Adventure in the World of Crimes

1.4 The Four Big People

"Is this all it could do!?" Laura exclaimed contemptuously, and almost threw the phone. She was checking the phone given by the school so she will just execute her plan once she got there in the field where the orientation will take place, but much to her disappointment, all it could do was to search on the search engine made by the school itself and only accessible by the scholars and nothing more that goes beyond that, she also tried searching for google applications but nothing came out, the only apps there were messages, contacts, e-mail, UOE search, and settings so she was really frustrated upon realizing it.

She doesn't know if the phone has a data connection or if it even has a sim card inside, it was nonsense and outdated, well, at least, it does have a camera. But she felt like she was living back in the old days where phones were just starting to get invented, and their phones now were the first invention where nothing else could do at first. Now, she was having a dilemma on how to send the code to Dale's account, the IT Agent even made one account in all applications possible with the same name so it would be easy for her to memorize it. She didn't know if she was worried or just underestimating her memorizing skill, either way, she appreciated it.

"I'll just try the e-mail." She finally decided, subjugated as it left her with no other choice but to use someone else's phone to send the code and at the same time she'll be safe from the suspicions. She didn't know what consequence awaited them if they send a message outside the university, but for the sake of her own privacy, she may not be that ready, but she had to, she'll also try not to involve the unfortunate owner's phone that she'll steal later so she'll think of a way to do that. If it was all even possible in the first place.

Laura took a deep breath before walking out of their dorm, there were few scholars she walked within the dorm building that she supposed were also going to the same orientation as hers. Outside the dorm building, some of the medical students were running their errands, since the placement of the dorm buildings were just behind each of their college departments, she could see medical students and some law students lurking around since their building was just beside theirs.

She could see the mass of freshmen and transferees gathered in the field, seated on the grass while there was a small wooden podium in front with four chairs and a banner saying 'Welcome to UOE', there were also few students, dressed in orange polo-shirt, who guided the newcomers and sometimes shushed the noisy groups.

Laura knew they were the council students in the university since, believe it or not, she was also part of the council before, so she knew their tasks.

"Name, Year, Degree, Benefactor?" A woman with black shoulder-length hair, wearing specs, a small ID clipped on the left side of her polo-shirt which says 'Secretary Hannah', asked, or more like demanded, her as soon as she arrived at the field. They were guided first at the registration where this Hannah and another girl were listing the names of the new scholars before they could sit on the ground.

"Laura Simpson, Third Year, Nursing, Robert Hudson." She replied cooly, putting both of her hands inside her pants' pockets.

The secretary looked up at her for a while, eyeing her from head to toe, her glasses even slid down on her nose but she immediately put it back to its place then shrugged her shoulders and started writing the said information.

"You can sit wherever you want."

Laura almost rolled her eyes at the girl's attitude and nonchalance mien but then again, she just let it go, seemed like her patience would be greatly tested in this school. So with the thinking of she will just get it back to her someday, she turned her back and started thinking of her main concern which was contacting Dale.

She scanned the field, the scholars were scattered on the field, either by group, pair, or individual, she walked at the space in the middle where groups of people surrounding her desired place, if they just met today or knew each other from the beginning, she didn't care, she needed to blend with them so she could be as subtle as possible with her plan.

She sat on the perfectly trimmed grass field comfortably, she could hear the students' chitchats— getting to know each other, asking their likes and dislikes, which degree were they taking, and any other things that she didn't waste time on listening. Her gaze landed on this certain chubby guy sitting two people away in front of her, he was talking animatedly to his newly found friends that he even put his phone on the ground at his back where he wouldn't notice even when Laura pretended as if she was fixing her shoelace right at his back as she sneakily stole his phone and put it in her pocket, then proceeded to her new place on the left side.

She breathed a relieved sigh as she started typing her code on the phone, registering Dale's account on e-mail, but she didn't send it right away. She'll get caught easily if she does, she'll need to wait for the right moment. She put back the phone in her pocket exactly when a woman in his forties spoke. "Please sit side by side in the middle as we are about to start in five minutes."

