

Gift of Dane

A Crabapple Gang Adventure

Volume 3

By David C. Baxter

Copyright © 2017, David C. Baxter

Smashwords 1st Edition

Click here for previous Volumes on Smashwords

No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, digitally, or mechanically without explicit written permission from the author.

Illustration by Corbin Baxter

For my nieces: Mackenzie, Macy, and Cameron. Thank you for inspiring me to write this novel.

And for my wife. Thank you for your constant support in all my side projects.

Contents

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

37

"The time for child's play is at an end." Brim's words slithered from his tongue and across the unconscious faces of Simone, Collin, and Penny.

Brim glared with black eyes. His grey, slit pupils flashed red. One of the children wore an eyewear contraption. It reflected the red beam of the laser blade and Brim's terrifying grin of satisfaction. Brim tipped the blade. A thin line of smoke sizzled from the girl's glasses.

Suddenly, the knife flew from Brim's hand, searing a line in the lens before sticking in the room's window.

Brim ignored the bullet hole in his hand. No concern dripping out the secrets of what he was, for he did not bleed.

Brim rose and turned to the military male. The human vexation meant to fire again, but stalled with terror. Brim smiled. He had this affect on earthlings.

The end of the handgun had a silencer. But that didn't explain how the soldier had snuck up on him. Brim's senses were too keen for this world. His energy levels must be depleting more rapidly than calculated. Damn this foul, floating rock. Brim screamed at the degenerate.

CG

Collin woke to an ear-piercing scream. Three words coursed adrenaline through his body: Run! Van! Now!

Brim's back was to Collin, nothing but a colossal shadow. The monster walked away from Collin, crossing the room in three strides. Was that Sarge holding a gun?

Collin stood. The room seesawed. He clutched the mantel to stay up.

Brim's pale fingers danced. There was a groaning creak: metal contorting.

Dear, God! It couldn't be. Collin watched in silent horror. The silencer on Sarge's gun bent upward.

Run! Van! Now! The words echoed within Collin's mind from some far off, foreign place.

Collin knelt, using the wall for support. Both Simone and Penny were awake, alert with fear.

A gurgling grunt protruded from Sarge. Brim threw him down the hall. The creature strode after Sarge, like a monster from one of Dane's favorite horror flicks.

Collin helped Simone and Penny up. "Run. Van. Now," he said without a single stutter.

"I won't leave you," Simone said. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Collin noticed the cut in her lens. "I'm right behind you," he said. "And I'm fast."

The girls ran side by side into the pitch-black garage.

Collin wanted to stay between them and Brim's possible return. He paused. Should he take one of the unconscious soldier's AR-15s? And then he saw the knife's handle and the glowing blade melted in the window glass. It hung in the air, like some wicked, magical devise. He nearly yanked too hard, the laser knife slid from the window with ease.

The garage door opened, activating the light. Simone called his name. Two of the van's doors shut. The van started with a backfire.

Collin found the switch on the side of the knife. His grandfather had collected knives and this one was similar to a switchblade. He pressed it: the smoldering red blade split at the tip and retreated back into the handle.

Collin ran into the garage and climbed into the van's front passenger seat. He studied the knife's tusk-like handle. Dane would love this. "W-w-we can't leave them," he said.

"We're going to get help," Penny said.

The van backfired again.

"The voice said to leave," Simone said. "They'll be okay."

Collin looked back at Simone and whispered, "You heard it, too?"
38

The dark, damp space between the house's cement foundation and the sub-level ceiling was no more than three feet tall.

Dread tugged at Dane. The spy phone's screen revealed the Modifier named Mirk rising toward them. He and his friends were going to die in this cramped, swallowing darkness.

Alex and Paul pressed against him on either side. The Modifier's yellow-green heat signature closed in.

A horrifying mental-movie reeled through Dane's mind: the Modifier reaching through the panel, flinging him down into the break room, the vampire monster kneeling on him, piercing pain in his neck, the vampire releasing him from its kiss of death, staring down on him with emotionless eyes, lips and fangs stained with his very blood. How long would he stay conscious with blood pouring out of him? Would his last sight be the vampire Mirk pulling Alex from the crawlspace, destined for the same fate?

Alex's nails dug into Dane's arm, bringing him back.

The closest ceiling tile lifted.

Dane promised himself he'd lay off the graphic novels forever if they got out of this.

Paul breathed, "Start the van, Pen Pen."

From above, the familiar roar and backfire of the ole Blue Beast echoed through the dark. Dane thought it'd never sounded better. Their friends were alive and escaping!

A frown pulled at Dane's jubilation. They were leaving Alex, Paul, and him for dead.

A pale hand inched up the ceiling tile, a crack of light. Red-orange fingernails.

Dane blinked. Were the creature's fingernails painted on? A vision of a Modifier sitting at its kitchen table painting its nails nearly sent Dane into hysteria. He clamped his hand over his mouth. The creature's fingernails pulsated, ridding Dane of any mad laughter.

The crown of a white-haired head appeared.

Another muffled explosion rumbled down to them from above.

Alex squeezed Dane's arm even harder. He bit into his lip, so as not to yelp.

Surprisingly the crease of light on Paul's face revealed a wide grin.

Dane followed Paul's gaze: the monster's white head lowered, as did its pale hand, and pulsating, fiery nails.

The panel eased down, squeezing out the light below. On the phone's screen, the Modifier's heat signature receded and left the room.

For an unknown amount of time, the three of them simply sat there in the darkness. The only light from the phone's screen revealed the empty break room. It illuminated their three sweating faces: wide-eyed and watching, willing the break room to remain empty.

"It was the van backfiring," Paul said, breaking the heavy, dank silence. "The Modifier must've thought we were all escaping together."

Dane raised the phone to his mouth and whispered, "Which way to the power source?"

"North," the phone replied in a low, Scottish accent.

"Okay," Alex said, "Not even I know direction in pitch black."

The phone's blue waveform modulated as it said, "Back behind you."

On their hands and knees, they all turned awkwardly beneath the low, dingy pipes. One of which moaned, causing Dane to nearly scream out. His heart pounded in his ears. He could feel Alex's shoulder press into his left arm. On his right, Paul's breathing was heavy and quick. There was nothing but a black void all around them.

"Wish we had a light," Dane said.

"At your service," the phone said. A blue light shot from the phone, as bright as a flashlight.

The light didn't help, though. The phone's light was no match for the impenetrable darkness, making the crawlspace even creepier. Worse than the most wicked of haunted houses, the light unveiled dust, dirt, and cobwebs. Dane did his best not to think about the various spiders that called those cobwebs home.

"How do you keep your battery charged?" Alex asked.

"Solar and kinetic technology," the phone replied.

"Can we get going," Paul asked, "before that vampire-thing decides to come back?"

Dane crawled as best he could with one hand, holding the phone with the other. "What exactly are you?" he asked, huffing slightly.

"Sensory Encrypted Analytics Network," the phone said.

"Oh, now I get it!" Dane said.

"What? That it's so smart?" Paul asked, brushing dust out of his curly hair.

"No, it's why it sounds like Sean Connery," Dane said. "It's a joke."

"It's an acronym," Alex said.

"Right," Dane said. "Sensory Encrypted Analytics Network. S-E-A-N."

"Even spelled the same as the actor," Paul said. "Siri's acronym is Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface."

"Siri also means," Alex said, "beautiful woman who leads you to victory."

"Oh, so now you're into mythology again," Dane said.

Alex punched him in the arm. "Don't be so sensitive."

Dane chuckled and then said, "Just lead me to victory."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked. She shot him a sideways look.

Dane thought Alex's eyes beautiful even in the phone's eerie blue light. He didn't know how that was possible.

"I read Steve Jobs didn't like the name Siri," Paul said. He cleared his throat. "But they couldn't think of a better one."

"Hard to crawl with Sean," Dane said. "Can I call you that?" he asked the phone.

"What else would you call me?" the phone replied.

"Are you wearing the Superman t-shirt you ironed on?" Alex asked.

"Oh, right," Dane said, "smart thinking." He slid the phone into his tee's front pocket. It fit perfectly. But the phone's light angled so it revealed only one tile in front of them, providing just enough light to keep them in a straight line. Dane was thankful to be surrounded by his friends.

A ceiling tile creaked beneath Dane's knee. "We should stay on our own row of tiles," he said.

Alex and Paul nodded.

"Good thing Collin isn't with us," Dane said. "He'd bust through."

"He'd have trouble fitting anyway," Paul said. He brushed away a cobweb from the pressing pipes.

Somehow, Alex moved well enough with Sarge's electric stick tucked into the back of her shorts.

An image of rats and spiders scurried through Dane's mind. A faint noise killed the thought and stopped Dane so abruptly his hand hung in the air.

Alex stopped and whispered, "What is it?"

"I can't hear them now," Dane whispered back.

"I heard it, too," Paul mumbled. "Voices. Two of them."

Dane stared at the ceiling square in front of him. There was a dead cockroach at the edge of the phone's blue light.

The voices below resumed.

Dane looked to Alex. She shook her head. Paul did the same. They didn't understand the conversation either.

"Please don't," Paul breathed, wiping sweat off his forehead.
39

Above his friends—before Dane, Paul, and Alex had stopped staring at the vampire-less break room—Collin closed the van's front passenger door. He put the laser switchblade in his cargo short's pocket. He didn't re-button, wanting quick access to the laser-knife. "L-let's move," he said.

Penny put the Blue Beast in reverse.

From the black hole left by the disintegrated door, a heaping blur flew across the garage and at the van. Collin instinctively threw his arms over his face.

Sarge's body slammed into the windshield, expanding the webbed crack.

Penny shrieked, taking her foot off the pedal.

Sarge had a long gash on his forehead. His limp body rolled off the hood and onto the cement floor. A line of blood crept down a crack in the windshield.

Collin scooted to the edge of his seat. Sarge's hand twitched. He was still alive.

In the chair behind Collin, Simone screamed a single, terrifying name: "Brim!"

The looming figure leaped through the dark hole, landing, and raising yet another gun.

"Floor it!" Collin yelled.

The van's tires squealed and rubber stained cement.

Collin clasped the dashboard.

The van tore down the driveway, gyrating into a skid on Campion Street.

A red blaze from the garage, an explosion rattled the van's undercarriage. The front tire on Collin's side ignited in a ring of fire.

Penny gunned it into drive.

Another red burst. This one missed its target, disintegrating asphalt, which pelted the van's side like a hailstorm.

"Collin, here!" Simone passed Collin the fire extinguisher.

Penny turned down the alleyway.

Collin leaned out the window. The putrid smell of burning rubber wafted over him. He used the extinguisher on the burning tire, snuffing out the flames. "It's st-st-still intact," he said, sitting back in his seat.

Penny took the curb into the woods. The van bucked. The tire held.

Tree shadows and overgrown brush enveloped them. His window down, leaves and branches whacked at Collin. The van's lights bobbed wildly on the narrow path.

Collin turned to pass the extinguisher back to Simone when fear seized him. He opened his mouth, but couldn't get a word out. He couldn't warn Simone. Where the van's back doors should've been stood Brim's silhouette. The creature's hat tilted up, red slit eyes pulsed. A nightmare. That was what this was, but waking would offer no escape from the monster creeping into the van.

CG

Collin's eyes warned Simone. She'd never seen fear overtake him so completely. She grabbed the fire extinguisher from his hands and spun her chair around.

From somewhere deep inside, she found the courage to continue moving. She felt as quick as sludge. She aimed and fired the extinguisher. White mist shot right at the monster.

The Brim-thing leapt and clung to the van's ceiling. Its sallow face: a grimacing, upside down snarl.

CG

Penny screamed. In the rearview mirror, the monster crawled upside down. The van bounded in and out of a pothole. The narrow path gave her no room for evasive maneuvers, so she pumped the breaks and then floored it. It worked, kind of.

The Brim-monster slid back, jacket fluttering out of the van.

A dense thud on the roof and then, like some ghoulish apparition, the other Modifier's face appeared upside down in front of Penny. Its cloudy eyes peered through her soul.

She pressed the pedal down. The van fishtailed, but she didn't let up.

"Collin, do something!" she cried out.

It was Simone that acted. She re-aimed the extinguisher. The Brim thing had crawled back in. It was too close to Simone. The monster hissed. Simone fired.

Brim's hand shot out and the most amazing thing happened.

40

Dane rubbed his hands on his shirt. The phone's blue light reflected off the dusty tile. It cast an eerie reflection on his friend's faces, like when telling scary campfire stories in the woods behind his house.

Paul's deep frown creased his face. He shook his head.

Alex's dilated pupils glanced down, however, giving Dane the go ahead.

Dane grabbed the tile's edge. This must be what a bomb disarmer experienced. This idea could explode in his face just as easily, but they had to find Baker and a way out. Besides, it would let blessed light and circulated air in.

Dane lifted and slid the tile forward enough for them to see.

Alex rested her hand on his. Her warmth gave Dane an internal rush. How were her hands not clammy? It took a concentrated effort to set down the ceiling tile. He did so without a sound. A woman wearing a white lab coat walked into view. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. A soldier in a black uniform and ball cap joined her. The two stood directly below Dane and his friends.

