Going Wild #3

by Lisa McMann

  By now Ms. Sabbith had guided the ladybug drone onto Prowl’s shoulder. She turned on the GPS system, which showed the bug’s location. “Got it,” she said. Three more dots appeared, representing Mac, Maria, and Charlie. “Quinn, can you wake up the others? I don’t know exactly what is happening, but it’s time to act.”

  “I’m not sure why Dr. Gray left without Prowl, Miko, and Kelly,” said Maria, “but we should take them out while we have the chance. While they’re separated from the others.”

  “Great idea,” said Charlie grimly. She peered out the window and down the street, seeing it in daylight for the first time. “Where are we? Which way are they going?”

  “They’re going toward the lake, which is down the hill,” said Ms. Sabbith. She pointed at the map and showed everyone where their house was, where Dr. Gray’s house was, and a few other various landmarks to help them navigate in the unfamiliar place. “You can’t get lost. We’re between the park and the marina, up the hill past the shops.”

  “Okay,” said Charlie. “We should go right now. What are we waiting for?”

  “Don’t we need Dr. Jakande and your dad?” asked Mac.

  Charlie shook her head impatiently. “It’s just the three of them. We can handle them. Dad and Dr. J. can follow us when they’re ready. This is our chance to stop them before they catch up to Dr. Gray.”

  Ms. Sabbith and Dr. Sharma glanced at each other, and then Dr. Sharma nodded. “Okay, you can go. But only engage them if you know you can beat them. Otherwise wait and follow.”

  “And stay in touch,” said Ms. Sabbith. “I know you’re not used to talking into your bracelets, but we need to hear from you when you can manage it. We’ll let you know if we see a way to help you from here. And if you get lost, I’ll guide you. Just remember what I told you before and you’ll be fine. We believe in you.”

  “Got it,” said Charlie. She took off toward the door, but a second later Dr. Jakande appeared, looking sleepy and disheveled. “Charlie, wait!” she called. “What are you doing?”

  “We can handle it, Dr. Jakande. I promise. It’s just Miko, Prowl, and Kelly. We’ve got to go now so we don’t lose track of them.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Charlie nodded.

  “Okay. But hold on just one more second.” Dr. Jakande disappeared inside her room.

  “What is it?” said Charlie, impatient to get going.

  The woman reappeared and held out her body suit. “Here. Wear this. It’ll help protect you, at least a little.”

  Charlie stared. “What about them?”

  “Mac has his pangolin suit. Maria’s alligator scales will help her. But you don’t have anything. I meant to make you one, but I ran out of time. Take it. Please.”

  Charlie hesitated a second more, then took the suit, yelling, “Thanks!” as she ran into the bathroom to put it on. A minute later she was out the door and in the driveway, connecting the mask to the suit but leaving it hanging down her back for now.

  Maria and Mac followed right behind. Mac took a preventative hit on his inhaler, then the three of them started jogging downhill, anxious to locate the soldiers and Kelly. It was barely light out, and very few people were up and about around them.

  “It’s weird not having a clue where we are,” said Maria. She lifted her wrist to her mouth and tried out her microphone to make sure Ms. Sabbith could still hear her.

  “I’ve got you loud and clear,” the woman told them all through their earpieces. “You’re heading in the right direction. The ladybug cam has been stationary near the marina for a while now, like they’re waiting for something. You’re just a couple blocks behind them.”

  “Thanks, Ms. Sabbith,” said Charlie into her device. They sped up.

  A few minutes of jogging had them in sight of the lake, too. The early morning sun shone a sparkling white path from the water’s edge to a quarter of the way out. The kids could see a big island in the middle of the lake. Near the shore a few blocks to their right was the park Ms. Sabbith had mentioned. To the left was the marina with several boats and a public ferry. A few fishermen were up and moving around the wharf.

  Charlie thought she caught a glimpse of three people moving. She pointed. “Is that them?” she asked.

  “I think so,” said Maria. She looked around carefully.

  “The ladybug cam is still near the marina,” said Ms. Sabbith in their ears.

  “That’s them all right,” said Mac. He pressed to talk. “Thanks, Ms. Sabbith. We see them.”

  “Ten-four. Remember, call me if you need me.”

