Upbeats 2: Crime After Crime

by Erin Sheena Byrne

  Chapter Thirteen

  The watches System had given us, and the code we had each committed to memory, through much trial and error, came in handy.

  As soon as the report was over, I immediately flipped up the clock face on my watch.

  System had actually done a spectacular job on the watches. They looked like ordinary watches, the kind every person on the street wore. But, once you flipped the deceivingly normal looking watch-face up, you would find a little green screen, much like the ones in submarines, with six, little, red flashing dots in constant motion. The dots signified the other Upbeats, including me. I could see where everybody was at any moment!

  And the little button on the side of the watch, the one you use to set the time, could be used as a Morse code transmitter if you pushed down enough.

  Furiously, I started tapping the Morse code transmitter, a stream of dits and dahs blurting out and hopefully reaching the others.

  I didn't wait for a reply; I wrote a note to Arthur and stuck it on my pillow, packed my disguise into my backpack, grabbed my jacket and climbed out my window, just in case Arthur stopped me before I got to the front door.

  ♫

  Batman had the Batmoblie, Superman flew to his rescue missions and Spiderman swung from building to building, shooting webs from his wrists.

  What did I have?

  A six-gear mountain bike.

  I pedalled to the shopping district in the heart of Rockwell City. There are two major shopping malls in Rockwell: the Underground Mall and Rockwell City Mall.

  The mall in question was the latter.

  With my heart pounding and my mind racing, I sped towards the mall.

  It started raining just as I got there. Thunder ripped through the atmosphere and lightning struck the earth. It was the kind of storm people are generally advised to stay indoors during.

  But I had to get there.

  When I got close, I realized just how an impossible mission it was going to be to get inside the mall.

  Police cars parked everywhere; officers and detectives scattered about, discussing the situation, the tension clearly written all over their serious faces; and TV news crews standing around, interviewing anyone that appeared to know something.

  Roadblocks had been put in place so that unsuspecting civilians, snoopy reporters and eager photographers did not wander in and get into trouble.

  I was not a hero at that moment; I was still Brooke O'Mackey, girl from across the road. So the roadblocks did their job and kept me away from the area.

  As I pulled on my brakes and grinded to a halt as close to the investigation team as possible, I saw my brother arrive on the scene.

  He stopped in front of a roadblock, showed the officer on duty his badge and they moved the roadblock, momentarily, to let him drive through.

  He parked his Ford in between two police cruisers and stepped out. He looked around, taking in the scene.

  I didn't allow him to see me: instead, before he glanced my way, I snuck into an alleyway between two office buildings to don my disguise and cleverly plan my next move.

  It didn't take me long to slip on my wig and plaster on my mask.

  From my vantage point, I could see the large double storey mall, the mall car park, the police officers, the street and a direct path to the west entrance to the mall.

  I couldn't go in just then: not on my own. I needed the rest of the team...

  ".-- .... . .-. ./ .- .-. ./ ..- ?" my watched bleeped. It was from Luke.

  Relieved that the others had received my earlier messages, I quickly replied and told them where I was.

  In a matter of seconds, Smithy teleported the rest of the gang, including System in his Kevin form, into the alleyway where I was hiding out. They were all wearing their masks and wigs, beanies or baseball caps.

  "Did you guys hear the news?" I enquired.

  Luke nodded. With his brow creased and his mouth straight: he looked at least twenty years older.

  "So, what's the plan, then, Chief?" Ned asked. Instead of his enormous afro Robyn had bought for him a month ago, he sported a simple backwards baseball cap.

  We huddled like a football team. I don't know why we did that: I guess it might have been to stop the police or anyone wandering past from eavesdropping on us.

  "Okay, here's the deal," Luke said in a low voice. "We need to know what the situation is inside. There are seven gunman altogether. We know that four are posted at the entrances, so that leaves three unaccounted for. If my suspicions are correct, then the other three will be keeping an eye on the hostages, making sure none get away."

  "So what do we do?" Robyn asked, sounding worried, not for herself, but for the innocent hostages.

  "Smithy, I'm going to have to ask you to teleport Ned, System and me inside the mall."

  "Got it," Smithy agreed.

  "Ned, I'm going to need you to distract the three gunmen inside so Smithy can teleport the hostages out while I tie up the gunmen posted at the entrances."

  "Distracting, annoying and in just in general irritating people is my specialty," Ned declared, proudly.

  Luke turned to Kevin. "System, can you spray like normal skunks?"

  "If a situation demands it," he replied, discreetly.

  "Okay, well, this is the situation and I'm demanding it," Luke said. "I'll need you to help me. Spray the gunman, in the face, and while he's distracted... um, does your spray... you know... stink?" Luke asked it as if it would be embarrassing for System.

  "Yes," Kevin replied, simply.

  "Alright, then while the guy is distracted by the stench, I'll tie him up—"

  "Have you got rope?" I interrupted.

  Luke opened his mouth to say yes, thought about it and closed his mouth. "Okay, first we'll have to teleport into a hardware store," he clarified. "I'll get rope and then we commence our plan of action. Any questions?"

  Robyn put up her hand. "What about me and Brooke? What do we do?"

  Luke chewed his lip. "Look, no offence, but you are girls. And this is a dangerous situation. I don't know if we'll get out alright. But you're still part of this team: I'm putting you two on back up. You can come with us and help out if we need you, but just... you know... stay out of harm's way, okay?"

  Why did he even bother to add: "no offence?"

  I bristled. I was all ready to argue with him about the placing of Robyn and I on backup when he straightened up, ending the conversation.

  "Okay, people, let's rock 'n' roll."