Learning, By Degrees: Daniel Irvine, #1

By Marty Langenberg

Learning, By Degrees.

Daniel Irvine Book One.

A Serial Killer is eliminating witnesses - participants in a depraved initiation ceremony on a university campus. Witnesses who stand in the way of his dream, becoming the first President of Australia.

Fact: An extensive study into incidents of Hazing at Australian Universities was conducted over a number of years. The result of that study was The Red Zone Report, An Investigation into Sexual Violence and Hazing in Australian University Residential Colleges. This 200-page report documents more than a century of vile behaviour and abuse at many campuses.

It is there that this fictional book finds its roots and grows into a tale of multiple deaths and political cover up.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marty Langenberg
• Release date: May 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386815709

Marty Langenberg

Marty Langenberg is a retired teacher and administrator. His first book was published on Amazon in October 2017. The Pennie Irvine Series currently consists of 3 books, namely: Pennie, The Baby Farm, and The Paris Connection. His latest book Learning, By Degrees, is the first book in the Dan Irvine Series. Several other books are currently in various stages of completion. He has also written a number of poems in the Australian Bush Poetry style.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The small but powerful beam of a single electric torch revealed a white-cloaked figure wearing the full-face mask of a young maiden along with a wig of long blonde hair that flowed all the way to its waist. On top of the wig, a gem-encrusted golden tiara sprouted a thin metal strip which supported a sparkling silver halo that appeared to float over the figure’s head. A pair of feathery wings seemed to grow out of its back.

The deep basso profundo voice that emanated from behind the mask destroyed the image of a delicate, angel-like being. The ‘angel’ unrolled a ceremonial scroll and spoke in stentorian tones as he read, The St. Matthew’s College Code of Conduct is rigorously enforced and has the strong support of all staff and students. A jury of your peers finds you guilty and you must now accept the punishment you deserve.

Hear.

Hear.

Voices seemed to echo in the dark night as cigarette lighters clicked to set fire to kerosene-soaked torches that lit up a grassy clearing, enshrouded in dark pine trees. Three masked, torch-bearing figures approached and joined with the angel to form a circle around the object that lay before them.

A further masked figure emerged and knelt beside the bundle at the angel’s feet. It was a male figure, naked from the waist down, with just a long, black plastic garbage bag pulled down over his head and part-way down his body. Taking hold of one edge, and using a long silver blade, the bag was slit open to reveal the face of the nude, comatose body as it lay on the ground before them.

Awaken the deviant, commanded the angel.

The figure with the knife produced a stone flask which he tipped forward, allowing a bright red liquid to dribble out and splash onto various parts of the naked man’s body, making it appear covered in blood. The man stirred and lifted his head, looking around him with some effort. Fear and confusion filled his mind as he looked at the group that surrounded him.

Hold fast the sodomite, said the angel.

Two of the masked figures placed their kerosene torches into metal stakes, not seen until now. Then, one masked figure took hold of the naked man’s ankles, pushing his legs to the ground. Another pulled the man’s arms above his head, also pinning them to the ground. In his weakened state, the man could do nothing to fight off his captors. He twisted his head from left to right.

Why? he moaned. What do you want?

Your own hands have led you to occasions of sin. Your own fingers have defiled you. We must cleanse them, announced the angel. Then, as if gathering extra strength, he took a deep breath and commanded, Proceed - with fire!

The third torchbearer lowered the flambeau he had held high. The naked man screamed in pain as the flames touched first the tips of the fingers of his left hand and then the fingers of his right hand. No-one, except the figures around him, could share his agony. Civilization seemed miles away.

When his screams had subsided to sobs, the angel spoke once more. "Your own manhood, your very reason for your birth and your life, you have subverted through the sins of sodomy and pederasty. Henceforth, we cannot allow a woman to see you as a man.

The namesake of our glorious College, our own Holy Saint Matthew, has written, ‘If thy right eye offends thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.’ In this same way, we shall now pluck your manhood from your body so that we may save your body from hell.

The man with the knife approached once more. With his left hand covered by a latex glove, he grasped the naked man’s penis and pulled it upwards, away from his body. Ceremoniously, he held up the silver blade in his right hand, allowing the flickering torches to reflect their gradually decreasing flames. As the clearing darkened, he brought the dagger down.

Again, the man screamed, as the stiletto’s tip drew a circle around his genitals. The wound was shallow and not fatal but bright red blood flowed freely from it.

Have you readied the rood? asked the angel.