Dr. Ponytail and Mr. Ball Cap looked down at a person in a hospital bed. The usual hospital machines were next to the bed. The heart rate monitor beeped a steady rhythm.

Dane couldn't see the patient, only the outline of legs under the sheet. It must be Agent—

Dane opened his mouth to scream, as he felt a giant spider crawl up the front of his t-shirt. Paul clamped a hand over Dane's mouth.

Dane glance down and relaxed. He removed Paul's hand. It was Alex's hand moving up his chest. She blocked the phone's light.

"Sean," Dane whispered, "light off."

The light went out and Alex removed her hand.

Below, Dr. Ponytail was speaking: "—the agent's vitals are stable. It was quick thinking of your commander to use the fire extinguisher."

Mr. Ball Cap nodded.

Dane leaned forward for a better view. Sweat stung his eyes.

Dr. Ponytail continued, "Now that the Modifiers have left the safe house, we're ready to attempt the test. Dr. Thompson is preparing the soldier selected to go through."

"When will the agent be ready for interrogation?" Mr. Ball Cap asked.

Dr. Ponytail gripped the clipboard in her hands. "Not until tomorrow at best," she replied.

Dane watched a drop of sweat fall from his nose and through the ceiling's gap. Time crawled to an action adventure movie's slow-motion sequence. The fat drop fell toward the two adults, one of which would love to torture Dane and his friends and retrieve their bracelets by cutting off their hands.

When he'd thought of the ceiling square as a bomb lid, he hadn't thought the detonation would come from his face. But there it was. His drop of sweat exploded onto the brim of the soldier's cap.

Dead again, and it was all his fault.

Paul leaned back. Alex reached for the electric stick, her hand resting on its handle.

No time to put the square back.

The soldier's ball cap tilted up.

Run! Run! The words raced through Dane's mind. But he couldn't move.

Dr. Ponytail dropped her clipboard. It clattered on the tile floor. "What happened?" she asked, a hand going to her mouth.

Mr. Ball Cap's head dropped back down and he whirled on his heels. Sarge came into view. Blood streamed from a gash on his forehead.

Dane let out a long sigh. Sarge had unknowingly saved them. Even before Sarge spoke, Dane knew he was super ticked off: muscles coiled like a snake and a vein on Sarge's temple pulsed erratically.

"You'll need stitches," Dr. Ponytail said, dabbing the blood with a cloth.

"Later," Sarge said, pulling the doctor's hand away. "Updates."

Mr. Ball Cap went rigid. He grumbled, "The scientist is ready to proceed."

"And the other three kids?" Sarge commanded more than asked.

Dr. Ponytail placed a bandage on Sarge's forehead.

"We've searched the entire sub-level," Mr. Ball Cap said, "and are searching the safe house."

"I suggest you find them," Sarge barked. "We've been paid handsomely to retrieve those bracelets at any cost. And I always deliver."

"Yes, sir," Mr. Ball Cap said, his voice barely audible.

The three adults walked out of view.

"Lets start the test," Sarge said. The door clicked shut.

"Who'd pay the government to find these?" Paul asked, staring at his bracelet.

Dane gritted his teeth and mumbled, "Sarge is nothing but a bully."

"I think you're missing the big picture," Alex said.

Dane looked at his bracelet. Its white stone seemed to glow in the dark. What was its origin?

Regardless, he knew what they must do.

41

Collin's hand slipped into his pocket. He couldn't take his shocked gaze from the Modifier, unable to believe what he was seeing. The Modifier—hanging upside down from the van's ceiling—was using some sort of mind power to stop the extinguisher's spray, like when it bent Sarge's gun. Foam particles momentarily floated in midair and then the mist fell, dusting the van's carpet.

Brim waved his hand and the extinguisher shot from Simone's grasp and out the back of the van. The metal cylinder bounced down the dirt path.

Now, Collin! The voice in his head yelled without a single stammer.

Collin twisted out of his chair, activating the laser switchblade. He swiped at the Modifier.

Something dropped from the creature and fell to the floor.

The monster clinched its wounded hand and screeched.

Brim's scream rung in Collin's mind well after the vampire had closed its mouth.

A blur of motion: the Modifier swiped, smacking Collin's hand. The laser-switchblade flew from Collin's hand and buried into the side of the van, singeing the padded panel.

Brim's uninjured hand reached for its gun in a holster beneath its hanging duster.

Penny turned on the dome light. It was right in front of Brim's face, causing the creature a moment of hesitation. It was enough.

Collin braced himself on the front two chairs and swung his feet up. He'd meant to kick the creature, but he would miss. His feet weren't going to be high enough.

Simone grabbed the creature's hand and pulled hard.

Its face lined up with Collin's feet. His sneakers slammed home, bending its neck back. Its hat flew off and out the back.

Collin grunted, extending his legs. The creature's body followed its hat, hitting the ground rather hard and rolling down the dirt path.

"Hold on!" Penny yelled.

The van sped down the embankment at a treacherous speed.

Collin slammed into the console.

The van hit the dry creek bed floor harder than before.

Collin hit the ceiling and fell to his knees between the middle seats.

On the other side of the windshield, Mirk, tried bracing itself.

"Watch out for the boulder!" Simone yelled.

Penny swerved the van and jammed the pedal to the floor.

The ghostly-eyed creature disappeared from sight. The van topped the creek's edge. Penny jerked the van toward an overhanging limb, branches dug into the Blue Beast, metal screeching loudly.

Collin eyed the ceiling. There was a dull thud and stifled groan.

Penny swung the van back onto the path.

"It's in the tree!" Simone shouted with unrelenting relief. "Penny, you did it!"

Collin heard her smile. He got to his knees. Level with Simone, he touched the side of her face. Simone pressed his palm into her cheek, which cupped the entire side of her face.

"You've got a crack in your glasses," Collin said. His words came easily with her.

She opened her eyes and whispered, "After tonight, I'll take it."

His eyes shifted to the dimple in her smile and back to her eyes. Those eyes. He'd do anything and everything to make sure those eyes contained happiness and delight.

"Yes, I'm okay," she said, seeming to read his mind. "You?"

"Slight headache," he said with a grin. He pulled the knife out of the sidewall and deactivated it: the beam separated and disappeared into the handle.

"N-nice driving," Collin said, pocketing the knife and climbing into the front passenger seat.

"Easy to the peasy," Penny said.

CG

A flash of blue light came from the floor. Simone glanced down in time to see Brim's severed finger disappearing. Its white skin and black flesh simply dissolving into minute particles, which blazed blue, and then disappeared. Left behind on the carpeted floor was a ring. She picked it up. Its black stone swirled with grey light, just like Brim's eyes. As if from the ring, coldness crawled from her fingers and up her arm. Her forearm ached, like it'd been dumped in a cooler of ice water. She couldn't understand the distant whispers. She put the ring in her pocket.

"Simone?" Penny's eyes studied her in the rearview.

"You think everyone's okay?" Simone asked.

"I'm pretty sure they are," Penny said. "Don't ask me how I know, I just do."

The van slowed, pulling out of the woods and over the curb.

Simone touched the ring in her pocket, straining to understand the voices. Was that screaming?

"Are you okay?" Penny asked.

Penny's eyes were back on her, needling like her mom. Didn't she understand there might be an answer within the voices? She pulled her hand out of her pocket. Why hadn't she mentioned the ring?

"W-watch ou-ou-out!" Collin yelled.

Flashing lights flooded the inside of the van. The Blue Beast bore down on the cruiser.

Simone gripped the handle above the door, preparing for the crash. She'd forgotten to fasten her seatbelt.
42

"What about the Fearsome Fivesome?" Dane asked, trying to keep his mind off how little the phone's light truly revealed of the endlessly cramped crawlspace. Anything from mammoth rats to bloodless, white-faced vamps could be less than five feet away.

"What are you talking about?" Alex asked.

"We need a name for our gang, especially now," Dane said. "Like the Fantastic Four."

"Fivesome wouldn't include my sis," Paul said.

"You're right, P-man," Dane said, glad Paul was playing along. They continued crawling in the vast, pinched void.

"Well," Dane said, "the Sensational Sixsome just doesn't have the right ring to it."

"What about Elite Star Six?" Paul asked.

"I don't know," Alex answered, "the star part kind of makes it sound girlie."

"Yeah, and we wouldn't want that," Dane said.

"Holy slow-mo," Alex whispered. "You're really enjoying this."

"Well," Dane said, wiping his brow, "we haven't been eaten by a Mod—"

Paul stopped and pointed down.

Dane listened, expecting to hear voices. He was about to say he didn't hear anything but then, yes, a revving hum, like a Ghostbuster's proton pack charging.

This time before removing the ceiling square and opening the bomb, Dane took the phone out of his shirt pocket, and said in a low voice, "Sean, can you do that inferred heat thing again?"

"Thermal imagery activated," the phone whispered back. The screen changed from blue light to the green outline of a room. Alex and Paul leaned in for a better view.

Among the room's cool green colors were two red-orange human heat signatures: one stood behind a desk. The second figure stood at the other end of the room, in front of a doorframe There was a second doorframe across from the desk.

"Strange," Paul whispered, "the table has a heat signature."

Dane passed the phone over to Paul. He wiped his face with his shirt, took a deep breath, and lifted the bomb lid-square.

Again, Alex touched his hand to stop him from opening it any further. Dane had hoped she would. He rested the ceiling tile down without a sound. A refreshingly cool waft of air hit his face.

This was definitely more than a safe house. This was a full-blown experimental laboratory. You didn't have to be into graphic novels or a movie junkie to know what a lab looked like.

The room gleamed with silver metal, Dane figured steel.

"It's for sterilization," Alex whispered.

Dane took her word for it, since her mom was a neonatal nurse. The room's echoing, electrical hum allowed them to whisper without fear of being heard. He hadn't needed to remove the square so quietly after all.

"Look at the desk," Paul said. He passed the phone back to Dane. "That's why it had a heat signature."

The phone's screen went dark. Dane slid it back into his shirt pocket. He eyed the desk below, which wasn't a desk, not really.

"It's a computer monitor," Paul said, "like on CNN."

"Or the NFL Network," Alex added.

Dane ran his hand through his hair, mesmerized. "I think it's more than a touchscreen," he said.

The rectangular monitor projected the information more like 3D holograms.

The man behind the desk wore a long white lab coat. "He must be the scientist," Dane mumbled.

Alex nodded and whispered back, "Dr. Thompson."

Dr. Thompson's sleeves fluttered madly. He orchestrated vast amounts of green graphs, images, and incomprehensible formulas. He swiped floating variables away, enlarged others, moved numbers and letters: a conductor, arms and hands never ceasing. The scientist played an unheard symphony of formulaic chaos.

"We've got to tell Simone about this," Dane said.

The doctor's hands slowed. He put a final number into place in an extensive formula, which flashed a brilliant green. He swiped the complex holograms away.

"Some password," Paul said.

The scientist's Southern accent bounced off the metal walls, "Analysis complete. Portals fully charged. Recording now."

A hologram of the nervous soldier and the two doorframes lifted mystically from the monitor. Floating seconds counted down above the hologram. The monitor's shade of green was a closer tint to the Hulk's skin than Green Lantern's suit.

"This is better than the Syfy channel," Alex said.

"Test subject is male," the scientist said. "Jacob Drake. Age twenty-four."

The room was movie-theater cold, but the soldier wiped sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. He probably hadn't signed up for this, or had he?

Alex pointed to the far wall.

There was a wired glass window like the break room's. Because of the angle Dane couldn't see faces, but multiple soldiers' black uniforms and a single white lab coat, which must've been Dr. Ponytail.

"You can bet Sarge is in there," Alex said. "How'd they not see us lift the ceiling tile?"

"Much more interesting stuff going on," Dane said.

"Initiating energy teleportation." There was a flutter of hesitation in the scientist's voice. "Experiment 001."

"This isn't going to go well," Dane whispered.

Paul eyed Dane and said, "I've got the same feeling."

Alex still had the suped-up cattle prod resting on her back. Dane decided against telling her to have it ready. He touched the phone in his front pocket.

"Initiating portals," Dr. Thompson said with a tinge more confidence.

The two doorframes, more than ten feet apart, ignited in a glow of green. The green light swirled inside each doorframe, deepening the room's hum: a mad swarm of wasps.

Green light reflected off the terrified soldier. The monitor's hologram mirrored the uneasy reality.

"That looks a lot like the portal from our bracelets," Paul whispered.

Dane glanced at his bracelet. What were these things? It was a device, not jewelry, clamped to his wrist. He had a sudden urge to try and rip it off. He forced himself to look back into the lab.

"Ours are purple," Alex whispered back.

She said it like the color should mean something. Dane didn't know what that had to do with anything. There was no time to ask.

"Energy level stabilized," Dr. Thompson's voice trembled. He looked at the soldier for the first time. "Are you ready?"

"Ready," the soldier squealed.

