“She is correct,” a voice barked from behind me. I jumped into Andy’s arms and nearly knocked him over. The Kilodan stood only feet from me.
“Why would you sneak up on me when I’m already frightened out of my skin?” I snapped.
The Kilodan let loose with an electronically altered laugh that made the Joker sound sane. “I’m training you to control your emotions.”
“Not doing a very good job of it,” Andy said as he peeled my arms from around his neck and sat me on the floor.
“Munificent may not have had knowledge of your true identity, but Nicolaitan does,” the Kilodan said. “He has a long memory, and will have retained fragments from the kidnapping. What he does not know is your current identity. He knows the Morgan girl has Psi Fighter abilities, but he has not yet linked her to you. We must be cautious. He has eyes everywhere. But as long as you don’t use the Mental Arts while unmasked, he’ll never make the connection.”
My heart was in my throat. “I just did.”
Chapter Twenty-one
The Spring Fling
The next day I was a bundle of nerves. The anxiety of being discovered by Nicolaitan was awful. If he found me, he’d unlock my mind, learn the identities of the Psi Fighters, and the location of our secret Academy. Then we would all be vulnerable. As frightening as that reality was, it was marshmallows and chocolate pudding compared to the sheer terror of choosing an outfit. The Spring Fling was that night, and I had nothing to wear. Fortunately, Kathryn was skilled at all things soirée. She invited me to her house to get ready. I seriously wanted to murder her for telling Bobby things I trusted her with, but I decided to wait. The last thing I needed at the moment was a fight with my BFF. And, to tell the truth, I was terrified to hear her reasons, especially if they confirmed that my most trusted friend in the entire cosmos was untrustworthy. I didn’t know if I could live with that.
“Powder blue,” she said, plucking a dress from her closet. “It brings out your eyes. This is perfect. Delicate, feminine, petite. Asymmetrical hemline to make you appear taller, show a little leg…then just a touch of blush, a hint of eyeliner, a very light eye shadow, and matching lip gloss. Oh, Rin, the poor boy won’t know what hit him.”
By the time we got to the school, my anxiety had subsided a bit. Kathryn had a comfortable confidence with social events that was very calming. Unfortunately, I didn’t. The minute we walked through the double doors, my nerves took over again.
The poorly lit gymnasium was packed, people dancing everywhere. We had arrived fashionably late, although I would have preferred being fashionably later, by, say, a year. As I scanned the gym, searching for signs of Egon, Kathryn began dancing happily beside me, oblivious to my pain, singing along with the music. “…you don’t know you’re BEAUTIFULLLLLLL… Hey, Rin, our men will find us soon!”
I nodded. My mouth was dry. “I don’t feel so good.”
Kathryn laughed. “Oh, you’ll be fine. Such a worrywart. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Oh, never mind…it just did.”
The double doors slammed open. Rubric, Chuckie, and the Red Team sauntered into the gym.
“A meeting of the minds,” Kathryn said. “Don’t they look precious?”
Art Rubric and Chuckie Cuff looked like hit men in their stupid trench coats, but the Red Team looked amazing. Gorgeous hair, expensive jewelry, high heels—Tammy had a low-cut gown with a slit up the side that made her look like a runway model. I was officially jealous. Any black-hearted person who looked that good deserved my wrath.
“What’s Angel wearing?” I asked. “Sleaze Bag by Gucci?”
“Meow, Rin.”
Teachers had positioned themselves around the gym, just like they did during assembly, to feel like they were in control. But we all knew better. It was common knowledge that the teachers hated chaperoning (I can’t imagine why with such model students). Consequently, only the ones with low seniority had to attend, and they were too busy chatting to each other to notice anything the students were doing. Unless there was a nuclear explosion, it was unlikely that they would leave the safety of their seats.
Suddenly, my heart stopped. My lungs seized. “Kathryn, I’m seriously gonna upchuck.”
“Oh, you lucky girl!” Kathryn chirped. “Yours came first!”
Framed by the door, all alone and absolutely beautiful, Egon shimmered in the light like an archangel. Dressed in a blue button-up shirt, he glided into the gym.