The rood is ready, master.

Administer the rood and proceed with the branding! the angel commanded.

When the rood and the brand had been applied, and the victim’s screams had subsided, the angel spoke once more. The rood and the brand are the outward signs – they have expurgated your sins. God forgives them. Then, intoning the final prayer of the priest at confession, he said, Go now, and sin no more.

The masked men collected their now extinguished torches and faded away into the darkness chanting, Hear, hear. The electric torch was last to be extinguished and the angel figure also disappeared from view. All was darkness. The quiet sobbing of the naked figure was all that remained.

THERE IS ONLY ONE POINT of entry for The Basement Bar in Sydney. Its official address is Maze Lane, but the front door is situated at the end of a nameless side alley and it provides access to a narrow flight of stairs that lead down to the barroom. The light above the front door is usually broken. The regulars don’t need a light to find their way and its patrons are all regulars. Regulars sometimes introduce their friends and no strangers have stumbled accidentally down the stairs and into the bar for the last twenty years. George likes it that way. He owns and operates the bar and has done since he bought the licence and venue before the turn of the century. The wooden baseball bat mounted above the bar has ‘Happiness’ engraved on it and is the subject of much discussion.

Hank Freitag had been a regular for more than fifteen years, ever since he first graduated with his teaching degree. Since returning to St. Matthew’s College at his Alma Mater as a mature age student to study Political Science about fourteen months ago, he had introduced a number of his new student friends to The Basement. George had joked his bar was not for ‘yuppies’ when Hank had introduced the first of them, nineteen-year-old Michael Morgan, about a year ago.

You need new blood, George, said Hank. "I was only twenty when I first came here. Besides, I’ll vouch for

Michael. He’s okay, trust me."

Hank had been surprised when he’d first met his ex-student at the university. The last time he’d seen him, the boy had been a member of the maths class he was teaching, before he resigned from teaching to return to study himself. Michael’s parents had rewarded him with a brand-new car when he gained university entrance. Ever since, he’d been pleased to chauffeur his ex-teacher around.

The rest of their group had been introduced at various times during the last twelve months. Now, the six of them were clustered around a table in the back corner of the shadowy room, sharing jugs of beer.

Here’s to Matties, keeping our standards high, said Hank.

They clinked their glasses and Michael commented, I never thought of you as an angel, Hank, but you did alright. The way you project your voice, that’s amazing. I’ll bet you wouldn’t even need an amp if you were speaking in front of hundreds of people.

I’ve had a bit of practice in the classroom, if you remember, Mick?

Michael just nodded as he sipped his beer. It was Connor Buchanan who spoke up and said, I can see why you want to get into politics. With that voice, you’ll be great up there in Canberra! He felt he could identify with Hank because his own father, a well-respected lawyer in Sydney, had recently been nominated to stand in a safe Labour seat.

If your dad gets in, said Hank, he might be able to put in a good word for me. He’s one of St. Matthews’ old boys, isn’t he? I think I read that somewhere.

He sure is. He was determined for me to follow in his footsteps. Dad was president of the SRC when he was here. He went on to do Law, but we all knew he’d get into politics sooner or later.

Now, about tonight, said Hank, bringing them all back to the reason they were there. We can celebrate in here, but we can’t say anything about the ceremony to anyone else, right?

Some in the group nodded their agreement but Tom Merton spoke up. I don’t see why we shouldn’t talk about it. That little faggot had it coming. It’s disgusting what those perverts get up to. Him and his mate were holding hands and cuddling up together at a party I went to a few days ago. Tom had only recently been introduced to the group and he shook his head to confirm his disgust as he poured another beer from one of the jugs. I think all gays should be banned. I can’t stand the little pricks. Who agrees with me?

Frank Virgona and Ron Hurstbridge hadn’t spoken since they’d left the park. You might feel that way, Frank said now, and we might all feel that way, Tom, but the fact is that the universities all accept gays, and lesbians, and anyone else who’s different from us. You’re fighting a losing battle if you think you can change that.

That’s not what tonight was about, guys, although I think Frank does have a point, said the older man. Tonight’s work was about the overall standards that we want to uphold for all at St. Matthews. I didn’t just make up that quote from the Gospel. It really says that in there, you should ‘pluck out’ your own eye if it gets you into trouble. What we did tonight was only a small, single event but we can all feel proud of being a part of that. He lifted his glass high and they all joined.

Someone said, ‘hear, hear’.

