TIME SKIP (The Week after Spring Break)...

The clock is winding down as I see more and more of the Neutrals (The nerds who haven't picked a side yet) are either defecting to the super-powered Beautiful Teens (as they either become superheroes or super-fans) or leaving Berkeley behind and settling for the other anti-Super towns and states (Georgia, Arkansas, the Carolinas, Louisiana, Texas, and Minnesota being a small few states alongside Guam and Puerto Rico being the only two US territories to vote against the heroes). For me and the last of the Rebels (my foster family and my girlfriend with her family), time wasn't going to be on our side as the pressures of joining Team Dermott-York grow more and more apparent.

It also meant having to come face to face with Kyle and Marcel, the latter now fully embracing his new identity as a super-powered jock more and more each day- him being cockier yet having a talented mind. All the teachers were drawn to him like bees to honey, them comparing me to him every moment that I attempted to show him up.

"Browning is missing out on your road to happiness, Kyle! If only he, Miss Detweiler, and your cousin could shape up to follow your lead like Maldonado and Telfair."

"Everyone knew that you had it in you. Took a lot of work on everyone's end to make you see it, but at least you decided to cut losses and get with the program. Tamarious and his crop of riff-raff need to take a few pages out of your book and be a part of the solution."

God, just kill me now so I can spare myself from more of this goddamned hot mess! The more that I stood around and listened to that drivel, the more nauseated I was getting.

But at least I was getting in a few swipes of my own, not to mention Kelante and Tiffany joining the fray with various pranks and schemes to cause some headaches. Some of them were a bit old-fashioned and easily foiled, but others did cause a few gasps and comments that were made known in the school newspaper. Yeah, we got detention for it, but Grandma and Grandpa were all supportive while reminding me to make sure to focus on our schooling and preparations for taking down the Beautiful Teens/Titan Club completely.

As for the serums that made Kyle into what he was, they were currently being under lockdown and guarded at UCal's science building where the California State Troopers (all of them under Brian York's command with them being superhuman) were keeping watch and making sure that nobody got close to the university's science labs without permission.

But I wasn't going to let that stop me one bit. One way or another, those serums needed to be destroyed before everyone was sent into a comic-book world where superheroes ruled with a giant fist and everyone was part of some twisted Pleasantville alternate world. That stuff belonged in fiction and made for those who grew up in the fifties. I valued my realistic world where oddballs turned the ball, thank you very much.

**********************

"Well, well. Looks like we keep running into each other, Tamarious."

I bit back a groan as I ended up walking into Titan Club territory for the umpteenth time as the group in general (Kyle and his parents included) and I came face to face as lunchtime arrived in full glory. Thankfully, Kelante and Tiffany were with me at my side as we were hungry for good food and ready to cook up a game plan. "Dermott," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "It's funny that we do run into each other since both of our groups are hungry."

Kennedy (dressed in a Versace ensemble that left little to the imagination) sneered at me. "We bet you are," she replied. "But this lunchroom is for the people who want to be a part of the new world, not for you."

"Excuse me?!" Kelante shot back. "What the hell is this, Mean Girls- Super Edition? Last time I checked, this was a free country and people had rights to eat wherever they want for lunch."

"Ah, but you three have no say since you're not set to join us," Mr. York said, smiling condescendingly. "Andrew and Phillip made some announcements earlier and if you hadn't blocked everything out earlier, you might've known that you three will be spending your lunchtime hours in detention effective immediately. And you'll be spending your lunches there until after you graduate or you decide to break up your little schemes and join us."

Kyle, him dressing up like he was now in a JCPenney Catalog, stepped forward. "You guys, let's be fair," he said, his voice more deeper and his persona a near carbon copy of his father. "Aren't you sick and tired of having no rights and us bugging you? Your chances of surviving as you all are aren't in your favor the longer that you hold out. It'll be cool for us to be friends and reunite as a new faction. With your skills and my family's connections alongside Marcel's regime, you all can have a piece of the pie in being part of a league where all things that are made right out of comic books can be made into reality. Don't you want to be seen as winners as much as I am?"

"Lawd Jesus," Kelante drawled, snorting loudly. "This fool is really asking to let him sell us a circus straight out of the pits of hell."

"But we're not buying it," Tiffany retorted as her parents, Kelante's family, and my foster grandparents joined us from behind.

"Typical," Lita replied in disdain as she shook her head. "All of you have so much potential yet you can't see the bigger picture that's unfolding. The old ways of the world with so much division and hatred between majorities and minorities are what kills the minds of tomorrow. Think about the younger generation and what they're being taught by people of your kind. Would it be fair for them to settle into the same fate as you if you let them be a part of this?"

