Ceremony Begins
Alvin and Fox sat below the Speaker's Platform, watching Nelson walk up onto it.
The vice principal held the microphone and looked out at the lively schoolyard, full of confidence. "If my calculations are right, we have 156 new students this year.
"I've worked here my whole life, and I've never been prouder than I am today!
"I can say with confidence that in the past four years, we haven't missed a single child from Hell's Kitchen."
As he spoke, Nelson looked down at Alvin, visibly moved. "Someone planted a seed, and now it's starting to take root and grow..."
Nelson's words drew a wave of cheers. "Battle Axe, Battle Axe..." A few scattered shouts came from the Hell's Kitchen representatives, then the chant spread through the whole school like wildfire...
Benny, the bodyguard, watched his boss, the president, stand up and look toward Alvin, clapping as he joined in the chant. "Battle Axe, Battle Axe..."
At a loss, he started clapping along...
President Ellis glanced at his reserved bodyguard and gave Benny a firm pat on the shoulder. "Come on!
"That's the Manhattan Axe. Look what he's done. He deserves this..."
Amid the applause, Alvin stood up and hugged Fox. Then he slowly surveyed the rows of students across the schoolyard and raised his right hand, giving them a thumbs-up...
Alvin's gesture brought even louder applause. The excited boys and girls cheered like they were hopped up on something, as if they were caught up in an endless revelry.
Alvin smiled and waited half a minute, then lowered both hands to signal for everyone to quiet down. He waved to Nelson onstage, indicating that he could continue...
Nelson smiled and waved at the crowd. "I've never received such thunderous applause in my life. That just means I