Unfortunately, Hank continued, Frank and Tom are also right. In a perfect world, there would be no gays, no perverts. Sadly, we do not live in a perfect world. And none of us is perfect. We can only do our best. That’s why it’s important that tonight’s ceremony is not broadcast or shared with anyone else. It has to remain our secret, for now. Are we all agreed? He again raised his glass high and this time they all followed suit, murmuring their agreement.

Okay, the next shout is on me. I’ll get us all a refill. I’ll get George to bring over some hot snacks, as well.

There were no objections to that either.

Chapter 2

EARLIER THAT WEEK

Dan Irvine sat with his new friends, Debbie Greenwood, Tom Merton, Gerald (Jerry) Wembley and Leo Murrells. Dan had invited them to his apartment when they seemed to keep running into each other at the various exhibits and events that contributed to ‘O’ week, the first week of their new lives as undergraduates of Ford University of Sydney, New South Wales. Daniel considered himself lucky to live within walking distance of the university’s main campus, in the apartment his mother had purchased as an investment when he enrolled at the university. This group of friends were all members of the St. Matthew’s Residential College where they lived in single-bed accommodation. In the case of Jerry and Leo, who were openly gay and knew each other from High School, they rented adjoining rooms which connected via a small en suite bathroom.

The pizza they shared had filled their stomachs and the beer they’d consumed helped to loosen their tongues as they got to know each other. Tom told them he couldn’t wait to start his Political Science course and proudly proclaimed himself to be a member of Young Labour. We’re the party that’s fought for workers’ rights for more than a hundred years. I’ll get my degree and then I’ll work full-time for the Labour Party. Soon after that, I’ll enter politics. You should all join up if you want to make a real difference!

Not me, Debbie said. I’m doing Arts and then I’ll get my Teaching Degree. I’ll be influencing young minds, helping to form our future leaders! That’s the only way to make a real difference.

That may be true, Deb, but I hear what Tom’s saying, Dan said as he emptied his can of beer. I always thought I’d be doing Politics, just like Tom. My plan was to become a lobbyist and work from the outside to influence politics to help business, but I’ve already changed my mind. I’m enrolled in Economics and Business Management so that, eventually, I can take over my mother’s business. What business is that? asked Tom.

P.I. Self-Defence-Academies. My mother is the founder.

I’ve heard of them, Debbie said. They do self-defence classes for women, don’t they? Someone from there came to our High School one time to run self-defence classes for all of us.

That’s right. I don’t like to boast, Dan laughed, but I was the one who suggested the self-defence for students classes to my mum when I was only twelve. Lots of schools have offered those classes over the last few years.

Is your mother still running the business? asked Jerry. He’d been sitting back, munching on pizza and drinking beer. I guess that means you’re a lean, mean, fighting machine, right?

Hardly, but I can look after myself if I need to. Everything that P.I. Academies teach is about defending yourself. But they don’t teach boxing or judo or anything like that.

No? What do they teach then?

"Well, one thing they teach is that sometimes the best defence is to run away. If that’s not possible, we recommend what mum always describes as ‘street-fighting’. It’s no-holds-barred, dirty fighting where anything goes, and you use anything that’s available to you.

Anyway, I don’t want to talk about that now. That’s at least three years away for me. What are you two going to be doing at uni? he said, looking at Jerry and Leo.

Jerry answered. Anything and everything to do with computing, that’s the life for me. Whether or not we like it, computers will change this world. They might even take over, eventually. What Debbie and Tom were saying before? About making a difference? I reckon the future is in computers, so that’s where I’ll be.

How did you decide on that course? It’s difficult, from what I’ve heard, Debbie said.

I’ve been playing with computers since I was eight-years-old.

What? Playing video games? Are you into ‘Mario Brothers’, or maybe ‘Call of Duty’? asked Tom.

Yeah, I play games, but I’ve had my hands on and in computers since I was eight years old. I pulled my first one apart on my eighth birthday.

Why would you do that?

Why did George Mallory climb Mt. Everest? Because it was there, right? That was the same for me and computers I pulled a computer apart because I had it, right there in my room. Then, I put it back together again that same day and everything worked fine. The thing only cost me fifty dollars second-hand, and I wanted to check that the bits inside were what they told me they would be. A few weeks later I taught myself how to upgrade it by fitting a larger hard-drive and installing more RAM. Others pay a technician a lot of money to do that but it’s a simple job.

So, are you one those ‘hackers’ that I’ve read about? Dan asked.