The instant Egon crossed the threshold, cretins surrounded him. Tammy Angel flung her beefy arms around his neck. A sudden urge to dismember her filled my kind and loving heart. Egon smiled politely, but didn’t appear to be talking much.
“Ignore her, Rin,” Kathryn said. “She knows he’s with you. She’s being the Alpha, as usual.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t give away my secret by destroying her in public?”
“I’m saying Egon is a gentleman, and you have nothing to worry about.”
Kathryn was right. Egon scanned the gym as he pried Tammy’s monkey arms from his neck. Then our eyes met, and he broke into the most adorable smile I had ever seen on a human. While Tammy flapped her never-ending jaw, fake-laughing hysterically, Egon brushed by her, his gaze never leaving mine. I chuckled quietly at Tammy’s blank stare when she realized she had been deserted.
“Hi, Rinnie. Hi, Kathryn.”
“Hi, Egon,” Kathryn sang. “Oh, look! Bobby’s here! I’ll leave you two alone.”
“Kathryn, wa—” Panic suddenly bodyslammed every other emotion I owned.
“Hi,” Egon repeated.
“Hi.”
“You look amazing,” Egon said, taking a step back, eying me from head to toe.
“Thank you. I brushed my hair.”
Oh, wow! I had officially destroyed every contender in the Stupidest Response to a Compliment contest. We stood in silence for a few very awkward moments. I decided I was wrong about there being no words to describe how I felt. Discomfort, nausea, regurgitation…those words did a fine job.
“So…I guess you saw Tammy Angel attack me,” Egon said. “I’m sorry, she’s just hard to control. We went out one time, and now I can’t get rid of her.”
“Try flea and tick medicine.”
“Maybe I need a bodyguard.” Egon did a double eyebrow-raise. “Are you interested? I hear you’re better than you admitted.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, Chuckie said he saw you kick some dude’s butt in the park.”
“He…umm…yeah…” Chuckie was officially dead. “Sometimes we do Tai Chi in the park. That’s probably what he saw. It’s very relaxing.” Oh, Chuckie was so very dead.
I looked out across the gym, searching for something clever to say, when I found Mason on the other side. He was dressed in a classy Diesel jean jacket and T-shirt, but he looked like I felt—lost, completely out of his element, like he didn’t belong. Then his eyes connected with mine. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but shook his head as though he were arguing with himself. His eyes closed, and he turned, disappearing into the crowd. I wondered what was going through his mind.
All at once, the music changed, and a slow song echoed through the gym. “Hey, I like this one.” Egon smiled and gently took my hand. “May I have this dance?”
Warmth rose in my face. My first instinct was to run, but he slipped his arm around my waist. That did it. I was a goner. I was about to melt right at his feet. Which I was totally okay with.
Egon pulled me close, and his thigh brushed against mine. Little shivers ran through me. When his feet moved, mine followed. We swayed slowly to the music, bodies in total sync. Dancing with Egon was like—okay, this will sound slightly abnormal, but it was more relaxing than sparring. It was more exciting than wearing my mask and armor. When I laid my head on his shoulder, I utterly disappeared. It was even better than Shimmer mode! If you were a Psi Fighter, you’d totally understand how awesome it felt.
Sometime during the song, Ka
thryn and Bobby were dancing beside us. I glanced over and saw Kathryn kissing Bobby. His eyes were wide with fear, pleading with me. I shook my head, smiling. Poor Bobby never had a chance.
Egon leaned down and gently pressed his forehead to mine. I laid my head back on his shoulder until the song was over, then found myself being led by the hand away from the dance area. Without warning, he turned me toward him, a mischievous glimmer in his eye. “Bobby hasn’t learned defense against lip locks, has he?”
I smiled and glanced at the floor.
Egon took my hand and said, “Have you?”
In the darkened room, I was sure he couldn’t see how red my face had just turned. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tilted my chin up. Just as I felt his breath on my lips, Egon grunted and crashed into me, knocking me off my feet. I landed hard on the gym floor and heard the thump of a large, soft something beside me. Tammy Angel, butt down and glassy-eyed, the contents of her purse on the floor beside her. She harrumphed and scooped everything back inside. Then she looked up. Her pupils dilated and slowly focused on me. A smirk crossed her face, and she hauled herself to her feet.
