The Last Thirteen - 1
Page 12
“Hey!” A voice rang out. It was Xavier, running up to join them. “What’d I miss?”
“Not much,” Eva laughed, grabbing his arm. “But where’s Lora, I thought you were having a tutorial with her?”
“I was, but I begged off early,” Xavier said, “Jedi has some new toys to show me. So if you don’t need me, I’m outta here!” He ran off again, throwing back a wave as he went.
“I can’t believe that guy,” Alex said. “Everything he’s been through and he’s the busiest kid on campus.”
“People cope with grief in many ways, Alex,” the Professor said. “Don’t mistake his actions for indifference. His life as he knew it shattered that night at the Dream Gate. He’s done well to pick himself back up.”
“You’re right,” Alex said, “of course, you’re right. I’m just jealous … all the girls love him!”
Eva punched his arm. “Whatever,” she laughed. “So, Sam, when are you going for another visit to see your family? Maybe I can come with and see mine too.”
Sam thought about his mom and dad, and his corny little brother, Ben. The reunion with them had been awkward but it brought such relief to discover that they were his real parents after all, as well as being Agents. It had been hard on them too, watching from afar as Sam struggled with the prophecy, knowing that to reach out to him would risk putting him, and Ben, in more danger. His relief had been shared by Eva when she discovered her parents had been in the same situation. The video message she’d received had been a cruel ruse by Matrix, using digital images of her parents to trick her. But it would be a long road back, there was a lot of trust to be regained.
But we’ll get there. We have all the time in the world now.
“We’ll do that soon,” Sam said, turning his attention back to Eva.
“Maybe we can all hang out at—” Alex was cut off by a loud whirring noise beyond the courtyard. A loudspeaker crackled. “Could Sam, Alex and Eva please come out to play?”
They turned to look at the Professor. “Go, go on,” he smiled, laughing as they ran through the still-broken arches and out into the mountainside beyond.
There they found Xavier waving to them from a space-age helicopter, hovering just above the ground, Jedi at the controls. “Come check this out,” he said over the speakers. “Jedi says we can have a go flying it, jump aboard.” The helicopter touched down gently, sending snow spiralling along the ground.
“You guys and me together in a helicopter?” Sam laughed. “What could possibly go wrong, right?”
Alex and Eva grinned, already running toward Xavier.
“Where’s your sense of adventure, man?” Alex shouted back to him.
“Come on, it’s time to start making some of those good memories!” Eva said.
“Sure, why not?” Sam said. “This could be fun …”
About the Author
James Phelan started writing his first novel while in high school. He now divides his time between writing thrillers and books for teens.
jamesphelan.com.au
Scholastic Canada Ltd.
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Phelan, James, 1979-, author
1 / James Phelan.
(The last thirteen ; book 13)
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-4431-3399-9 (pbk.).--ISBN 978-1-4431-3400-2 (html)
I. Title. II. Title: One. III. Series: Phelan, James, 1979-.
Last thirteen ; bk. 13.
PZ7.P52On 2015 j823’.92 C2014-901820-7
C2014-901821-5
First published by Scholastic Australia in 2014.
This edition published by Scholastic Canada Ltd. in 2015.
Text copyright © 2014 by James Phelan.
Illustrations & design copyright © 2014 by Scholastic Australia.
Illustrations by Chad Mitchell.
Design by Nicole Stofberg.
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First eBook edition: January 2015