If you want to get technical, I’m probably a ‘Grey-Hat’ hacker, he said, using his fingers to show air quotes, because I only do it for fun. No-one who’s a ‘Black-Hat’, who’s into the serious and illegal hacking would ever admit it. I only dabble a bit. One time I found a way past the security of a bank. But that’s a long story. I might tell you all about that some other day.

When he went silent, everyone looked at Leo, expecting to hear about his plans for the next few years. I’ll just do what I can. I know it will be hard. I only barely scraped into my course.

Leo’s too shy to admit it, Jerry said, helping his friend, but he’s going to become a world-famous scientist. When he says he only just scraped in, that’s true. But he’s enrolled to do Pharmacology and that has the highest requirements for admittance. He’ll probably end up discovering a cure for cancer. That will really make a difference to our world.

Everyone in the room was silent for several minutes as they digested what they had learned about each other. They all had their dreams, it seemed. Before long, Debbie stood up and picked up plates and glasses, carrying them into the kitchen. She said, I’ll give you a hand to clean up, Dan, and then I’d better head back to my room.

The others took the hint and also stood to help when, suddenly, they heard a crash and a loud bang coming from outside. A few seconds later, someone was thumping on the door and calling for help. Dan swung the door open and found a distressed young woman, sobbing ‘help me’, as she looked over her shoulder and tried to push her way in.

What’s happened? was all he could say before he saw her wrists tied together with grey duct tape. He looked out to the street and saw a small sedan had run onto the footpath and into a lamppost. That explained the crash they’d heard. Behind the wheel was a man with a peaked cap pulled down low. Dan ran towards the vehicle, knowing his friends would help the girl now inside his apartment. As soon as the driver saw Dan moving towards him, he tried to reverse the vehicle to escape. Dan wrenched open the passenger side door at the same time as the driver gave up on trying to restart the damaged car. He opened his door and took off and Dan gave chase. The driver was clearly overweight and in no condition to run and Dan was soon gaining on him. As they reached the intersection to the main road there was much more traffic, but the man didn’t hesitate. He threw himself into the stream of traffic as various vehicles screeched to a halt. Dan was a little more cautious and looked for a gap which would allow him to continue the chase. The slight delay opened the distance between them, but Dan had already worked out he would easily outrun the driver. It seemed they were only jogging now as they ran through a small, landscaped plantation of trees and shrubs. Dan knew they were approaching another crossroad and picked up his speed to close the gap. He reached out to grab the man’s shoulder and shouted, Hang on, mate. What’s your hurry?

The man spun round and tried to throw a punch, but Dan avoided it, stepping in closer, planning to lift his knee into his opponent’s groin. No rules applied in street-fighting he knew. He had noticed a car had pulled up when he’d first tackled the guy he was chasing and now heard car doors slamming. There was a flurry of punches from behind him and one vicious punch landed on his side near his left kidney, and he fell to the ground. Someone’s boot connected with his head, and he rolled away.

Come on, Connor! Let’s go, someone yelled.

Dan looked up and saw a red Holden Commodore pulling away with two faces looking back at him as he lay in the dirt. Cautiously, he touched the side of his head where a kick had landed, and he knew it was blood he was feeling.

Are you alright? Uh-oh! You’re bleeding.

Dan was already pushing himself up, but he was grateful when he realised Tom Merton was there, helping to steady him. Where did you come from? he asked. Is the girl okay?

I’m not sure. She was crying when I left but she was saying someone had raped her. That’s all I heard before I followed you. I thought you might need a hand.

I’m glad you did but, as you can see, I couldn’t catch the prick. You wasted your time, sorry.

That’s okay. I wanted to get some fresh air. It was getting a bit hot and steamy at your place. I can’t believe the way Jerry and his mate were pawing each other! That’s just off!

Come on, Jerry and Leo are gay. There’s nothing wrong with that and it’s not a choice, you know. It’s just what they are. I have no problem with that. I just take people as I find them. I think they’re both nice guys. Not like this bastard that’s just got away from us. You’re saying the girl said she was raped? Just as well he had a friend waiting for him. I’d like to give him a good thrashing.

When they got back to his apartment, Dan noticed the car that had chased the girl was gone. That’s strange, he said to Tom. Someone’s been really quick about cleaning up after that guy. I wonder what that’s all about?

No idea, answered Tom. It was there when I ran after you. It must have been drive-able. There hasn’t been enough time for a tow truck to get here.

