The Battle of Jericho Read Online Free PDF Page B

Reading Road, right down the street from the school. The sign on the front says ’express deliveries,’” the boy on the other end of the line told him.
    â€œOh, I know where you’re talking about. That delivery service went out of business last year. No problem.”
    â€œBe there Monday at three-thirty P.M .,” the young mancontinued. “We will work on the toy drive then. You may bring a guest if you like.”
    â€œThat’s straight! I’ll be there.”
    â€œAnd Mr. Prescott?” The voice sounded so serious.
    Jericho hesitated. “Yes?”
    â€œMonday night. Midnight. Same place. Bring no one. Tell no one. This is
not
about toys.”
    â€œHuh? I don’t understand.”
    â€œSee you on Monday.” The caller hung up.
    Jericho sat holding the phone a moment. What was
that
about? He dialed Josh’s number.
    â€œYou get the call from the Warriors, man?” Jericho asked as soon as Josh picked up.
    â€œYeah, about ten minutes ago. This Warriors of Distinction thing is going to be awesome, I think,” Josh replied. “Kofi told me they had just called him, too.” Josh was silent for a moment. “Uh, they say anything to you about something at midnight?”
    â€œUh, yeah, I guess. What’s up with that?”
    â€œI guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
    â€œI’ll have to sneak out. No way is Geneva gonna let me out that late.”
    â€œMe too, but I really don’t care. As long as I get in—that’s all that matters,” Josh said seriously.
    â€œWhy?” Jericho asked.
    â€œForget it, man,” Josh answered, brushing off Jericho’s question. “November is so excited. She’s already talking about what she’s gonna wear to the Warriors of Distinction dance. You better get yourself together and stopacting like a third-grader every time you see Arielle.”
    With a resolve and confidence he did not feel, Jericho boasted, “Arielle is just another honey. I’m gettin’ ready to call her right now.”
    â€œGo for it, my man. I’ll catch you later.”
    Josh hung up and Jericho stared at the phone for a full ten minutes before he pushed the first button to dial Arielle’s number. He hung up twice, then, before he could change his mind, he quickly dialed Arielle’s number. A child’s voice answered.
    â€œHello, may I speak to Arielle?” Jericho said, his heart pounding.
    â€œArielle! There’s some boy on the phone for you!” the kid shouted on the other end.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œHey, Arielle. This is Jericho—uh—from school. You sure got a loud little brother!”
    Arielle laughed. “That’s my little sister, Kiki. They ought to hire her to announce for the Cincinnati Reds!”
    â€œHow old is she?”
    â€œSeven, going on seventeen. She thinks she is so grown! Yesterday she asked me to take her shopping for a bra!”
    Jericho chuckled. “I got two little stepbrothers underfoot here. They’d both be driving if they could. They can’t wait until I get a car so I can drive them to all their games and practices and stuff.”
    â€œYou getting a car?”
    â€œNot likely. Christmas is coming, but there is no way they’ll be squeezing a car under the tree. Money’s been alittle tight. I’m gonna get me a job so I can buy my own car!” Jericho stated.
    â€œThat’s a lot of hamburgers to flip.”
    â€œYou got that right!”
    â€œHey, Jericho, we saw a couple of the Warriors of Distinction talkin’ to you and Kofi and Josh at lunch. What’s up with that?”
    â€œWell, that’s one reason I called. They asked us to help out in the Christmas toy drive this year.”
    â€œThat’s awesome! Doesn’t that mean you get asked to pledge, that you’ll be a Warrior? I think the Warriors are, like, off the hook. I mean, they wear really sharp