فصل 3

Chapter 3: The Trap

“I’m so dead,” Ostin said again.

“We got it, Ostin,” Taylor said. “Enough already.” “If they don’t kill him, I might,” Zeus said.

I looked at Ostin. “I’ll come with you. They won’t kill you if I’m there. Besides, they’ll be impressed with how fit you look.” Not surprisingly, Ostin had lost a few pounds in the Elgen prison.

“Yeah,” Taylor said. “You’re looking good.” Ostin’s frown vanished. “Really? You think so?” “The Elgen diet.” Jack laughed. “Guaranteed to scare the fat away.” “Yeah,” Zeus said. “Maybe you should go back and take the rest off.” Ostin frowned again.

Zeus and Jack opened their doors and got out, followed by the rest of us.

Taylor stood next to me in the parking lot. “Where do you think Wade went?” I glanced back at the road. “I don’t know. But it worries me.” Jack shook his head. “I’m going to pound him when he gets here. He knew he wasn’t supposed to leave us.” “Maybe something happened,” Taylor said.

“Yeah, maybe the Elgen captured them,” Ostin said. “Or the van had a self-destruct mechanism.” Taylor frowned. “Or maybe they just got a flat. And besides, they have Ian with them.” With Ian aboard they were less likely to run into a trap than we were. His ability to see through solid objects had saved us more than once.

“I’m sure there’s an explanation,” I said, trying to sound calm. Wait to worry, I told myself. Wait to worry. I felt my face twitch. I could pretend to be calm, but stress always makes my Tourette’s act up.

It was nearly fifteen minutes before Wade pulled the white Elgen van into the parking lot. He drove up next to Jack’s Camaro and rolled down his window. “Hey,” he said. “We’re here.” Jack walked up to him and smacked him on the head.

“Ow!” Wade said. “Why’d you do that?” “Where’d you go?” Jack asked. “You weren’t supposed to leave us.” “The girls made me stop for doughnuts!” “You wanted one too,” one of the girls said from the back.

“I hope you got some for us,” Ostin said.

“Sorry, man,” Wade said. “We ate them all.” “They were way good,” Abigail said.

“Thanks for sharing,” Ostin said.

Everyone climbed out of the van.

“So this is Idaho,” Abigail said, stretching her arms above her head. “Isn’t this where they make potatoes?” “Grow potatoes,” Ostin said. “You don’t make potatoes.” “You make french-fried potatoes,” she replied.

Ostin shook his head.

Just then Ian said, “We’re being watched.” I looked around but didn’t see anyone. “Who’s watching us?” “There’s a guy in the apartment building across the street with a telescope pointed right at us. I don’t think he’s seen us yet. He’s sitting at the table eating a sandwich. But he’s almost finished.” “What do we do?” Jack asked me.

“Is he alone?” I asked Ian.

“Yeah.”

“Let’s find out what he’s doing here. Ostin, take my key and get everyone in my apartment. Taylor, Zeus, Jack, and Ian, come with me.” While Ostin, Wade, Abigail, Grace, and McKenna went to my apartment, the rest of us ran across the street. Inside the building I asked Ian, “Which apartment is he in?” “He’s on the third floor. I don’t know which apartment, I’ll have to look.” We quickly climbed the stairs. As we walked down the hallway, Ian commented on what he saw behind the walls, talking as if the residents could hear him. “Excuse me . . . Excuse me . . . Use a grenade jump . . . Don’t eat that . . . Really, dude? Use a tissue. Oh, that’s just nasty.” At apartment 314 Ian said, “There he is, he’s back at his telescope. He just noticed the van. He’s taking out his phone. Now he’s dialing someone.” “Taylor, can you reboot him?” I asked.

“I’ll try. Ian, where is he?”

Ian pointed left of the door. “Straight through there.” Taylor put her head up against the wall and concentrated.

“It worked,” Ian said. “He put the phone down.” “What’s he doing now?”

“He looks like he’s thinking.” I tried the doorknob. “It’s locked.” Ian examined the door. “Dead bolted and chained.” Zeus said, “Ring the doorbell and when he opens we’ll shock him.” “There’s a peephole,” Taylor said. “He won’t open the door with all of us standing here.” “He’s dialing again,” Ian said.

Taylor focused again.

“Got him,” Ian said.

“You’re right,” I said to Taylor. “But if it’s just you standing here, he’ll open. Everyone against the wall.” Taylor looked at me. “What am I supposed to say when he answers?” “You’ll think of something. Just get him to open the door.” I looked back. “Everyone ready?” Jack nodded. “Bring it on.”

I rang the doorbell.

A few seconds later, Ian said, “He’s coming. He’s got a gun.” Taylor looked at me fearfully.

“Is he holding it?” I asked.

“No,” Ian said. “It’s in his holster.” The peephole darkened. Then a gruff voice asked, “Who is it?” We all looked at Taylor.

“Uh, good afternoon. I’m selling Girl Scout Cookies.” “Girl Scout Cookies?” I mouthed. Taylor shrugged.

“Not interested,” the man said.

“He’s leaving,” Ian said.

Just then the door across the hall from us opened. An old man wearing a brown terry cloth robe scowled at us. “What are you kids up to?” Before I could answer, Zeus zapped him. The man dropped to the ground like a bowling ball.

“You didn’t have to shock him,” Taylor said.

“What was I supposed to do?” Zeus said.

I put my ear to the man’s chest to make sure he was okay. “His heart’s still beating. Jack, help me get him back inside.” We dragged the man into his apartment, then shut the door behind us.

“The dude’s back at the window,” Ian said.

“Got him,” Taylor said, rebooting him. She turned to me. “Let’s try again. I think I’ve got something better this time.” I rang the doorbell.

“He’s coming,” Ian said.

We all leaned back against the wall.

“You’re gulping,” Taylor said to me.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Who’s there?” the man asked.

“Hatch sent me,” Taylor said coolly.

“Who?”

“Hatch.”

There was a slight pause, then the man began sliding the dead bolt. Jack leaned forward, ready to charge the door.

Suddenly the man stopped. “You’re not supposed to use that name,” he said. “How do I know you’re with Hatch?” Taylor swallowed. “How else would I know where you were?” “What’s the password?”

“The password?” Taylor said. She looked at me.

“Taylor,” Ian whispered. “He’s touching the doorknob.” “Oh,” she said slowly, “the password.” She grabbed the doorknob and concentrated. “It’s . . . it’s . . . Idaho.” There was a short, silent pause, then the man said, “All right.” He finished unlocking the dead bolt. As he started to open the door, Jack rushed against it, knocking the man backward. The guy reached for his gun, but Zeus zapped him. The shock knocked Jack down as well.

“Man,” Jack said, climbing to his knees. “Watch where you point that thing.” “Sorry,” Zeus said.

We all scrambled inside, locking the door behind us. I knelt down next to the man. He was tall with a black mustache and beard. “Taylor, come see what they’re up to.” Taylor crouched down next to me, put her hands on the man’s temples, then closed her eyes. After a moment she said, “He’s just the lookout. There are six Elgen guards waiting for us in one of the apartments across the street.” “Which apartment?”

“Just a minute.” She touched him again. “One-seventeen.” “Are you sure?”

She nodded.

“That’s not good,” I said.

“What’s wrong with one-seventeen?” Zeus asked.

“That’s Ostin’s place.”