  Mac glanced around to see if there were any onlookers, then engaged his device, switching on the basilisk lizard to help him move faster and more easily.

  “What are you doing?” asked Charlie, whirling around. “People could see you.”

  “Eh,” said Mac with a shrug. “Maybe they’ll think it’s a costume. I don’t think we can care about that at the moment. Plus, I can move way faster this way without getting winded.”

  Charlie raised an eyebrow, but his reasoning made sense.

  Maria pressed her lips together, then clicked on her device too, becoming a weremonkey. “Being seen in public doesn’t matter anymore with so much at stake,” she said. “Besides, Prowl and Miko look pretty weird too. Maybe people will think we’re in a parade or going to a costume party.”

  “Early morning costume parties are all the rage,” muttered Charlie. But she didn’t blame her friends. She had all her abilities activated too, only she didn’t have to worry about anybody noticing. “Let’s go with the parade idea if anybody questions us.”

  They rounded the corner and suddenly Prowl, Miko, and Kelly were within spitting range, standing in the road and arguing. Prowl had left his mask off and Miko was full-fledged animal with her hairy chimp body and enormous wings. “Watch out,” whispered Charlie. She hid behind a parked car and peered over the hood. Kelly and the soldiers were now looking everywhere, like they’d lost something.

  Maria and Mac knelt behind Charlie. “How are we going to do this?” said Maria, glancing around the street and spotting things she could potentially use to jump off of or swing around.

  “I’m thinking,” said Charlie. She inched forward.

  In their ears, Ms. Sabbith spoke up. “Charles and Nubia leaving shortly.”

  The kids didn’t respond. Charlie glanced at the others, took a deep breath, and then double-checked that her speed, strength, and climbing abilities were on. As long Kelly stayed visible, Charlie didn’t need the infrared vision. She weighed options, trying to decide the best way for the three to attack. “I’ll go after Prowl,” she whispered. “Maria, take Miko. Mac … can you take on Kelly?”

  Mac frowned. Fighting against Kelly seemed weird, but somebody had to do it—she was an enemy now. He nodded to Charlie. Staying crouched, he awkwardly switched to his pangolin armor to protect himself from Kelly’s spikes. That would give him his claws to fight back … or maybe even just rip her bracelet off. He didn’t have to hurt her, he realized with relief. He just had to capture her and remove the device.

  “Okay,” whispered Charlie. “Everybody do your thing. Let’s go.” Charlie sprang up and charged, speeding across the street. Maria and Mac followed. Charlie went straight at Prowl, grabbing him around the torso before he knew what was happening and picking him up high in the air so he couldn’t reach her face with his claws. He yowled and swiped at her, missing, then sliced her forearm.

  “Ouch!” Charlie cried as blood surfaced and poured out of the wound. Furious, she threw Prowl as far as she could, sending him half a block up the hill and landing hard. Charlie chased after him.

  Maria bounded up the side of a different parked car and jumped on Miko. The chimp woman hit the sidewalk, but her wings broke her fall. She grabbed Maria’s shoulders and rolled her over. Then she hopped up, spread her wings, and took flight, staying low in the air and trying to attack Maria from above. She swooped low and reached out, grabbing the gir
l by her tail and carrying her up in the air. Maria shrieked, twisting and turning as she swung her fists, and tried to get free or get Miko to go down to ground level.

  By the time Mac got to Kelly, she’d realized what was happening. Quickly she activated her device and looked to see who was coming at her. Mac slowed, uncertain. It was really weird taking on Kelly, especially now that she was right in front of him. He wasn’t sure what to do. At least she couldn’t hurt him. Maybe he could just let her attack him for a while, like the pangolin does with a lion. It might tire her out, at least. He stood there, waiting for her to make a move.

  Kelly rushed at him. “Oh my gosh! Mac!” she said. “What are you doing here? Did you come to rescue me? Can you help me get home?”

  “What?” said Mac, taken aback. Was she trying to throw him off guard? Of course she was. She was the sneakiest person he’d ever known. Mac stared at the girl, growing angry. “Nice try, Kelly. Surprise, you’re still horrible.”

