingston invitation card from his backpack. He handed it over to the guard who glanced back at him after a cursory glance at the golden invitation card.
"You're Clayton West, the special aid program student?" he asked.
Clayton casted a false smile on his face and nodded. "Yes sir." He answered.
The guard sighed. "Give me a minute." He said, heading over to speak to another guard who also threw a short glance at Clayton, upon inspection.
Clayton realized what was going on there. It was rare for the Institution to admit students from the slumps; lower class. The costs were too high and expensive and someone with a lower standing couldn't afford it.
Fortunately, they had designed a special aid scholarship program that admitted only one student for that year. Clayton had been lucky to been admitted among the many other lower class that applied.
The guard returned to him and handed back the invitation card back to him. " Head down this path to Elite's Hall. That's where the orientation program is taking place." He instructed.
Clayton took the card with a nod and made his way down the walkway.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at Elite's Hall, where he was immediately impressed by the grand granite building with its sleek lines and regal purple and gold entrance.
Feeling proud, he approached the entrance, but just as he was about to cross over to it's stairs, a blue sports car suddenly sped past him, nearly knocking him over.
The gentle purr of the engine was the only warning before the car sped by, leaving Clayton startled and off balance.
Clayton cursed as he jumped back, "Shit!"
He gave chase, but stopped short when the car halted in front of Elite's Hall and a familiar figure emerged from the driver's side.
"Oh my gosh! is he one of the new students?!" someone exclaimed behind Clayton.
He scowled, rolling his eyes in disbelief. It couldn't be a coincidence that Billy Duncan, of all people, was attending Kingston Elite Institution.
Billy stepped out of the car in a grand style, attracting more attention than he needed and locked eyes with him, a smug smirk spreading across his face.
Clayton realized with a sinking feeling that Billy had intentionally tried to run him over.
"You've got to be freaking kidding me!" Clayton muttered, his eyes fixed on Billy with a mix of disbelief and annoyance.