Dr. Thompson hadn't addressed the soldier by name, as if separating himself from the human element. The soldier was nothing more than a rat in a steel cage.

"Step through the portal in front of you," Dr. Thompson said, sounding unsure.

The soldier did so with no hesitation. Green light bulged a brilliant swell, like a firework exploding in slow-motion, but lasting much longer.

Alex's and Paul's faces matched what Dane felt, and surely a mirror of his own: gaping mouth, wide saucer eyes reflecting the expanding light. It consumed the soldier, completely.
43

Penny gasped as the van sped toward the police cruiser, which had come out of nowhere.

A green flare swept across Penny's vision, momentarily blinding her. She jerked the van to the right. The cruiser's alternating blue and red lights replaced the green.

Penny glanced back. How had they miss—

"Brake!" Collin yelled.

The parked minivan filled Penny's vision. She swerved left, vigorously pumping the breaks. The Blue Beast slammed into the minivan, which took the brunt of the impact. Its driver side window imploded, showering Collin in glass. The Blue Beast rocked on its shocks.

Collin shook glass out of his hair.

"Are you cut?" Penny asked. Collin simply looked at her. No, he looked past her.

"Dr-dr-drive," Collin said sharply.

Penny followed his gaze across the street. Through the glassless diver's side window the cruiser's intensely dark tinted window rolled down. Penny couldn't see the officer inside. "We need help!" she yelled out.

"Why aren't the officers getting out to help us?" Simone asked, rubbing her shoulder.

The cruiser's spinning blue light revealed a black-gloved hand. It held a handgun.

Breath caught in Penny's chest. She knew very little about guns, but how much did she need to know when one was pointed at her? There was a good chance of turning up dead. She put the gas pedal to the floor. The Beast's tires howled, but it couldn't escape the minivan's twisted jaws.

The gun took aim.

"Re-re-reverse!" Collin shouted.

Penny slammed it into reverse. Grinding medal. The van rocked, but couldn't escape the minivan's clutches.

"They're firing!" Simone yelled.

Penny ducked. Faint pops, like poppers at a kid's birthday party. She gunned the accelerator. The Blue Beast finally escaped its captor. The releasing claws of twisted medal tore through the silent night.

The escape was so ferocious Penny narrowly missed another parked car. She corrected the van and raced it down the suburban street.

"Why isn't anyone coming out to investigate?" Simone asked, peering out the window. Not a single light glowed on the street, not from a streetlamp, or from inside a home. The houses were dark, decaying cavities.

"Where're you g-g-going?" Collin asked.

"We're in the Bright Springs subdivision," Penny said, turning right at the next street. "I'll take Beach Street to our neighborhood."

Bleak houses and fully intact cars blurred by.

"They're following us," Simone said.

Penny glanced up. In the rearview, the cruiser's lights dotted the black horizon. She turned right onto Basswood. "I guess I won't be pulling over for them," she said.

"That's not one of our town's cruiser's," Collin said, stammering slightly. "The tinted windows aren't regulation, traffic cops don't use suppressers on their guns, and most importantly, they don't fire their weapons for no reason."

"The one in Dane's phone video?" Simone asked.

Collin nodded. "Outside the Petrie's," he said. "The f-f-faceless things that shot Murry."

"Did any bullets come through?" Penny asked.

"I heard three hit the back of the van," Simone said.

"I thought they were aiming at us," Penny said. She screeched the van into a left turn down Dogwood.

Collin pulled in the side mirror to keep it from banging against the door.

"They were aiming for the van's gas tank," Simone said.

"To blow up the van?" Penny asked. "That doesn't make any sense, what good are we dead?"

"I guess these th-things are fireproof," Collin said, studying his bracelet.

The cruiser turned down the street. Penny pushed the pedal down as far as she dared.

"Whoever they are, they obviously don't watch Mythbusters," Simone said. "Unlike what you see in the movies, shooting a car's gas tank won't blow it up. At least, not likely."

"We're not losing gas," Penny said.

"I th-think it's on this side," Collin said. He risked a glance outside. "Yep."

"But why?" Penny asked. "The bracelets, I mean. There's no special powers and only Dane's has a symbol."

"Maybe it's where the p-portal opens up to," Collin said. "A distant planet with b-billons and billons in untapped minerals."

"They're gaining," Simone warned.

"Alex would tell you," Collin said, "we can't out run the engine in that car."

"Hold on," Penny nearly shouted. She pushed the van even harder. It went under a streetlamp, which flickered out.

"It's a dead end!" Collin yelled.

Penny went right, pumping the breaks. Luckily, there were no parked cars because the van went wide, which was exactly what she needed. She wasn't prepared, however, with how violently the Blue Beast took the curb.

Even with her seatbelt on, the top of Penny's head hit the van's roof. She bit her tongue.

Collin grabbed the wheel to the right. They scarcely missed the tree in the front yard. The mailbox wasn't so lucky. It exploded into splinters. The van grinded back onto the street as it completed the wide turn.

"Almost lost our last working side mirror," Penny said, turning off the headlights. They blindly flew into the alleyway.

"Smart," Collin whispered.

"Truly," Simone added.

"Lets hope it works," Penny said. She swerved into a driveway, stopping inches from the garage door, which had two floodlights mounted above it. Why hadn't their sensors activated? She engaged the emergency break pedal and killed the engine.

"Take your foot off the break," Simone said.

Penny did so. In the rearview she saw the van's break lights go out. The rev of the cruiser's engine closed in. Penny heard nothing but the cruiser's sadistic roar and the rapid thud of her heart, a duel piston in her ears.

Penny dug her teeth into her bottom lip. Her mind raced. Was the cruiser slowing? Had they seen her turn or the break light? Did the fence conceal the top of the van? Would the house's security lights activate?

Senior year she'd snuck a boy in her room. Her parents had come home early from their date night. She'd felt trapped that night, hiding the boy—Dillon Stephens—in her bathroom. It seemed lifetimes had come and gone before she heard the muffled click of her parents' bedroom door closing. How stupid and childish that seemed now. Sitting here in the dead of night, clutching the steering wheel, was way, way worse.

From the street, the blue and red lights of the cruiser washed down the alleyway. Through the van's door-less back the sound of the cruiser's engine gunned passed the alleyway and down the street. Finally, its engine faded away.

Penny closed her eyes. Her head against the headrest, she exhaled. There was a slight taste of blood in her mouth. "Are you both okay?" she asked.

"Thanks to your driving," Simone said.

Penny rubbed her eyes. A tooth scraped at the cut on her tongue. She opened her mouth to say they were going to the police, when light flooded the van, washing away any thought.

"Th-th-they found us!" Collin yelled.

Even with her eyes closed, Penny knew the light was too bright to be the house's security lamps. Her eyes shot open. A wash of white light struck her eyes. She cried out, fumbling for the ignition.

The sound of a helicopter reverberated off of the van and the surrounding area. But it was quieter than Penny expected. The van started without backfiring.

"S-s-same from the video. Above M-Murry's house," Collin said, staring up at the night sky. "The one the M-m-modifier jumped from."

Penny reversed the van out of the driveway and sped down the alleyway.

The helicopter's spotlight followed.

Penny knew where they must go.
44

The pulse of green light was blinding, but Dane didn't close his eyes. Why had the soldier so willingly stepped into it? The sheer bravery or stupidity it took was inconceivable.

If all went well: he and his friends could escape this house, find Mad Murry's journal, and activate the portal, he would need to do the same. This was his reward.

The green light peaked. The soldier named Drake had disappeared. Dane shifted his concentration to the second doorframe, as did Dr. Thompson.

Pregnant with energy, the second frame's churning, green light stretched out to the steel wall. Light kissed its own reflection, and like the release of a slingshot, snapped back in place. The light was once again concealed within the doorframe.

Dane gasped, even though he'd expected it. The soldier's boot completed the step on the other side of the room. The soldier named Drake stumbled out of the light, holding his face. The experiment had worked. Unbelievably, the soldier had traveled ten feet in a single step.

In Dane's peripheral, both his friends were giddy with awe, like they'd just seen the best magic trick of their lives. Dane, however, like the scientist, watched the soldier more closely. The young man fell blindly into the wall, rebounding. The soldier steadied himself and lowered his hands. His eyes weren't glowing green like in some cheesy horror flick, but were a milky green. The pupil-less eyes were more fitting on a serpent than a live, breathing human being.

Dane plucked the phone out of his shirt pocket meaning to ask if the soldier had any vitals, but the Drake-thing screamed. It sounded more animal than human.

Dane jolted back, the phone slipping from his grasp.

Alex reacted the quickest, swiping at it, but the phone tumbled through the gap and into the lab.

A single image erupted in Dane's mind: an exploding mushroom cloud.

Paul slapped a hand to his mouth in surprise.

The phone clanged on the metal floor. A nuclear explosion would've been quieter.

The phone settled. There was a moment of complete silence. Dane thought of the afternoon in his front yard watching Alex walk away from him. The words I just want to be friends all jumbled in his mind, not making any sense. That had been the worst day of his life. Today, however, might end up becoming a close second.

Alex reached for the cattle prod's handle.

"Get them!" seared the silence. It was Sarge from behind the glass.

The Drake-thing's green eyes saw Dane through the gap. The creature lunged onto the steel doorframe and leapt up. Its head blasted through the ceiling squares, mere feet from Dane, Alex, and Paul. Its face contorted in a howl.

Dane instinctively shielded Alex.

The creature gnashed. Thick lines of slobber oozed down its chin.

Human teeth shouldn't be that sharp was all Dane could think.

Alex reached around Dane wildly, swinging the electric-rod. Blue sparks flew across the creature's raging face.

Alex fell forward, taking Dane with her. Paul grabbed the back of Dane's t-shirt. The collar dug into his throat, but there was no stopping them all from falling.

The Drake-thing lunged forward. So close, Dane could smell its fowl breath, like something was rotting inside of it. The four of them fell through the open tile.

The tangled-body-fall felt longer than the high dive at the pool. The creature hit the floor first, cushioning the blow. A weak groan left the Drake-thing's mouth. A line of blood rolled down its cheek.

Dane crawled off the creature. The steel floor was cold on his hands and knees.

"We must exit."

It took Dane's swarming head a moment to figure out it was the phone's voice, even though it rested mere inches from his nose.

"Dane, we must exit," the phone said again.

Dane picked up Sean and got to his feet. He stumbled toward the doorframe and its green light.

Paul grabbed Dane's arm and said, "Don't think you want to go through there."

"Thanks," Dane said. He shook his head. The lab stopped tilting and came into focus.

Together, Dane and Paul lifted Alex to her feet.

She winced, favoring her right leg. "Sprained left ankle," she said, in obvious pain.

A white lab coat flashed by as the doctor tried to restrain the Drake-creature.

Dane lifted under one of Alex's arms. Paul moved to her other side and did the same. The three galloped for the single door. Their rambling pace mimicked a potato sack race.

Green pulsing light refracted off the walls. They reached the door and it didn't simply open but slid up like in Star Trek, which would've been the coolest thing to witness on a normal day.

Dane looked back at the pandemonium of running soldiers behind the wired glass. No sign of Sarge. Only Dr. Ponytail stood indecisive with terror. The Drake-creature flung Dr. Thompson through the first doorframe. A bursting bulge of green light filled the room.

Dr. Thompson flew through the second doorframe and smacked against the wall. The scientist stood up howling. It was Dr. Thompson no more. The Thompson-creature's muddy, green eyes stared right at Dane. It screamed a mouth of fanged teeth. The lab door slid down, blocking Dane's view of the horror. At his height, the door's square window revealed nothing but wall and ceiling.

"Now there are two," Dane said more to himself as the three of them lumbered down the hall.

They took a right at the turn, passed the break room at an agonizing pace. Poor Alex grunted with every step. Paul panted with effort. Dane fought off the dizziness clutching at him. One of the zombie-things howled. It might've been the Drake-thing. There was no way to know for sure.

"Look," Paul huffed.

Down the hall, the ceiling tiles were ripped open. The jagged hole was the size of a ceiling fan.

"The second tremor," Dane said. "That's how Mirk entered the sub-level. We can make it up."

Alex shot Dane a you must be crazy glare.

A howl, closer this time, got them moving again.

Under the hole, Dane let go of Alex and laced his fingers. "You first, P-man," he said, between laboring breaths.

"Why me?" Paul asked. He glanced up, shifting side to side.

"So you can help Alex and me up," Dane said.

Paul stepped into Dane's hands.

"One, two, three," Dane said and flung his friend with all his might.

Paul clasped the hole's edge, and with a grunt, lifted himself up. He disappeared over the twisted edge of scorched ceiling tiles and carpet.

Wiping his forehead, Dane froze as animal screeches closed in. But those weren't animals...those were monsters.

Running boots joined the hungry howls. They only had a few minutes before the soldiers or creatures, or both were on them.

Paul reappeared on his stomach, hands out, his medallion swinging below him.

"Give me your good foot," Dane said to Alex.

She put her hands on her hips, still favoring her right foot.

"Alexandra, please," he pleaded.