They stepped into the apartment together and found Debbie sitting on the couch with her arm around the stranger. This is Ruth, she said, "and this is Dan Irvine.

This is his apartment."

Ruth looked up with red swollen eyes as she acknowledged him. I’m sorry, she said.

You have nothing to be sorry about, Debbie said. Whatever that guy did, he’s the one that will be sorry, right, Dan? Tells us what happened out there? I guess you caught up with the guy because it looks like you’ve been wrestling in the dirt. Hell, you’ve got a cut on your face as well. Let me have a look.

Dan brushed some dirt off his jeans and waved her away as he said, No, I’m okay. The guy got away because someone else came to help him, just when I tackled him. One of them kicked me before they drove off. But are you alright, Ruth? He answered his own question, saying, Oops. Stupid question! Tom says they raped you?

That bastard! Ruth spat out as she nodded her head. He pretended it was all just a game. I told him ‘no’, over and over, but he wouldn’t stop. He wrapped that tape around my wrists and then he ripped my pants off. I couldn’t do anything to stop him. Afterward, he said he would call his friends over so we could all party on. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed again.

So, do you know who he is? asked Jerry.

I only met him this afternoon. He said his name is Connor. I’m new at the uni and, like everyone else, I was just looking around at all the ‘O’ week stuff. He told me he was a second year and knew the ropes. Said he’d show me around. We had some drinks and I thought he seemed alright. I should never have gone with him. I’m so stupid.

No, you’re not. Just because you agree to go with him does not give him the right to assault you. Do you know where he took you?

He has a townhouse, just around the corner from here. It’s close enough to walk from the uni. When we arrived, we had another beer and then he put his arms around me and started touching me up. I tried to fight him off, but he produced that tape and wrapped it around my wrists. Then, after he finished with me, he picked up his cell phone and told me he was calling his friends to invite them over.

That might explain why someone came to his rescue so quickly, said Dan. His friends must have got here fast. One of them picked him up in a red Commodore and another one probably drove off the damaged car that was outside my door. Still, if he lives around here, I’m sure I’ll come across him again, soon. I can’t wait!

So, how did you get away from him? Debbie asked Ruth.

I think maybe his phone didn’t connect straightaway because he was mumbling something and walked around the room. That’s when I got out the front door and ran. He ran out after me but then got in his car to follow me. He swerved a few times, trying to run me over. When he hit the lamp post I banged on your door. Thank God, you let me in.

You said before you were at ‘O’ week. Does that mean you’re boarding on campus? Debbie asked.

"Yes, I’ve got a room in St. Matthew’s College. I’m in

27B."

Really? I’m in 27C! Nice to meet you neighbour!

You’re neighbours and you didn’t know each other? Tom asked. How is that possible?

I thought you looked familiar when I came in, said Ruth,

"but life has been so hectic. It’s a lot different from my old

High School in Gosford."

The single-bed rooms at St. Matthew’s Residential College were arranged in pairs, separated by a shared en suite bathroom. This meant rooms 27A and 27B were a pair. Room 27C was paired with 27D but 27B and 27C were ‘neighbours’ because only a wall separated the two rooms.

All the rooms opened onto the same corridor.

What about you the rest of you? Dan asked now.

Leo and I are together on the next floor. I’m in 32A and Leo’s in 32B, Jerry answered.

And I’m in 32G, further up the corridor, said Tom. I haven’t met the guy next door in 32H yet.

Ruth seemed a little more relaxed and she outright refused Dan’s suggestion she should go to the police. She’d accepted a beer and sipped it as she shook her head. "I was happy enough to go with the guy and I was stupid enough to trust him. We kissed and cuddled a bit which I didn’t mind but when we were in his place, it was just the two of us.

Even though I said ‘no’ to him, I can’t prove that."

But he taped your wrists together. We all saw that! said Debbie.

You might have seen the tape, but you don’t know who did that. Besides, ‘it’s just a bit of fun’, that’s what he would say. I can’t prove what he did, and I don’t need the embarrassment of telling the cops I was stupid.

Chapter 3

THE NEXT AFTERNOON Dan went to Ruth’s room to check on her. He hoped he’d be able to get her to reconsider going to the police.

It would be a waste of time, she said after inviting him into her room. I’ve already tried to report it to the College Management. You know what the bloke said? Before Dan responded, she went on, "‘It’s all part of growing up.’ That’s what he said. Can you believe it? What’s the point of reporting anything about it?