“I…uh…feel him,” she answered with an awkward tap on her temple. Tray snorted but conjured no reply; Mental Affinities would always seem like a fantasy to him.
“Do you feel Greenie?” Adara asked, peering over the rainbow river of heads as they all squeezed in through the double doorway. Once within, they followed the crowd down the hall toward the training gymnasium, which was lined on either wall with bleachers full of chatting teenagers. The teachers stood in the middle on the orange mats, trying to bring order to the chaos. Fraco’s voice rang high above the rest.
“Well, I don’t really feel him,” Eliana said as she scanned the masses, “but… Oh, I see him over there, with Lavisa—”
“And Hastlings,” Seth finished, wiggling his eyebrows in her direction. “Your boy.”
“There’s, um, no L in his name, actually,” she corrected uncomfortably.
Seth didn’t even seem to hear her voice as the four of them continued toward the left bleachers. With squinted eyes, he searched the crowd, and Tray knew who he was looking for. “Where do you guys think Kiki is?” he finally asked as they ascended the bleachers to where Ackerly, Lavisa, and Hastings sat. Behind them, Hartman was gabbing—probably about nonsense—while his roommate nodded continuously and tried not to look too disinterested.
“She was doing her makeup when I left our room,” Lavisa informed Seth as they sat in the row before her.
Eliana’s eyes lingered on the empty spot next to Hastings for a moment, but to Tray’s surprise, she chose to sit beside Adara instead. A trickle of excitement ran through Tray’s chest, but he stifled it, deciding he wasn’t petty enough to involve himself in some love triangle. Eliana was pretty, but…she didn’t like to study. Besides, just because she didn’t sit with Hastings during one event didn’t mean she was no longer into the delinquent.
“She said something about ‘looking good for Nero,’” Lavisa added, referring to Kiki. There was a brief flash of sympathy in her yellow eyes, but then she heartlessly added, “I never really listen to her.”
“Damn. She is gonna go through with her plan to woo Nero, then,” Seth said with a sigh before he spun toward Adara. “Any chance I’ll be able to win her back?”
“I don’t think you should want there to be a chance,” she replied, patting him on the shoulder as her eyes roved the center of the gymnasium. Watching her, Tray noticed there was not just a tinge of red in her irises but distinguishable specks now. From afar, it appeared as if the brown had been splattered with blood, but at a closer proximity, they resembled bursts of flame.
Nauseated, Tray turned his attention to the other side of the room, where Avner waved at his sister from his spot amongst his friends. She disregarded him entirely, setting her vision on the last few students trickling in. When Tray followed her gaze, he saw Nero and his gang marching through the doorway, plowing through other students as they claimed a large portion of the bleachers. There were quite a few of them, he realized, as he counted perhaps nine or ten—a large percentage for this small population. Notably, Calder was not among them.
“Dammit. The Pixie Prince isn’t here,” Adara griped, “and neither is Kiki. I wore these freakin’ slippers for nothing.”
“They’re an interesting fashion statement,” Ackerly said optimistically, but when she shot back a venomous glare, all positivity faded.
“No need to be so vexed,” Lavisa said to Adara, her eyes still fixed in Nero’s direction. “The brat has arrived.”
Kiki had, indeed, arrived and was trailing behind Nero’s followers. Her long blonde hair was curled perfectly and her makeup was visibly shimmering, even from across the room. As Nero’s group sat on the bleachers, Kiki scurried over and planted herself directly in front of him. Although Tray was too far away to hear what was said, there was quite a bit of hair flipping, eye batting, and seductive smirking on Kiki’s end. Nero’s gruff expression was not nearly as cordial.
“I wish Kiki would treat me that way,” Seth said, staring at her with shallow longing.
“You wish she would fool you into liking her just so she can gain popularity?” Adara clarified with dubiously raised eyebrows.
“Pretty sure she’s already done that to you once,” Tray chimed in.
