by Wesley King
Ally looked at James, her face completely white. “What was that?”
“Sorry,” Hayden said, “I forgot to tell you that these canoes have motors. They’re in the back, streamlined. Really cool. That’s why I like coming so much.”
“I didn’t see any motors,” Ally replied, sounding suspicious. “And I’m pretty sure we flew into the air at one point.”
Hayden grinned. “They’re super strong.”
Ally looked unconvinced.
“That was awesome,” James said. “But it’s not nice to surprise people.”
He swept his paddle into the water and a massive wave erupted toward them. Lana screamed and covered her eyes as the wave enveloped the canoe, almost tipping it over. Her clothes were soaked right through.
Lana scowled. “Remember how the water’s cold?”
Picking up her own paddle, she sent an equally large wave back at them, swamping their canoe. Ally and Sam screamed as they tried to cover themselves.
“That’s it!” James bellowed.
Soon, both sides were exchanging vicious blasts of water. James stood up to get more force just as Hayden floated a large ball of water out of the river and sent it crashing into his back. He was knocked right out of the canoe, shouting as he went.
Lana doubled over laughing, but two strong hands suddenly pushed on the side of their canoe from below. The canoe rolled and the three of them went pitching backward into the icy water. Lana shot back to the surface, blinking water out of her eyes.
Hayden and Emily were already splashing back at James, so Lana crawled on top of their overturned canoe and gripped the far side. She pulled, righting it again as she dropped back in the water. Then, with a powerful sweep of her legs, she propelled herself back inside, grunting as her face hit the wooden floor.
Lana was just helping Emily crawl over the side when Sam shouted, “Hey! Look!”
He was pointing toward the bank. Following his gaze, Lana saw a shadow detach from one of the trees and scurry into the woods.
“That looks like the same person I saw the other day!” Emily said.
“After him!” Hayden shouted.
He threw himself out of the water with an invisible push and managed to land somewhat on his feet in the canoe. James crawled up after him.
“Start the motor!” Hayden commanded.
“I think it’s a little late for—” James said.
“Thanks!”
The canoe streaked forward, sending them all toppling into one another.
“Guard Ally!” Hayden shouted back to Sam in the other canoe.
“Sam’s the one person we need!” Lana yelled. “He can figure out who it is!”
“Too late!” Hayden replied.
Their canoe crossed the muddied river in an instant and slid to a halt halfway up the shore. James, Lana, Emily, and Hayden bounded out, picking their way through the low-hanging branches. Lana surveyed the trees ahead for movement but saw nothing.
“Boy, that person is fast,” Emily muttered. “Did anyone get a look—”
“There!” James said, pointing as the shadow reappeared between two trees.
They all took off after it, running as fast as the dense forest would allow. The shadowy figure slipped in and out of their vision, moving with incredible speed. Soon only Lana and James were keeping up, and even he began to drop back as the thick branches became more of an obstacle. Lana kept running but finally slowed down when she could no longer see the shadow. She could hear the others calling for her, and she was just turning back when she heard a branch snap. She whirled around and saw the figure watching her from about thirty feet away. She could see now that it was a man with dark hair and eyes, and he was staring at her with a cold, detached expression.
“Who are you?” she called to him, but he made no reaction.
She took a step toward him and he vanished again. Lana stood there for a moment, disturbed. Whoever it was, they were definitely superpowered. No one else could move that fast.
James finally caught up, soon followed by Emily and Hayden.
“Did you see him?” Emily asked.
“Yeah,” Lana said quietly. “I didn’t recognize him, though. He vanished before I could get any closer.”
“Well, whoever it is got a good look at us,” James said. “Nice one, Hayden.”
Hayden shrugged. “It was still fun.”
“We better get back,” Lana said. “Ally and Sam are probably scared.”
They started for the shore and climbed into the canoe. Hayden steered them beside the others and James clambered back into the second canoe.
“What was that about?” Ally asked, shivering. “What were you chasing?”
“Nothing,” James replied. “Just thought it was someone we knew.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Staring at you from the trees?”
“Yeah, he’s a weird guy,” Hayden said.
“Sam,” Lana whispered, “did you . . . you know?”
Sam glanced at Ally, who was busy questioning James, and leaned over. “Nothing. It’s like they weren’t even there. No thoughts, no emotions.”
“Has that ever happened before?”
He shook his head. “Never. From what Sliver told me, it’s impossible. Even guarded minds can still be detected. Whatever that thing was, it could sneak up right behind us, and I would have no idea.”
8
“I’M STILL SHIVERING,” ALLY SAID AS SHE STRAIGHTENED HER HAIR LATER that night, staring into the small mirror she’d brought with her. “I probably have pneumonia.”
James adjusted his shirt and used the reflection in the window to look himself over. With considerable effort, he held back a sarcastic remark. James was trying very hard not to fight with her tonight. He wanted to make sure he could keep a close eye on Ally during the party. Muffled voices were already carrying up the stairs as the first guests had begun arriving almost an hour earlier. Ally had insisted that James wait with her until she finished, and he was getting very impatient.
