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Megan made her way to the room where the con debat team was to meet.  Laura and Brian were already there when she arrived.  Brendan arrived a few minutes later.  Introductions were made and Megan noticed right away that Brendan was not the overly friendly sort.  He seemed to answer everything with short answers and didn't write anything down.

Laura laid out the rules the competitions would be using and the schedule.  Most of the debates were weeknights and ended by 9PM.

They looked over the list of subjects and worked out a schedule for them to get together to study.  The meeting was pleasant for the most part and Laura offered to buy everyone coffee afterwards.  While they were packing up, Brendan handed an envelope to Brian.

BRENDAN: "Can you scan those pictures into the computer and compare them to the floorplan of the girls locker room.  I need to see if I can figure out if there are any patterns to where the photographer is standing."

Brian looks at the photos and his eyes come up to Brendan.

BRIAN: "I could get expelled for having these."  He goes to give them back to Brendan.

BRENDAN: "Relax Parks.  You get popped with those, tell the Principal I gave them to you and tell him what you're doing with them."

LAURA: "How did you get those?"

BRENDAN: "I bought them.  It's amazing what you can get with cash these days."

Megan looked at Brendan with a look of surprise to hear that the envelope contained some of the pictures from the girls’ locker room that were floating around.  “Well if you  bought them you know who is taking them right?  Or did you not get to see the person?  In any case, why don’t you leave finding out what is going on to the police.  I asked my dad if he…had heard anything about those pictures Monday night, and he said the police were investigating it.”

BRENDAN: "Word in the halls is that the guy selling them was not the guy taking the pictures.  Once I got a lead on the seller I was able to confirm it.  Besides, the police have plenty to worry about.  This is not going to be a high priority for them."

LAURA: "So why are you looking into it?"

BRENDAN: "Friend of mine found out she's in some of them, asked me if I'd find the guy responsible and put a stop to it."

BRIAN: "You have friends?"  Brian chuckles slightly, "Can you provide some proof of that claim?"

BRENDAN: "Can you do what I asked or not?"  Brendan's tone is neutral, but there is the hint of a smile in his eyes.

BRIAN: (Shaking his head) "Yeah, I think I can.  Couple days I should have some answers for you."

BRENDAN: "Thanks.  I'll owe you one."  Brendan turns to look at Megan.  He takes his glasses off and cleans them with a handkerchief from his pants pocket.  "If you're worried I can ask if you're in any of the ones that are out there.  If not, they'll offer me some at a special price.  It'll settle your worries."

Megan frowned.  “You think the police would ignore this?  All someone has to do is put some of them out on the internet and  it will be a major deal.  Then it would be child pornography.”  But she was then silent as Brendan explained why he was concerned about this.

When he then offers to find out if she was in any of the pictures, Megan is quite for a moment, but replies.  “Yes I have been worried, which was why I asked my dad.  I still am, but I wouldn’t want you to go to too much trouble, let alone get whomever is doing this to really come try to get some if he doesn’t already.”

“But do you really think knowing where they stand, if they even stand in the same place, will tell you anything?  I think the person behind this can turn invisible, and I also think they are the person stealing stuff around the school.”

"They're not going to end up on the net, and if they do it wont be the guy that took them or the one selling them.  I know the guy selling and he's way too smart for that.  The guy taking the pictures wont risk it either, otherwise he'd have done it already instead of using a middleman.  And, for the record, I didn't say ignore.  It's just not going to be a big priority compared to Superman using jocks and killer bees.


"It wouldn't be a problem.  And."  He looks Megan up and down once, "As hot as I'm sure people think you are these guys don't do special orders until they have money in hand, which means they're careful to monitor their risk.  You're a Freshman, most of the ones out are Sophmore and Junior girls, since they're a bit more comfortable walking around each other naked.  I'll ask if they have any with you in them, should be able to give you an answer tonight or tomorrow.  I'll text you, no sense in us meeting outside of the debate team if we don't have to."


