CHAPTER 67

HUDSON HAD JUST BEEN backed into a corner —by Maggie. She was good. He had to admit that. But how would she react if she knew the truth about Robin Hood? He hadn’t been trying to deceive her —but she might see it that way.

“Listen, Magpie,” Pancake said. “We can’t tell unless we get permission.”

“Oh, I’m Magpie now?” Maggie looked frustrated. “I’ll find out sooner or later.”

Hudson had to do something —and quick —or she’d figure it out sooner. Then she’d probably walk out for good. “We’ll talk to him. Get his permission. That’s fair.”

Maggie raised and lowered her straw in the plastic lid, making a squeaking sound. “So you’ll ask Robin Hood if you can reveal his true identity to me?”

Hudson shrugged. “The important thing right now is how we’re going to use the clips we have. Here’s my idea —”

“Pump the brakes, Hudson,” Maggie said. “We’re not planning anything until I get a promise. From both of you.” She looked at Pancake, and then back at Hudson. “I’ll let you use the clip of me. I’ll even help you with your plan. But you’re going to tell me who Robin Hood is.” She raised her chin slightly, like she was daring them to refuse.

He had no intention of arguing. All he had to do was stall her. “Deal. After we pull this off, I won’t just give you his name. I’ll arrange for you to meet him.”

She gave him a suspicious look. “One minute you have to ask permission to reveal his identity —and the next you’re promising he’ll meet me? Without his okay?”

Hudson swallowed. Felt that sweat forming on his back again. “He’ll do it.”

Maggie didn’t look convinced.

“Robin Hood will want to use the film clips as bad as we do,” Pancake said. “Robin will meet you if Hudson asks.”

“And I’ll ask him to meet you here,” Hudson said. “At Taco Bell. At this table.”

Maggie’s eyes went round —then narrowed again. “Right here. Like physically here —in this booth. With me. I’m not talking about me sitting here having a FaceTime conversation with somebody wearing a ski mask.”

That would have been a nice way around it. “He’ll sit right here —no mask. And he’ll talk —or listen —or both.”

“No tricks.”

Hudson shook his head.

“Promise?”

He crossed his heart and held out his hand. She gave it a single pump.

“You too, Pancake. Promise me.”

Pancake grinned and shook her hand. “Cross my heart —hope to die —stick a needle in my eye, and all that stuff. Satisfied?”

Maggie smiled and sat up a little taller. “What’s next?”

Pancake leaned forward. “Let’s hear Hudson’s plan.”

Hudson couldn’t imagine she’d still be smiling when she learned the truth about Robin Hood. But right now he had to focus. “I’m calling it Operation Show and Tell.”

“Details,” Pancake said.

“First” —Maggie held up one finger —“I need to be clear about one thing. When will I meet Robin Hood?”

Hudson took a deep breath. “We’ll put everything for the operation in place tomorrow.” They had to. How much longer could they hope to keep the lid on this thing?

“Tuesday,” Maggie said.

“Right,” Hudson said. “It will hit the public Wednesday.” Even saying it made his stomach turn. Were they really going to do this? “I’ll turn in my report Friday. And I’ll set it up for you to have a face-to-face with Robin Hood right here this Saturday. Will that work?”

Maggie smiled, which pretty much said it all. “You’ll be here too. Both of you. Right?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“You have to,” she said. “Unless he’s wearing green tights, how will I know him otherwise?”

Oh you will. “Good point.”

“Okay.” Pancake took a swig of his soda. “Back to Operation Show and Tell.”

Hudson checked out the window. He wasn’t even sure why. Was he expecting to see someone from the pack or the litter show up? “The whole idea is to get the video clips out there for as many people to see as possible. We’re going to run this right over the principal’s head.”

She studied him for a moment. “How high are we talking?”

“Orbit.”

Maggie scrunched up her eyebrows. “Define orbit.”

“You know,” Pancake said. “Like a rocket . . . in space.”

“We’re taking it as high as we can go,” Hudson said. “To the people. We edit down the clips to capture the examples of bullying. We set up a YouTube channel and post the videos along with a short explanation of each incident.”

“I can do that tonight,” Pancake said. “Editing. YouTube channel. Description.”

“Perfect.” Hudson scooted out off his chair, refilled his Cherry Pepsi, and sat back down.

Maggie hadn’t moved —or said a word. Actually, she looked unimpressed. “And how are you going to get the word out about the YouTube channel?”

