David/Jayne learns more about the school in action, and other things which cause more questions.

A New Style of Education

by Karen Page

Part 29

"Oh God, I'm never going to be ready," I moaned as we dashed into our rooms just before our curfew. We'd spent far too long chatting in the common room after the talk with Ellen. "Can't I just go like this?"

"No you can't," refused Helen. "It's Brenda getting us, so if you go as David you would be the only boy. Now go and hit the shower. You'll be ready in time."

At half past ten there was a quiet knock on the door, which Helen answered. It had been a bit of a rush, but I was just brushing my hair when Brenda came through the door.

"Ah, good, you're both ready. Jayne, it's great that you've made the effort. Let's go."

We stopped to pick up Fran and Ingrid before continuing our journey. I thought we would have been going somewhere in the minibus again, but we headed towards the cinema stairs instead. I glanced at Fran and Ingrid, wondering if they knew where we were going, but they looked as bewildered as I felt.

As we descended the stairs to the basement, I began to wonder if we were going to watch a movie about the Russian mission, but Brenda did something I didn't expect. About half way down the stairs was a light fitting attached to the low sloping ceiling. Brenda placed the palm of her hand against the light and it flashed green before returning to its normal appearance.

Helen and I glanced at each other wondering what was going on.

At the bottom of the stairs, we normally follow the passage towards the cinema. However, where there was normally only one direction we could go, there was now an additional possibility. A wall had disappeared, revealing a secret entrance and area of Hayfield Hall.
While we were walking down the new dimly lit passageway, I glanced behind and saw the wall had reappeared, blocking our exit. We went through another door entering a vast area with computers humming, large tables and several doors that probably led to offices.

"Nice room," commented Ingrid, looking around.

"This is one heck of a secret," added Fran.

"Yes, so no blabbing," teased Ingrid, poking her in the side.

"As if I'd do such a thing!"

"So where's Stacy?" Helen asked.

"She'll be here in a moment," answered Brenda, guiding us to one of the large planning tables. "She's collecting the American Beta team. In the meantime please pass me your normal school PDAs and I'll dish out the beta ones."

As the beta PDAs were being dished out, a chiming sound was heard.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It's a warning that someone has opened the door to this area," said Brenda, looking at her beta PDA. "It was Stacy's handprint that opened it, so she's probably here with the others."

Sure enough, Stacy walked into the open area, followed by eight of the American students. For a fleeting minute, I wondered if Matilda would be one of them, but then chastised myself for being silly. She was too young, and too immature, but I was sure she would be a formal member before long. In the meantime, I was sure she did unofficial background tasks. There was no doubt in my mind that she knew about the beta team. I looked at the team and noticed that Ruth and Michelle from year D were part of the team. I wondered how Melissa coped, with two of the year sometimes knowing more than she did.

"Okay everyone, listen up," said Stacy, as she and the Americans joined us at the large table. "I'd like to introduce you to Kriss. She is The Manor's head girl and Beta One. I'll let her introduce her team. "

"Hi y'all, this is my partner Janet. Over there we have Angel and Kimberly from year G, Phyllis and Shelly from year E and Ruth and Michelle from year D. We all came as our female selves, as I'm told that's what you normally do. Now Stacy, would you be kind enough to introduce your team?"

"Sure. We have Brenda, Fran, Ingrid, Helen and Jayne. It is optional to be an all female team, but so far it seems to have worked. There is one member of my team who is still unsure about presenting as female and if they are still unsure about going abroad as female, then they will go as male. I won't force anybody to be something they aren't happy being."

"Have you ever had to go into action?" Angel asked, as Brenda swapped The Manor's PDAs for beta versions.

"No," answered Stacy. "We've never officially had to go into action during a field trip and I hope we never have to. If we do, then something will have gone wrong with the Alpha team, which won't be good. Yourselves?"

"Again not on a field trip," answered Kriss, "though we've been involved twice unofficially. One was a local issue that cropped up a few months after Matilda joined the school. The other was a few years ago, when a student leaked information about the school. The beta team was very busy then, helping evacuate the school and making sure everyone was safe. I'm not going to go into the details now, but if you want to know more then ask Jayne or Helen. They are both aware of most of the details of the second incident. This is the first time we've worked with someone outside our school so closely, though we once did a small something at Wardenclyffe. Since we are at your school as guests, we will come under your authority for the beta team."