"I'll save my normally sarcastic remarks about intelligence of blonde cheerleaders until I know you better.  Let's just say that I need to know where the photographer stands so I can figure out what course they're taking to get into position.  Invisible or not, they still have to get into the locker room and into position without bumping into someone.  The more I know about them and their methods the better my chance of figuring this thing out."

"As for the theif, I'm leaning towards someone with super speed.  Invisibility doesn't explain the thefts as well, and moving through an area fast enough would have the same general effects."

“Money can sometimes make normally smart people do really dumb things.  Particularly once the zeroes in the number start getting bigger.”  Megan replies dryly. 

She smirks at his somewhat condescending view of her and her looks.  “What can I say, I’m an early bloomer, as for my comfort level around other girls, I won’t bore you with stories about cheerleading camp and such.  But not meeting outside of what we have to for this sounds perfectly fine to me.”

Then Megan’s eyes narrow a bit at the suggestion that her intelligence might be rather lacking as she replied.  “Keeping your smart ass comments to yourself is likely a good idea, I don’t think I was recommended to be part of this team based on how loud I cheer or how well I do a basket toss.”

“I doubt superspeed would be enough alone, I am no big science wiz, but I know enough that you would have to be moving extremely fast to not be seen at all.  But if its superspeed or that combined with invisibility, I have a plan for catching the thief that will make neither matter.” She finishes packing her stuff up and moves over near Laura to wait to follow the older girl to wherever they were going for coffee.

"Not this guy.  Contrary to what TV tries to make us think there are plenty of smart people who don't suddenly get stupid in the presence of money."


"I said sarcastic, not smart ass, there is a difference.  The reference also included a mention of knowing you better which might have been a clue that it was a joke.  I understand why you wouldn't have known that though, since I'm dry and most people don't realize when I'm making a joke.  As for your merit, I have faith in Laura.  If she thinks you'll be good at this, then I'm sure you will.  Beyond that, you could be rock stupid for all I know yet a whiz when it somes to constitutional matters.   Since I know you're not rock stupid though you don't have to get offended."


"Well, the magician's joke that the hand is quicker then the eye is bull, but according to my research the speed you'd have to move not to be seen isn't as great as you might think, especially since the school is hallways and rooms, plenty of places to duck into and not be seen."

LAURA: "Are you coming with us Brendan?"

BRENDAN: "No, I'll take a raincheck.  I need to see a man about some photos and get some sleep."

Ignoring most else of what Brendan said, Megan replied to his comments about the speed one would need to be going.  “Ducking and hiding somewhere is one thing, but I was sitting right at the table with Cloe when that jerk took her iPod.  No where to hide there.  And I caught a glimpse of someone getting knocked aside at the exit, as if someone had just run into them.  I saw no blurring form or anything like that, which has me thinking invisibility.  Like I said, it won’t matter either way though.”  She almost said a bit more, but realized it might be a bit difficult to explain how she knew so much about superspeed if she did continue on.

When Brendan decided not to join them, Megan was not disappointed.  Looking at Laura, she asked.  “Where were you thinking of going?  I have a hair appointment a bit later at a place near the town square.”

"Caribou Coffee is right around the corner from the salon.  I'll drive."

Laura gives Brian and Megan a lift to the coffee shop.  Once they have thier drinks and have found a place to sit Laura thanks the two of them again for joining the team.

"I'm sorry about Brendan.  He takes getting used to, and he's brutally honest.  He was more talkative tonight then I've seen him in a while."

Megan shrugged as she took a sip of her coffee.  “Don’t worry about it Laura, you don’t need to apologize for anything.  Sides, its like my dad has always told us, you need to learn to be able to deal with all sorts of people in life.  He sure had to represent his share of difficult business men when he was practicing law.  It actually only seemed to get worse once he went into politics.” 

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he likes you."  Brian says.  "You're the first stranger I've seen him actuall respond to with more then a sentence before."

Megan chuckles slightly.  “Well, if he does, he sure has an interesting way of trying to make friends.  Maybe I just set off some deep resentment he has wanted to get out for awhile?  After all, I am a blond cheerleader, total stereotype of all that is so unfair about High School from most everyone’s perspective.”