"Saying my full name isn't going to work," Alex said sharply. She eyed the ceiling's jagged hole. "How are you going to get up?"

"I'll jump," Dane said resolutely.

"You can't make that," Alex said. Her eyes squinting at him

"I've got a better chance than you do," Dane said. "Your ankle is already swelling."

Alex folded her arms and said, "I'm not leaving you."

Dane looked up. Paul's hands did look far away. He knew Alex was probably right. He couldn't make that jump, but he had to get Alex to safety. "I promise I'll make it," he said.

A growl grumbled down the hall.

"I bet they can smell us," Dane said.

"Alex!" Paul shouted, his face red with blood filling his hanging head. "Please, hurry."

Dane laced his hands and to his surprise and relief, Alex put her foot in them.

Dane lifted, his back strained, but he didn't stop.

Paul grabbed Alex's outstretched hands and helped her climb to safety. She looked down and reached for Dane. He readied himself to jump, when something a few feet away caught his eye. Dane crossed to the metal object.

"Get back here!" Alex shouted at him.

Dane hardly heard her. He couldn't take his eyes of the silver object. "Holy Clone Wars!" he whispered to himself. He picked up the laser gun and ran back under the hole. "Look what I found."

Dane aimed the gun at the wall. And with the slightest pressure on the trigger, the gun fired a red laser. "Wow!" he said with wide yes. "That's a hair trigger."

The laser left a smoking hole in the wall. Within the wall, Dane could make out water leaking from a pipe.

"Dane!" Alex yelled. "Stop goofing around."

"It's got some kind of dial," Dane said more to himself.

The knob on the side of the gun looked like a volume dial on a stereo system. It even had dashes, which thickened in a clockwise direction. It was currently set just over halfway.

"Your mom is right," Alex said vehemently from above, "you do make a preacher want to cuss."

"Okay, I'm coming," Dane said. He went to put the gun in the band of his shorts, when a soldier turned the corner.

"Halt!" the tall man screamed. He started running. The end of his machine gun pointed at Dane.

Without thinking, Dane dropped to a knee. He aimed the oval-barreled gun, simultaneously turning down the dial

Eyes large with shock, the soldier slowed.

Dane fired. Instead of red, a pink laser hit the soldier in the chest.

The man froze. One boot in mid step, he fell to the ground, his machine gun clanging on the hard surface. His eyes rolled up at Dane.

Heart pounding, Dane rose, staring at the futuristic-gun. He looked up at Alex and Paul and said, "He's still breathing. I simply stunned him."

"That's great," Alex said. "Now jump."

Dane tucked the laser gun in his shorts. The zombie-things were close enough to hear their gurgling groans.

Dane jumped. Alex's hands latched onto one of his wrists, Paul grabbed the other. His friends struggled, trying to lift him. Nothing happened.

He heard both creatures slobbering, galloping down adjacent halls, and closing in.

Dane's hand slipped from Paul's grasp. Alex inched forward, precariously close to falling.

"Let go!" Dane shouted. Sweat stung his eyes. "Alex, you'll fall." As usual, she ignored him.

Both zombies appeared at once, the Drake-thing from his right, the Thompson-thing on his left. Its ripped lab coat flailed behind it like a cape.

Dane swung his free hand up. Paul grabbed it. His friends tried again, raising him only a few inches. The toes of his sneakers barely lifted off the tile.

"I can't hold you much longer," Alex grunted. Her eyes rimmed with tears and terror.

Dane's sweaty hands slipped. Shoe tips touched the floor. He thought of letting go and grabbing the gun. No time to use it. The zombie-things were strides from him, and he hung there like raw-gazelle meat—the weakest of the herd.

The creatures were close enough for him to feel their demented rage. The Thompson-thing had a long line of mixed mucus and blood on its chin, which splattered on the white wall when he jumped over the stunned soldier.

"You're slipping!" Paul yelled.

The zombie monsters bore down. His friends tried again, but to no avail.

"Dane, please don't leave me!" Alex screamed.

The emotion in Alex's voice ignited strength in Dane he didn't know he had. He pulled himself into a ball, knees to his chest.

The two zombies collided underneath him with gnashing teeth and slashing nails.

Dane lifted himself up. And, with his sneakers, he pushed off the zombies' tangled, writhing bodies. He heaved himself up. A shard of metal dug into his shorts. One of the creatures swiped at Dane's shoe, but Alex and Paul pulled him up to safety just in time.

Dane rolled onto his back, panting.

"Are you hurt?" Alex asked. "Did they get you?"

Alex's worried face hovered over his. She was straddling him. Her hand pulled up his t-shirt.

Maybe it was almost being zombie food that gave him a new perspective on life because Alex's touch had never felt so warm. The pressure of her body on him was exhilarating.

Dane smiled and said, "I just used a zombie head for a stepladder."

"Don't do it again!" Alex said, her voice trembling with emotion. She stood and looked away and out the dark window.

Dane immediately missed her weight, her pressure.

"Can we get out of here now, please?" Paul asked, staring at the two unconscious soldiers by the front door.

"Sure," Dane said, getting to his feet. "But only if you want to." He looked back down the hole. The zombie-creatures were super ticked and dangerously close to climbing the walls.
45

"I think it's g-gone," Collin said. He brought his head in from outside the passenger side window.

"You think it was the Modifiers' helicopter?" Penny asked.

Collin nodded.

"Let's get out of here," Simone said, trying to look out every window at once. "The woods are giving me the creeps."

"I don't like it either," Penny whispered. She put the idling van in drive. "But it was the only cover from the helicopter I could think of."

"Drive s-s-slow. No l-l-lights," Collin said. He fastened his seatbelt.

The van eased over the curb and into the alleyway.

Collin stuck his head back out the window. "Still cl-clear."

Penny turned on the headlights. The van crawled down the alleyway.

CG

Dane helped Paul carry Alex out of the safe house.

"Headlights," Dane said. "They're coming this way." He waved with his free hand.

The three of them were halfway through the front yard, when Paul exclaimed, "It's the Blue Beast!"

The van slowed and the side door slid open. Simone's grin greeted them, her glasses and teeth shining in the moonlight.

Dane laughed out loud unable to help himself. His relief nearly brought him to tears. They climbed into the belly of the Blue Beast, all back together.

Soldiers swarmed out of the house, like pissed-off ants, but not a one fired.

Penny sped the van down the street.

Sarge stood with another soldier in the middle of the street. Dane was so elated to be out of the house, he actually waved at Sarge's dark figure.

CG

"Do you want us to pursue?" the soldier asked Sarge.

"No," Sarge said. "We know where they're going. Have we heard from our inside man?"

"Negative."

"Keep trying to contact him," Sarge said with a heavy sigh. "We'll take over the house on Crabapple Court once the portal inside has been activated."

The van's taillights disappeared around the corner.

Sarge touched the bandage on his forehead. He needed a painkiller, more because of those blasted kids than his head wound. How had they tricked him? "Initiate cleanup and untie the safe house's stage family," Sarge commanded. "Keep a soldier in civilian clothes to make sure they play their parts. Get everyone else below. We may have a visit from local authorities."

CG

Dane moved to the middle chair behind Penny. He patted her shoulder and said, "Thanks for coming back for us."

"It was Simone's idea," Penny replied.

Penny's delivery was deadpanned, but Dane caught her smiling eyes in the rearview. For the first time, he saw her true beauty. He was starting to like her, but not in that way. She was too old for him and she'd always be Paul's sister.

"Thanks for letting me borrow him," Dane said. He passed the phone to Simone. "His name is Sean."

Simone tilted her head slightly, curiosity squinting her forehead. "It's not like he's mine," she said.

"For now," Dane said, "I think he kind of is. The password—"

"I figured it out," Simone interjected. She typed in the three-letter password. The phone activated. Its blue waveform reflected on Simone's face and glasses.

When the phone spoke, its light danced on Simone's ebony skin, "How may I be of service, Simone Lane?"

"Any cops or suspicious cars at Mad Murry's house?" Simone asked the phone.

"Mad Murry's house?" Sean asked.

Simone gave Sean Murry's address.

A map appeared on the phone's screen. "No," the phone said. "But I can't always detect Modifiers."

"You hear that, Penny?" Simone asked.

"Got it," Penny said. She turned the van out of Campion street's housing development and onto the street leading to Summerfields, which was Crabapple Court's subdivision.

"Oh, God!" Penny's chair creaked with her alertness.

In the oncoming lane, a cruiser topped the hill and sped toward them, its lights flashing.

"That's a n-normal cop c-c-car," Collin said.

Dane saw the city logo on the cruiser's door as it raced by.

"Surprised it didn't pull us over," Alex said, shifting on the back sofa. She placed her leg across Paul's lap. "You know, with the condition of the old Blue Beast."

"You okay, Pen?" Dane asked. Penny had lost color in her face and she hadn't sped back up to the minimum speed limit.

"The cruiser you filmed in front of the Petrie's," Simone said to Dane, "the faceless figures that shot Mad Murry also shot at and chased us."

"I missed a car chase?" Dane asked.

"More terrifying than exciting, trust me," Simone said.

Dane chuckled and asked, "Then why are you smiling?"

"The Blue Beast has bullet holes," Simone said with a mixture of awe and intrigue.

"We're going to the authorities," Penny said, accelerating the van.

"Can't," Collin replied.

"Listen," Penny said, "we made the little pact-thing before people were shooting at us."

"N-no," Collin said. "The cruiser that chased us might s-still b-be government."

"You said it wasn't government," Penny said, her hands wrung the steering wheel.

"He's right, Sis," Paul said from the back. "Both federal and local government agencies have unmarked cruisers."

"So, what else happened?" Dane asked. He wanted to end the building tension. The last thing they needed was an argument.

It was mainly Simone that filled them in. Collin added details every now and again. Dane was glad Collin wasn't stuttering as much. Penny mainly concentrated on getting them back safely, and didn't say anything until Simone had caught everyone up to speed.

"When Sarge used the ID card for the break room," Penny said, "it wasn't his."

"How do you know?" Paul asked.

"Because," Penny said, glancing back, "the picture on the ID was a redheaded woman."

"I knew it," Collin said. "Sarge and his goons aren't active U.S. government soldiers."

"Like a rogue militia or shadow government?" Dane asked.

Collin shrugged.

"How did you guys escape?" Simone asked.

Dane had a few minutes before Penny pulled the van onto Crabapple Court. "I'll give you the comic strip version," he said.

The only break came when Dane showed the laser gun.

Collin revealed his new knife and received audible oohs and ahhs when he activated it.

"It looks like a miniature lightsaber," Dane said. "Next week's Show and Tell is going to be the best ever."

Simone put her hand in her pocket. Shadows covered the far off look in her eyes.

The van's headlights reflected off Crabapple Court's street sign.

"Good to be back," Dane said. But the slow drive down their street didn't feel secure or safe. Normal street shadows seemed darker, more menacing.

"Activating the garage door," the phone said. Murry's garage door started opening.

Penny squeezed the van next to Murry's Mercedes.

Dane and his friends climbed out. He patted the vehicle, "You did good, ole Blue Beast." He wiped the grime on his shorts. "For once I actually want a shower."

"Yeah," Alex said, "we need to have a little chat about you starting to use deodorant."

"I use deodorant," Dane said, following Alex into the house. Paul and Collin on either side of her.

"Looks like twenty-two dust devils raked through this place," Alex said, her eyes scanning the disaster that was Mad Murry's living room.

"More like an E5 tornado," Dane said. "Have we been robbed?"
46

Tommy strolled out of the lab and leaned over the banister. He grinned down and said, "Where have you all been?"

"Out for ice cream," Dane said. Tommy seemed trustworthy, but Dane didn't want to go over the night they'd had again.

"Love what you've done with the place," Penny said.

Tommy hunched over the railing, rubbing the top of his head. His hair pointed in every direction. "While you've been out," he said. "I found the clue to where my uncle's journal is hidden."

"Groovy," Paul said. "So, where's the journal?"

"Obviously," Tommy said, spreading his arms, "I haven't found it yet. The clue is complete gibberish. More like a riddle really."

Dane stepped forward, remembering Agent Baker had told them that Murry had left them clues. "Give us a stab at it," he said. "We love riddles."

"Be my guest," Tommy grunted. He pulled a wad of paper from his pocket and threw it down.

Dane picked it up off a displaced sofa cushion and smoothed it out. Penny and Simone studied it from either side of him.

Dane felt Tommy's eyes watching from above. He dropped the paper to his side. "Hey, C-man, I'm starving," he said more jovially than he felt. "You mind whipping something up?"

Simone nudged Penny to follow her.

"What now?" Penny asked.

But Simone simply led Penny to the kitchen door.

"You kids are weird," Penny said, as she entered the kitchen.

Collin scattered a pile of DVDs and picked up The Chronicle's of Narnia box set. He handed it to Alex.

"Thanks," Alex whispered.

"Well, aren't you going to read it?" Tommy asked Dane.

Dane met Tommy's bloodshot eyes.

Collin and Paul helped Alex through the kitchen door. It slapped shut behind them.

