Lydia was surrounded. She was in front of the Evergreen Bank, the rain obscuring anything farther than ten feet away. Heather, Finster, and Mark enclosed her in a tight-knit circle. She faced Mark, deducing him to be the weak link. Attack now! Use what you’ve learned. She struck low and high, then jammed her right heel into his stomach. Mark went down.
Heather swiped at Lydia’s face and exhaled noxious fumes. Lydia bent over backward and performed a backflip. I didn’t know I could do that!
Heather came at her again. Lydia jumped and kicked her in the jaw. Heather spun midair in circles and dropped onto the ground with a groan.
Finster was the final one. Lydia approached him slowly. He extended his arms and raised them. As he brought his fists down, she caught his hands. Lydia lifted him overhead and threw him. He landed on his feet.
Lydia rushed him. Two punches to the chest. A kick to the shins. Missed! He caught her leg, bending the new brace. She chopped his arms. He winced, loosening his grip. Lydia yanked her foot back and stomped. She followed up with a high kick to the face. Finster was out for the count.
Lydia smiled, holding her arms out to the rain. She had won. She’d beaten him. Lydia reveled in her victory. But she wasn’t finished. Not by a long shot. It was time to punish the three as mercilessly as she could. Lydia decided to start with Finster.
When she kicked over his body, he was grinning. A chuckle rose in his throat that strengthened to a laugh. Heather and Mark sat up, joining in. All of them were laughing at Lydia. And were they growing larger?
Suddenly, Lydia was trapped once more by behemoth versions of her conquered foes. They grabbed hold of the ground, shaking it apart. Lydia held onto the bank’s steps for dear life. When she thought the steps could take no more, each of the three smashed her and the ground together, pounding Lydia into a drenched, dark abyss.
Lydia jolted awake before she hit the bottom. She punched her bed, breaking a support underneath the mattress. It had started out as such a good rematch fantasy, too. She yawned, still tired despite a full night’s rest. The karate classes were really wearing her out. Things had picked up immensely after the first lesson. Not that Lydia was complaining, but she had hoped for a gradual learning curve, not a steep cliff.
She rolled out of bed and checked her plants. The first set had failed to sprout, so she’d started this second group. She watered them before changing clothes for school.
Thankfully, today was her foreign language class instead. She had opted for Spanish, having always heard it was easiest to learn. She needed an easy class.
Midterm exams had been difficult, but she believed she’d come out by the skin of her teeth. Lydia had greatly enjoyed the winter break from school, especially the small Christmas trees, lights, tinsel, and other various decorations that were strung up in the Center and in the dormitories. During the holidays, she wrote to her mother, asking her to buy and send gifts for her friends. For Aidan, she presented a couple of adventure books, and in exchange she received a few novels. She gave Jando a new chess set, although he commented that he’d asked Santa for a kiss from her. He did end up baking her a fruit cake, and he hung mistletoe around the Cave, just in case she relented. Lydia walked around looking up and purposefully sidestepping the plants, much to his chagrin. Lydia gave Wren a few movies, and Wren bought her a small attachment for her camera. She gave everyone else small tokens.
Jando invited her to Mass on Christmas Day with him and Donny, and Lydia accepted. Wren joined, as had Aidan, to everyone’s surprise. Aidan spent most of the service blocking Jando’s attempts to wrap an arm around Lydia’s shoulders. She was grateful on that count, but couldn’t stand the glares they passed one another or the sparks in the air. Lydia eventually sat in a separate pew, for she hadn’t been in the mood to play referee to any impending showdown.
For New Year’s Eve, everyone gathered in the game room for the countdown to midnight. As expected, Jando tried to persuade her for a kiss when the ball dropped on television. “Maybe it could help me keep my resolution this year,” he said.
“What’s that? To be less hands-on with every girl in the Cave?” Lydia asked.
“That would be asking the impossible with so many beauties here.” When she turned him down, he went to Wren instead.
Aidan was a wallflower the entire evening until the ball was dropping. Then he approached Lydia and nervously asked, “Wouldyouliketokissasfriends?” When she looked blankly at him, he repeated it, stuttering a little. “Would you like to kiss? As friends?” He scratched the back of his head and only briefly caught her eye as he waited for her answer.
