Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Mafia ❯ Volume Fourteen, Chapter Fifty-Five: Green Babies ( Chapter 55 )

-Mikhael-

Despite what's going on in my life right now, I still have school. I have a class project due.

It's for my earth science class. We had to come up with a green project. Clean energy, they say.

“She's just testing us, isn't she?” Jim asked.

“Mmm,” I said. I stared out the window. A hand waved in front of my face. I pushed it aside.

“Stop,” I said.

“Are you even listening to me?” Jim asked. I waved him off.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said. I turned to see Jim frowning at me. He's one of the few people who doesn't judge me. I rolled my eyes.

“What is it?” I asked.

“What are you doing for your project?” he asked. He just changed the subject. Fine, I'll play along. I shrugged.

“Don't know yet,” I said. I knew what was coming next.

“I'm fine,” I said. Jim's face didn't change.

“Didn't say you weren't,” he said. He didn't need to.

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I did some thinking. I'm more of the tech guy. I'd be the one with the brown thumb. Grass would die at my feet. (That's not a joke. Mom said it, not me.) Still, I could combine the two. I sat on it for a few hours. I took notes. I mapped out the plans on paper.

Yes, this was going to work. However, I would need a little help.

First, the supplies.

My plan was the make a small water pump that ran on solar power. I know, I know. It sounds crazy. Go with me on this. It will be a small system of pumps that will go near the roots. They would go deep into the ground. The rain would refill the water supply. It's not perfect. I know it needs work. The deadline doesn't help.

Little did I know I would get so much help.

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It started with Boris.

“Hey, what are you looking at there?” I heard behind me at my desk. I about jumped with a gasp. I whipped around. Boris stood with his hand up.

“You okay?” he asked. I panted as I blinked.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I came to check on you.”

“Why?”

“She asked me to.”

My face went flat. Of course she would. Since when does she care? I cleared my throat.

“Schoolwork,” I said. Boris had a curious look on his face. Don't tell me he wants a full report.

I don't know why I did what I did next. It just came out.

“I need some help!” I blurted out. I froze. Boris raised an eyebrow.

“Help with what?” he asked. I gulped. Could I do this? Could I really let them in? I pressed my lips together. I don't feel so good.

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I ended up with five guys working on this project. They had their motives. That's what I was afraid of.

But wait! I could use this to my advantage.

I called my group in for a meeting. Nine people were all in the room. This was weird. All of them were staring at me. Questions kept running around in my head. Were they going to listen to me?

I clapped my hands together. They stared at me. Boris sat waiting. His eyes told me to get on with it. Right…

I cleared my throat.

“Gentlemen,” I said. “Thank you for coming out here today.” I thought about what I wanted to say. How was I going to sell this? I took in another breath and rolled back my shoulders.

“I need a little help with testing out my school project.” I turned and put my blueprints on the table.

“I'm working on a water system that will be self-sustaining.”

The men took a look. One of them looked with a confused look on his face.

“What the hell is this?” he asked. I lifted my chin.

“The future of growing,” I said. They all looked spellbound. I had their attention. Now, I had to really sell it.

“I heard that some of you were running a growing operation under our noses,” I said. I held up my hand.

“I'm here to help you.”

“Why would you do that?” one of my guys asked. I grinned.

“Because,” I said. “I need to test my school project with the grade school I was assigned. And you boys need a cover for your grow operations.”

Green Babies