by Gwenda Bond
Maddy did snort out loud then, but I didn’t think Butler heard it. We made our way up the hall.
“Meet out front after school?” I asked.
*
School lasted way too long; it was a fact.
Staying focused during my classes when I knew we should be out there pursuing our lead—well, it wasn’t easy. What if they moved headquarters after they found the phone? What if the guy had found the phone and tossed it before he ever got close to their base of operations? What would Perry’s reaction be when I asked him to accompany me to Stryker’s Island this weekend?
And the big one, the question to end all questions, the one that hovered in big neon letters inside my head: what were SmallvilleGuy’s parents going to decide?
There was no word from him when school let out, and I didn’t want to seem like I was obsessing. Even though he must know I was obsessing.
Besides, I had some people to locate. I’d suggested my friends meet me out front to prevent another huddle crash by Principal Butler. The others were already there waiting for me, along with Dante. Maddy had her hand in his, but she was gazing off up the street.
Dante had helped us out with the story about James’s dad and in aiding Maddy’s sister—and he had been completely sanguine about the fact there were beyond strange things going on in the world. He’d also painted an amazing wall-sized mural that featured, among others, the four of us as heroes. He was a good guy.
But Maddy’s Great Wall of Denial T-shirt couldn’t be good. Not after our conversation the other day. She was getting practically poetic here, and I wondered if she meant her denial or Dante’s. The wall being described as “great” didn’t seem like a good omen.
The streets around school were crowded at this time of day (and at most times of day), busy with people running errands and going to and from home and offices. We had to stagger our group along the street to avoid gumming up the works. I ended up walking behind Devin with James at my side, Maddy and Dante right behind us.
I hadn’t yet told them about the other part of getting the thumbs-up to see Boss Moxie—that I had to ask Perry to come with me. But now seemed as good a time as any.
So I took my phone out and scrolled to my contact for Perry. He answered right away. “Lane? This had better be good,” he said.
“Hi, Perry. It is,” I said. James gave me a wide-eyed look, and so did Devin, turning to do so. “We’re having a little trouble really nailing what was going on with those sightings…”
“You don’t say,” Perry said.
“I thought I might cultivate Boss Moxie as a source. You know he must still have eyes on everything that goes on in the city,” I continued.
Perry barked a ha. “Fat chance of him agreeing to that.”
“Actually,” I said, “he’s put me on the visitation roster for eleven o’clock tomorrow morning. I need, uh, an adult to come along. Would you be able to join me?”
There was a long silence. I waited for his response.
“Of course,” Perry said. “Interesting strategy, Lane. See you tomorrow at the ferry where the transport loads. Or before, if you manage to crack this story without his help. If it even is one.”
“We’re working on it,” I said. “Thanks for coming with me.”
Maddy and I high-fived, and I even managed not to drop the phone by employing the elbow trick. I slid my phone in my back pocket and gave them all a grin that was meant to be a lesson. “I don’t think I got to fully crow about this earlier.” I put my hand up to my ear. “Who’s laughing now?”
James shook his head, blinking admiringly. “Wow.”
“I hope Moxie’s not seeing you to tell you he plans to take you out,” Devin said.
Dante said, “He’s not the type who would be sentimental that way. He’d just do it.”
Dante knew what he was talking about. He lived at the edge of Suicide Slum, a neighborhood Boss Moxie had run—and kept down—for years. He and James both had firsthand experience the rest of us didn’t, not quite, in terms of Moxie’s impact. Though we’d been close enough to the crime boss to get the grim picture.
“We’ll see,” I said.
“I’m glad Perry will be there,” Maddy said.
I started walking again, and so did the others. “Did you check the power grid and abandoned buildings database for this block yet?” I asked Devin.
“Of course. Nothing. Most of these buildings have occupants,” he said. “And none of these addresses are leaving a record of using more power than they should be.”
We were getting close to the block, if I was right about where to go.
Devin said, “Look alive, guys.”
“This is where he knocked me down the first time,” I said.
“I still can’t believe you let him get away with that,” James said.
“Well, he was exceeding regular human speeds.” I didn’t like that he had gotten away with it either.
“We’ve learned our lesson, officially,” Maddy said. “Plus, you can still retaliate. There’s time.”
“I appreciate the vote of confidence, oh ye of little faith,” I said, and sped up.
Plus the corner where I’d seen that glam lady, and where I’d lost Todd, was right ahead.
“This is it,” I said, stopping.
Devin pointed ahead of us. “And this is the block where the phone stopped transmitting.”
The street was, once again, quiet. Awnings and a couple of empty storefronts, an apartment building and a couple of others that were nondescript, maybe business offices.
“I say we go up and down both sides, looking for anything unusual,” I suggested.
Maddy asked, “Do we split up? Each group take a side?”
“No,” I said, “we’re not in a huge hurry. Let’s stay together. We might get ambushed by our armor-wearing pals. Strength in numbers.”