Pancake looked like he was wondering the same thing.

“I’m going to list the bullies by name —and the YouTube channel,” Hudson took a breath and blew it out, “on the Rolling Meadows City Hall sign.”

Pancake clapped and laughed so hard Hudson thought he might roll onto the floor.

Maggie stared at him. “The City Hall sign. Outside the police department. The one with the massive electronic message center and a gazillion little LEDs?”

He explained about his mom working there on Tuesday nights and how he’d posted the community announcement messages. “I’ll set the timer so it goes live early Wednesday morning —so we get the advantage of all the morning commuters.”

“Right there on Kirchoff Road . . . plenty of traffic.” Pancake grinned. “I love it!”

Maggie tilted her head slightly. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious.”

“Dead’s a good word. You’re bypassing the principal. You don’t think that will give the office a legitimate beef against you?”

“If we just take it to the principal, what is going to change?”

“Nothing,” Pancake said.

Maggie shook her head. “You don’t know that. You haven’t given her a chance.”

“And what if she gets pressured by parents to sweep it under the rug? Wolfe’s mom is PTO president. We’ve only got one shot at this, and we have to make it good.”

She stared at Hudson, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I’m hearing all this.”

And Hudson couldn’t believe she was having such a hard time with it. “We have to go big so the school won’t be able to ignore it.”

“You’ll embarrass the school. Mrs. Jackson doesn’t deserve this.”

“I’m just forcing the school to act, that’s all.”

Maggie shook her head. “It’s too big. You’ll get some parents really upset.”

“Good. Good. That’s exactly what we need for changes to happen.”

Maggie glanced at the dining area and motioned for him to tone it down. “Think about this. Posting this on the City Hall sign won’t just make the six on your hit list —and their parents —look bad. It makes Southfield look bad —every teacher. How can you feel that’s right?”

Hudson held up his hands. She was taking this to an extreme. “Enough already. I get it.”

She blinked like his words cut.

He probably said it with more edge than he needed to.

“All I’m saying,” she whispered, so softly that Hudson had to lean forward to hear, “is that a lot of people will be hurt, and upset.”

Hudson didn’t expect her to be thrilled about the idea, but he didn’t figure she’d actually fight him on it. “I want to get people upset. The whole town of Rolling Meadows. I’ll get a news crew there if I can.”

“A news crew?” Pancake grinned.

“Absolutely,” Hudson said. “I want people to feel a little shame. I want people hopping mad.”

Maggie looked at the ceiling like she was totally exasperated. “You’re not reporting. You’re not trying to protect anyone —”

“No —that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m protecting you. Pancake. Other kids. My sister when she gets to Southfield.”

She looked at Hudson with pleading eyes. “You’re out to punish the pack and the litter. You’re crossing the line.”

Something inside Hudson winced. Like deep down he knew she had a point there. But he couldn’t think that way. If he did, they’d miss the chance to really do something big. “All I’m doing is inviting people to watch the clips. Once they do, I won’t have to tell them a thing.”

Pancake nodded. “We’re reporting what’s going on, not snitching.”

“Reporting —to the community at large instead of to the people with the authority to do something about it?” Maggie just let the question hang there.

“We can’t let this keep going.”

Maggie looked down. “Your plans smell like retaliation to me.”

“Look what they did to you. I thought you’d be happy,” Hudson said.

“Not happy.” Maggie shook her head. “Scared.”

He couldn’t have her getting cold feet. “I just want one more shot to put them on the anvil and pound them with social pressure,” Hudson said. “To get the truth out about who they really are and the stinkin’ things they’re doing. We’ve got to nail them.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” Maggie squeezed her eyes shut. “Suddenly you’ve become a vigilante. You’re out for revenge. What does that make you?”

“My hero,” Pancake said.

She shook her head. “Punishing others —pressuring people to do something they don’t want to do? Those are the tactics that the pack uses. And the litter. Hudson, you’re better than that. I’ve barely known you for a week, but I don’t think this retaliation thing is the real you.”

Hudson swallowed —and had no idea what to say.

She just looked at him. Through him. “You’re dropping to their level. You’re a ‘high road’ kind of guy. You shouldn’t do this —not this way. You’re different from the other guys, Hudson. You pray for your lunch. You go to church. Sometimes you talk about God like you really know Him. Is this the way you think God wants you to handle this?”

Hudson felt his face heat up. The truth was, he hadn’t even prayed about this new idea of his. But it was a good plan.