"Wardenclyffe?" I thought aloud.

"It's a S.P.A." absently responded Kriss, as if I'd understand.

'S.P.A.?' I thought to myself. 'It must be some form of initials for the schools, but what does it stand for? This certainly seems bigger than I thought.'

There were a lot of blank looks with the mention of S.P.A., so I presume that it wasn't a widely known acronym. Heck, three letter acronyms were the bane of my life when using computers, and now I had another one which I didn't understand the meaning off. Matilda knew I was in the Beta team, yet she'd made no reference to any incident which they'd helped with.

"This is just a quick meeting," said Stacy, interrupting my thoughts as she took charge. "I wanted you all to know who each other was, just in case the worst happens in Moscow. I also need to give some information to you all. It was decided yesterday that the American Alpha team will be attending the concert instead of sightseeing. However, everything is still as scheduled for the trip to Russia."

"What was the reason for the change of plan in London?" asked Angel.

Stacy glanced at Kriss, who gave a short nod. "The target had a lot more activity than was expected, or was usual. The information that would have been gathered is now going to be acquired a different way. It appears there is a leak somewhere, but it has been verified that it isn't a student. So please don't share what I'm about to tell you with anybody. Understood?"

There were mutterings of yes all around the table. Brenda opened another drawer and took out a large map, which she opened and spread across the table.

"On the map you will see marks showing the location of the hotel, concert and alpha target," said Stacy, pointing to locations on the map. "Have a good look and try to familiarise yourself with the surrounding areas. Your Beta PDAs should have building information, so you can get more of an idea. I'd like you to spend the next hour cross-referencing things in your mind against the map and PDA. Also please chat between the two schools to get to know each other. I hope to hold more of these get-togethers so we can get to know each other."

"So you're THE Jayne and Helen," said Kriss, as I worked with Helen looking on the map at various different buildings, streets and areas.

"THE Jayne and Helen?" I queried without looking up. This sounded too much like our first few days here. Were Helen and I always going to be seen as different?

"The pair who found out too much information on their first day. The pair who helped in the capture of an escaped paedophile. I also hear you spotted Mavis Brown trying to bug the school."

"But that shouldn't make us stand out," I protested, my face getting slightly hot with embarrassment.

"We did nothing that any others here wouldn't do. I'm sure that others at Hayfield and The Manor have done things like we have," added Helen.

"Kriss, they don't get it," said Stacy. "So it's no use going on about it. Anyway, I've heard one of your younger students is equally as bright."

"If you are referring to Matilda, then she will be the death of me," groaned Kriss, theatrically putting her hands on her heart. The others from The Manor just giggled, including her partner.

Over the next hour, I learnt a lot about the area in Moscow where we would be staying and visiting. Of course, none of that could be shared with others from the year.

As we were clearing away, Helen and I managed to get to chat with Ruth and Michelle. After exchanging a few pleasantries I asked, "How does it work, with one or both of you not being year leaders? Doesn't that make things difficult?"

"Oh, for sure," Ruth answered. "But Mel and Jamie are just so great. As Mel said yesterday, they are aware we know more and they listen if we suggest something. However, it is only in the last year that the beta team has become more involved. Before then, I'm told, we were only told things just before we went away. Now we are more involved, like today. This is the first year that we have been involved in the beta team. I'm told they don't like to use people below year D and that even involving someone our age was questioned."

"I suppose when the year leaders were chosen, it was too early to have known you would be beta members," Helen thought out loud.

"It was even too early for us to know," agreed Michelle. "However, I think the principal had already earmarked us, as he had us learning extra things almost from day one."

"Are you okay with that?" I asked. "Don't you feel manipulated?"

"A little, I suppose," Ruth bit her bottom lip in thought. "At the time I started at the school. I wasn't ready to learn some of the things I now know. I was too young. At Hayfield, you started at the school this year, so you're a lot older. Would you have been ready three years ago?"

"I suppose not," I accepted. Helen nodded in agreement.