“Watch where you’re going, Peroxide,” she slurred. “You shouldn’t embarrass Egon like that.”
Egon helped me up, the concern in his eyes barely hiding something darker. He turned to Tammy. “She’s not the embarrassment,” he whispered.
Tammy jabbed her finger at me. “Stay out of my way, Peroxide. I’m not in a good mood tonight.”
“And that’s different from when?” I asked sweetly.
Mason suddenly appeared, shouldering his way through the crowd. He took Tammy roughly by the arm, jerking her finger out of my face. “Sorry, no harm done. Right this way, Tam.” He smiled at me and slipped away, dragging her behind him.
“Mason, let me go!” Tammy struggled against him, but he towed her along like a puppy on a leash. Before disappearing into the mass of dancing kids, he glanced back at me. Sadness filled his eyes. I sighed, overcome by an unexplainable longing. For just an instant, I forgot where I was.
“What’s going on with him?” Egon asked.
Oops. “What do you mean?” I pushed Mason out of my mind.
“Something’s up.” Egon’s eyes narrowed. “Mason’s not causing trouble.”
I touched Egon’s arm. “He’s not himself. Maybe he’s afraid of you.”
Egon laughed and took my hand.
“Let’s get something to drink,” I said. Before we started toward the punch table, I noticed a slim object lying on the floor at my feet. “Tammy didn’t clean up her mess too well.” I bent down to pick it up—a fountain pen, red and silver barrel with a white rectangle in the center. Just as my hand touched it, mental sparks jumped from my fingertips and I jerked back. I reached out again, carefully closing my mind, and picked it up. My heart raced, and I scanned the room, searching.
Tammy Angel was Scallion?
No. Way.
I watched the creep disappear into the crowd, but now that I understood who I had let get away at the Shadow Passage, I found myself giggling inside. Early on, Kathryn and I had decided that Angel couldn’t possibly be the face behind that mask.
Which was the signature of a Knight.
“I’m not thirsty anymore,” I said to Egon. “Come on, let’s dance.” I took him by the hand and towed him back to Kathryn and Bobby.
“But, I am,” Egon said quietly.
Kathryn was not going to be pleased with me, because I was leaving. Unfortunately, neither was Egon. But I needed to tell Andy and the Kilodan what I had learned, and I had to do it quickly. What a relief. Now, the Psi Fighters could protect my family. The kidnapping would be ended permanently. And we could force Scallion to lead us to Nicolaitan.
I led Egon across the gym floor, stopping in front of Kathryn and Bobby. “Could you excuse us for just a sec? C’mon, Kathryn.” I yanked her away from Bobby and glanced back at Egon. “She has to potty.”
Egon had that expressionless expression, but he didn’t object, so I made a beeline for the bathroom. There was no more time for interruptions. I could worry about what he was thinking later.
“This had better be good,” Kathryn snipped. “Bobby and I were getting very, very friendly.”
“I noticed,” I said. “And don’t worry, it’s extremely good.” As we approached the girl’s bathroom, the door banged open and a cloud of smoke rolled out, followed by a swarm of people. Laughter echoed inside. I grunted, led Kathryn down the hall, whipped open the boiler room door, and shoved her through.
“Will you please tell me why you dragged me from a hot guy to a hot boiler room where, by the way, we will get detention if we’re caught?” Kathryn growled.
“I found something!” I proudly plucked Scallion’s Amplifier from my purse and brandished it over my head.
“I have a pen, Rinnie. If you wanted a pen, you should have asked. Tonight is the night for having romance, not writing about it.”
“Kathryn, if this is what I think it is, I found Scallion.”
“And what, I ask in an irritated tone, is it?”
“It’s an Amplifier.”
Kathryn stared blankly at me. “I thought you weren’t supposed to show them to anybody.”
“It’s not mine.”
“Well, whose is it?”
“Scallion’s. It all makes perfect sense now.”
Kathryn grabbed me by the shoulders. “I will give you two more seconds that rightfully belong to my Bobby. Now tell me…who…is…Scallion?”
“The head of the drug ring. Tammy Angel.”
“Oh. Unexpected.”
“Tell me about it.”
Chapter Twenty-two
A Bad Ending
“How do you know it’s her pen?” Kathryn asked.
