Princ.i.p.al Owens stood and offered his hand. "I hope you can make this work, Ben," he said solemnly. "You're a fine teacher and we'd hate to lose you."

Outside in the hall Ben had no time to dwell on Princ.i.p.al Owens's words. He had to find Alex Cooper and Carl Block, and he had to work fast.

In history cla.s.s that day Ben waited until the students had come to attention. Then he said, "I have a special announcement about The Wave. At five o'clock today there will be a rally in the auditorium-for Wave members only."

David smiled to himself and winked at Laurie.

"The reason for the rally is the following," Mr. Ross continued. "The Wave is not just a cla.s.sroom experiment. It's much, much more than that. Unbeknownst to you, starting last week, all across the country teachers like myself have been recruiting and training a youth brigade to show the rest of the nation how to achieve a better society.

"As you know, this country has just gone through a decade in which steady double-digit inflation has severely weakened the economy," Mr. Ross continued. "Unemployment has run chronically high, and the crime rate has been worse than any time in memory. Never before has the morale of the United States been so low. Unless this trend is stopped, a growing number of people, including the founders of The Wave, believe that our country is doomed."

David was no longer smiling. This was not what he had expected to hear. Mr. Ross didn't seem to be ending The Wave at all. If anything, he seemed to be going more deeply into it than ever!

"We must prove that through discipline, community, and action we can turn this country around," Ross told the cla.s.s. "Look what we have accomplished in this school alone in just a few days. If we can change things here, we can change things everywhere."

Laurie gave David a frightened look. Mr. Ross went on: "In factories, hospitals, universities-in all inst.i.tutions-"

David jumped out of his chair in protest. "Mr. Ross, Mr. Ross!"

"Sit down, David!" Mr. Ross ordered.

"But, Mr. Ross, you said-"

Ben cut him off urgently. "I said, sit down, David. Don't interrupt me."

David returned to his seat, unable to believe his ears as Mr. Ross continued: "Now listen carefully. During the rally the founder and national leader of The Wave will appear on cable television to announce the formation of a National Wave Youth Movement!"

All around them students started cheering. It was too much for Laurie and David. Both rose to their feet, this time to face the cla.s.s.

"Wait, wait," David pleaded with them. "Don't listen to him. Don't listen. He's lying."

"Can't you see what he's doing?" Laurie said emotionally. "Can't any of you think for yourselves anymore?"

But the room only grew quiet as the cla.s.s glared at them.

Ross knew he had to act quickly, before Laurie and David revealed too much. He realized he had made an error. He had asked Laurie and David to trust him, and he had not expected them to disobey. But instantly it made sense to him that they would. He snapped his fingers. "Robert, I want you to take over the cla.s.s until I return from escorting David and Laurie to the princ.i.p.al's office."

"Mr. Ross, yes!"

Mr. Ross quickly walked to the cla.s.sroom door and held it open for Laurie and David.

Outside in the hall, David and Laurie walked slowly toward the princ.i.p.al's office, followed by Mr. Ross. In the background they could hear steady, loud chants emanating from Mr. Ross's room: "Strength Through Discipline! Strength Through Community! Strength Through Action!"

"Mr. Ross, you lied to us last night," David said bitterly.

"No, I didn't, David. But I told you, you would have to trust me," Mr. Ross replied.

"Why should we?" Laurie asked. "You were the one who started The Wave in the first place."

The point was a good one. Ben could think of no reason why they should trust him. He only knew that they should. He hoped that by evening they would understand.

David and Laurie spent most of the afternoon waiting outside Princ.i.p.al Owens's office to see him. They were miserable and depressed, certain that Mr. Ross had tricked them into cooperating with him so that they could not prevent what now appeared to be the final hours before The Wave movement at Gordon High joined the national Wave movement, which had been growing simultaneously at high schools all over the country.

Even Princ.i.p.al Owens seemed unsympathetic when he finally got around to seeing them. On his desk was a brief report from Mr. Ross, and although neither of them could see what it said, it was obvious that it must have stated that Laurie and David had disrupted the cla.s.s. Both of them pleaded with the princ.i.p.al to stop The Wave and the five o'clock rally, but Princ.i.p.al Owens only insisted that everything would be all right.