  He thought of all the awful things she’d done to them. She’d lied about using the Mark Four. She’d left them to go be with Dr. Gray after all they’d done to protect her. After all they’d tried to do for her. She’d hypnotized her own parents into forgetting her. And she’d attacked at least four people with her extremely dangerous platypus spikes—including Andy and that freaking government official who was in a coma. Kelly was bad news.

  Kelly stopped. Now she looked confused. “How did you find us?”

  Mac’s eyes narrowed. Another ploy. He was ready to look away in an instant if she decided to try that little hypnotism trick on him. He didn’t trust her for a second. He didn’t care what she said. She was an actor. Always playing a part. This person in front of him wasn’t the real Kelly he used to know. The one who’d given him money to buy a new iPad when his had been stolen by the same people she was fighting alongside now. This Kelly was someone trying to manipulate him. Someone trying to get him to let down his guard. And Mac was not having any more of Kelly Parker.

  “Mac?” she said, her eyes pleading. “You … you remember me, right? It’s me. Kelly.”

  Mac remembered all right. Everything about her was making him angry. “I sure do.” Without another thought, he wound up and slugged Kelly in the face with his pangolin claws. She hit the ground, stunned and unmoving. Mac scrambled to take the device off her wrist. But like the others, it was locked on. In the confusion of getting there and their scramble out the door, they’d forgotten to get the code from Dr. Sharma. Could he rip it off without taking her hand with it?

  Maria screamed overhead. Mac looked up and he let Kelly’s arm drop. Miko was swinging Maria around by the tip of her tail, flying uncomfortably high. Maria was trying desperately to grab on to one of Miko’s legs, but failing to reach them. One lurch and Maria could be trying to fly, too.

  Leaving Kelly on the side of the road, Mac switched to basilisk lizard mode so he could run properly. He stayed below Maria in case the flying monkey decided to drop her. If she did, he’d be there to catch her. “Let go of her!” he shouted. “Go back to Oz, you flying monkey!”

  Kelly rolled to her side, then gingerly felt her throbbing jaw and hoped nothing was broken. Her face clouded. Clearly Mac and the others hadn’t come here to rescue her. Maybe Dr. Gray had been telling the truth about them—maybe they were the bad guys after all. Everything was so confusing.

  With Mac distracted, Kelly turned her camouflage ability on and staggered to her feet. She limped down the dock to the ferry and leaned up against the side of it to catch her breath. People trickled aboard for a ride to the island. Kelly watched them for a moment, listening to them talk about the landmarks. And then she slowly turned to look at the island in the distance: the houses dotted prettily all the way up. The giant statue rising above all of them. “Oh,” she said softly. “So that’s where he went.”

  CHAPTER 38

  A Dangerous Turn

  Charlie kicked at Prowl, but he rolled and she missed. He hopped up and they ran at each other in the street, the leopard man trying at every turn to sink his claws into Charlie—he knew how much she hated that. The two had fought multiple times in the past, but this time Prowl had a little surprise for his old enemy. When she twisted away and ran at him again, he slammed his claws into her shoulders and sent a bolt of electricity through her.

  Charlie screamed. Dr. Jakande’s suit didn’t seem to help in this case. A few locals heard her cries and came out of their shops and houses to see what was happening. Three of them started toward the fight, shouting in Spanish. But Charlie, furious at the electric cat, grabbed Prowl by the ankles and flipped him backward, high in the air. He landed, cracking his skull on the ground, and groaned. Charlie picked him up again and swung him around and around in a circle, clearing the area and sending the people running for cover. She let the man fly and he went wriggling through the air, trying to turn himself so he’d land on his feet. He failed and skidded into the side of a pottery shop, breaking its showcase window and knocking a sign down. It landed on his head.

  Charlie gripped her aching shoulders and took the moment to look around for the others. Kelly was nowhere in sight, which wasn’t surprising. Maria was being flown around by Miko, with Mac running dutifully below. Maria reached out whenever she saw something she could grab on to, but Miko always kept her just outside of reach.

  “Use Turbo!” Charlie hollered at her friend, in case Maria hadn’t thought of it. “Or switch to alligator!”

  “I need to stay a monkey in case she drops me!” Maria hollered back.

  Prowl was getting up and pulling glass shards out of his shoulders. Charlie turned her attention back to him. He started heading up the street away from the water, trying to get away from her, which seemed odd.

