"Wake up Simon, you're gonna be late!" Shouted Rose Sijanowski to her husband one Tuesday morning.

It had been over two weeks since the Sijanowski's encounter with Anthony, and they have neither seen or heard of him since then. In the interim, Simon and Rose have been getting adjusted to their new life in Agnew Valley. The house is finally all together, and Rose even started working on her workshop. Simon tried to be as helpful as he could, but it was usually best when he was out of Rose's way, watching Doogie Howser re-runs or something.

"Who the? What the? What time is it?" Answered a drowsy Simon as he sat in bed and wiped the sand out of his eyes.

"It's eight o'clock honey, and you told Mr. Frampton that you would meet with him at nine."

"Oh yeah, today's my big interview."

"And your big psychological tests, and with the way you've been acting lately, I'd be a little worried."

"Oh those are no problem, I've been studying."

"Sure Simon... Anyway, stop yapping and start getting ready, you don't want to make a bad impression, this job is the reason we came here."

"OK... I think I'll wear my fish tie."

"Simon don't you dare!"

"I'm just kidding Hon, calm down, I'm saving that beauty for a special occasion."

"Well that special occasion may just have to be my funeral, because you're not wearing THAT in my lifetime."

"Whatever you say Honey. I'll go take my shower and put on a boring suit, and a boring tie."

"That's more like it Simon."

"Well in the meantime fix me a nice bowl of Fruity Pebbles, I'm hungry."

"For you Simon, anything."

And with that, Simon got out of bed, groomed himself, put on his best suit, and ate his Fruity Pebbles. He finally left Rose to continue her daily endeavors unencumbered as he headed towards the Agnew Valley Senior High School and Fish Hatchery. Despite his late start, Simon actually arrived to the school five minutes ahead of schedule. As he walked towards the entrance, Simon looked around the building and noticed that it pretty much looked like your average high school, nothing odd or unusual about it. He went in the main entrance, and entered a set of double glass doors marked `Main Office.' There he was greeted by a gray-haired old lady, who was punching away on some old-fashioned black manual typewriter.

"Hey, how ya doing sweet cheeks." Simon said to the secretary to make his presence known.

"Pardon me, sir?" Responded the old secretary in a slow, quivering voice.

"Good morning ma'am, I'm Simon Sijanowski, I am here to see Principal Frampton."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Why yes, I do have an appointment."

"Take a seat, and Mr. Frampton will be with you in a moment."

"You got it babe." Simon said as he bowed to the old lady and took a seat in the back of the office.

To Simon, it seemed like he was waiting forever. To pass his time, and keep his sanity, he found himself humming old Cheap Trick songs. He closely examined the office around him, noticing such things as a solid oak door straight across him with the name Principal Frampton blazoned across it, and a handful of shiny plaques all over the wall that said such stuff as `Team Handball - County Champions' and `Kayaking - District Three, First Place.' Suddenly, as he was in the middle of humming The Flame for about the fourth time, Simon was awakened from his dream-like state by a thundering boom, as the oak door across from him was slammed open, and a towering figure emerged.

"Simon Sijanowski, stand up!" Boomed the huge man who came through the door.

"Yes sir!" Simon quickly responded as he sprung to attention, regressing back a little to his ROTC days.

"You here for the history teacher position?"

"Yes sir."

"Well then I suggest you get into my office now son!"

"Yes sir." Simon once again replied as he followed Mr. Frampton into his office.

Upon his invitation, Simon took a seat across from Mr. Frampton, separated by his huge, plain brown desk. Simon glanced around the office, noticing that the walls were completely bare except for the back wall which was nearly completely covered by a larger-than-life United States Marine Corps flag. He turned his attention to Mr. Frampton, as he studied the immense man in front of him who was scribbling some notes on a piece of white-lined paper. Mr. Frampton had to be at least 6'4", and about 250 pounds of sheer muscle mass. He was an older man, most likely in his early fifties, which was made evident by his neatly trimmed hair which was beginning to gray. For what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Frampton ceased whatever he was doing, looked up, and just stared at Simon. Simon felt like every cell in his body was being put under a microscope and examined by Mr. Frampton. To break the tension, Simon managed to crack a nervous smile.

"Did you know that your teeth are all different colors boy?" Asked Mr. Frampton, taking Simon completely by surprise.

"Uh, no I didn't sir." Answered Simon, whose face turned the brightest red.

"Didn't you brush your teeth today son?"

"Oh, shit, I was in such a hurry I must have forgot, and I ate a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles for breakfast."

"That would explain why your teeth are every color of the rainbow."

"Well that's not exactly true sir, I don't think there's a yellow Fruity Pebble."

"Are you sure? I seem to remember there being a yellow Fruity Pebble."

"I guess there could be a yellow Fruity Pebble, but I don't remember there being one." Said a puzzled Simon.

"Well I suggest you pay a little more attention the next time you have Fruity Pebbles."

"Yes, I will do that."

"Good, that's what I like to hear, the one thing I want in a history teacher is someone who is observant."

"Well I like to think that I'm the right man for the job."

"Slow down son, we still have this little interview thing to take care of."

"I'm quite aware of that."

"That's good to hear. First of all, tell me how you're finding life here in Agnew Valley."

"It's been good. I have been kinda busy these past few weeks, so I haven't really explored the town thoroughly though."

"That's too bad, it's a great town. Did you make any friends yet?"

"Not really, as I said before, I have been somewhat busy lately. However I did meet an interesting man by the name of Anthony the first day we came here."

"Did you say his name was Anthony?"

"Yeah, Anthony."

"Was he a short little Italian-looking man?"

"Yep, that's Anthony." Simon said with a smile.

"No, that wasn't Anthony, that was Raul `Boom Boom' Britos, a convicted horse beater who has been wanted by the police for almost half a year."

"Get the hell out of here." Said Simon in a state of total disbelief."

"I kid you not."

"That doesn't sound like Anthony."

"Well Raul is a very tricky man, he has been know to take up many disguises."

"What about his story about his great-grandfather, and his grandfather the mayor?"

"All lies. Here look at this."

Mr. Frampton reached in his desk and pulled out an article cut out from the newspaper which he handed to Simon. Simon read the headline to himself, `Ex-history teacher Raul Britos disappears after guilty verdict in horse-beating trial.' Underneath the headline was a picture of a man who was clearly the same Anthony who was in his closest when he first moved into his house.

"Well there is no denying that." Replied Simon.

"That's for sure. It was an unfortunate incident, he was one of my better teachers."

"Well then how did this fugitive get in my house, he said something about the old owners, Frank and Suzy, leaving him a key?"

"Oh dear, I didn't want to have to tell you this, but the person who originally owned your house, Frank, was the person I hired to replace Raul. Apparently Raul became bitter, and he stalked him and his wife until Frank finally couldn't take it anymore, and he left. That's why you're here, to replace Frank."

"Damn that's scary, good thing I changed my locks."

"Yeah, there's no saying what Raul will do. I don't mean to scare you, but I would watch your back if I were you."

BOOM!!!! Suddenly, and almost ironically, and gunshot rang though the air. Simon felt a bullet whiz by his ear as he watched Mr. Frampton fall backwards in his chair. Simon rushed over to find Mr. Frampton lying unconscious, blood staining his shirt. "Somebody get help!" Simon yelled in desperation as he hopelessly tried to stop the bleeding. "Somebody get help!!"

STAY
TUNED
FOR
CHAPTER 4

WHO SHOT ROGER FRAMPTON?