The only people on the sidewalks were dressed in comfortable clothes. No glam ladies to be seen. We started up the block, not seeing anything noteworthy—a little market, a flower shop. “We could go in and ask if any of these people have noticed anyone weird running around the neighborhood,” Maddy said.
I looked at the other side of the street, up and down, then back at the one we were on. The building just ahead of us was a brownstone, fairly anonymous, with no particularly memorable details. It had caught my attention because it sported security cameras poking out from the upper floor, pointed at the street. No other building on either block had visible cameras like this.
“Too risky,” I said.
No one responded, but I turned to see Maddy watching me. “Do you have a fever?” she asked. “You think asking questions is too risky?”
Right. They didn’t know about the surveillance photo of me. Or Todd saying I could have an exclusive if I went with Sunny and him. They had no idea about the silver squad’s fixation on me.
“I should have said not necessary,” I clarified. “Yet.”
“All right,” Maddy said, a skeptical note in her voice.
Dante nudged her and said, “Usually you’d be telling her not to take unnecessary risks.”
“You don’t know everything about me,” Maddy said.
Dante’s smile vanished.
Before things could get more awkward, I said, “Up here,” and started toward the building with the cameras. I’d never seen anything like them. They were sleek and black and reflective. Not like the silver armor, but fancier than the usual crappy surveillance camera. I pointed at one.
“I count four of them,” Devin said. “You ever seen cameras like this before?”
I shook my head.
“That seems excessive for a brownstone,” James said. “The neighborhood hardly seems crime-riddled.”
I held up my phone and snapped some photos of the building. I could feel in m
y gut this was the right place. Or a right place, at least. “Can you guys tell if this is residential or a business? I sure can’t.”
There was no identifying signage. Not even the numbers of an address.
“It could be anything,” Maddy said.
“Anything that has a little touch of paranoia,” I agreed.
Another camera was mounted just over the front door, which was glass. No helpful Ismenios logo here.
But there was a buzzer and speaker beside it. And I wanted a look inside.
I walked over directly in front of the door and peered through the glass. What I saw was even odder. No furniture, no lighting fixtures. It was by all appearances unused.
“There’s nothing in there. It’s empty,” I said.
“Maybe it’s not the right spot, then,” Devin said. “They probably found the phone and tossed it into a trash can on this block.”
That was logical. There was no reason to think otherwise. The cameras could just be someone protecting an investment they wanted to rent later. But, for some reason, my senses were on high alert. I could feel this was the place.
Despite there being no real evidence.
I walked back toward the sidewalk where the others were waiting, but stopped before I reached them. I turned so the camera over the door had a clear angle on me.
“Lois?” Maddy said. “Isn’t this a little… nice for Donovan’s style? Seems like we’re either in the wrong place, like Devin said, or it’s not him.”
“Probably,” I said, and smiled straight into the camera above the door.
I both felt and heard the others move into position behind me. James questioned me this time. “Then what are you doing?”
Dante muttered, “I still don’t like all this security.”
“Let’s just make sure no one’s home,” I said and stepped forward to press the buzzer.
We were quiet, waiting to see if there’d be a response. I wouldn’t have been surprised if a voice welcomed us, or if the silver gang appeared out of nowhere and went for a full-throttle attack.
Instead there was nothing. No response at all.
But I couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched. That could be left over from seeing myself in a surveillance photograph, or it could be my gut. The one I trusted without question.
I rang the buzzer again and leaned in to the speaker. “Lois Lane here, if anyone’s home. I think you’ve been looking for me.”
Watching me.
I considered asking for Reya. Or Sunny. Or Donovan himself. But we still weren’t sure what was going on—and this might only be one location. We might be at the wrong place altogether, like the others clearly thought. My gut could be wrong.
It was also possible no one was home.
We certainly weren’t prepared for a confrontation. Not really. Not without knowing more.
“I saw a light flashing in there just now, in that camera,” Dante lifted his hand beside me and pointed at the door camera.
I eyed it and saw only the dead black reflection of the lens.
“Maybe we should go,” James said. “Could be a security system we triggered. This seems like a dead end.”
For once, I agreed. Except about the dead end part.
I took a step back to be plainly in the center of the camera’s lens again. Then I waved. “Bye for now,” I mouthed.
CHAPTER 10
We headed back to the nearest subway stop, pausing before we parted ways to say goodbye.
“Everybody be careful on your way home,” I said. “Eyes peeled.”
“You too,” Maddy said.
Dante reached out a hand, offering it to her, and I saw that moment of hesitation before she took it. He saw it too, I was pretty sure. He was moving a little more stiffly than normal. He nodded to me, but his usual easy smile was nowhere to be seen.
I pulled Maddy into a quick hug, which meant they had to drop their grip on each other’s hands anyway. I whispered into her ear. “Are you about to break up with him? If I’m right, call me later.”
“Thanks for the assist, as always,” I told Dante.