"One last thing before we go," said Stacy, after locking away all the Beta PDAs and giving us our normal ones back. "Tomorrow, during the evening meal, the field trip will be announced. We will be going on Friday the thirtieth."

We all went silently down the corridor, where there was a green light shining and the door opened for us. Stealthily, we made our way back to our room, not wanting to wake the sleeping students and let them know we'd been out past curfew.

Once in our rooms, we changed and quickly went to sleep, our dreams filled with thoughts of Moscow and the trip that we knew too much about.

***

"What are you dressed like that for?" queried Helen, when she saw me dressed as David.

"Well duh, if I turn up as Jayne, the others will smell a rat. They know I'm only Jayne when I need to be."

"So what will you do? I thought you'd decided to be Jayne when we go away."

"I have. Primarily, because it will mean I can be in the same bedroom as you. I'd hate to have to be without you. Anyway, I've heard that Lewis snores louder than you."

"Oi! That’s not fair," she complained, trying to grab me. I ran away from her long arms, laughing and she gave chase, eventually trapping me on my bedroom sofa.

"What have you two been up to?" grinned Emma, as we got to the year common room, just before they all left for breakfast.

"Nothing," I replied, trying to sound innocent.

"Well, both your clothes are crumpled," pointed out Emma. "I'm sure they don't get put in your wardrobes like that. Helen's doesn't look too bad, but yours..."

"Er, lets go get breakfast," Helen responded, trying to straighten up her clothes.

"I never thought you were going to get here," said Rachel as we sat down.

"Sorry, we got delayed," I said. We waited for morning announcements, but none came. The bell rang, signalling the hot breakfasts were ready to be fetched.

"David, your clothes look rather crumpled," remarked Rachel, as we started to eat.

"I bet Jayne is a lot neater," jumped in Ruth.

"Yes, we've not seen much of Jayne," added Michelle.

"You might lose the skill," added Helen, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Okay," I sighed, putting my hands up. "I don't want to go round looking like I've slept in my clothes, so after breakfast I will change. Do you really want me to be Jayne?"

"Yes," came the universal response from everyone at the table.

"David," said Rachel, her face suddenly very serious. "If you aren't happy to be Jayne, you don't have to. You could just go and put on some other male clothes. No one in this school is going to be forced to be someone they aren't happy being."

I knew that Ruth, Michelle and Helen were only trying to give me an excuse so I could be Jayne without arousing suspicion. I'm pretty sure that Rachel knew about the timing of the field trip, so I was pretty surprised about Rachel's comment.

"I'm okay being Jayne," I reassured Rachel. "I spent the whole of the last field trip as Jayne, so what difference will one day make?"

"If you make that choice, then that is fine, but I'm not having anybody being forced to dress in something they aren't comfortable with."

"Ruth, Michelle and Helen didn't ask me to dress as Jayne, they just prodded me. I made the choice, knowing full well the consequences."

"Consequences?" asked Anna.

Rachel raised an eyebrow and I gave her an acknowledging smile. She knew what I was talking about. "Consequences," I replied, trying to think how to explain it. "You might try to persuade me more often."

"We won't do that," said Jill and Anna together.

"No," cried out the others on the table.

So after breakfast, I rushed up to my room and, with a resigned sigh, swapped clothes for female ones. Was this really my choice? I think so. Sure, there were plenty of reasons to go as Jayne. Stacy preferred an all girl team, but knew my issues and did say I didn't have to and even said so last night. No, I was doing this for me, or well probably for us. I'm sure Helen won't mind having me around as Jayne for just over three weeks.

As I left my bedroom, my PDA pinged, signalling an update to my schedule. Oh joy, Rachel wanted to have a discussion with me at eleven.

I got to my first lesson, just as the others were sitting down. "Ah Jayne, good of you to join us," said Mrs Russell.

"Er, thanks," I said, sitting next to Helen.

"Are you okay?" Helen asked, knowing the consequences of me being Jayne.

"I'm fine. Rachel has scheduled me to see her at eleven."

"Do you want me to come?"

"Nah, I should be okay. I'll tell you about it later."