She accepted and when the ball dropped, they quickly kissed, as did Wren and Jando. Afterward, everyone made their resolutions. Lydia’s own was to throw herself into her BEP agent training to beat Finster in the future. She stayed true to that resolution, dedicating herself to the training. When school started up again in January, however, she did have to scale back so as not to burn herself out.
While most days were difficult and long, this day went swimmingly for Lydia. The classes zipped by, as did physical therapy. The tech, Brentle, surprised her by presenting her new “Power Arms” to match her “Power Legs.” “Iron sounds old-fashioned,” he’d said. “This is the modern era! Let’s match it! Power!”
Lydia hadn’t had a moment to rest, when Arthur called her to his office late in the evening. “Enjoying the extra workload so far?” he asked when she arrived.
“I’m surviving,” she said.
“That’s good because I have some more lined up for you.” The horror must have been etched all over her face for he burst out laughing. “Kidding! I’m kidding! I’m not that cruel.”
“Cruel enough to joke about it,” she said.
“I know you’re adjusting to working harder. Don’t worry. I won’t pile on too much too fast. I only wanted to check to see how you were doing, if there were any problems. Are there?”
“No.”
“Good, good,” he said. Sylvia knocked on his door and entered. “If you’ll excuse us,” he said.
Lydia turned to leave but stopped on her way out. “Is there a restroom up here?”
“Turn right, go down the hall, turn left, first door,” Sylvia said.
“Thanks.” Lydia left in search of the restroom. When she reached the hall, however, she discovered only a locked door. Why would they lock it? Maybe Sylvia had meant another door. But every door was the same. For that matter, every hallway was the same. Lydia was unfamiliar with the top floor.
You’d think they could put up some signs. The only differences between the rooms were the name plates designating each person’s office. All other doors were unmarked, holding untold secrets. Lydia checked all the doors in the current hall. No restroom.
She decided to backtrack to Arthur’s office and ask for precise directions. When she arrived at his door, she overhead Sylvia and Arthur talking quietly.
“But this isn’t the only factory?” Sylvia asked.
“No, there are others. Last reports said several in Colorado and the neighboring states were being checked. This one is the closest one to the city. According to the FBI, this factory should be shipping the last of the SN91,” Arthur said. “So far, they seem to be containing it in Golden Springs. Possibly for another attack.”
“Another attack in the city?” Sylvia asked incredulously. “Again?”
“Yes, that’s what we’re thinking it might be. The FBI is expecting you to be there tonight. That’s when the raid starts.”
Lydia skedaddled to the elevator. Her hometown. Mom. A lead on the SN91. Finster. Tracking the disease might lead to Finster and his associates. She could save her mother by taking down the terrorists. All Lydia had to do was to trail Sylvia.
If she has to be there tonight, she’ll need to take the plane. Lydia reached the bottom floor and ran outside the Center. Dilbert had parked the plane on the runway next to the parking lot. The plane was already facing the far wall, where there was a camouflaged h
angar door made to resemble rock.
The plane had a cargo hold. That was where she could stow away. But she had to act now. Lydia began to bolt for the plane but stopped when she saw a pair of guards patrolling the area around it. They were armed and walked slowly toward the plane’s nose. Lydia waited, heading parallel to the plane until she had a direct shot for the rear. She picked out the closed ramp leading to the cargo hold.
She waited until the guards circled around to the other side of the plane and then ran. When she reached the cargo hold, she pried open its ramp. It creaked loudly. Lydia stopped and hid behind the landing wheels, fearful the guards had heard.
Fortunately they were heading away from the plane at that moment. She took the chance to continue to pull down the door to the cargo hold. It took all of her strength, but inch by inch she budged it open.
“What are you doing?” She whipped around at the voice. Jando and Aidan were gawking at her.
“Hitching a ride,” Lydia said. “Get out of here or they’ll see us.”
“A ride to where?” Jando asked.
“They may have found a lead on the SN91 in Colorado. I’m going to find Finster and stop him.” She suddenly found two other pairs of hands helping her. “What are you two doing?”