She was silent a moment before she added.  “But it was nice of him to offer to try and find out about whether there were pictures of me out there.  I have been a bit worried about it actually, especially now that Cal has moved away.  There is this unpleasant thought in the back of my head that is worried about whether the next guy that asks me out has seen a picture like that of me or not.”

LAURA: "Well, as strange as it might seem, chivalry is Brendan's strong suit.  He's got this gruff exterior, but underneath he's cold and calculating.  He wasn't always so bad, couple years ago he lost his girlfriend.  Anonymous tip led the police to a shootout and the killer.  Brendan has been sort of distant since then.  He's really smart, and he knows it.  He doesn't so much soften once you get to know him as just you get used to him." 

BRIAN: "Yeah.  He's sort of an outsider now.  He's got connections to every social group at school and knows something about everyone it seems, but he's not part of anything.  Except the debate team."  Brian looks at Laura.  "How the heck did you manage that anyway?"

LAURA: "I asked him nicely.  We grew up on the same street, I've known him forever."

Megan listened to Laura and Brian talking about Brendan, particularly what Laura had to say almost not believing the coincidence.  He had a great deal in common with her mom’s old friend Paul, though he seemed to be reacting to it a little bit differently.  “Oh,” she said in a low voice, “that is terrible.  I guess it explains a lot.”

She is quite for a moment and then adds, “well, I can say I have seen proof that it’s possible for someone to get out of a mood like this.  Just last week I went to a dinner with my parents and met an old friend of my mom’s from her Freshman year at Harvard.  He was a frighteningly intelligent guy, like really really scary bright, and his parents had been murdered when he was young.  Sounded like he had a rough time of it for awhile, and my mom helped him get through some of it.  He has turned out pretty cool, happily married with a great job and even head of the Wayne Foundation.”

"WOW!"  Brian's geek roots suddenly show through.  "You know Paul Patillio?  That's so cool.  He's like the king geek of his generation."

“Well, as of last week I do.”  Megan replied.  “King geek?  That is pretty much how my mom described him back in college, though she said he was a good friend.  He seemed a bit more suave to me now.  He even offered her a job at the Foundation as the event director for the Chicago office and I think she is going to take him up on that.”

BRIAN: "That is so totally cool."

LAURA: "Your mom doesn't work now?  That must be nive having your mom at home for you.  It's really rare to see that these days."

Megan looked at Laura a bit surprised that she would think it all that unusual that her mom not work given her families wealth.  “Work now?”  She laughed. “She has never worked, they had my older sister Diane not long after she was done with college and my dad had finished law school.  But my dad went to work at one of the biggest law firms in the country, made partner a bit faster than average and has always more than provide for us, well, at least in terms of money anyway.”

She was silent a moment and then continued, “my mom has really done a lot for my sister, brother and I.  She didn’t just leave us to be raised by the nannies they hired to help her out, she was always very involved.  I have seen plenty of other moms in rich families that did not work and left everything to the nannies practically.”

LAURA: "I know all about the nannies.  My mom couldn't dream of giving up her career when I was born."

Megan gives Laura a sympathetic smile, using nannies to keep your career or just so you had the free time to do what you wanted amounted to about the same thing, though at least with continuing a career you could say you were adding something to society.  “Yeah, well, my mom never had a career, so was likely easier to just be a mom then.”  She replied. 

“But she made something of a career out of that, always involved in what we did somehow.  Being on the PTA and school board and add in philanthropy work and helping my dad with networking and she probably knows everyone she needs to for the job at the Wayne Foundation.”

LAURA: "That's good though."  She glances at her watch, "I need to get home.  Brian, can I drop you?"

BRIAN: "Yeah, I need to get these photos scanned."

LAURA: "What about you Megan, you want a lift to the stylist or you okay from here?"

Megan smiled as they all got up.  “I’m fine, thanks Laura.”  She made her way out with the other two teens and said goodbye as they started off towards Laura’s car.  The blond teen then made her way over to her salon where her stylist was and went inside.  The appointment was not an overly long one, just a wash, trim and a bit of styling and some conditioning. 

