Reunion at University Avenue

By Kenneth Kerns

This is Book 1 in the Mike Adams series. The other novels in the series are available in paperback.

Mike Adams thought his college days were funny. That is, until someone wanted him dead.

Sixteen years after he graduated, Mike wrote a satire that became a best-seller and is now set to become a movie. Not everyone liked what he wrote. As people get hurt and eerie messages are left behind, Mike finds himself targeted at his high school reunion.

Now, he must ask some difficult questions. What did he write that enraged this attacker? Who in his past would do this? And does any of this have to do with the secret society known only as The Circle?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kerns
• Release date: Aug 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301983285

Kenneth Kerns

Ken is an author, screenwriter, quality manager, and trainer.His first novel was released in 2005. His most recent work included "Jim's Unsung Heroes," a true story of the Battle of the Bulge as told by his late grandfather. His sitcom pilot script "Roommate Wanted" was a finalist in the 2013 Creative World Awards.He has a master's degree in political management and was recently recognized as a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) by the Wharton School of Business. He has guest lectured at George Washington University and lives in northern Virginia.

Book preview

REUNION AT UNIVERSITY AVENUE

Copyright Information

© 2005, 2008, 2013 by Kenneth Kerns.

All rights are reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real characters or incidents is purely coincidental.

ISBN-13: 9781301983285 (Smashwords edition)

Smashwords edition, ebook, published in August 2013.

Dedication

For my friends and coworkers, who encouraged me throughout this process to keep at it and enjoyed watching me sweat through it all. I also want to thank and dedicate this book to the University of Florida for the three years of my life that gave inspiration to this novel.

Chapter One

ONCE UPON A TIME, there was a group of prominent college students who were noticed by the state leadership in Florida as people to watch. They created a Student Government for this group and tapped them with the best jobs, the best spouses, and the best lives, one could hope for after they left college. This group fulfilled their destiny by taking power in the state. However, they developed an unusual but reasonable desire to perpetuate their influence. They, in turn, drew into their circle the next generation of student leaders, by giving them the power to control Homecoming at the largest university in the state.

To ensure that future leaders could be identified early and this power could be consolidated, the circle publicly promoted their strength in networking among those most obsessed with their meaningless resumes – freshmen. They quickly assumed control of the largest organizations and reigned in the campus student government.

As the generations went by, with more wealth and power and opportunity than they had any reason to deserve in their adult careers, the circle’s membership grew complacent. Their public image faded as the old Solid South confronted civil rights and the sexual revolution. Florida became a two-party state, at a time when most of the circle had been Dixiecrats. Forced to regroup, they retained enough influence and money to put ambitious and talented members into power regardless of the party label, but could no longer put a mindless anybody into office.

On campus, unlike statewide, their influence continued unabated once they accepted the reforms of the 1960s and brought diversity to their ranks. Every year, active members of the circle selected the new inductees. Every year, the new inductees came from the ranks of student government and other perpetual student organizations. And every year, elections for student leadership were rigged by the student groups, all of whom dared to vote as a single block, amassing thousands of votes just by donning their brightly-colored shirts and smiling widely at unsuspecting students who would find that this circle had no real opposition.

And why would they? Every student leader wanted to be tapped for the glory the circle promised and frequently delivered. Why risk the circle’s wrath by opposing the political party the old guard backed when it was just as easy to go along with it?

Over the years, the circle got creative. Sometimes they changed the name of their party. Other times, they would publicly split into two during an election and get into passionate disagreements for all to see. Yet, it was nothing but a façade put on to avoid the threat of democratic competition, as both sides would reunite after the election to deliver the spoils and induct new members to their circle.

Finally, a small but determined group challenged the status quo. In their eyes, not enough women, minorities, or liberals, were included in the ranks of the influential, and the rampant corruption needed to end. They lost every election as expected, but pressed on in the hope that the circle would widen itself to include a more representative selection of the student body. But the demographics of a college campus dictated that this rebellion would be short lived unless they recruited a next generation of their own.

Unfortunately, only one of them recognized this fait accompli. An idealist, he would never give up the fight against elitism. His specific ideas, ranging from the mundane to the radical, gave the circle pause. They were unsure what exactly he was doing to their campus government and to the enduring power they held over it.

In the end, the circle decided that the one truism to their activities should work on him as well. It was the very reason for their long-running success. It might take work, and it might take deception. It might even take a belated tapping. Once accomplished, however, it would solve all of their problems.