“Helping,” Jando said. “On three. One, two, three!”
Lydia provided the bulk of the pulling, but they managed to lower the ramp until she could climb inside. “Thanks,” she said, peering over the edge. “Now you might want to get out of here.”
“No way,” Jando said. “I want to come, too. Can’t let my fellow agent-in-training go alone.”
She eyed him skeptically. “Or miss out on the chance to have your name in the paper.”
He grinned. “That wouldn’t be too bad. ‘Youth Captures Criminals. Stops Deadly Distribution.’ Has a nice ring to it.”
She turned to Aidan. “I’m coming, too,” he said. When she waited for a reason, he hastily added, “It’s a chance to escape. You still haven’t taken me to Rooke.”
“That I haven’t,” she said. Lydia lowered her arm. “Come on then.” She lifted them into the cargo hold. ”We can sit on these boxes strapped to the floor.” They nodded and then closed the cargo hatch.
With the hatch closed it was pitch-black. They sat quietly and waited for the plane to start. After what felt like hours, the engine roared to life. The teenagers braced themselves as the plane moved down the runway.
Here we go, Lydia thought. The plane sped up, faster and faster until it lifted off. They had made it.
“Well, this seems familiar,” Jando said jokingly.
Lydia smiled and sat against the wall. “But thankfully it won’t be as long.”
Soon enough, Aidan fell asleep on a box while Jando and Lydia became lost in their own thoughts. Lydia’s mind was preoccupied by a warring dominance between Arthur’s advice and how much she would relish dispensing the torture she would inflict on Finster. What would your dad think about what you’re doing, though?
My dad would support me, Lydia thought. After all, Finster deserved to be punished, given the atrocities he’d committed.
You are not in a position to dispense punishment in any way you please. You’re supposed to be an agent-in-training.
Being a BEP agent paled in comparison to her desire for revenge. Arnold would’ve sought revenge if anything had happened to Lydia or Debra. But on some level, she knew that wasn’t true. Although prone to violence if loved ones were harmed, her father had never fought for the sake of revenge or violence. He stood up in defense.
So I’m going after him because he’s a bad guy. I’m defending others.
What about the guilt and wasted years Arthur warned you about?
Won’t happen to me. Because I’m going to take my revenge on Finster tonight. I’ll put an end to him. Lydia nodded, affirming her course of action. I can do this. She could hear Arthur chiding her, pointing out that she missed the entire lesson of his story.
You may have to kill him. In fact, you must. Where did that strong urge come from? The new inner voice continued. Sylvia or someone else will stop you. You won’t have the opportunity to get even with Finster the way you’d like. He’ll escape again.
And hurt others. Sound advice. He needed to be stopped.
Exactly, the other part of her agreed. Kill Finster.
Before he has the chance to harm anyone else, of course.
Of course.
But her conscience rose up, strengthened by Arthur’s view. What about justice? Let him rot in jail. Be tried by his peers. She grumbled. Avoid killing him if possible. Capture him. Lydia did remember that from Arthur. Be better than him.
Right. Encourage justice.
The newer side spoke up. His death is justice. He would do no less to you.
That’s an excuse that puts you on his level. Show him fairness and mercy where he showed you none by capturing him. Don’t kill him.
The internal battle raged on for a while, both sides fighting nonstop for her support. Eventually, Lydia grew tired of the issue and abandoned it for now. She tried to relax, listening to the rumbling of the plane engine, her mind growing sleepy to its harsh song.
However, that wasn’t to last. Aidan was snoring pretty loudly. Jando nudged him with his foot. “Would you stop snoring, Flyboy? It’s driving me nuts.”
Aidan mumbled in his sleep, but Lydia caught a “Shut up” in the mix. Then he returned to snoring louder than before.
The lights in the cargo hold came on. Standing at the entrance across the hold was Sylvia, hands on her hips like a furious parent. “What are you three doing here?” she asked. Aidan rolled off his box as Jando and Lydia stood up.
“How did you find us?” Lydia asked.
Sylvia held up her hand. “I was in the restroom and heard some insanely loud snoring below me.” Jando shot Aidan a dirty look. “Now, again, what are you three doing here?”