Finally he told them to go back to their cla.s.ses. David and Laurie were incredulous. Here they were trying to prevent the worst thing they'd ever seen happen in school and Princ.i.p.al Owens seemed to be oblivious.

Out in the hall, David threw his books into his locker and slammed the door shut. "Forget it," he told Laurie angrily. "I'm not hanging around here anymore today. I'm splitting."

"Just wait for me to put my books away," Laurie told him. "I'll join you."

A few minutes later, as they walked down the sidewalk away from school, Laurie sensed that David was getting depressed. "I can't believe how dumb I was, Laurie," he kept saying. "I can't believe I really fell for it."

Laurie squeezed his hand. "You weren't dumb, David. You were idealistic. I mean, there were good things about The Wave. It couldn't be all bad, or no one would have joined in the first place. It's just that they don't see what's bad about it. They think it makes everyone equal, but they don't understand that it robs you of your right to be independent."

"Laurie, is it possible that we're wrong about The Wave?" David asked.

"No, David, we're right," Laurie answered.

"Then why doesn't anybody else see it?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's like they're all in a trance. They just won't listen anymore."

David nodded hopelessly.

It was still early and they decided to walk to a park nearby. Neither wanted to go home yet. David wasn't sure what to think of The Wave or Mr. Ross. Laurie still believed it was a fad that the kids would ultimately get bored with, no matter who organized it or where. What frightened her was what the kids in The Wave might do before they grew tired of it.

"I feel alone all of a sudden," David said as they walked through the trees in the park. "It's like all my friends are part of a crazy movement and I'm an outcast just because I refuse to be exactly like them."

Laurie knew exactly how he felt, because she felt it too. She moved close to him and he put his arm around her. Laurie felt closer to David than ever. Wasn't it odd how going through something bad like this could bring them closer? She thought back to the night before, how David had forgotten entirely about The Wave the second he'd realized he'd hurt her. Suddenly she hugged him hard.

"What?" David was surprised.

"Oh, uh, nothing," she said.

"Hmmm." David looked away.

Laurie felt her mind drifting back to The Wave. She tried to imagine the school auditorium that afternoon, filled with Wave members. And some leader somewhere speaking to them over the television. What would he tell them? To burn books? To force all non-Wave members to wear armbands? It seemed so utterly crazy that anything like this could happen. So ... suddenly Laurie remembered something. "David," she said, "do you remember the day this all started?"

"The day Mr. Ross taught us the first motto?" David asked.

"No, David, the day before that-the day we saw that movie about the n.a.z.i concentration camps. The day I was so upset. Remember? No one could understand how all the other Germans could have ignored what the n.a.z.is were doing and pretended they didn't know."

"Yeah?" David said.

Laurie looked up at him. "David, do you remember what you said to me at lunch that afternoon?"

David tried to recall for a moment, but then shook his head.

"You told me it could never happen again."

David looked at her for a second. He felt himself smiling ironically. "You know something?" he said. "Even with the meeting with that national leader at the rally this afternoon-even though I was part of it, I still can't believe it's happening. It's so insane."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Laurie said. Then an idea struck her. "David, let's go back to school."

"Why?"

"I want to see him," she said. "I want to see this leader. I swear, I won't believe this is really happening until I see it for myself."

"But Mr. Ross said it was for Wave members only."

"What do you care?" Laurie asked him.

David shrugged. "I don't know, Laurie. I don't know if I want to go back. I feel like ... like The Wave got me once and if I go back it might get me again."

"No way," Laurie laughed.

CHAPTER 17.

It was incredible, Ben Ross thought as he walked toward the auditorium. Ahead of him, two of his students sat at a small table in front of the auditorium doors, checking membership cards. Wave members were streaming into the auditorium, many carrying Wave banners and signs. Ross couldn't help thinking that before the advent of The Wave, it would have taken a week to organize so many students. Today it had taken only a few hours. He sighed. So much for the positive side of discipline, community, and action. He wondered, if he was successful in "deprogramming" the students from The Wave, how long it would be before he'd begin seeing sloppy homework again. He smiled. Is this the price we pay for freedom?

As Ben watched, Robert, wearing a jacket and tie, came out of the auditorium and exchanged salutes with Brad and Brian.

"The auditorium is full," Robert told them. "Are the guards in place?"

"They are," Brad said.

Robert looked pleased. "Okay, let's check all the doors. Make sure they're all locked."