  Charlie followed, wondering uneasily what had happened to Kelly—maybe Mac had clobbered her. Or maybe Prowl was leading her into a trap and the girl was waiting for her. Charlie activated her viper vision and swept her gaze around, just in case. Nothing. Just as she was catching up to Prowl, he turned and came at her with his electric claws again. Charlie stopped. She had to avoid those at all costs—they’d been a real shocker. And even though her starfish ability had kicked in, Charlie was still sore and shaky from it. It was a powerful ability. Too powerful. “Dang it, Prowl,” she muttered.

  Above the shops, Maria went into Turbo monkey mode, and her arms, legs, and tail grew four inches. Not realizing it, Miko flew too close to a church roof. Maria’s arm shot out and caught the tip of the steeple spire. She yanked herself loose from Miko’s grasp and slid down to the belfry, then went inside the opening where the bell hung. She climbed down and disappeared. Mac stood at the base of the church, looking up.

  “Mac!” shouted Charlie. “Help me with Prowl! His claws are electric now!”

  Seeing Charlie’s fear, the leopard man came at her. Mac switched to basilisk lizard and ran toward them. Charlie darted out of Prowl’s reach, then jumped and stuck to the side of a building. She crawled up, then leaped on top of Prowl’s head, knocking him down. Swiftly she pinned his arms to the ground. He struggled under her.

  Mac caught up and switched back to pangolin.

  “Sit on him until the others come,” said Charlie. “And chop him up into little pieces if he tries to move.” She looked around again and saw Maria exiting the church doors and coming toward them. “Now, where’s Miko?”

  Mac obeyed. Prowl yowled and flailed and tried to squeeze out from under Mac, swiping at him with his sharp claws, but they clanged and sparked off Mac’s armor. When Mac had had enough of the soldier’s squirming, he cracked his pangolin claws down onto Prowl’s forearms, pinning them. He looked around to make sure nobody else was coming for him, and saw Miko swooping down toward Maria and Charlie.

  “Look out!” Mac shouted, but he was too late. Miko plowed into both girls, knocking them flat, then soared up again out of reach.

  Charlie flipped over and scrambled up, then helped Maria to her feet. They chased after M
iko. “When she flies back at us, climb up onto this truck and grab her,” Charlie whispered to Maria. They waited, then both bounded up on top of the truck parked along the street. Before Miko could swerve, the girls jumped at her, grabbing onto her legs.

  “Hang on!” cried Maria.

  Miko shrieked. Her wings weren’t strong enough to hold two of them. The three crashed to the ground and rolled. Maria got the wind knocked out of her and couldn’t move. But Charlie twisted Miko’s leg hard behind her and knelt on it. Miko hollered and flapped her wings wildly, trying to get Charlie off her. Charlie nearly lost her balance but lunged forward onto Miko’s back, slamming the soldier’s face into the pavement. She gave a muffled shout. Quickly Charlie scrambled up and stepped on the back of Miko’s neck. Miko flopped but couldn’t get away.

  “Maria!” Charlie called out. “Are you okay?”

  Maria rolled over slowly. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice shaky. She tried to get up.

  Just then they heard a long, angry buzzing sound. Mac screamed. They looked over to see smoke rising from Mac’s suit, and he fell limp on top of Prowl. Prowl cackled, then slithered out from under him.

  “Mac!” Charlie couldn’t make sense of what had happened. Mac’s pangolin suit was supposed to protect him from everything.

  Maria staggered to her feet. “Leave him alone!” she screamed at Prowl. She switched to alligator mode and ran at him, teeth gleaming. Surprised, Prowl stared. Maria attacked, trying to take a bite out of his shoulder, and they hit the road hard. He sliced Maria with his electric claws. and she screamed and stiffened, momentarily paralyzed by the shock. Her alligator scales were as useless as Charlie’s suit against electricity.

  Frustrated and knowing Mac needed help, Charlie picked up Miko and threw her hard against the church wall. The woman crumpled to the ground and didn’t move. Charlie checked her to see that she was breathing but unconscious. She left her there and went after Prowl. “Go see if Mac’s okay!” Charlie called to Maria.