The boys turned to Lydia. She sighed. “I overheard you talking to Arthur about the SN91. So I thought I could help save my mom and the city.”
“And you thought you would enter the ring for round two with Finster as well? Is that it?” Lydia hung her head. “What about you two?” The boys didn’t answer. Sylvia pinched the bridge of her nose. “Look, I don’t have time for whatever your reasons are, or your vendetta, Ms. Penner. There are lives at stake.”
An intercom crackled on the wall. “Sylvia?” Dilbert asked. “You find out what was down there?”
“Yeah. We have a few stowaways,” Sylvia said.
“You want me to turn the plane around?”
“No, no.” She tapped her foot, staring at the three. “The time we would waste going back and you getting more fuel—no, no. That would take too long and we can’t afford it.”
“Roger that."
Sylvia ushered them into the cabin of the plane. She stopped Lydia on the way in. “You realize you have jeopardized your BEP agent qualification from this little stunt.”
Lydia snorted. Like I’m worrying about that.
“Look, I can’t have you getting in my way, alright?”
“I won’t. Only Finster’s,” Lydia said, smirking.
“Listen,” Sylvia snapped. “You think you’re the only one with a grudge against him?” Lydia vividly remembered Kirk’s funeral and how broken Sylvia had been that day. She saw hints of that hurt and fury in the woman’s eyes even now. “I know how much you hate him. Believe me, I know, but that doesn’t change anything. You need to realize the situation is larger than that. It doesn’t revolve around you. So help me save your mother and the city by doing as I say.”
Lydia nodded. “Fine.” She slipped by to use the restroom.
Everyone was quiet for the rest of the flight. When they landed at a secluded airfield an hour before sunrise, they were greeted by a police car, which was prepared to take them to the factory. Sylvia took Lydia, Aidan, and Jando with her, while Dilbert refueled the plane.
“Can’t rely on
Dilbert to watch all of you. You should be fine where we’re going.” She turned to Lydia, as if reminding the girl of what she had ordered.
The factory was only a twenty-minute ride away. It lay in the center of a sunken valley, with high ridges all around. Out of sight from anyone in the valley’s basin were a dozen vehicles, officers, and SWAT teams from Golden Springs carrying a small armory worth of guns, from pistols to shotguns, and sporting thick, Kevlar vests over warm clothing. A few of the squad cars were marked Somerset PD, the closest town to Golden Springs. One large van was open and two men, outfitted in Kevlar vests labeled FBI, were studying maps and documents. They turned to the police car as it pulled up beside the van.
Sylvia stepped out. “Stay in the car,” she ordered Lydia and the others. “Watch them,” she said to the officer in the front seat. Then she bundled her jacket and walked to the two FBI agents and shook their hands.
“Can you crack the window back here?” Lydia asked the officer. “It’s really stifling.” He lowered the window by a sliver, but it was enough so that Lydia could eavesdrop on the conversation outside.
“So, everything is set up,” the younger, bespectacled FBI agent said. “We were waiting for you.”
“Yes, the missing piece finally arrives,” the other said, crossing his arms and sneering. “They could’ve shipped several truckloads of SN91 while we had to wait for you. I don’t know why those screwballs in Washington latched onto the idea that we need you guys every time one of these weirdos runs rampant.” He frowned at Lydia. He was taller, with the lines of many years etched into his weathered face. His hairline had receded to a fading patch of gray on his pointed head. “More BEP freaks? We have plenty as it is.”
“It’s complicated, Agent Rogers,” Sylvia said. She turned to the other man. “Let’s begin. Where are you planning to enter from?” The back door of the van was open and she and the agents studied the maps laid out on the vehicle’s floor.
“Team one will hit the front. Team two who will enter here,” Rogers said, jabbing his finger. “We have plenty of officers to handle the situation. We’ll call on you if we need you. Now let’s move already.” He picked up one of the maps and carried it off, his partner and Sylvia following.
Lydia sat back in her seat. The driver was watching his fellow cops preparing for the assault. No route lay open for her to sneak away. She looked at Jando and Aidan. She knew they would spring from the vehicle with her, as soon as there was an opening.
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