Dane eyed the beige paper and asked, "How do you know this is the clue to your uncle's journal?"

Walking back into the lab, Tommy yelled over his shoulder, "It's the only piece of paper in the entire house from his journal."

Dane read the clue. An undertow of fatigue tugged at him, strengthening with each written word. He joined his friends in the kitchen.

Penny eased Alex's bare foot and swollen ankle into a large bowl of ice water. Alex winced with pain, but didn't shed a tear. Her squinted face should've made her unattractive. But, for Dane, Alex's toughness made her even prettier.

"Don't worry," Penny said, glancing at Dane, "I don't think its broken and there's no bruising on the ankle or foot."

"Yeah," Alex said, "stop being such a wimp and read the clue already."

Penny went back to help Collin and Simone in the kitchen and whatever concoction they were cooking up. Onions sizzled in a pan. Dane's stomach protested at their sweet aroma. He joined Paul and Alex at the kitchen table. The blinds were closed and the overhead light was on a dimmer, providing a warm, comfortable glow. Tonight was on its way to becoming the sleepover of the ages.

"Well, hurry up," Alex said. She shifted her leg. Ice clinked together. "I need something to take my mind off my bum ankle."

Dane smoothed the parchment out on the table and read the two handwritten lines:

Dear Eldest Three,

The 5th, The Scarlet and The Guard a robe

"Come again," Simone said. She stopped grating a block of cheese.

Penny and Collin also stopped and stared. The open refrigerator's light glowed on the two of them.

"Read it again, please," Collin said.

Dane annunciated every word, "Dear Eldest Three, The 5th, The Scarlet and The Guard a robe." He leaned back in his chair and eyed Paul.

"I don't have the foggiest," Paul said. He let out a long yawn.

Alex shrugged. Ice rattled.

Simone, Penny, and Collin went back to preparing food.

"Oh good, Murry's got shrimp," Collin said, staring into the fridge's freezer.

"Well," Dane said, "the clue does have Three in it."

"Not your birthday number again," Alex said. "Obsessed much?"

Paul chuckled.

"No," Dane said, shaking his head, "the first thing that came to mind was Nikola Tesla. He was also obsessed with the number three."

"The car guy," Alex said with a wry smile.

"Very funny," Dane said. "Did you know Tesla walked around a building three times before he'd enter it?"

"Actually," Paul said, "Tesla was also obsessed with the numbers six and nine. It's because they're found in nature."

"Nature?" Alex asked.

"You know," Paul said, "like the hexagons in a honeycomb."

"Too bad there's not a six in the clue," Alex said, "then you'd have two threes for your birthday number."

"You figure out the clue then," Dane said. He stuck the paper out for Alex. Suddenly, he felt extremely exhausted.

Alex rolled her eyes.

"It's been a hard night," Penny said, setting a cheese tray on the table. "Lets take a break and eat first."

"Fine," Dane said, his stomach rumbled in agreement. He laid the clue on top of the Narnia box set and took a piece of cheddar.
47

Tucked within the kitchen nook, like the kids' table on Thanksgiving Day, Dane pushed his plate back, unable to finish the last bite of his shrimp fajita.

"Collin, you want my last veggie fajita?" Paul asked.

"Sure," Collin said, taking Paul's plate.

Dane rubbed his hands on his Superman t-shirt and plucked the journal's page from atop the box set, which remained unmoved amongst empty plates and bowls.

Dane leaned back in his chair, stretching his stomach. He reread the clue out loud, "Dear Eldest Three, The 5th, The Scarlet and The Guard a robe."

A dense pause fell over the group. Collin scarfed down Paul's fajita.

"So full," Alex said. She took her foot out of the bowl of water and rubbed her stomach. "Does anyone else have a food baby?"

Paul chuckled.

"How's the ankle feeling?" Penny asked.

"Much better," Alex said, adjusting her hairband around her ponytail. "Thanks for the Extra Strength Tylenol."

Cleaning her glasses with her shirt, Simone said, "Agent Baker said Murry would leave a clue for us—"

"So," Dane added with renewed excitement, "if the clue is for us—"

Alex straitened. "We're The Dear Eldest Three," she finished.

Across the table from Dane, Paul inspected his bracelet. "The Eldest Three," Paul said, would mean Penny, Alex—"

"And me," Dane said.

"So, the clue is directed at the three of you," Simone said. She put her glasses on. Her finger absently touched the crack in the lens.

Dane studied the clue for a moment and then said, "The last line has a comma after The 5th, which is written as a number. Scarlet is capitalized." He squinted at the cursive writing. "And Guard a robe kind of runs together."

"What do you need from us?" Collin asked.

Dane brushed a lock of hair out of his face. How could Collin, Simone, and Paul help if they weren't meant to solve the clue? Around the table, all eyes fell on him. "Sims," he asked, "how much surveillance gizmos do you have?"

Simone's brow wrinkled.

"I mean in your backpack," Dane answered.

"In all the excitement," Simone said, "I completely forgot about my pack."

Penny headed for the sink with a few plates. Her back turned, she said, "It's in the van under the back bench."

"Oh, yeah," Simone said. "Nothing but your video camera, why?"

"I want twenty-four seven surveillance of the house," Dane said.

"What for?" Penny asked. She turned from the sink, eyes alert with trepidation.

"Just a hunch," Dane said. "Besides, we'll need video proof for our Good Morning America interview. You know, when we're all famous."

Dane received nothing but suspicious stares from Penny, Alex, and Simone. But no one commented on the subject any further, which meant they all felt it, too.

"I've got a few Go Pros," Simone said, "but their battery life sucks big time."

"Any other way we can monitor movement in the house?" Dane asked.

Simone puckered her lips in thought. "I have an idea," she said. "But I'll need to go home for supplies."

"I don't think so," Penny said. She shut off the faucet. "I don't want anyone leaving the house."

"Simone's house is just up the street," Dane said, "and Collin and Paul are going to go with her."

"No," Penny said without hesitation.

"Sis," Paul said, "I'd feel safer if we could keep an eye on—"

Paul didn't finish, but Dane knew what he'd almost said.

"Besides," Alex added in a low voice, "we don't really know Tommy. I mean he seems nice, but he is a stranger."

"Yeah," Simone said, "I'd feel safer if we knew where he was at all times."

A much darker thought past through Penny's eyes. Dane had seen it a thousand times from soon to be victims in horror flicks. Even before Penny spoke he knew she was going to let them leave. She wasn't afraid of Tommy, but something else. Penny must've also sensed the other presence. The house or something in it was watching their every move. Dane wanted the cameras so he and his friends could watch back.

Penny turned back to the sink. "Okay," she said. "Activate the spy phone."

A foreboding chill brushed through Dane. "Take a walkie-talkie and contact us when you get there," he added. "And it's probably best if you can get in and out without your parents knowing."

CG

"Well, at least we don't have to help clean up," Paul said. They'd decided not to turn on Murry's porch light. In shadows, Collin's grim face didn't smile and Simone left only a ghost of a grin, which dissolved after she activated the phone.

Sean's screen, dimmer than usual, washed a phantom blue hue on Simone's face.

"How may I be of service, dear Simone?" the Scottish accent asked in a low whisper.

Paul shifted. How did the phone know to stay dim and whisper? And it always knew who was holding it. If it read fingerprints then maybe an elevated heart rate would also indicate a tense situation, a need for caution, secrecy. Or it simply evaluated the dim surroundings, maybe both.

Simone held the phone close to her face. Her lenses filled with blue light as she asked, "Can you detect anyone else but the three of us on the street?"

"The street is void of any other humans outside," the phone whispered. "There are several still awake inside their dwellings."

Paul studied the street. His home street appeared alien and foreign. It could've been a suburban street in Moscow. It was as if he was seeing the street for the first time through another person's eyes. Hedges, fences, and the handful of parked cars provided too many hiding places.

The streetlamp suddenly zapped off. Paul jumped back.

"Look," Simone said, "the one across from my house went out, too."

Paul hadn't realized he'd grabbed the front doorknob. Being back inside Mad Murry's house didn't seem so creepy after all.

"Sean, do you know what caused the streetlights to go out?" Simone asked.

"No," the phone replied. "And the lamps on surrounding streets are still operational."

Paul slipped his hand off the doorknob and said, "Maybe it's for the best. Now no one can see us."

"Brim and Mirk know we're here," Collin said. His usually stoic face seemed to tremble with fear.

"Didn't the streetlights go out at the library," Simone asked barely audible, "right before the Modifiers showed up and Agent Baker was shot?"

"Yes," Collin said. "Easier to attack us and—"

"—kill us." Paul finished, remembering how the Modifier had barely registered a heat signature.

As if reading Paul's thought, which surely wasn't possible, the phone whispered, "I do not accurately detect Modifiers."

"Thanks for the reminder," Paul said. He lifted the walkie-talkie to speak into it.

"Don't you dare," Simone said.

Paul studied Simone's stern gaze. "They need to know the lights went out," he said, his voice rising to a near plea.

"Th-th-they're safe," Collin said flatly.

"Collin is right," Simone said. "And if you tell your sister the lamps went out there's no way she'll let us go. And I have an idea on how to monitor the house."
48

Dane passed Alex a soda and took his seat at the clean kitchen table, sitting in a chair across from Penny and Alex to his left. Penny sipped her coffee. The window blinds were closed behind her.

He reread the clue from the journal's parchment, "Dear Eldest Three, The 5th, The Scarlet and The Guard a robe."

Alex took a swig of soda. "So, what's the order?" she asked.

"I don't follow," Penny said.

Dane passed the clue to Penny and said, "The rest of the clue is divided into three parts by two comas—"

"One for each of us," Alex finished.

"But which one is my clue?" Penny whispered, not taking her eyes off the paper.

"Yes," Dane said, "is your clue 5th or Guard a robe?" He frowned at his phone and set it down. "Still can't connect to the internet."

"Neither can I," Alex said, also setting her phone down. "How does Murry not have Wi-Fi?" she asked.

"I think the problem our street has had with the internet," Dane said, tapping his bracelet, "has something to do with these and the portal."

Alex wrinkled her nose at him.

"Just a hunch," Dane said, unable to suppress a smile. "It makes figuring out the clue way more difficult, which is probably what Murry wanted anyway. I know I would."

Alex unwrinkled her nose. "We can't really be the chosen ones," she said, "if we can lookup the answer online."

Dane circled the top of the can with his finger. Was that the first time all night she'd agreed with him? Was it because Paul wasn't here?

"Wait," Penny said, "why is my clue not the middle one? The Scarlet clue."

"It's probably not the middle," Alex said, "because either the clues are reading from the oldest to the youngest, which means your clue would be the first—"

"5th," Penny said.

"Or," Alex continued, "youngest to oldest—"

"Making mine Guard a robe," Penny said. "Well, I don't know anything about robes except that I wish my dad would stop wearing his."

Dane came out of his reverie. "Alphabetical would have you figuring out the robe one, too."

"Let's assume," Alex said, "since Murry used the words Dear Eldest he means oldest to youngest."

"Any way you look at it Scarlet is mine," Dane said.

"Any ideas then?" Penny asked.

"Not a clue," Dane said, absently thumbing his soda can's tab.

"That means the robe one's mine," Alex said, curling a strand of hair around her finger. "All I know about robes is I stopped wearing them before I was nine—"

"Shame too," Dane said, "I really liked your Harry Potter one." Alex's glare didn't stop him. "Where is it: closet, attic? I bet it's being guarded by some My Little Ponies or Hello Kitty stuffed animals."

Alex eyes squinted, more deadly than any laser beam.

"Just trying to help," Dane said with a grin. He leaned back slightly. "I'm not scared of you."

"You should be," Alex said curtly with the curl of a smile.

"Nah," Dane said, "no way you can catch me on your bum ankle."

"I wouldn't count on that," Penny said not looking up from the clue. "Don't you think each of the three are connected—"

"So figuring out one," Dane said, "might give a clue to the others."

"Like a puzzle," Alex added, eyes gleaming. "Dane, yours is definitely the middle one: Scarlet. What's the answer to your clue?"

"I have no idea," Dane said. All joking left him. "I've been racking my brain for anything to do with it: movies, books, video games—"

"Wait," Penny said, "why those things."

"Because those are the things I like," Dane said simply. "The clue was written for me."

"How could the ole hermit," Alex said, "possibly know your interests when you haven't officially ever met him? He's nothing but the creepy guy in the creepy house at the end of the street." She yanked the first book out of the box set.

"The dreams," Dane said, not caring that his voice cracked. "Haven't either of you been having the dreams?"

Alex and Penny both stared at him like he'd spoken another language.

Dane leaned forward, elbows on the table, he whispered, "The guy in all white."
49

Collin stayed a few steps in front of Simone and Paul. He halted on the sidewalk. His friends followed suit. He listened intently: crickets and the stifled audio of a TV or stereo. Maybe they should've sprinted.

"See something?" Simone asked.

"No," Collin said in a low voice. "I heard a rustling sound." He'd chosen the slow cautious approach to remain more attentive and create less noise. But if they'd run to Simone's house they'd be there, instead of only halfway.