Abruptly, Lavisa let out an uncharacteristic laugh, and when Tray glanced back at Kiki, he saw she’d just been squirted with water by Nixie. Her wilted hair was dripping while her makeup smeared down her face.
Adara’s cackles were even more prominent than Lavisa’s had been. “Nice one, Pixie Princess!” she called over to Nero’s girlfriend, whose only response was a wry, sideways glance. Kiki, after making a few affronted noises, stomped over to an empty space on the bleachers and plopped down with her arms crossed. A hiccup escaped her pink lips, echoing into the high ceiling, and she tried to cover it with a cough.
“Well, I’m glad to see she’s finally gotten what she deserves,” Adara said as she leaned back to rest on Ackerly’s knees. His green eyes scrunched with uncertainty, but he ultimately didn’t question it.
“I’m surprised you don’t think she deserves worse than that,” Tray said. In response, he noticed Eliana shift at Adara’s side, her gaze drifting to Kiki in a way that almost seemed…solicitous. Tray wasn’t as ostentatious with his hatred for the blonde as Adara, but he’d never felt bad for her.
For some irrational reason, Eliana did, because a moment later, she called out, in her soft voice, “Kiki, come sit over here.”
“What? No,” Adara said as she shot upright and glared at Eliana.
Kiki’s puffy eyes were scowling in their direction now, her nose wrinkled with distaste. “I’d rather sit alone than sit with losers,” she sneered, giving a particular look to Adara.
“Thank God,” Adara muttered, tilting back into Ackerly’s knees again. Eliana’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. For the first time, Tray got the impression that the blue-haired girl actually resented Adara—and because of Kiki. It baffled him that this shy, innocent girl might choose to empathize with Seth’s ex, but then again, Adara wasn’t exactly the easiest person to side with, either.
“Settle down, everyone, settle down!” Fraco Leve’s squeaky voice shouted over the buzz of the crowd, drawing Tray from his thoughts. Students continued to chatter until Aethelred stepped beside Fraco, towering over the man, and held up a hand that lulled the crowd.
Fraco cleared his throat, eliciting a strange gurgling noise, before speaking again. “I am aware that you selfish youths are all miffed by the fact that you had to wake before noon—”
“Here, here!” Adara acknowledged loudly, punching her fist to the air. Some students laughed while Tray exhaled a weary sigh.
“But,” Fraco went on with a pointed glare in her direction, “there are two very important people who have come to speak to you this morning. They’ve traveled all night to visit you ungrateful little twits, so I expect your full, devoted attention—”
“Or you’ll drown us in grease?” Adara offered, causing the man to seethe.
“If she disrupts the presentation, get her out of here,” Fraco said to the teachers loudly enough that Tray and Adara could hear. “Now, without further ado, I would like to present to you two people who are very important to the Affinity community and even more important to the future of America: presidential candidate Harold Hauser and his vice-presidential candidate Olalla Cosmos!”
There was an immediate uproar throughout the crowd of teens—a positive one that only elevated when the two political figures stepped into the gymnasium. Harold Hauser’s voluminous brown hair bounced on top of his head as he strolled to the center of the room with affable poise. Today, he wore a deep green suit that paired nicely with his bright green eyes. He waved at the students, and they cheered enthusiastically for this Regular man. There should have been nervousness in him as a Regg among so many Affinities, but Tray saw only confidence in the man—a confidence that likely stemmed from the presence of his political partner.
&n
bsp; Olalla Cosmos’s lengthy, plum-colored hair flowed in curls around her beaming face, her long legs striding elegantly across the mats. As she typically did when making an appearance on television, she wore a suit today—one that was a shade of magenta much more vibrant than the dark hue of her hair and eyes. Her smile was contagious and her waves of greeting brought unity to the room, but it wasn’t enough to eradicate Tray’s distrust.
“I’ve been trying to find information on this Olalla lady,” he said to Hastings, who sat behind him and was the only other person not applauding madly. “There’s really nothing on her history other than that her parents were from Greece. There’s nothing about a political past, which means she only joined the race for the sake of the Affinities, which is…noble, I guess, but still suspicious, don’t you think?”