Ben rubbed his hands together nervously. It was time to go in. He walked toward the stage entrance and noticed that Christy was there waiting for him.

"Hi." She kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I thought I'd wish you luck."

"Thanks, I'll need it," Ben said.

Christy straightened his tie. "Did anyone ever tell you you look great in suits?" she asked.

"Matter of fact, Owens said that the other day." Ben sighed. "If I have to start looking for a new job, I might be wearing them a lot."

"Don't worry. You'll do fine," Christy told him.

Ben managed a slight smile. "I wish I had your faith in me," he said.

Christy laughed and turned him toward the stage door. "Go get 'em, tiger."

The next thing Ben knew, he was standing near the side of the stage, looking out at the crowded auditorium filled with Wave members. A moment later Robert joined him there.

"Mr. Ross," he said, saluting, "all the doors are secure and the guards are in place."

"Thank you, Robert," Ben said.

It was time to begin. As he strode to the center of the auditorium stage, Ben glanced quickly toward the curtains behind him and then up at the projectionist's booth at the back of the room. As he stopped and stood between two large television monitors that had been ordered from the AV department that day, the crowd burst spontaneously into The Wave mottos, standing at their seats and giving The Wave salute.

"Strength Through Discipline!"

"Strength Through Community!"

"Strength Through Action!"

Before them, Ben stood motionless. When they had finished their chants, he held up his arms for silence. In an instant the huge roomful of students went silent. Such obedience, Ben thought sadly. He looked out over the large crowd, aware that this was probably the last time he would be able to hold their attention so firmly. Then he spoke.

"In a moment our national leader will address us." And turning he said, "Robert."

"Mr. Ross, yes."

"Turn on the television sets."

Robert turned on both sets and the picture tubes grew bright and blue, with as yet no image. Throughout the auditorium, hundreds of eager Wave members hunched forward in their seats, staring at the blank blue tubes and waiting.

Outside, David and Laurie tried a set of auditorium doors, but found them locked. They quickly tried a second set, but found those locked also. But there were more doors to try, and they ran around the side of the auditorium looking for them.

The television screens were still blank. No face appeared on the screen and no sounds came from the speakers. Around the auditorium students began to squirm and murmur with anxiety. Why wasn't anything happening? Where was their leader? What were they supposed to do? As the tension in the room continued to build, the same question pa.s.sed through their minds over and over: What were they supposed to do?

From the side of the stage, Ben looked down at them, as the sea of faces stared back at him anxiously. Was it really true that the natural inclination of people was to look for a leader? Someone to make decisions for them? Indeed, the faces looking up at him said it was. That was the awesome responsibility any leader had, knowing that a group like this would follow. Ben began to realize how much more serious this "little experiment" was than he'd ever imagined. It was frightening how easily they would put their faith in your hands, how easily they would let you decide for them. If people were destined to be led, Ben thought, this was something he must make sure they learned: to question thoroughly, never to put your faith in anyone's hands blindly. Otherwise ...

From the center of the audience a single frustrated student suddenly jumped up from his seat and shouted at Mr. Ross, "There is no leader, is there!"

Shocked students around the auditorium quickly turned as two Wave guards rushed the offender out of the auditorium. In the confusion that followed, Laurie and David were able to slip in through the door the guards had opened.

Before the students had time to think about what had just happened, Ben strode to the center of the auditorium stage again. "Yes, you have a leader!" he shouted. That was the cue Carl Block had been waiting for as he hid backstage. Now he pulled back the stage curtains to reveal a large movie screen. At the same moment, Alex Cooper, in the projection room, flicked on a projector.

"There!" Ben shouted at the auditorium full of students. "There is your leader!"

The auditorium was filled with gasps and exclamations of surprise as the gigantic image of Adolf Hitler appeared on the screen.

"That's it!" Laurie whispered excitedly to David. "That's the movie he showed us that day!"

"Now listen carefully!" Ben shouted at them. "There is no National Wave Youth Movement. There is no leader. But if there was, he would have been it. Do you see what you've become? Do you see where you were headed? How far would you have gone? Take a look at your future!"

The film left Adolf Hitler and focused on the faces of the young n.a.z.is who fought for him during World War Two. Many of them were only teenagers, some even younger than the students in the audience.