Pancake waved a napkin. “Truce. We’re all on the same side here. You really think you can get the message programmed into the City Hall sign?”

“Positive.”

She shook her head. “I sincerely hope your mom doesn’t need that job. They’ll can her for sure.”

Hudson didn’t want to think about that. “How would they trace it back to me —or her? They’ll just think somebody hacked the system.”

Maggie rested her forehead on the table and covered her head with her arms. “Ask yourself if you really believe that. This is ridiculous. Insane.”

“You have a better idea?” It came out a little rougher than Hudson intended. Then again, maybe not.

“Definitely. We could take the videos to the office and report it to the principal. Let them deal with the pack and the litter.”

“Here we go again,” Hudson said. “How have they stopped bullying at Southfield?”

“Well” —Pancake raised his cup —“I think there’s some nifty anti-bullying signs hanging in hallways. Expect Respect. That one really helps, you know? It’s the Southfield way, right? And then there’s the ever-popular —and super catchy —Stop. Walk. Talk. slogan. So all we have to do is say stop, and if they don’t, we walk away and we talk . . . we report it to the office. Hey, that sounds like it will work!” He gave an exaggerated, goofy grin.

Hudson had to keep this whole thing from imploding on them. “Slogans sound great, but saying stop didn’t make Zattora back off when he pressured Pancake for his number.”

Maggie sat there, arms folded across her chest like she’d made up her mind not to argue.

“C’mon, Maggie.” Hudson leaned in. “They could plaster the gym walls with a million posters, and it wouldn’t make one bit of difference with this bunch. They aren’t stupid. They don’t do their thing where teachers or the principal will see them. Our plan will raise public awareness to the point that the bullying can’t be ignored anymore.”

Maggie sat there for a moment, still not saying a word. “If we report it to the principal, they’ll get suspended —at the least. Maybe expelled. You want to create change? You’ll do it. But oh, that’s right. You’re out for revenge.”

She picked up her sweet tea and sipped on it.

“Be right back.” Hudson stood and walked to the soda machine. He topped off his cup, although he hadn’t even half finished it. Okay, some of what she said probably made sense. He just wasn’t in the mood to hear her reasoning. He had a plan, and he intended to stick with it. No matter what. Hudson fitted the lid in place and sat back down.

Maggie sighed. “Hudson.”

He waited for her to finish, but she just kept looking down. It was the kind of thing his mom did sometimes when she was really unhappy with Hudson. She’d sit silent —probably just to get him to stop and think. But in this case Hudson had already thought things out.

“We’ve got really good clips here,” Pancake said. “I say we launch them into cyberspace and see what they can do.”

Maggie shook her head. “You’re really going to do this?”

Hudson looked at Pancake and then back at her. “We have to.” But he didn’t have to. What he really needed to do was check in with God. But what if he prayed about it, and got the sense he really shouldn’t do this? He’d waste all the great footage Pancake shot. And he’d let everyone down, wouldn’t he?

Over the next ten minutes, they carved out a plan. Pancake would edit the clips into one smooth video —complete with subtitles. He’d set up a special YouTube channel just for the purpose of posting it. Hudson would fine-tune a short message to announce the new YouTube channel —and work on the plan to launch it.

Maggie stayed quiet until they’d finished their strategy session. “Nobody will ever accuse you two of overthinking this little scheme of yours.”

Hudson nodded. “It’s risky. I know that. But we have a real shot at changing them, or at the very least, exposing them.”

She looked Hudson in the eyes. “So one way or another they’ll pay. At the very least, they’ll feel some of the pain they make others feel.”

“Exactly.” Finally she was getting it.

Maggie looked down again. “You say you want to create change in them, but you’re the one changing.” She said it so quietly that Hudson could hardly hear her.

“Me? I’m changing?”

She seemed to be struggling with something. “Don’t take me wrong, okay? I mean I don’t want to lose my only friends over this. I need you guys, and I still want to help.”

Hudson glanced at Pancake. He looked relieved.

“I know you want the bullying to stop, Hudson. I admire you for that. I really do. It’s just that . . .” She stopped, as if unsure she should say more.

He needed to end this conversation and get on with their plans. “They’re causing so much pain, and if it takes making them feel a little pain to get the message, I’m up for that.”

Her shoulders dropped a little. “You need to be careful, Hudson.” She looked up at him, her eyes tearing. “Because you’re beginning to sound like a bully yourself.”