Hastings’s eyes met Tray’s, but he made no comment before turning his stone-like attention back to the two guest speakers, who were now hushing the exuberant crowd.
“Thank you. Thank you all for the warm welcome,” Harold greeted, spinning slowly as he spoke to address the entire room. “I am Harold Hauser, presidential candidate, running independent of any party. My vice-presidential candidate and I feel so very blessed to be addressing you all today.
“You are part of the first Affinity town, and if we win this election, there will be hundreds more to follow in this image. As of now, you are confined to this town, unable to leave—for your own safety—but when we take hold of this country, Affinities will be able to roam freely among the Regulars—among those like myself—without any fear of harm or unjust imprisonment. Right now, many of the Regulars are frightened by the powers you all possess, but Olalla and I will work diligently to change that mindset. We do not desire peace only for Regulars or only for Affinities but peace for all Americans, and perhaps one day, peace for the whole world.”
The students began to clap again, but Fraco quickly tried to mute them with shushing noises. They only quieted, however, when Olalla stepped forward, her musical voice filling the air.
“Only ten years have passed since the United States government rediscovered the existence of Affinities. Only ten years have passed since your righteous principal, Angor Periculy, decided to take the burden of our people upon himself by beginning to build this magnificent town. Only four years have passed since the completion of the project, granting Affinity refugees in this state a safe and luxurious town, rather than life in prison without ever committing a single crime.
“In other states all throughout this country, though, our prejudiced government continues to abduct Affinities, forcing them into prisons. When we win, and I believe we can, we will stop this secret war against our people—against the Affinities—and we will restore this nation to one of peace and compliance without discrimination. No, it will never be perfect, but I believe, if we all work together, we can move past these obstacles and create a better world for all of you—because you, young Affinities, are the future.”
The eruption of approval was deafening, and despite Fraco’s efforts to thwart it, Avner and his friends began chanting, “Peace for all!” It permeated the entire gymnasium.
“YOU’RE SO BEAUTIFUL!” Hartman yelled over the crowd, his comment directed at Olalla. When her deep purple eyes found him, she smiled and he swooned, falling forward onto Lavisa, who did not fail to fight him off.
“When I was young,” Olalla began again as the applause died out, “I struggled to hide my Affinity. I struggled to not interfere in others’ lives—to not bring peace where it didn’t naturally flourish. After years of watching the world crumble before me, I’ve come to realize that peace is not natural, but we are. Nature created us, a superior race, to do unnatural things—to understand pasts.” She dipped her head in Aethelred’s direction. “To heal the wounded.” She swept her hand toward the nurse, Jason Pane. “To spark peace.” She held a fist over her chest and breathed deeply, closing her eyes. When they opened again, they were blazing with determination.
“The Wackos—the extremists among our race—seek to destroy. They do not want peace but chaos—they want domination. We must combat them and use our abilities to build, not to tear down. Every Affinity can be used for good, so I urge you all—even those of you who believe your power is only destined for evil—to use your Affinity for peace. Learn how to wield your power in a way that helps others, rather than hurts them. Show the Reggs we are not the monsters they think we are. Show the world that we are nature’s design and will not be oppressed.”
A standing ovation, which Tray believed to be a little overkill, had just ensued when the history teacher, Than, came scurrying into the gym. He sprinted across the mats, right past Harold and Olalla, to approach Aethelred and whisper in his ear.
“What? What is it?” Fraco demanded, trying to keep his voice low, even though every ear was now tuned into the private exchange. Than leaned down to whisper to Fraco, careful not to touch his oily skin, and the greasy man’s nostrils flared in outrage. Without a word, he stalked through the gym, not giving any acknowledgement to the two politicians and leaving Aethelred to awkwardly walk onto the mats and address the students.
“Let’s hear another round of applause for these two inspiring people,” Aethelred urged, though the clapping was now tense and perplexed. “I thank you personally, Mr. Hauser and Ms. Cosmos, for the time you’ve spent here. My dear friend Dr. Floros will escort you to Town Hall for your speeches there.”