“Ready?” he asked for the tenth time.
“Do I look ready?” she replied calmly.
“Yes. You looked ready two hours ago. We’re missing the party.”
She glared at him. “It’s, like, eight thirty.”
“And they’re already here,” he said, gesturing at the closed door. “You’re not going to prom. It’s a house party.”
“I don’t get to go to many house parties,” she said. “I need to look my best.”
“Just stay close to me,” James told her. He turned back to the window to fix his collar.
He was wearing a black dress shirt that clung to his pronounced chest and biceps. It was probably too tight, but no one would say anything. Except Hayden, he thought resignedly. James was still getting used to the drastic change in his appearance. Five months ago he looked in the mirror and saw a skinny kid with untidy brown hair and a pointy nose: his mother’s “little weasel.” Now his short hair was shaped into purposefully messy spikes and his body was lined with rippling muscles. He still had a pointy, freckled nose, but even that seemed to fit better now.
“I still don’t know how those canoes did that. I didn’t see any motors. I get the impression you’re not telling me something,” Ally said. She pursed her glossy lips and faced the mirror from both directions. “It has something to do with the abductions, I’m sure of it.”
James turned to her. “Well, to tell you the truth, we were actually experimented on by the Vindico, who forced us to be their protégés and then tried to use us to crush the League of Heroes and take over the world.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Very funny. You’re such a jerk.”
James shrugged and swung open the bedroom door. “After you.”
* * *
Emily stared at herself in the mirror. She wore black and purple eye shadow and her lips were colored to match. Her white skin contrasted sharply with the dark colors. Her black hair was curled in loose ringlets and it fell over
a frayed white blouse in a tangle. It was unusual for her to wear anything but black, but she had decided to try something different for the long-awaited reunion.
It was great to have everyone together again; it felt like they’d never even been apart. But she couldn’t help but notice that everyone seemed a little stronger, a little more confident. Their powers were growing. She’d known that Hayden was perfecting his abilities, but Sam had also told her that his telepathic range had extended, and Lana and James both seemed even faster and more muscular than when they’d left. Emily hadn’t changed in the slightest. She wondered if the others would outgrow her.
She exited the bathroom and headed downstairs. The house was already filling up. The bottom of the staircase was an eclectic swirl of people and more were streaming through the front doors. Dozens of loud conversations filtered up toward her, and she sighed inwardly as she joined the crowd. She did miss the quiet sometimes.
Emily located the others and hurried toward them.
“There she is!” Hayden shouted. “Get over here.”
Emily sidled up on the other side of Hayden and noticed that Lana was talking with Ally while James listened in with a sour expression on his face. Ally was telling a story about James moping around the house after the whole Sara incident.
Emily glanced at Sam and saw that he was staring intently at the wall, his brown eyes glazed over. “Are you all right, Sam?”
Sam shook his head. “Yeah, just thought I heard something.”
“Was it screaming teenagers?” Hayden asked seriously. “I think I hear them too,” he added in a whisper.
“It’s nothing,” Sam said, forcing a smile. “Just imagining things.”
But Emily could tell he was disturbed. “I’m going to grab my visor and have a quick look outside to make sure our little friend isn’t creeping around out there,” she whispered to Hayden. Lana was close enough that she overhead.
“I’ll come with you,” she volunteered.
Hayden waved a hand in dismissal. “I’m sure it’s—”
“You stay here and watch the party,” Emily said. “Let’s go, Lana.”
She headed for the stairs with Lana right on her tail.
“Let’s catch him this time,” Lana muttered. “This is weirding me out.”
“Agreed,” Emily said, as she bounded up the steps to her room to retrieve her visor before meeting Lana by the front door.
When they got outside, they saw more people milling around on the driveway. Emily walked to the side of the house where a narrow alley ran to the backyard, wrapped in heavy darkness. She heard Lana’s soft footsteps crunching against the gravel behind her. Emily gently placed the silver visor over her left eye and felt a tiny bit of suction as it attached itself.
“On,” she whispered, and the view from that eye instantly switched to red. Spots of mottled colors appeared from inside the house, clumped together in a vibrant mix.
“Ready?” Emily asked.
“Yeah,” Lana said. “Let’s go hunting.”
* * *
“Sam, let me introduce you to Christa,” Hayden said. “You’re fifteen, right?” he asked her.
The girl nodded.
“Sam’s sixteen,” Hayden lied, patting his shoulder, “but he’s got that youthful look. Isn’t he cute?”
Sam flushed.
“He is,” Christa agreed. “Nice to meet you, Sam.”
Sam gingerly reached out and shook her hand. Christa’s friend was standing close behind her, and she met Hayden’s eyes, smiling.
“Do you live around here, Sam?” Christa asked.
Hayden faded out of the ensuing conversation and looked around, analyzing the party. It seemed to be going well enough. There was a decent mix of guys and girls, and they were all laughing and talking.
He spotted an ex-girlfriend, Kayla, staring at him from the corner, and he quickly looked away. He really didn’t want Lana to meet any of his exes.
Stay over there, he thought, stay over there.