Maddy and Dante peeled off, with no attempt to hold hands again. I saluted Devin and James, who were going to share a taxi across town together.
Heading down the subway stairs, I signed into the chat app and sent SmallvilleGuy a message that I was on my way home.
I rode the train thinking over the weird intuition I had about that building—that Dabney Donovan was inside it—and yet how nothing we’d discovered quite resolved into a full picture. Why had the armor-wearers gone to so much trouble to be seen, to make clear they were baiting me, only to then go quietly to ground?
Finally, when I was almost home, walking up our street, my phone buzzed in my pocket with a new notification.
SmallvilleGuy: I have news. Breaking news.
I badly wanted to know what it was. Positive or negative, revelation or catastrophe. But I was still worried about TheInventor snooping on our comms using his software programs.
SkepticGirl1: Almost home. Game in 15? Crossing my fingers.
His response was short and hint-proof.
SmallvilleGuy: k.
I sped up, boots thudding on the sidewalk. I had to admit to myself that I now felt exposed whenever I was outside home or school or the Daily Planet Building. Like there was no way for me to know who was watching or plotting against me.
I didn’t like that feeling. Fear didn’t suit me.
I remembered Maddy saying that I had time to retaliate for being knocked down by the speedy guy. I preferred to think of it not as revenge, but as when I would get to shut down these threats, find the loathsome bad guys who thought it fine and dandy to use others as their pawns, drag them out of their hiding spot and into the fresh sunlight of newsprint.
No more skulking in shadows for Donovan. Not when we were done.
Mom and Dad were hanging out together on the couch when I came in. Or so it seemed. They got up right away, and it was clear they’d been waiting on me to get home.
Mom kissed my cheek. “We wanted to make sure you were here before we left.”
She was in a pair of slacks and a crisp white button down. Dad was dressed similarly, sans his usual ribbons and medals.
“Where are you off to?” I asked. It seemed like I was home almost as much as they were these days.
“We’re checking out an art exhibit opening on campus,” Mom said. “Meeting some of my colleagues there.”
I noticed Dad’s suitcase packed and waiting by the front door. He followed my gaze to it. “I’m leaving when we get back; late flight tonight.”
The words echoed. Late. Flight. Tonight. Please, please, let SmallvilleGuy’s news be good.
“Too late for me to see you off?” I asked.
“Probably,” he said. “You girls look after each other for me while I’m gone.”
He glanced warmly from me to Mom. She’d been so happy and energized in the days since her teaching gig started. It hit me that Dad only dressed down to go out to functions when he wanted to downplay the whole “here comes the General” thing. Which meant he was intentionally dressed down to let Mom have the spotlight at this event.
Spontaneously, I gave him a hug. “See you when you get back.” He tightened his arms around me.
The surprise on his face when we parted almost hurt. Was it that unusual for me to hug Dad? I might not always agree with him, but I knew he thought he was doing the right thing. He wouldn’t do anything he believed was wrong.
“All right, off with you, excellent parents,” I said. “Have fun.”
Mom put her hand to my forehead. “No fever. It seems she’s acting this way of her own free will.”
“Ha,” I said. “I can be grateful, can’t I? About having good parents?”
They studied me and exchanged one of their patented looks, but this was the less-often seen positive version.
“I just can’t believe it’s right before I’m going to be gone. I suppose it’d be too much to expect this treatment when I get back,” Dad said.
Depends on what happens while you’re gone.
“Get out,” I said. “You’re ruining my tender feelings for you.”
They laughed and headed for the door. “Lucy’s already had supper,” Mom said.
Dad added, “There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry.”
As soon as they shut the door, I hurried upstairs—past Lucy’s closed door—and retrieved the holoset from my desk drawer. If SmallvilleGuy had noticed I basically never wanted to use our chat software these days, he hadn’t remarked on it. Maybe he thought it was because the game made our meetings feel realer. It did, after all. That was definitely an added benefit. But it wasn’t my only motivation.
The familiar nerves I felt whenever I was about to see him fluttered to life.
I powered up the holoset and the spray of lights took form in front of my face, resolving into a landscape. I gaped at the sight. Giant electric bolts split the sky overhead, sound effects crackling afterward so loudly my bones seemed to rattle with the force.
“Is this a meteor shower or something?” I asked no one in particular.
SmallvilleGuy stepped in front of me. “It’s a lightning storm,” he said, smiling down at me.
“Impressive phony weather.”
He pulled me into a hug, and my whole body vibrated with warmth. “How did the reconnaissance go?” he asked.
“We found a building with a bunch of weird fancy cameras. Nothing to officially confirm it’s our guys, though.”
“And Perry’s going with you this weekend?” he asked, releasing me.
I nodded.
My hopes sank. Why was he asking me about this stuff? His parents must not have been convinced. My dad was going to show up in Smallville asking questions about flying men and… nothing good would come of it.
“What’s wrong?” he said. “You look like I just said Nellie Bly is hideous.”