"Would it be better off if they became a part of your Borg collective?" Grandpa rebutted back. "Would you allow this nightmare of yours reach their minds before they learn the alphabet or even be taught the Bible stories?"

"We would never allow the younger children- those from birth to preschool be denied their first few years of innocence," Mrs. York defended, holding her hands up in a gesture of peace. "We just think that they deserve to live in a world where the impossible can be made impossible and a simpler time where hatred is nonexistent. And if it means pulling methods straight out of science-fiction and going by the way of comic books, then so much the better."

"The minorities of today- the LGBTQ community, people of color, women, and those with lower socioeconomic statuses- can finally become whom they're meant to be," Andrew commented as he and his husband came to the side of their son and Kyle. "With more and more superheroes and superhumans who are looking forward to bring peace to this society, it's up to everyone who wants to change to be a part of the now. Those who wanted none of it are mainly missing out of what can be the best thing for their lives. They're like you- caught up in hate, wanting to bring back the era where nasty is the new chic, the kind of cool where it's okay to be disrespectful and inconsiderate for other people's feelings. You guys want peace in your own way, but by your own terms with wars, marches, riots, and protests."

"But your methods are causing more hurt than pain," Phillip continued. "We want to alleviate all of that. By the time this serum comes out, everyone and anyone will be a part of this golden era where everything will be straight out of Pleasantville and the comics from the past. And whether you agree with us or not, you will be a part of this revolution. If you don't like it, then you can just leave."

I just shook my head in exasperation. "Y'all remind me of an Almond Joy and a Mound candy bar. Sometimes you think you're a nut. Sometimes you don't," I said plainly. To Kyle, "I hope this is all worth it, York. You're now twice as much worse as they are. I have nothing but contempt and pity for you."

Kyle heaved a sigh, letting himself transform into his Kevarix persona- gaudy golden costume (sans the cape) and all. "At least I've accepted my fate," he said lowly. "Now, to the detention room."

"Gladly," Kelante said snippily as he motioned everyone to follow him.

Sending one last sad glance to the jock who was a former misfit, I trudged to the designated classroom where a few police officers were waiting for us. Once we got settled into our seats (unfortunately for us, our lunchtime detentions mean that there was no food for us, only homework assignments and classwork to catch up on), I turned to the others. "Please tell me that we've got some form of plan to destroy those serums," I said softly yet my voice firm.

"Thankfully, I got us a mole from the Cal State Troopers who know the layout of the university's science building," Grandpa commented. "And it might be a long shot, but we can use either tonight or next week to finally get those things taken out of the picture so the rest of the country won't get turned out."

"We got the heat on us for today, so tonight's out of the question," I commented. "Next week is the best time to sneak in, dispose the serums, and get out of there."

"We might not have much time, child," Kelante rebutted, giving me a pointed stare. "I mean, who can say that my blasted uncle might just announce for the serums to be shipped off all over the world and launch the 'golden age' or whatever? We need to make our moves tonight before things go sour on us."

I hate to admit it, but he was right. To my foster grandpa, "Is your mole trustworthy?"

"As sure as I know he's loyal to us Outcasts," he replied. "We can wait until next week, but Kelante's right. If I know Brian and Lisa by now, they'll want to stay ahead of us in all ways possible."

"Then let's go for it," I said. "Tiffany, you and your parents will need to stay behind and keep an alibi on hand. If worse does come to wear-"

"No, Tamarious," my girlfriend interrupted. "I'm joining you and the Tillman-Parrish clan on this takedown tonight."

"I don't want you to get hurt and end up in anyone's clutches."

"Too bad, because I'm your ride-or-die Valley Girl until the end. If you go down, I'm going down with you."

I inhaled sharply. "God, I love you," I breathed. To Mr. and Mrs. Detweiler, "And you two agree?"

"Darling, of course," Mrs. Detweiler commented. "If anything, Horace and I trust you with Tiffany more than any other man who tried to make a play for her in the past. And she's very loyal. So you should know that she's not backing down. And neither will my husband and I."

I nodded. "Then let's get ready for a movement of our own," I said. "By tomorrow, the fall of the Titan Club will be made known and we'll be the ones to rule the rest."

I was sure of it.

I bet he is, folks! Whatever the Outcasts have in store will make the Boston Tea Party look like a puppet show for kids. And it's all going down in the next chapter, so don't miss out!

Song: "Sin's a Good Man's Brother" by Grand Funk Railroad.

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