فصل 18

Chapter 18: An Unexpected Request

“Dude,” Ostin said. “I can’t believe he gave that to you. That’s like the coolest thing ever. The only medal higher is the Medal of Honor.” “I can’t believe it either.”

Ostin reached out his hand. “Let me see it again.” I handed him the medal. “That’s epic.” He looked at it for a moment, then handed it back to me. “Gervaso gave me something too.” He lifted a small burgundy book from his bed. The Art of War. “He thought it might come in handy if we face the Lung Li.” “Have you started reading it yet?”

“I’m not reading it; I’m memorizing it.” “Sorry.” I put the medal in my pocket. “Have you seen my mom?” “She was just here,” he said. “She left that for you.” He pointed to a large rectangular box on my bed. “Is that your . . .” “Yeah, I think so.”

“Then you’re still doing it tonight?”

“Of course.”

He looked concerned.

“Why? Don’t you approve?”

“I mean, it’s great and all, but why tonight? We leave in the morning.” “I’m doing it because we leave in the morning.” He thought for a moment, then said, “That makes sense.” Someone knocked on our door.

“Come in,” I said, turning around.

Joel stepped inside. “Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “Michael, could you come with me for a moment? The council would like to speak with you again.” “Right now?”

He nodded. “Yes, please.”

I turned to Ostin. “If Taylor comes by, don’t let her see the box.” “You got it,” he said.

I followed Joel down to the council room. He opened the door for me and followed me in. There were only eight members around the table. Simon stepped forward to greet me. “Michael, thank you for coming.” “No problem,” I said, wondering what this was about.

“Have a seat. Please.”

I sat in the chair closest to the door.

Simon waited until I was settled, then said, “I imagine you must feel some apprehension as you prepare to go.” “Yes, sir.”

“As do we,” he said. “The reason we wanted to talk to you is because we’ve just received a report that Hatch has assigned his electric youth to oversee the transporting of Jade Dragon to the Volta. That means you may be facing Quentin, Bryan, Kylee, Torstyn, and Tara.” “I’ve faced them before,” I said.

“But this time there will also be the Elgen guards and the Lung Li. Any one of those alone is dangerous. Together, we fear it is too much. We thought you might need some help.” “What kind of help?” I asked.

Simon looked over the table, then said, “We think you should take Nichelle with you to Taiwan.” I thought I must not have heard him correctly. “You mean Hatch’s Nichelle? The one who tortured us?” “Yes.”

“Are you kidding?”

The council member sitting next to Simon, who had been introduced as Thomas, spoke up. “I know this must come as a surprise. We expect that it will to the Elgen as well. You’re the only one of the electric youth who has been able to stop her, so she’s still a viable threat to the others. She could be a powerful asset to the Electroclan.” “Have you ever met her?” I asked.

“No,” Simon said. “And certainly not the way you have.” “We can’t trust her.”

“We believe we can,” Thomas said. “We’ve been following her for some time now. She’s very angry at Hatch for abandoning her.” “You know what they say,” the woman sitting next to Thomas said. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Thomas nodded in agreement. “She’s very bitter.” “Nichelle is always bitter,” I said. “She’s psychotic.” I looked around the table. Everyone was looking at me with concern.

Thomas lifted a folder and slid it across the table to me. “This is her dossier. After the Elgen abandoned her she lived on the streets around Pasadena for about a week until she met some men we believe are former gang members. She’s living with them in a West Pasadena apartment. We don’t know if she’s been involved in any illegal activity but she has a job at a taco stand, so we think she’s at least trying to make good.” Simon said, “We assume that these men she’s with are dangerous. But not nearly as dangerous as you.” I looked around the table, then said, “I need to think this over.” “It’s your decision, Michael,” Simon said. “You’re the leader of this mission. But we are unanimously for it. For your sake.” I scratched the back of my head as I thought. As crazy as it sounded, they were right about one thing: battling the Elgen, the Lung Li, and the Glows might be too much. “I could have Taylor read her mind,” I said. “See where she’s at.” I took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. “If I decide to do this, how would we get her?” “You would have to pick her up on your way to Taiwan,” Thomas said. “Pasadena is only three hours from here. We’ve had an operative keep track of her, so we have an idea of her schedule. The safest place to approach her would be at work.” “Just give me the night to think about it.” “Of course,” Simon said, standing. “Again, it is your decision.” “Just remember that war and politics make strange bedfellows,” Thomas said.

Whatever that means, I thought. “I’ll get back to you.” “We’ll need to inform the pilots of your decision before you leave the ranch,” Joel said, “so they can file a flight plan.” As I walked out I thought about what Ostin liked to say: “My enemy’s enemy is my friend.” Still, it seemed impossible to imagine Nichelle working with us. Almost as impossible as talking the rest of the Electroclan into it.