Once she was done, Megan made her way down though town as she called her mom on her cellphone.  “Hey mom, yeah, I just finished with Janet.  I was going to go over to Lisa’s real quick and see how she’s doing.”

"Okay sweetheart.  Call me when you're done if you need a ride."

“I will mom.”  She said, hanging up the phone as she reset her bags on her shoulder as she continued towards Lisa’s house.  It was somewhat nice to walk a long distance somewhere for a change, she had gotten so used to moving around so quickly.  But it wasn’t long before she was ringing the doorbell at the other girl’s house.

Lisa answered the door and smiled.  "Wow, this is a suprise."  She said opening the door to let Megan in.  Lisa led Megan up to her room where they could have some privacy.  "So, what brings you out here?"

“Hey Lisa.”  Megan said as the older girl answered the door, giving her a smile.  Following her up to her room, she dropped her bags by the door and sat down as she looked at the other girl.  “I just wanted to come see how you were doing, I am sorry I wasn’t able to come by last night, but I can imagine things were probably pretty tense around here.”

"Well.  My dad blew his top about my reputation and my mom freaked out because of how it will effect my college applications.  They made the decision to send me to Fenwick to keep me away from the bad elements.  Apparently Fenwick has only had one or two incidents like we've had over at Oak Park.  They think the atmosphere will be better there.  It's total bullshit."

“Yeah, I can imagine they would be angry, I don’t even want to think what my parents would say.”  Megan replies sadly.  “Things just seem to keep getting crazy at school.  They are starting weekly drug testing for athletic teams now.”

She tries to think about how best to tell Lisa about what her, Colin and the others were trying to do regarding finding out who had planted the camera in there.  She knew she couldn’t name names, but she figured Lisa should know the some people cared.  “Some people at school have started to look into seeing if they can’t find out who it was that put that camera in there.  Not sure what will be done if they find out, but perhaps some sort of payback.”

"Really?"  Lisa's expression is one of confusion.  "I wouldn't imagine many people caring that much.  If you learn anything, could you keep me posted.  I've been wondering if it was someone out to get John or me, or if it was just whoever was unlucky enough to be there, ya'know?"

“Well, maybe not may do, but at least a few do, and they might be able to do something about it.’  Megan replies with a small smile.  “I will be sure to keep you up to date.  Sides, shopping with you is always fun, I love to hit the mall some together, if you wanted.”

When Lisa brings up someone being out to get her or John, Megan frowns slightly.  “Do you think there could have been someone that would have wanted to get back at either of you?  And even if someone did, how could they have know to put a camera there to get the two of you like that?  I didn’t even know you and John were back together.”

"Well, we're not.  Sex with the Ex is a sure way to releive stress with no real commitment.  We've been doing it for a while now.  Neither of us has had much luck finding someone to be with, and sex was never our problem."

Megan might once have blushed at Lisa’s comment about the nature of her and John’s current…relationship, but after going to cheerleading camp with Lisa and the other girls, she had heard a great deal of similar stories.  “Well,”  she replied, not really sure what to say, for having heard about things like that and really knowing what it was like regarding such matters were very different things.  “I’ll have to take your word on that right now.”

“I am a bit surprised you had not found someone else though, but I guess just because there might be some guys out there that want to be with you, finding one you want to be with to is a bit more challenging.  I am wondering how long I am going to have to wait till I find someone new as well.”  Shaking her head, Megan tries to get back on subject.   â€œBut I doubt you want to hear my problems, insignificant as they are.  But about my other question.  Is there anyone you can think of that might have had it in for you or John?”

Lisa shakes her head.  "No one comes to mind.  John had some problems with Cal, but they patched that up before Cal left.  Maybe some of Cal's friends still held a bit of a grudge?"

“Hmmm,” Megan thought, she couldn’t think of any of Cal’s friends that seemed to be that upset about the stuff that had happened between him and John.  “I can’t think of anyone that would likely do that.  Sides, it seems a bit pointless now to try to get back at John for the friction between him and Cal now, as Cal has moved back to Texas.”  She shrugs, no particularly useful information being gained now.  “But maybe these people I know at school can figure something out.”