Melissa, the head of year D, was looking at me strangely as I sat down, so I asked Helen, "Is something wrong with the way I look? Melissa is looking at me like I've got two heads or something."

"You're fine. She is just probably trying to work out why you so easily agreed to be Jayne."

"How are you finding the joint practices?" Mrs Russell asked a very packed classroom. Perhaps we should have been taking separate lessons or knocked the walls down. The room wasn't over full, and was more like a class before I joined Hayfield. I missed the space and intimacy of such a small class.

"It's certainly different, having a bigger orchestra," answered Melissa.

"A good or bad difference?" asked Mrs Russell.

"Not good or bad, just different. The music certainly comes across a lot richer and it gives more scope for the singers. Well, that's my opinion anyway."

"All opinions are valid. Anybody else?"

"Playing with a choir is also different," I added after a moments thought. "We have something else to consider when playing. If there is quiet singing with a soloist, you wouldn't want to drown them out with the accompaniment. Also the soloists have a bit of freedom to waver from a strict beat, so we need to listen more."

"Very good," nodded Mrs Russell. "As Roberta and Lewis are conducting, it gives me a better opportunity to listen to individual players and singers. Both schools didn't gel well at the first practice, but you have all been getting better. All I ask is you be considerate, just like the string players at Hayfield were when we did the Mozart at the last concert."

"That was very strange, playing so closely with other people. I suppose these are just skills we will learn with practice."

"And learn you shall do. However, enough of the practical, I will leave that for tonight's practice. For now, we need to turn to a bit of theory and what better way than to pull apart the two pieces you are currently playing. Has anybody heard the term 'recapitulation' in relationship to music?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Oh dear," sighed Mrs Russell, in an overly dramatic way. "It looks like I've got no helpers, so I'll have to do all the teaching myself. Isn't life so unfair?!"

We all giggled at her attempt at humour. However, things soon settled down and we started learning about how musical themes develop and get manipulated.

"What's going on?" asked Melissa, after the lesson had finished. I'd only just stepped out of the door when she pulled me to one side. The rest of the year just carried on, knowing we would catch up. Private chats like this weren't uncommon. When someone noticed something wrong, they talked to the person in private. Nobody ever made an attempt to find out what was said. It was private and only got escalated if it needed to be, such as it affecting other students or their health.

"What do you mean, what's going on?"

"With you being Jayne. I'm aware of how you prefer to be David, but you seemed to be very easily persuaded to be Jayne, instead of just putting on other male clothes that weren't wrinkled."

"It's good to have the practice," I replied, rather lamely.

"I'm aware that Helen likes you this way, but is it really what you want?"

"In this case, it is," I smiled.

"I'm not convinced, but you seem very sure. Are you aware of something I'm not?"

"Probably, but it's probably best that you don't ask."

"Ah, then I won't. I'm used to Ruth and Michelle, but I don’t have your subtle hints down yet. Is there going to be a special announcement later?"

I gave her a smile, followed by a wink. Melissa wasn't stupid and had quickly bracketed me with the other Beta's. I wondered how much she knew.

All too quickly the languages lesson started and finished and I found my footsteps making their way towards Rachel's office. I felt a bit sad that Helen wasn't with me, as it was nice to have support during these visits. Obviously, Rachel mustn't have thought I needed Helen's support, or she would have made it a joint meeting; so perhaps it wasn't going to be too bad.

"Come in," called Rachel, as I was about to knock on the door.

"Monitoring me?" I queried, as I entered.

"No, I heard the sound of you approaching. Your heels make a very distinctive clunk. Now come and sit on the settee, there are a few things we need to discuss."

I sat on the settee and waited. I was tempted to try and explain why I was going as Jayne, but waited to be asked. I was fairly sure that Rachel knew about the beta team, but wasn't one hundred percent. One thing I'd learnt was that discretion was very important, so I just waited for her to tell me why she wanted me to see her.

"Thanks for coming," she eventually said. "There are few things I want to chat with you. First off, let's discuss about this morning. You can be as open as you want to be, nothing you say will leave this room. I know you are aware that tonight the trip will be announced and you will be forced to be Jayne for the field trip. So why choose Jayne over David?"