After all, after a century of guarding terrible secrets and perfecting hardball tactics, they believed fervently in one simple fact. No matter what it took, no matter how long they tried, anyone could be brought into The Circle.

Even Mike Adams.

Chapter Two

PART OF MIKE’S Tuesday night ritual was the walk down power lane – the corridor leading up to his weekly meeting place within the student union. If things were timed right, he could see a half dozen student groups conducting their meetings. He would also be constantly passed by busy-bodies preparing for his meeting. He’d even been stopped by the campus media more than once for a sound-bite about the day’s news developments.

Tonight was no different. With just fifteen minutes to go before the evening’s meeting of the Student Government, the power lane was especially bustling with activity when Mike arrived with his friend and ally, George Avelli, in tow.

George was telling another story of his younger brother’s unusual antics with their mutual friend, Frank Lazio. This time, the duo had become partners in an eBay auctioning enterprise. George was always a good story-teller, full of animation and energy, but mostly because the way he told it said at least as much about him as it did about those he was talking about. In this case, he showed his utter amazement at their strategies, which went beyond holding an online garage sale.

Mike scratched a spot of his t-shirt just above the itchy spot on his wide belly, and looked around. Two random students sprinted down the hallway in brightly colored shirts not unlike his own; they disappeared into a meeting room. Others shifted their weight in oversized sofas, pouring over textbooks. There was even one wearing a suit, talking to a pair of university administrators.

And then Frank said…

George continued his rambling anecdote as Mike made passing glances at his notes. Tonight was an important session of the Student Senate, and he wanted to be prepared. His bill to require the disclosure of the qualifications of high-level nominees in Student Government had passed through committee and was about to take its first floor vote. His gut instinct told him that after a fair debate, it would pass. Most of his agenda was passing nowadays. People trusted him. In some ways, his independence and eclectic political base made him less of an electoral threat, thus giving him unprecedented access and power on legislation. And he was enjoying every minute of it.

But can you believe my little brother? He’s better at being like Frank than Frank is! Oh… George said, shaking his head as he rubbed his fingers through the thinly-cut mop.

George had supported the majority in the last election, but came over to the fading Gator party after he saw his former allies failing to live up to the promises they made. Mike welcomed his help – on rhetoric, campaigning, etc. – but was cautious. The two shared the same moral compass, but George’s political acumen left little room for idealism in practice, just in principle.

Mike barely paid attention, as his mind was somewhere else at the moment. They began moving in the direction of their final destination. And if we’re going to be leaders in an open society, our leaders are required to be open with us. That is why this rather simple and harmless bill is before us, Mike whispered aloud to himself as he familiarized himself with his speech.

George hung back a little, and shook hands with some people and handed out some buttons. A campaign never ends, not even for the weekly Senate meeting. They passed an Asian student meeting that was blissfully unaware of the politics down the hall. An impromptu debate was being held in the Evangelical Student Alliance between members of the Gator and Campus parties. This caught only a passing glance from Mike, the debate junkie, but received a much more attentive glare from George (whose religiosity was rare for an active student leader).

But the two of them stood in awe of the meeting they saw next. A packed conference of over 25 people, nearly all wearing blue Campus party shirts, were listening to a prominent student leader whose pantsuit was off-set by a noticeable Campus party button.

They’re having a caucus? George asked about the obvious.

George peered in through the glass window. The caucus looked like a house of mirrors. All wore the same blue shirt and khaki pants – although some wore flip-flops, others wore tennis shoes. All had fair skin, and the brown hair was lighter than average. They all sat up straight, and their personal belongings rested on their left-hand side. And the leadership stood at the front facing the crowd and gesturing. Three of the caucus members turned at almost the same time and noticed George peering in.

The Circle hasn’t done that for months, Mike said.

George nodded in agreement, and quickly pulled away from the door. That was a tactic usually reserved for ensuring that a close, controversial vote goes their way. Otherwise, wayward members of the majority may actually vote independently.

But there’s nothing partisan or campaign-related going on tonight, right? We all want to hurry out and get back to grabbing voters’ attentions, Mike said with disbelief as they continued to pass a couple of other largely empty meeting rooms.

And then he tugged at his t-shirt and remembered something. He passed his notes to George as he dug into his messenger bag for a button-down shirt to cover the partisan advertisement he currently wore.

Thanks, he muttered as he covered it up and George caught the door. They had finally arrived at their meeting.