She then looks back at Lisa as she asks, “So, how are things going otherwise?  What’s it like at Fenwick?  If things keep up, I might be there whether I want to be or not.  Sounds like some of the other girls might be transferring out as well, or are at least considering it.”

"Yeah.  My dad is on a big recruiting drive it seems.  He's already talked to some of the other girl's parents.  Fenwick isn't too bad.  Uniforms are ridiculous, but they have some good programs.  Mom thinks it'll help my college chances."

“Uniforms?  Yuck.”  Megan said as she stuck out her tongue.  “But maybe it will help you chances with colleges.  So, what else is going on?”  She asks, trying to change the subject to things that might be happier.

Lisa relates some details about her new classes and some of the people she's met.  She seems happy enough with Fenwick, even though she's not a cheerleader there.

Megan listens to Lisa relate how things are going at Fenwick and then gives her news on what little new developments there have been in the last day, not that there have likely been many.  Looking at the clock on her nightstand, Megan says, “Wow, its getting late and it’s already been a really long day for me, I need to get home and to some homework.”  She tried not to think about how long a day it had been, first not getting a whole lot of sleep the night before along with running all over half the city and suburbs, then getting up early and taking Katie to the airport, and then school, a short cheerleading practice, Constitutional Debate Team, hair appointment and then this. 

She takes out her phone and calls her mom to let her know she is ready to be picked up.  Once that is done she smiles at Lisa.  “Well, I am glad things seem pretty good at Fenwick.  I will stay in touch, chances might be good that I’ll end up there.” 

As Megan and Lisa made their way back downstairs to wait for Megan’s mom, the younger teen looked over at Lisa as she said.  “Oh, I got a replacement date for Homecoming today, Seth Mondsee.  He’s the boy that was singing at the Tasty Dog on the first day of school and also sang at your party with your brother’s band.”

"Oh."  Lisa says with a smile, "Moving from atheletes to musicians.  Very open minded of you."  At the door Lisa pauses, "I may see if I can get someone to bring me.  Fenwick's is later in the year, so I might try to get someone to take me to the Oak Park dance, just so I can see you guys."

Megan shrugs at Lisa’s comment.  “Well, it’s just a date for the dance.  Sides, his father and mine have worked together on some deals before when dad was still practicing and I have seen him at a few events his parents have taken him too, so I know he doesn’t look bad in a tux.”  She stops a moment, looks at Lisa and then decides to tell her more.  “Actually, I am thinking of just doing a bit of casual dating for awhile, see what might come along.  But I don’t plan to stray too far from athletes or other popular boys.  Seth’s just the one who got the nerve to ask me to Homecoming first.”

She smiles as Lisa mentions trying to get someone to take her to Homecoming, though she was a little surprised that the other girl would want to come back to the school after her incident, but was glad she was not deterred by that.  “That would be awesome Lisa, It wouldn’t be the same without you there.”

OOC: Unless you have other business for this thread I'll go ahead and close it.

occ: well, I was kinda interested in Lisa's opinion of Megan's plan  :)  Also, had some minor stuff for Megan to mention to herr mom, namely needing to buy a dress and some suits for the debates.

"Be careful, that casual dating thing might turn into a reputation if you casually date the wrong boys."

Megan nods, not overly surprised at Lisa’s comment.  “Thanks, I’ll be sure to be careful.  Like I said, I have some boys in mind, just nothing seemed to be happening on the Homecoming front from them, likely already have dates.  Maybe I should have waited.”  Looking out the windows by the door, she saw her mom pull into the turn around in front of the house.  “Well there is my mom.”  She gives Lisa a hug.  “Good to hear things are going well at Fenwick.  I’ll let you know if the people looking into what happened learn anything.  Keep in touch.”

She then makes her way out and gets into the car.

Once Megan is in the car her mom pulls away from the curb.  "So, how's Lisa holding up?"

“She’s doing okay, sounds like she is already making some friends at Fenwick and stuff.  No big surprise there.  She is even planning to try to get someone to take her to the Homecoming dance so she can hang out with us.”  Megan replies.