Than scampered onto the mats, beaming in the presence of such prestigious figures. They both waved at the crowd of students as they left, concealing their confusion well. Once they’d departed, every eye stared at Aethelred, waiting for an explanation.
“There’s been…a breach in security,” he informed them tentatively. “Nothing dangerous—just…an unexpected visitor. You’ll all be notified of the situation once its details are clear. For now, enjoy your Saturday.”
Murmurs spread throughout the room as Aethelred forced a smile and rushed toward the exit with the other prying teachers demanding answers on his heels. Tray trusted Aethelred, but he had a feeling Periculand’s standards for danger were much different than a Regular town’s.
Staring at the center of the mats where Harold and Olalla had stood only moments ago, Eliana started when Adara nudged her. “Well, do you know what happened?”
Tray peeked over to witness the girl shake her head. “Not exactly. I got a few vague images. Someone important broke into the town…and then there’s something to do with a student. Someone’s in the Periculand jail because of it, I think…”
“Well, then,” Adara said as she stood and glanced lazily at Tray, “looks like I’m finally going to jail, after all.”
19
The Guilty Assailant
“I really hope it rains,” Ackerly said, gazing up at the thick, dark clouds rising above Periculand’s buildings. The police station was in sight now, and Adara had a decent guess as to who lay behind bars within it.
“Mm, so do I. Maybe the Pixie Princess will use the rain to drown Kiki,” she speculated, her excitement growing with the thought. Lips contorting with contempt, Tray glanced down at his watch and muttered about how this was a waste of time.
“Well, um, I was thinking more about the town’s plants,” Ackerly replied as they passed the massive hospital bathed gray in the shadow of the impending storm. “They’ve been dehydrated with the heat.”
Adara opened her mouth to retort, but then Eliana said, in her mousy voice, “Maybe we should be a little…nicer to Kiki. She’s in a…tough place right now.”
“A tough place she put herself into,” Seth reminded her grudgingly. “If she hadn’t broken up with me, we could be happily holding hands right now.”
Adara made a dramatic gagging noise that, to her delight, brought a scowl to Tray’s face.
“Kiki might not seem so bad right now, but trust us, she’s awful,” he assured Eliana, but she remained as silent as Hastings, who had yet to say a word.
“Well, look who it is, Stromer,” Tray mused as he approached the desk. The officer had been filling out a report by hand until he heard the boy’s voice, at which he glanced up and frowned. “It’s your little cop boyfriend.”
Ackerly’s eyebrows shot up while Hastings showed a rare sign of amusement. Seth was too busy shaking water out of his hair like a dog to notice their old acquaintance.
“Mitt,” Adara greeted, inclining her head toward the officer. “Have you been assigned to follow me wherever I go, since I’m just such a threat?”
Mitt Telum dropped his pen and rose from his swivel chair, clearly trying to feign formality. It had only been two weeks since Adara had seen him, but he somehow looked much older, his black hair now speckled with peppery gray and his dark brown eyes now holding a metallic sheen. Instead of the blue uniform he’d worn in their old town, he now sported a rusty orange uniform that was only a few shades darker than the cargo pants that Seth and Tray wore on school days. Adara thought, with vindictive glee, that it made him appear more like a prisoner than an officer.
“Adara.” He, too, dipped his chin. “Starks, and…friends.”
“Are you really Adara’s boyfriend?” Ackerly asked. “I wouldn’t think a cop would be her type…no offense…”
“He’s not my boyfriend, Greenie. He’s old, and he arrests me all the time.”
“I don’t know, that sounds like a pretty intriguing romantic comedy to me,” Seth pondered as he stroked his chin. “We can call it Falling in Love in Handcuffs.”
Mitt ignored Seth and addressed Adara. “I’m not that old. I was in elementary school with your brother, remember? Where is he, anyway? Shouldn’t he be here?”
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