Collin scanned the street. They'd stopped in front of Paul's and Penny's house. Alex's home was across the street. If someone or some thing were waiting to attack, wouldn't in front of three gang members' houses, and the middle of the street, be the most logical place?

The green eyed, furry beast shot from under the parked SUV.

Paul squealed.

The orange tufted animal streaked passed and up the tree in Paul's front yard.

Collin's muscles uncoiled. He breathed out and said, "We just got Tub-Attacked."

Simone released the tight grip on Collin's bicep.

Collin found Tub's glowing green eyes up in the tree. He didn't consider himself a cat person, but like all the kids on Crabapple Court, he loved Tub. Tub after all was more dog-like, or human, than any cat Collin had ever known.

"Come on, Tub," Collin said. He patted his leg and clicked his tongue.

Dane's orange tabby, Yossarian, affectionately called Tub because of his large frame and low hanging belly, shot down the trunk. Once back on the grass, Tub casually licked his paw.

"We should take him to Dane's house," Simone said.

Tub looked up at Simone. He blinked lazily as if to say: There's no need for that.

"He'll be alright," Collin said. "We can drop him off on the way back."

Tub meowed, which sounded a lot like a yeah.

"It kind of gives me the creeps," Paul said. "Like he understands us."

"L-lets get moving," Collin said.

Tub sprang up and led the way. His belly swinging from side to side, dangerously close to the sidewalk.

Collin wasn't surprised Tub seemed to know exactly where they were going. Tub enjoyed people food at all of their homes. Tub might sleep at the foot of Dane's bed when he was so inclined, usually on nights with inclement weather, but this street was his domain. If Crabapple Court had a mascot, it was six-year-old Yossarian "Tub" Williams.

The spy phone might be the most technologically advanced gadget Simone, or any of them had ever held, but Collin felt safer, more at ease, with Tub leading the way. He wasn't surprised when Paul spoke without whispering.

"So, Dane's still on naming the gang," Paul said. "He brought it up when we were cramped between floors."

"Typical," Simone said. "Anything promising?"

"Nope," Paul said quickly.

The yellow glow of the house's inside lights made Simone's face even more beautiful. Collin looked passed her to Paul. "What about Tub's Tough Team?" he asked.

Tub looked back, acknowledged his name with a slow blink, and then continued forward, lazily leading them down the street.

"How about the The Tubinators?" Simone asked.

"Dane does love his cat and his action movies," Paul said. He reached down and gave Tub a pat.

Tub purred a low rumble.

"I'm surprised," Simone said, "he hasn't worked the number three into a name yet."

"You know," Paul said. "I've been thinking about what Dane said about Tesla."

"Numerology?" Simone asked.

"No," Paul said. "Tesla had an experiment go awry. He was trapped in a massive electromagnetic charge."

Simone nodded. "It was a near death experience," she added. "He was working on one of his transformer coils and got stuck in the current, nearly electrocuted him."

"Right," Paul said. "Tesla said afterward that while he was trapped inside the energy current he saw the past, present, and future all at once. He was moved through space and time."

"Well," Simone said, "Tesla and Einstein used that same technology for the Navy. The Philadelphia Experiment."

"Philadelphia Experiment?" Collin asked.

"The Navy put Tesla's electric coils around a ship to cloak it from any radar," Simone said. "But when they turned it on, the ship disappeared and when it re-appeared some of the crew were actually embedded in the ship's hull."

"I don't know," Paul said. "It might've been a hoax."

"Supposedly, there were eyewitness accounts," Simone said, adjusting her glasses. "You think the portal leads to the future?"

Paul shrugged and said, "It might be possible—"

Tub stopped abruptly and cocked his head to the left.

Collin stopped as well, instinctively putting his arm in front of Simone and Paul.

Tub meowed.

Collin shifted his weight to his toes. He was about to tell his friends to run when Simone pointed.

"Look," she said, "it's just the Petrie's Maine Coon, Roscoe."

Across the street orange eyes stared at them. And then the cat disappeared behind a parked car.

"Only cat I've seen larger than Tub," Paul said. "Good thing they get along."

"Collin, relax," Simone said gently. She pushed his arm down.

Collin breathed out. Simone's touch slowed his heart.

Simone's house was only a few yards away and the first-floor lights were on.

"My parents are probably watching a movie," Simone said.

"The tree?" Collin asked.

"Why not the front door?" Paul asked, tugging on his medallion.

"We all look like," Simone paused and said, "Well, what we've all been through tonight. I'd rather my parents not see us. Besides they're pretty cool and all, but they'd probably be less than thrilled to find out their daughter is wandering the street after midnight."

"Might even give Dane's parents a call," Collin said. He studied Simone's second-story bedroom window and lookout balcony. How many hours had he lain awake in bed fantasizing about climbing over that railing, tapping on the window, and—

As if trying to provide the answer, or simply tired of the indecision, Tub ran up the tree trunk, across a branch level with the roof, jumped the narrow gap, scaled the roof's incline, leapt atop the railing, and sat on one of its corners. Tub let out one of his signature hello sounding meows, as if to say: Well, are you coming or not?

Collin smiled and studied Simone.

She shrugged and said, "Sometimes I feed him graham crackers. I've got a box stashed under my bed."

The bass of the TV boomed from inside.

"Sounds like your mom picked the movie tonight," Collin said.

"Let's do it," Simone said. "I keep my window unlocked."

"Keep watch," Collin said to Paul. He followed Simone to the tree. His heart drummed in his head. Why was he so nervous? There were plenty of low hanging branches. It was an easy climb. All those nights awake in the early morning envisioning this very climb. On more than one occasion, he'd actually gotten dressed and simply stood staring out of his bedroom window in the direction of the very balcony he was now staring up at. Yes, that had to be the root of his anxiety. It was, however, more than an uneasiness. It was a bad, bad feeling.

Paul held up the walkie-talkie and pressed the button.

50

"What guy in all white?" Penny asked.

Dane took a long gulp of his soda. He didn't like how nervous Penny seemed. Her left eye was twitching slightly. Dane wiped his mouth on his arm. "I've only had the dream a few times," he said.

"What does he look like?" Penny asked.

Dane thumbed the tab on his soda can. "Kind of," he paused, not knowing what to say. "Light seemed to come from within him."

"Oh, please," Alex said. Her eyes peered over the open Narnia book.

"Hey," Dane said, "I dreamed about your trip to Italy before you even told me you were going."

"Whatever," Alex said.

"Dane," Penny said, her voice dropping with seriousness, "tell me if you have anymore dreams." Her eyes shifted to Alex. "Both of you."

"Pen," Dane said, "I just meant Mad Murry could've had dreams about us."

"Or maybe," Alex said, turning a page, "he online stalked us—"

Static erupted from the walkie-talkie. Paul's voice cut through it: "We're at Simone's. Tub led the way."

Penny grabbed the walkie-talkie and replied, "Okay, be careful."

"Can't we just drive somewhere that has internet?" Dane asked. "The coffee shop has free Wi-Fi."

"For the last time," Penny said. "No one else is leaving the house. We'll use the spy phone when they get back."

Dane slumped in his chair. "I want to have it figured out before they return," he said, not caring that he sounded like a little kid. He looked at Alex. She simply kept her nose in the paperback. "You're not going to help me?" he asked.

"I know one thing," Alex said, her eyes scanning across the page, "we'll need more food if Tub is coming over."

"At least read the clue again," Dane said.

"Reading it for the millionth time," Alex said, not looking up, "isn't going to solve it."

Dane ignored her. "Please, Pen?" he asked, elongating the words.

"Alright," Penny said. She set down the walkie-talkie and reread the clue. "Dear Eldest Three, The 5th, The Scarlet and The Guard a robe."

"And you don't know anything about the 5th?" Dane asked.

Penny shook her head.

"You're into symbols. Does the number five mean anything special?" he asked.

"In numerology the number five life path stands for someone adventurous, always on the move," Penny said. "As for religion there are five wounds of Jesus Christ, Five Books of Moses in the Torah, and Five Pillars of Islam." She took a breath and continued, "And according to Aristotle the Universe is made up of five elements water, earth, air, fire, and ether."

"Point taken," Dane said, slumping further in his chair. "It could mean anything."

"I know nothing about robes or those that guard them," Alex said, setting the book down. "What do you know about Scarlet?"

Dane shrugged and mumbled, "My dad thinks Scarlet Johansson is pretty hot."

"You're no help," Alex said.

"At least I've physically read the clue," Dane said, frustration raising his voice. "You're more interested in that book."

"You're just upset because Mad Murry didn't write the clue for us after all," Alex said. "He didn't dream about us. He doesn't even know us." She folded her arms, the book against her chest. "We're not the chosen ones and you won't be famous."

"You didn't even read it," Dane nearly shouted. He slammed his can on the table.

"Fine," Alex snapped. Without taking her eyes off him, she took the journal page from Penny. Her eyes scanned the page as she said, "I mean he hardly comes out of his—"

"The dreams are real," Dane retorted. Looking at the paper, Alex's big brown, beautiful eyes seemed to grow even larger. Dane sat up. "What is it?" he asked.

Alex smiled over the brown parchment. "I know my clue," she said, loud with excitement, "and it has nothing at all to do with guards or robes."
51

On a sturdy branch, level with her second-story window, Simone brushed leaves out of her way. They spilled droplets of water on her from last night's storm.

Simone adjusted, bark dug painfully into her knees. Clutching a higher branch, she stood. She eyed the roof and her balcony railing. The jump to the roof was only a few feet.

Collin rustled leaves as he settled in behind her. And still atop his railing perch, Tub greeted her with a low hello meow.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," she whispered. She exhaled her remaining hesitation, took two quick steps, and leapt for the roof. She landed on its sloped surface. It was steeper than she'd anticipated. She was going to topple backwards. She flung forward, wrapped her arms around the railing, and hoisted herself over to safety. She waved to Collin a few feet away in the tree and to Paul's tiny figure on the sidewalk below. She didn't blame Paul for wanting to stay back and keep watch on the ground. Besides, Collin and her could pack up all the stuff.

She was about to be alone in her room with Collin. The vision coursed through her, tingling her fingertips. She shook her head. They were on a mission of life and death, maybe for all humanity. Isn't that what Agent Baker had said? She needed all her wits about her. But a sweet ping of desire dropped her stomach and fluttered her heart.

Simone pulled off the window screen, rested it against the railing, and opened the window. "Good thing my parents didn't lock it, Tub," she said.

Tub meowed.

The cat's glowing eyes met hers. The wisdom in those light-green eyes mystified her, momentarily ridding Simone of dreams involving Collin's gliding caress.

Tub turned his attention to Collin and meowed again.

Simone went rigid. There was something different in Tub's meow. It was louder, yes, but also deeper somehow...foreboding—

Rustling broke her thought. Simone turned, following Tub's gaze.

Collin ran and jumped from the tree, landing on the roof with ease.

A loud scraping claimed Simone's breath. Collin's sneakers slid on the roof's damp shingles. His feet went out from under him. He teetered backwards, falling to his side.

Simone reached over the railing for him. Their hands touched briefly, but he slipped from her grasp, and slid down the roof.

Simone stretched as far as she could, the rail pressed into her stomach.

Oh, God, he was going over! Was that her mom's movie blaring below or her heart booming in her ears? She climbed over the railing and sat against it. Her left hand wrapped around a railing post, the other grabbed Collin's flailing hand. His legs dangled over the edge, his elbow braced in the roof's gutter.

Adrenaline jolted through her, seconds seeped by. Simone found herself stuck in time, in this oozing nightmare.

With Collin's strong hand in hers, he tried lifting himself up. The gutter moaned in protest. His elbow slipped out of the gutter's hold. He slid further down, the edge of the roof even with his chest. In the moonlight, his strained face glistened with sweat.

Her hand holding the guardrail slid from dampness and Collin's weight. Sweat condensation collected on her lenses. Collin's muscled frame outweighed her by fifty, maybe seventy-five pounds. He was taking her over with him.

Collin's kind green eyes met hers. Moonlight shimmered in his orbs. His voice was as steady as his eyes, "Simone, sweetie, let me go."

"Fat chance," she grunted.

"There are hedges below," he said.

"You...workout...everyday," she said, words broken by pants. "Lift...yourself...up." Something anew lit within her. Was it because he'd called her sweetie? He'd meant nothing by it, right? He was simply trying to get his way. Well, that wasn't happening, even if it meant falling and breaking her neck. She wasn't letting go. An image of her bracelet unlatching after she fell entered her mind. She shook it off. Collin was saying something.

"—just some scrapes," he said calmly, "maybe a sprained ankle."

She ignored him and let go of the railing, grabbing his hand in both of hers. She vaguely heard Tub meow encouragement. Or was it despair?

She pulled with all her might, arching against the rail. Collin was lifting himself up. She actually laughed with a crazed glee. A groaning snap of bent medal replaced Simone's triumph with terror. The gutter bent precariously under Collin's frame.