“Speaking of which, Seth Mondsee asked me to Homecoming today and I said yes.  So I now have to get a dress, probably thinking a Vera Wang.”  She continues with a slight smile.  “And the Con Debate team seems like it will be pretty cool, though one of the guys on the team is a bit rough around the edges.  Speaking of that as well, I am going to need a couple of suits for the debates.  I have a schedule of all the debates, mainly week nights, which also likely means dad probably won’t be able to get to any of them.”

"That's good.  What happened was pretty bad, I could see how she might be happy to be away from Oak Park.  On a related note, I hope you realize just how dumb what she did was.  I'm not saying I'd want to have it broadcast all over the school, but it was very inappropriate and showed pretty poor judgement.  If you know of anyone else that may be inclined to lean towards doing soemthing like that you owe it to them to dissuade them."

When Megan mentions the debate schedule her mother shrugs, "The scheduling is unfortunate.  Maybe we can tape them for him, I'm sure he'd enjoy seeing you even if it was on tape."

"Megan, I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything.  Don't think that even though you might think I wouldn't understand what you're going through or your particular world view on a subject, I want very much to be involved with you and your life.  Even things you might think are private.  Like sex, and your recent interest with the out of doors in the evening."

Megan almost rolled her eyes at her mom’s little lecture about how stupid Lisa and John had been, but she knew that it was far too serious a topic to do so.  “I know mom, believe me I know.  While I feel totally embarrassed for her, part of me wants to shake her and yell ‘what the hell were you thinking?’.  If I could stop anyone from being so stupid, I would, but I doubt it is anything they would broadcast before hand, I didn’t even know Lisa and John were…well, you know.”


Megan sighed.  “Yeah, like gymnastics meets, and dance recitals, and most everything else.  Is he still going to be able to see the Homecoming game?  Not that the cheerleading squad will be much to see if things keep up like they are.  Diane is talking about leaving Oak Park as well.”


Megan went quite for a bit as her mom once again brought up the fact that she knew that her youngest daughter had been sneaking out of the house at night a few times the last few weeks.  “I know mom.”  She finally replied.  “And don’t worry, I’m not having sex, Cal and I never got that far, and I sure have not with anyone else.  And I’m not doing drugs, or drinking, or anything like that either.”  She considered telling her mom the full truth, but was not sure she was quite ready to fully explain things. 

“I have just…needed to get away from everything a bit.  High School has just started and I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with stuff.  But I know what I have to do, particularly as I am not as smart as Denise or even Donnie, so I will just have to work harder, and do more things to help my chances at getting into a good college.  And if that wasn’t enough, all the craziness that has been happening at the school, and, well, everywhere really, I just kind of have felt the need to get out and away from things.  Soon it will be far too cold to do that.”

"I know sweetheart.  If it isn't one thing it's another.  I'm starting to wonder if he's lost sight of the important things with his quest for political power."


"I understand how that is.  I had to go through that at your age.  I wasn't the smartest kid in my family, and they were all counting on me to go to a good school and do big things.  Eventually though I realized that what I wanted and what everyone expected were not the same.  Don't think you have to get into an ivy league school for us to love you.  Can you remember that?"

“Well, I am not sure it is any different than when he was at the firm mom.  Sides, he does think he can do more to help people now.”


Megan was not so sure that if she failed to at least get into Princeton her father would be so accepting of the fact, but kept that quite.  “I know mom, but there is no reason for me not do what I can to at least have a shot at some.  I plan to have fun in High School too.”

"Good.  Having fun now is important, especially if you follow in your father's life model."

“Yeah, well, I don’t think I really want to follow his career path, least, not as far as he has.  I believe I would be pretty happy finding someone special and having kids and being a good mom.”  Megan replied as she looked over at her mom with a wide smile.

"Well, it wasn't my first plan, but it's made me happy."

“I’m glad mom.”  Megan replies, but is then quite before she adds.  “But I will be ready incase something else comes along that I didn’t plan on.”

(ooc well, that is it for me now I guess, unless Brendan was going to text Megan tonight)

Megan's phone beeps to tell her she has a text message.


OOC: We'll call it done then.