Rachel had laid a lot of cards on the table. She had told us on the first day that we would be doing extra things which had to be a secret. I also knew that she was the psychiatrist for all the Hayfield beta members. I wouldn't be surprised if she was also the psychiatrist covering the alpha team.

"Stacy prefers her team to be all female," I responded, hoping that Rachel's knowledge was limited.

"No, Stacy had said that if you weren't happy with being Jayne for the trip, then you could be David."

Damn, she certainly knew about certain things. Oh well, I suppose the truth will have to do. "I don't want to sleep alone."

"Alone? Others will be in the room with you."

"I don't want to be away from Helen," I muttered, thoroughly embarrassed. "We were separated once before and you know how much it hurt us. I don't want that to occur while we are away."

"You know, this is only a trip for a few days, don't you? It isn't like the trip to France, where that was also a holiday. This is purely a single concert and to see a few tourist things."

"Our punishment was only for a few days," I reminded her. "I also don't think it is fair that we get to know up-front about tonight, and others don't."

"Just have a look at lunch. Rumours spread very quickly and most people will be how they want to be by lunch. The remainder will get the obvious message and be how they want to be before the announcement. The students look after each other. Hayfield year-one is lucky that their pairings, apart from yours, are based on the appearance of same gender. Can you honestly say you haven't dropped any hints to Immigration Manor's year D? Or that Ruth or Michelle won't?"

I just smiled.

"Fair enough," she smiled back. "How do you feel, having chosen to be Jayne for just over the next three weeks?"

"I'm fine," I replied, a bit bluntly and then decided I should expand on why. "I feel a lot more in control than I did when the field trip was announced for France. I know that for the duration of my time at Hayfield, Jayne will be a part of me and it will certainly give me more insight to the way females live."

We chatted for the next ten minutes about it before Rachel changed the topic. "I had a conversation late last night with Ellen Hansen. It seems you went to see her regarding Matilda."

"Yes," I acknowledged, puzzled that she would bring this up.

"First, let me say that you did well. You saw a student in pain and couldn't help them yourself, so you got help from students you thought might be able to help. You informed the relevant year leader, so there would be year support. Finally, you then got help from the relevant Psychiatrist, just in case it was needed. That was all good, but you did one major thing wrong."

"I did?"

"Yes, you abandoned the problem. You should have gone back to make sure all was okay. Matilda had opened up to you and you just passed the problem to others, instead of being there for her. If you'd had to miss the beta meeting, Stacy would have understood. Heck if she thought you'd put that meeting over another students welfare, she would have been very upset."

"I didn't put it over Matilda's welfare," I complained. "I didn't think there was anything more I could do."

"Well Erika and Jill did help, but not fully. It was Erika who very quickly came up with the solution, Rachel from year A."

"How did Rachel help?"

"It is something that separates Matilda from Jill and Erika. Matilda's sister, Rachel, is also a student at the school. Matilda has a lot of support from her year, so it wasn't an issue this time that you weren't there, but in future-"

"I understand, at least I think I do," I murmured, after a moment's contemplation. "I guess I've a lot to learn."

"Yes you do, but at least you understand that and you do make the effort. Life isn't easy, but if you take everything that this school can offer you, you will learn a lot more about life over the next five years. You have a rare talent which you might not fully understand yet, but hopefully you will start to grasp the roots of that talent. Whether you decide to take things forward is up to you."

This conversation was getting a bit heavy, but I had an opportunity to chat freely with Rachel and my curiosity was still piqued from last night. "Rachel, I know it's wrong to ask too much, but do you know what S.P.A. stands for?"

"Yes I do."

I felt slightly frustrated at not telling me more, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else. "mmm...Understood. One other thing, what's Wardenclyffe?"

"Now, isn't it time you got back to Helen? I know she will want an update."

"Yes, Rachel," I said, getting up out of the settee.

"Oh, Jayne," called Rachel, as I headed towards the door. "Remember, Sam needs your support. I hope you remember that, when the time comes."

Dr Ruiz walked back to her desk and I knew my appointment was over, so I walked slowly back to the year common room, contemplating what Rachel meant about Sam. This was the second warning to be supportive to Sam in two days.