Simone slid further from the railing. Her shorts came up, exposing her flesh. Roof shingles bit into her. Her shoes inched to the edge. She didn't release her grip.

Tub called out into the night with a low, guttural meow.

"Yes, Tub, I know," she said through clinched teeth.

Simone threw all her weight back. Roof shingles, like sadistic sandpaper, scraped her back where her shirt had pulled up.

Rustling.

Was that Collin? She dared a glance at him and the edge. She could just make out the top of his head and his other hand clinging desperately to the gutter.

The heels of her shoes slid, catching in the bent gutter. She pulled again, nothing.

Exhaustion finally won her over. Collin's weight lifted her off the roof. She could feel Collin trying to save her, trying to wiggle his hand free. But she wouldn't release him. How could she? Collin was her...her what exactly? She didn't know. But she couldn't live without him.

Tub released another hello meow into the fatal night.

52

"Well, don't leave us hanging," Dane said. Newfound energy lifted him in his chair, his elbows on the table.

"My clue isn't about robes or guarding them," Alex said, taking her eyes from the page to Penny and then him.

The light of excitement in those large brown eyes drew him forward.

"Although, I can see why you thought it was," Alex said. "Mad Murry's handwriting is pretty bad."

"Well, what is it?" Penny asked. She set her coffee down and craned her neck to see the clue.

Alex's eyes went from the parchment back to his eyes. Elation blazed through Dane, which had nothing to do with clues and answers.

"Dane, I guess you and Mad Murry are having the same dreams," Alex said. "Because I don't know how else he would've known about my trip to Italy last summer."

Dane brushed his hair out of his face and asked, "What's Italy got to—"

"The word's Italian," Penny said.

Alex nodded and said, "And I learned this word because my mom is a fanatic about antique shopping, well, browsing really, which we did a lot of in Italy."

"I don't get it," Dane said.

"You," Alex said. "You're absolutely loving all this."

Dane ran his hand through his hair. He eyed the walkie-talkie. Was he blushing?

Alex sipped her soda, cleared her throat, and said, "Guard a robe is actually Gaurdaroba." Alex's eyes shifted to the box set in the middle of the table. "It translates to wardrobe."

Penny spilled some coffee in her lap. She grabbed a napkin and dabbed it up.

"No way!" Dane shouted, unable to help himself. He studied the book title laying right there on the table. "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," he whispered and then stood with a bolt. His chair slid back. "Scarlet! Of course!"

"What?" Penny asked.

"In the X-Men comic book series, Scarlet Witch," he said, literally slapping his forehead in disgust. "How'd I not figure it out? Witch is in the character's title." He dropped his hand. "You see, she actually has this feud going on with Rogue—"

"Does the 5th have anything to do with a lion, by chance?" Alex asked Penny.

Penny's smile released her bottom lip. "Well," she said, "only that Leo the Lion is the 5th astrological sign."

Dane grabbed his chair and sat back down. His nose nearly touched the box set. "The 5th, The Scarlet and The Gaurdaroba."

"The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," Alex said.

"You had the answer the entire time," Penny said with child-like awe. She pushed her cup out of the way.

"I just wanted to read it," Alex said. She snatched the book and methodically thumbed through it.

Dane didn't know what she was looking for: another written clue or maybe more journal pages?He grabbed the box set off the table and started pulling out the remaining six books.

Penny selected a book from the pile and skimmed through it. "Nothing," she said, setting it aside and selecting another one. She went through the other books faster. Dane figured it was because The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was the clue.

Dane pulled out the final book, The Last Battle, and inspected the box. He frowned. What had he expected? An opening? A secret panel? But there was nothing but the normal backing of the box: blue background with character illustrations that matched the books' covers. He slowly rotated the box.

Alex finished flipping through The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. She leaned back in her chair. "Zilch, zip, nada," she said. She tossed the book. It smacked onto the table.

Penny set down the last book, shaking her head.

"Nothing here either," Dane said. He dropped the box. It landed with a heavy thud.

"Now what?" Alex asked.

Dane didn't know. This had to be right. But there was nothing. Why had Mad Murry made it so difficult? The fool might be dying on some unknown planet because of it. All of a sudden, exhaustion pulled on him. He slumped in his chair and yawned.
53

Paul dropped the walkie-talkie in the front lawn. His heart dropped with it.

Simone had safely made the jump to her second-story balcony. She'd given him a wave. And then chaos ensued. Of all people, Mr. Athlete had slipped.

Paul ran to the tree. It had to be a tree.

His friends considered him the eco-conscious, vegetarian, tree-hugger. And here he was doing just that: clutching a trunk. Terror bloomed beads of sweat across his brow. He'd never recovered from falling from a tree and breaking his arm at the age of seven. Dane's tree fort was okay once inside, otherwise, he stayed out of trees.

Paul looked up. Collin's body was half off the roof and Simone was climbing over the balcony railing to help him.

Tub's meow pushed Paul up. The climb was a blur of slick branches and slippery leaves. He reached the branch level with Simone's balcony. Once on it, he simply ran, afraid to hesitate. He leapt for the roof. Adrenaline over shot him, he hit the slope too fast. He passed Simone's and Collin's struggle, and hit the railing so hard he flipped over it.

On his right, Tub meowed. Green eyes flashed.

Paul regained his balance and turned to his friends. Simone was dangerously close to toppling over the edge. How'd she still have a hold of Collin?

Paul slid down next to her and pulled her back. Collin's free hand dangled, his body swung slowly. Once Simone was safe from the edge, Paul laid on his stomach. "Grab my hand," he said to Collin.

Collin swung up.

Paul clutched Collin's other hand. The roof's edge cut into Paul's forearms.

Collin wedged his knee into the gutter. With a great wail, Collin flung himself back onto the roof.

They all rested on their backs, panting. No one spoke. Thin clouds passed silently in the dark sky leaving shimmering stars in their wake.

Bass resonated from the action movie below.

"Okay, Collin," Simone said, "no more protein bars."

Collin chuckled faintly. "Thank you," he whispered. "Both of you."

"Sure," Paul said. "But I'm done lifting friends out of danger."

Tub's meow came from inside Simone's room.

"We need to hurry," Simone said.

Paul got to his knees. "Afraid your parents heard us?"

"No," Simone said. She stood, holding the railing. "Tub is trying to rip open the box of gram crackers."

CG

Tub sat on the carpet staring intently, head tilted.

Simone broke the cracker square. "Just one, okay," she said softly.

Tub meowed.

"Shhhh, Tub," she said, dropping the crumbs.

Tub devoured them off the carpet within seconds.

Simone stood, brushing her hands on her shorts. She pointed to the door next to her dresser and said, "The cameras are in my closet. In the boxes."

"I can never get over how clean your room is," Paul said. "And yet how much stuff you have in it."

Simone glanced around her room. She had bins neatly stacked along her walls and around her bed.

From a stack in the corner, Paul lifted a lid on the top bin. "Too bad these toy laser guns aren't real," he said.

"They're not toys," Simone said. "They're collectibles." The sound of crickets chirping came through the open window. The silence unnerved her. They'd have to tread quietly.

"Seriously, how much are you making off Dane's music serenades?" Paul asked, following Collin and Tub into the closet.

Simone opened her extra backpack. She started grabbing robots off her work desk.

The bedroom door opened and her father strode in. His cocoa-colored baldhead nearly touched the ceiling fan.

Simone sighed. Of course, the silence: either the movie was over or her parents had paused it.

Having boyfriends in the coming years could prove difficult with her dad answering the door. Did that really matter? There was, after all, only one boy she really wanted and he was in her closet. And in truth, her Daddy Bear simply appeared intimidating. He was a soft-spoken, poetry reading, romantic-comedy movie enthusiast. Her daddy was a real teddy bear.

"What you doing, Simmie-Pooh?"

She slipped the plastic robot into her bag. She glanced at her closet. Luckily, her father hadn't asked if she was alone.

She took a breath, and in her best sweet, little girl voice, said, "Well, you see, Daddy, Dane found these magical bracelets." She quickly covered hers. "And they create this portal. We don't know where it goes, but it must be important because this rogue militia man named Sarge and two vampires are after them." She inhaled and said exasperatedly, "Penny, Alex, and Dane are trying to answer a clue that might help open the portal."

Her father's baritone laughter lifted the room. He shook his head and said, "Dane and his crazy imaginary adventures. That kid is on his way to becoming a famous writer someday."

From the end of her bed, she could just see Collin and Paul in her closet. Tub stepped out. Collin snatched Tub up and petted him.

Her dad's back was to the closet, so he hadn't seen them. But they didn't have much time. Tub didn't like to be held. He'd protest to his captor soon.

Her dad turned to leave. Simone relaxed her aching muscles.

Paul stepped forward, carrying a camera box. Collin grabbed the collar of Paul's Einstein t-shirt and pulled him back.

Her dad turned and asked, "How'd you get in?"

No since lying now. She nodded at the open window.

Her dad reared up and said, "None of that ever again, Missy. I won't have you breaking your neck."

At least her dad wasn't a yeller. She pushed her glasses up and said, "Never again, Daddy Bear, I promise." She gave her best good girl smile. It took more effort than usual.

"Okay then," he said, "leave by the front door and tell us bye before you go."

Her dad left her bedroom, his shoulders nearly touching either side of the doorframe. She didn't breathe until she heard the stairs groaning under his weight. Paul and Collin waited several more seconds before exiting her closet.

Tub meowed. Collin set him down.

Paul handed her the three camera boxes and asked, "How did you know that would work?"

"I didn't," she said. "I just didn't want to lie to my dad." She fit the boxes in her backpack. "I'm glad I put on my backup pair of glasses. He would've noticed the crack."

"So, how do we get out of here without being seen?" Collin asked.

"Well," Simone said, "Tub is going back out the window after another cracker."

Yeah, Tub meowed.
54

Dane examined the periwinkle colored books spread across the table. Penny had one in her hand: Prince Caspian. The illustration of one of the young male characters—maybe Peter—graced the front and back cover.

"I like the illustrations," Penny said, when she noticed him eyeing the cover. "It's my favorite color of blue."

"Ahh," Alex said. "But what about the Blue Beast?"

Dane picked up the box set. It had the same blue background as the books. A collage of artwork covered it, same as the books. He rotated it in his hands. "Even empty," he said, "it has weight in the back." He took a closer look at the artwork. The blue background...something wasn't quite right. "Holy Hero Nation!" he shouted.

"That's got to be one of your dumber cuss words," Alex said.

He ignored her playful jab, stood, and walked to the door. Dane pushed the light switch dimmer all the way up.

"Look at the back," Dane said, returning to his chair.

Alex and Penny leaned in. Penny still had dark circles under her eyes.

"What are we looking for?" Alex asked.

"Penny, you gave me the answer," Dane said, "when you mentioned liking the blue." He pointed at the illustration on the back of the box.

"It's a lion's head," Alex said. "So what?"

Penny pointed. "No. Look," she said quickly, "the background blue is a lighter shade."

"And if you look close enough," Dane added. "There's a seam."

"Ole Mad Murry re-created the artwork," Alex continued, absent-mindedly curling a strand of hair. "He extended the box."

Dane ran his fingers over the bottom back edge. "I found it!" he said, excitement over coming him. "An indention! No bigger than a fingernail."

"Well, open it already," Alex said.

Alex's elation stirred Dane's curiosity. He wanted so desperately to kiss her. To release all this crazed passion within him.

Penny cleared her throat. Her eyes seemed to read his thoughts.

Dane opened the secret compartment.

CG

The moment the journal slid into Dane's hand, Collin, Paul, and Simone slipped out of her bedroom. Her house was similar to Murry's, but one difference worked in their favor. Unlike Murry's open second-story, her house had more rooms creating a closed hallway.

"Glad my mom picked the movie," Simone said, leading the way, the boys following. Her father loved thought provoking documentaries and romantic comedies. Her petite mother however, loved action flicks: the more explosions and over the top CGI the better. Any Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer film would do. Her dad called them: leave your brain at the door eye candy blockbusters.

At the top of the stairs, Simone whispered, "My dad's a self-proclaimed audiophile."

"What's that?" Paul asked, whispering even though the floor was practically shaking with booming bass.

"An audio enthusiast," Collin said.

"It means my dad's got a sweet audio system," Simone said, straightening her glasses. "We might actually get away with this. You guys know what to do. Just like the time we snuck out of Dane's house to watch movies in his tree fort."

"But babysitters are easier than parents," Collin said.

Simone snuck down the stairs. Movie explosions rattled through the house. Collin and Paul would wait for her signal.

A disadvantage to their escape plan was that the house's design had the staircase opening up midway. The family room was directly to the right. And like most homes it was the television room.

Near the bottom of the stairs, Simone peeked into the living room. Her parents were cuddled together on the couch. Her dad's arm blocked all but the top of her mom's curly hair. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she saw it was indeed a Michael Bay film. A massive robot slammed through a skyscraper, debris flew with resonating thunder.

Good, Simone thought. The more chaotic noise the better. She motioned for Collin and Paul, and headed for her parents. Why hadn't she simply let her dad know the boys had come with her? Too late now, it would look suspicious.