A few moments later, he felt a tug on his arm. He sighed.
“Hello,” Hayden said, turning around.
“Hi,” Kayla replied, pushing his arm. “You’re ignoring me tonight.”
“Sort of,” he agreed.
“Is that blonde your new girlfriend?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yep.”
“She’s cute,” Kayla said. “Where did she go?”
“I don’t know. The bathroom, I guess.”
“Why don’t you introduce me when she gets back?”
Hayden frowned. “Why would I do that?”
“Because I want to meet her!”
“Yeah, sure, I’ll come find you,” he muttered. “I should probably go see if she’s all right.”
“Come find me after,” Kayla said, and then went to join her friends, walking with a pronounced swing of her hips.
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that,” he said to himself, and then turned to Sam. “Back in a sec.”
Sam glanced at him in alarm.
“Christa will keep you company,” Hayden assured him, and then headed for the front door. He strode out into the cool night air, scanning over the driveway.
“Hayden!” someone shouted.
Steve and Dan appeared out of the shadows and clambered up the porch.
“Where’s the wife?” Steve asked, nudging his arm.
“That word is not allowed,” Hayden replied firmly.
Dan snickered. “He’s a married man.”
“That word isn’t allowed either,” Hayden said. “And she’s around.”
Dan looked at him seriously. “Are you in love?”
“What is with you two?”
Steve shrugged. “Fair question.”
Hayden just looked at him and shook his head, smirking. He couldn’t say no.
“I knew it!” Dan said loudly. “He’s in love. She must be special.”
“That’s an understatement,” Hayden agreed. “I would be very polite when you meet her if I were you.”
* * *
“Must you follow me everywhere?” Ally asked, glaring at James.
“Yes,” James replied simply. “There are too many Haydens here.”
He’d noticed a lot of older guys checking out his sister throughout the night, and he was starting to get annoyed. He needed a sign that said she was only twelve. With her makeup and the new outfit she’d gotten for the trip, she looked a lot older than that.
Ally rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you go flirt with Lana?”
“What?” James asked, feeling his cheeks flush.
“It’s obvious you’re in love with her,” Ally said dismissively, smiling at a group of guys.
James stepped in front of her, blocking their view. “I am not.”
“Whatever.” Ally looked around the kitchen. “Where is Hayden? I should get a picture while I’m all done up.”
“He is dating Lana, you know,” James said.
Ally shrugged. “I like Hayden, you like Lana . . . it’s perfect. Let’s make a switch.”
James sighed deeply. He did notice a few girls looking his way, but he still wasn’t interested. His sister might be annoying, but she was also right. That just made it worse.
He was going to suggest they find Lana and Emily when he heard something—a quiet voice. But before he could discern the words, it was gone again. James blinked, confused. He was pretty tired; he hadn’t slept very well on the couch. Maybe he’d sit down for a minute.
“Let’s sit on the couch,” he suggested.
“Yeah, I want to sit on the couch with my older brother at my first house party,” Ally said. “That sounds awesome. Can I at least just go talk to that group of girls?”
James considered that. “Just stay close—”
She was gone before he finished his sentence. Shaking his head, he found a free spot on the couch and plopped into it. Then he heard the voice again. And this time, he couldn’t help but listen.
; * * *
Christa giggled. “So how do you know Hayden?”
Did I say something funny? Sam wondered. She seemed to laugh a lot, even when he gave simple answers to her questions.
“We were both kidnapped by the Villains.”
She put her hand over her mouth. “You’re one of those kids? You’re famous!”
“I guess,” Sam said awkwardly.
She took a small step toward him. “It must have been terrible. I recognize you now. I saw you on the news! I still can’t believe Hayden was one of them too. It was so crazy when I saw that he was taken. Were you scared?”
“Yeah,” Sam told her. “But it ended up okay.”
“You’re so brave. I would still be having nightmares. But I’m a baby,” she said, laughing. Her hand landed on Sam’s arm.
Sam thought her dimpled cheeks and dark eyes were very cute. But the more he talked to her, the more he missed Deanna. Both times she’d come to visit him, they’d only had an afternoon together before a League member picked her up again. But it was still great. They spoke with their minds as much as their mouths, and it made their conversations extremely intimate. He’d never felt so close to someone in his life.
“So, do you have a girlfriend?” Christa asked.
“No,” Sam said. “Do you?”
She laughed again. “No, I prefer guys.”
“Oh yeah, I meant—”
He stopped as a strange voice brushed against his mind. The words were faint and intangible, like someone calling from far away. It was the same thing he’d heard in the kitchen earlier, except now it was louder.
“Are you all right?” Christa asked, breaking into his thoughts. “You just phased out there.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Can you excuse me for a minute?”
Without waiting for an answer, Sam headed to the bathroom. He saw Emily and Lana coming down the hallway from the back door. Emily was tucking her visor under her arm, and they were talking in low voices.
“Anything?” Sam asked.
Emily shook her head. “The heat signatures were all in the houses. Nothing sneaking around outside.”
“Where’s Hayden?” Lana asked.