“Amplifier. It fell out of her purse when she crashed into us.”
“Tammy Angel is the kidnapper?” Kathryn shook her head. “We already ruled her out. Too obvious. Drugs, grand theft auto, being stupid without a license, definitely. But kidnapping? Never.”
“I know. That’s why it makes perfect sense. Nobody would have noticed her hanging around the elementary school or the playground. To the outside world, she’s just an extremely hot cheerleader. But we know better. And as soon as you can get me out of here, I’m taking the Amplifier to Andy. He’ll analyze the memory fragments. Then we have her.”
“Okay, here’s the plan.” Kathryn took my hands. “I am going to the bathroom…and you are coming with me, because that’s what girls do. Then I’ll get back to my romantic moment, and make an excuse for you to leave.”
“How about if you go potty, and I find Egon and Bobby?”
“That works, too. Tell my Bobby I’ll be right there.” Kathryn opened the boiler room door and the Red Team stood waiting. Tammy’s eyes were still glazed, but she seemed to be in control.
“Lose something?” I asked, wondering if Tammy knew I had her Amplifier.
“Hi, Kathryn, beautiful gown,” Tammy sang. “You really should hang with us tonight, you know. The Red Team always needs women of your caliber.”
“Thanks,” Kathryn said, “but I’m planning on hanging with my boyfriend. TTFN.”
Tammy sneered at me. “Speaking of boyfriends, Peroxide, Egon was mine first. Thought you should know.”
Liar. “I do believe,” I said, batting my eyes and forcing the sweetest smile I could fake, “that was is the key word here. Don’t you agree?”
Tammy huffed and led the Red Team into the girl’s bathroom.
“Good one,” Kathryn said. “Okay, you find our dates while I do my thing.”
“I’m on it.”
As Kathryn disappeared through the bathroom door, I headed toward the gym, last known location of two very hot boys. I approached the crowded dance floor, but Bobby was standing alone.
“Where’s Egon?”
“I don’t know. He disappeared right after you did. Where’s Kitty?”
“Girl’s room.�
��
“Rubric’s going around badmouthing her. I’m probably going to have to erase him.”
“Erase?” I giggled at Bobby’s attempt at being cool.
“Less clichéd than ‘end’ or ‘destroy.’ I’m working on my tough guy vocabulary.”
“That’s where clichés were invented.” We stood in silence for several minutes, me wondering how Andy would handle Scallion once we verified that he was a she, Bobby apparently making up new superhero sayings.
“What are they doing?” Bobby finally asked. “Did they leave without us?”
Suddenly, someone grabbed me by the shoulder. I spun without thinking, twirled my arm up and around, and forced an arm lock on whoever it was that shouldn’t have been grabbing me.
“Hey. That hurts.”
I gasped. Poor Egon was all doubled over, his arm twisted in my grip. I let loose, and he stood up slowly. “Nice move.” He smiled, rubbing his shoulder. “We should spar some time.”
The very thought filled my head with pictures that I never knew I was capable of imagining…Kathryn would have been proud. I opened my mouth to say something witty, but just sort of gurgled.
Egon peeked at me out of the corner of his eye. “On second thought, maybe I’ll keep my distance. I don’t wanna be damaged.”
“Oh, Egon, I’d never damage you. I am so sorry. Are you okay?”
He continued to rub his poor shoulder. “I’ve had meaner opponents. But if you’d like to make it up to me, we could dance.”
I nodded happily. One quick dance before telling Andy about Scallion couldn’t hurt. Scallion wasn’t going anywhere.
“No more nose powdering?”
“I promise.”
“Can you retrieve my date first?” Bobby asked.
“She said she’d be right back.” I looked up at Egon.
“Go ahead. I’ll be right here. Then you’re all mine.”
What a sweet thought. When this kidnapper thing was over and Tammy was doing time, I would be free to be all his. As I worked my way through the crowd back to the bathroom, I thought about Tammy’s Amplifier. It would help us locate the other Knights. Maybe even their training ground. With Andy’s gadgets, he could trace it to wherever it had been. Like he always said, Memories…better than DNA.
Psi Another Day (Psi Fighter Academy) Page 18