Laura cooly stood up, pretending as if she's not about to do something against the rule on her second day, casually blending into the scholars, smiling back to the students who smiled at her as they sit side by side like what was asked to them. She was now seated back in the middle, the guy which she stole the phone from was seated three rows away from her, he still had no idea that his phone was not with him anymore as he kept on doing mischievous tricks to his friends.

The orientation started, talking about the, of course, rules and regulations— the do's and don'ts on the campus, the use of the phone with special mention of the rule that she was about to break, following the orders of the people in a high position. the monthly suppletion of financial money from the benefactors, four examinations per semester, and other activities were also discussed that Laura found boring and tedious if not only for these four seemingly powerful and surrounded with strange aura people that she observed quietly, she would have marched out of the orientation.

She could recognize the one sitting on the far left, the principal Dale was talking about, Wyatt Barker, he was already old, white hair, mustache, and beard, small and old glasses, formal suit, cane on his hand, neutral emotion that made him looked scary, and also silently observing everyone. The other three beside him were nothing different, they all looked scary, the guy beside Mr. Barker looked already in his forties, sitting with his legs crossed and hands over it, he was introduced earlier as Mr. Paul Edison, head doctor of his own hospital. Next to him was a woman of the same age as Mr. Paul, she has long black hair tied in a ponytail, she's wearing a teacher's uniform, which she really was as she was introduced as Mr. Paul's wife and the Director of the school, Ms. Sarah Edison. Then the last lady was just the same age as the scholars, she's a beauty, looked smart, wearing an orange polo-shirt, she's the strict law student and President of the Student Council, Ms. Coleen Warton. These three spoke their welcoming remarks except Mr. Paul, he just sat there throughout the orientation.

"As a yearly tradition, please stand up and shake the hands of the people within your reach." The emcee said, smiling. The students were reluctant at first but when a guy stood up and shook the hand of the man beside him, they all started to comply.

The event was going smoothly, but not until a commotion on the back started. Gasps, squeals, and shouts also erupted earning everyone's attention.

"You stupid! That hurts!" A man shouted and punched another man in front of him as the guy accidentally stepped on his foot.

"What!? I said I'm sorry!" The man furiously replied, lunging back to him and landed one punch until they started brawling on the ground.

Laura beamed internally, calling it 'Perfect' as she executed her plan.

She secretly fished out the phone and pressed send, erasing it quickly then threw it on the ground where people who were so engrossed at the fight in the middle stepped on it until it gets cracked and eventually completely broken. She grinned and thanked these temperamental lads mentally.

Meanwhile, at the security room, they found a red dot blinking rapidly on the mass of green dots on the screen, meaning that someone has sent a signal over the school's fence. They couldn't tell who did it as only green dots were shown there and not the scholars' faces, plus it vanished immediately which added to their misery.

"Send two sentinels there and report this." The head IT commanded, enraged by this new set of scholar's bravery to break the rules.

Laura saw two people, wearing black shirts like the ones the guards on the gate were wearing, came rushing on the podium, one whispered something to Mrs. Edison that made her creased her forehead, and looked very alarmed by whatever the guard had told her.

She stood up abruptly, snatched the microphone from the emcee, and mercilessly shook it that made a screeching sound that stopped everyone just to cover their ears, except the people on the podium as they remained unfazed.

"I am so disappointed." She then snapped but with class, "Get the two boys who started the fight out of here and bring them to my office." The two guards followed, dragging the two protesting boys by their collars. "Now, it came to me that someone has taken advantage of the fight and broke the previously discussed rule that No." She gritted her teeth, emphasizing every word, "One. Can. Send. A. Message. Outside. The. School. So, bring out your phones and we will sort this issue out, right now.."

Laura saw the chubby guy grew tense as he started searching for his phone in his pocket but found none, he even asked his friends but they had no idea as well. She felt a pang of slight guilt but she just brought out her phone, silently hoping that Dale received it.

"Ms. Dale, someone unknown has sent you an e-mail."

"What does it says?" Said the busy IT agent who was typing on her computer, tracking someone asked by Warren.

"UOE 27634, that's all, Ma'am."