THE CONFERENCE ROOM was unofficially dubbed the Senate Chambers, although it was used frequently by other large student organizations. The floor plan was bleacher-style, but the seating was that of a more conventional lecture hall. The presiding officer – otherwise known as the Senate President - and his aides sat in the front row, turned to face the rest of the Senate. They sat behind a covered table, with a podium off to one side – and a gigantic gavel sitting right in the middle of the table.

The general seating was split into three columns, with the Student Body President and other luminaries generally sitting on the senate President’s left, and Mike and the other dissidents sitting on the right-hand side.

Mike always felt a rush upon entering the chambers. Whether it was from a sense of patriotism, suspense, or even adrenaline, he would never know for sure, but the feeling was very much like a junkie getting his fix for the night. George never really felt that way – his rush came from seeing people he liked to chat with before the Senate, so he rushed through the line to pick up the session’s materials and get to talking with someone else.

By the time Mike was seated, it was very close to the gaveling time for the night’s session. And yet, not a blue shirt was seen in the room. There were, to be sure, a handful of white Gator party shirts and even an orange shirt from a campaign long since gone.

He leaned over to George, who was recounting his latest anecdote to Bennita Jones – a burly African American female who was painfully trying to look more interested than she was with what he had to say.

Hey, George, where’s everyone? he finally asked.

All but two seats in the middle section of the room were empty. All but the delegations from Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and On-Campus Housing were gone – no lawyers, no grad students, no business majors, no architects, or health science people. No accountants and no medical students. The freshmen and sophomore senators were gone. All that remained from the usual suspects of the majority party was a single senator from a crowded off-campus housing district.

It was past time for the gavel to be banged when the first of the blue shirts came in, while trying to have a congenial conversation with Adam Ruppesberger, the current minority leader in the Senate. The blue shirt was David Snyder, an ambitious sophomore who lacked affiliation with any of the Greek-lettered communities, which made him suspect in some circles. Petty jealousy can often have such reactions, as David is the founder and current leader of a fast-growing volunteer organization on campus.

Finally, Adam broke free of the chatter and made his way down to Mike’s side of the room – just in time to see the in-flux of blue shirts.

Do you know something we don’t? Mike asked.

Adam grinned and handed each of them a piece of legislation that he had dropped on the front desk. We’re going to push this through tonight.

Adam’s idea was to finance an additional polling location for the new history building, expanding the current offering from 19 to 20 locations where students can vote in the upcoming elections. Mike privately disapproved not of the idea but of the nature of the prank – by trying to bypass the committee process Adam was creating unnecessary conflict.

Well, you know best, Bennita said to Adam.

If what we want is drama, Mike said dryly of the English major who recently got Student Government to fund the drama club to enter a production contest – in England.

Amid the three dozen blue shirts that were still filing in, two unlikely allies were chatting, and this caught Mike’s eye. Aimee Jackson, the impartial chief judge in SG, and Kyle Schiff, a key member of the minority party and Mike’s own Academic Council, were allowing each other to be seen talking with one another in front of both parties. Given Jackson’s perpetual interest in being student body president, and Schiff’s own desire to see the minority party succeed, it might be a political connection that’s beneficial to both.

Bennita grumbled for their small group to hear before ruffling through some papers absent-mindedly. Unlike George and Mike, she was hardly an idealist. And also unlike those two, she could only trust Aimee as far as past transgressions would allow, which wouldn’t allow for much.

Finally, the senate president rushed in, and began gaveling the room to order. Please take your seats ASAP!

He banged the gavel again. We’re running late enough, people!

Nick Atlee was a tough – and some would say arrogant – student leader, even though he hardly proved himself worthy of the self-image necessary for such behavior. He was especially eager during this meeting to move things swiftly out the door – his embarrassment over verbally abusing a cop that had caught him speeding was overwhelming.

After the rituals of the meeting were taken care of, Adam spoke loudly and ensured that Nick heard his motion to amend the night’s agenda to debate his legislation.

There were several equally loud objections from the other side of the room, and Kyle shouted out for division before Nick could gavel the voice vote to a close.

By roll call, Adam suggested.

Nick sighed, and called for the ethics chairman to return to the front and resume her roll call duties.

Mike had the misfortune of voting first.

Nay.

George, shocked, held firm. Aye.

And on and on it went, as the names of nearly 60 senators in attendance were called. Finally, the chairman closed his book, confirmed the tally with the Senate secretary, and older professional named Brenda Freddies.