Simone placed herself between her parents' heads, better to block their peripheral vision of the staircase and foyer. She leaned down, her backpack shifted on her shoulder. When her mom turned her short Afro tickled Simone's cheek.

"I'm out," Simone said quickly.

Collin and Paul crept to the bottom of the stairs.

Simone put an arm around each of her parents to keep them from getting up, even kissing her dad's baldhead. It didn't work.

With Collin and Paul a few feet from the front door, her dad went to stand. "I'll walk you to Dane's," he said.

"No worries, Dad," Simone said, forcing him down, which wasn't easy.

Collin eased the door open.

Simone spoke loudly, even though the movie's action sequence blared on, "It's just down the street, Daddy Bear. I'll be fine."

Simone heard the front door shut with little more than a swoosh. The boys had made it.

"Did you hear something?" her mom asked. She paused the movie. On the screen, a robot froze in full swing.

"Nope," Simone said.

Her dad stood, broad shoulders and all.

"I'll walk you," he said, bellowing his and that's final voice.

Simone simply stood there, unable to move. She hadn't planned for this. A thought entered her mind and she wasn't so sure some outside force hadn't given it to her. Was her power going to be telepathy? Before she could voice the foreign thought, her mom stood.

"I'll make some pop—" her mom started and then froze.

Simone followed her mom's gaze. Oh, snot bubbles! she thought.

"Honey," her mom said in a concerned mom tone, "what's that on your wrist?"

Simone opened her mouth to reply when the doorbell rang. "That's Collin and Paul," she said. "They're here to walk me back." She forced a smile.

"Oh," her dad said, sitting back down.

"Did it just flash purple?" her mom asked. She grabbed Simone's wrist and studied the bracelet.

"Oh, yeah, it's tech-ravenous," Simone said, her reply sounding fake to her own ears. She pulled her wrist away and headed for the door. "Better not keep them waiting in the dark."

Her mom stepped forward, but stayed by the couch. "Where'd you get it?" she asked.

Simone opened the door to Collin and Paul. Both wore strained smiles.

"Dane's shed," Simone called back. "We all have one."

"Ready to go," Paul said, nerves quivering his words.

Collin covered by yelling past Simone, "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Lane."

"Hi, Collin. Hi, Paul." Her parents said in unison, her mom's concern gone.

"Text or call when you get there," her mom yelled as Simone shut the door.

"Okay, Mom. Love you," Simone yelled back through the closed door. She leaned against the house. "See, nothing to it."

"I still think babysitters are easier," Collin said.

A hello meow cut through the night. Tub sat on the sidewalk blinking at them.

"Let's go," Simone said.

55

Dane froze on the stairs. Was that a creak above him? He stared at the ceiling. What haunted this house: a ghost, specter, poltergeist, or...a demon?

Supernatural "happenings" went hand and hand with Men in Black. Had Brim and Mirk brought something with them? Did their dark energy leave something behind or awaken a presence already here?

He listened, half expecting the phone to ring. In the lab, Penny and Tommy conversed over the newly found journal. When he was leaving, Penny had mumbled something about a smudge on one of the stones. Running water from the upstairs bath: Alex taking a shower. No otherworldly ringing phone call. No ghostly footsteps. The house felt hollow, empty. What was taking the others so long? He'd come down for the walkie-talkie to contact them. He continued down the stairs.

Dane reached the bottom and his entire body tensed. The front doorknob turned. He hadn't even thought to lock it. How stupid.

The door opened. Collin stood on the patio with Simone and Paul behind him. Tub, however, entered first. He did so as if it were his own domain.

"Tub Tub," Dane said, leaning down and clapping his hands. His faithful cat, more loyal than any dog, galloped to him, belly swinging. Tub wasn't a leg rubber and Dane liked that about him, like normal cat characteristics were beneath him. Tub did what he always did: he flopped to the ground and did his trademark roll and stretch.

"That's a good boy," Dane chimed, rubbing Tub's belly. "Thanks for getting everyone back safely."

Tub gave a quick yeah meow and rolled upright, keeping his eyes and ears attentive.

"I think we've got a new leader," Collin said with a smirk.

"Nah," Dane said, "Tub has always been the leader."

Beads of sweat dripped down Collin's forehead. He had large pit stains on his t-shirt.

"Everything go okay?" Dane asked.

"We have everything we need," Simone said, swinging the overly stuffed backpack off her shoulder.

"Where is everyone?" Paul asked, leaning down to pet Tub.

"In the lab working on opening the portal or wormhole, or whatever it is we're about to go through," Dane said.

Tub purred loudly, more of a grunt really.

Dane looked down. "Nice sounding gruff there, Tub—"

Simone shoved her backpack into Dane's chest. It was so heavy he nearly dropped it on Tub.

Simone answered the question Dane was about to ask, "Seven of my sensor activated robots, three Go Pros, and a laptop—"

Dane opened his mouth, but Simone was on a roll.

"—I have the top of the line, longest lasting batteries they make," Simone rattled off. "They should last around four to five hours. I also have three chargers and three more fully charged batteries. You'll need to change them out."

Dane smiled. "I want an advance before I do another video," he quibbled.

"Maybe," Simone said dully. She eyed the lab door upstairs.

Dane nodded upstairs. "Penny has your other backpack," he said, "and the library magazines you checked out."

"So, you found Murry's journal?" Collin asked.

Dane set the backpack on the floor. "Honestly, so far, it's just more gibberish than anything," he aswered. "Penny is trying to start the portal."

"How?" Paul asked.

"She found another clue in the journal," Dane said. "Your sis is pretty sure it starts the door or at least reveals the symbols on the stones."

Simone pinched Dane's arm.

"Ow! Hey!" he cried out, half joking.

"Why didn't you say so?" Simone asked.

"I just did," Dane said, rubbing his bicep.

Simone ran for the stairs. Her short legs took two steps at a time. She yelled without looking back, "Paul, you know where and how to set all that up."

"Sure," Paul said.

Simone took the last two steps.

Dane chuckled and yelled up to her, "I guess Collin and I'll stay and help."

"Okay," Simone said, running into the lab.

CG

Simone skidded into the lab room and grabbed the doorframe to keep from falling.

At the portal's wall-cut opening, Penny looked up from the book in her hand. "Simone, you were right!" she said excitedly. "We both were. I don't know how, but we were."

Simone jogged over, passing Tommy at one of the tables. Penny gave her a big side hug.

"I think I've found the next clue," Penny said. "Which I'm pretty sure reveals the symbols on the stones." Penny pulled the journal from her back pocket. It had a brown suede cover. Penny pulled the orange band off the journal. It was sewn into the back cover, so the band hung limply.

"I think it's another riddle," Penny said, flipping through the pages.

Like some chaotic nickelodeon, Simone watched hand drawn diagrams and words mix together. Penny stopped in the middle of the book and passed the journal to her.

The journal's covers were soft as felt. The pages were the color of paper grocery bags—Paul had talked them all into using cloth bags, so Simone's family didn't use paper or plastic anymore. But the pages did remind her of a middle school History project, which consisted of drawing Native American designs on brown construction paper, wearing it down by crumpling it, and then smoothing it out. It was supposed to represent the passage of time. She'd taken her construction paper home and steamed it.

For the millionth time her mind traveled to the portal's possible destinations. It could just as well open to the Old West. Didn't probability, however, suggest some alien planet? Had her bracelet's light just dimmed? Simone couldn't say for sure.

Penny pointed at the page and said, "Here's the clue."

Simone read the three poetic lines:

Centered touch speaks truth!

Each hieroglyphics is wrong.

Illumination!

"It's a Haiku," Penny said.

Simone adjusted her glasses. "I did one for Honors English," she said. "It was about bees."

Penny smiled and said, "Yes, Haikus are typically about nature and create imagery in the reader's mind."

Simone mouthed the poem, counting with her fingers. After a pause, she said, "And the syllables of the lines total five, seven, and five."

"Do you get the last word?" Penny asked.

"Well, the light of the portal would be my first guess," Simone said. "But I don't think that's what it means."

"Why?" Penny asked. A faint smile curled her full lips

"I do believe the portal will indeed light up, like at the pool," Simone said. "But I think it has more to do with the knowledge we'll receive when we go through the other side. The illumination of truth."

"Haikus are meant to enlighten or illuminate something for the reader," Penny said. She rubbed her eyes. "Do you think it's the secret of the universe type of stuff?"
56

Dane followed Tub into the lab. Collin and Paul entered behind him.

"Hey, Tommy!" Dane said, over zealously. "What are you doing?"

Tommy's hand jerked from Simone's open backpack, like a little kid caught stealing a comic book. Tommy stammered something about preparing gear for taking through the portal.

Dane wasn't listening. He'd shouted at Tommy as a cover for Paul.

Tommy seemed nice enough. And it was too bad a bracelet hadn't chosen him, ultimately, however, Tommy's uncle had even known. The clue hadn't been written for Tommy. So, Dane had decided not to let Tommy know they were setting up cameras. Collin and Paul had agreed.

On cue, Collin stepped in front of Dane. His built frame blocked Tommy's view of Paul at the bookshelf. Collin wore a menacing scowl.

Simone giggled, probably because how unnatural intimidation fit Collin's face.

Paul set the camera behind one of the marble lion bookends. Nothing but the lens showed. Dane knew someone would have to be right on top of the camera to see it. And its wide-angle lens would record the entire room.

"What'd I miss?" Alex asked, entering the lab. She stopped and stared at Dane. "What?"

"Nothing," Dane said. He couldn't say how cute she was with her hair damp.

Tommy passed between Dane and Alex and out of the room.

"What's his problem?" Alex asked, scrunching her ponytail.

"Upset he doesn't have a bracelet, I guess," Dane said absently, his attention on the seven levitating stones at the top of the cut archway.

"He can have mine," Alex said.

"We've found the clue," Penny said.

Dane and Alex joined the others at the wall's man-made hole.

Simone read the clue:

Centered touch speaks truth!

Each hieroglyphics is wrong.

Illumination!

"A Haiku," Dane said. "Well played, Mad Murry."

"What's hieroglyphics?" Collin asked.

"An ancient, written language," Dane said. "Hieroglyphs are symbols. It's one of the oldest known languages of storytelling, kind of like a comic strip."

Tub jumped up on the table, which was perfect for his robust frame. He liked any cool surface and loved lying on paper.

"That's why I wanted to go back to the library," Penny crossed to the closest table. She picked up a book.

Tub gruffed. His paw had been on the book.

Penny opened the book and came back over to the group.

"Bummer," Dane said.

"What?" Paul asked.

"We never had to go back to the library," Dane said. "I have that book."

Penny's brow wrinkled. "You own The Book of The Dead?" she asked.

Alex nudged Dane and said, "He's really into ancient cultures."

"Can you read the language?" Simone asked.

"No," Dane said, "pretty tedious read even with it translated under the symbols." He ran his hand through his hair. "I really bought it because I thought the title sounded freaky."

"We don't have any symbols to read," Paul said, staring up at the stones.

"Tommy said the symbols had been there," Penny replied. "We just have to figure out the clue."

"But what does Murry mean about them being wrong?" Alex asked. "How are we supposed to figure out the clue if it's written wrong?"

"The answer is in the clue," Simone said. "I've already figured out the first line: Centered touch speaks truth!"

"How?" Collin asked Simone. His smiling eyes studied her face. It was obvious he was impressed.

"Easy," Simone said, pointing at the arch. "The center stone has a black smudge on it. I verified it with my fisheyes."

"The formula boards," Paul said. "Murry must've had black ink on his fingers."

Simone nodded and said, "The stones' are touch and voice activated."

"It would make the portal more secure," Collin said.

"Great thinking, Sims," Alex said. She gave Simone a side hug.

"Thanks," Simone said with a wide grin.

"So, let's assume," Dane said, "Illumination means the symbols or portal lighting up—"

"Or knowledge," Penny added.

"Right," Dane agreed and continued, "we're still on the line: Each hieroglyphics is wrong. The key to what we have to say is in that sentence."

"Not necessarily," Alex said. "The words Speaks the truth are in the first line."

Paul crossed to one of the clear boards and wrote with a black marker: Truth and Wrong = Right and Wrong.

"I think," Penny said, flipping through the book, "Murry used the word hieroglyphics because he needed the extra syllable to make the line seven long."

"Penny, you're a genius!" Dane said. "Each hieroglyphics would be wrong."

"But it is seven syllables," Simone said. "I counted."

"Yes," Dane said. "Hieroglyphics is the language of combined hieroglyphs—"

"A hieroglyph is the individual symbol," Penny finished.

Dane nodded and stared up at the center stone. "And that's why Mad Murry made the clue a Haiku," he said, stepping forward and studying the stones. "Murry would have to use the wrong format of the word to make it fit."

"Try it," Penny said.

"Why me?" Dane asked.

Simone stepped up next to Dane and said, "Tommy said his uncle's bracelet also had a symbol."

"And you're the only one of us that has one," Alex finished.

"Okay," Dane mumbled. He didn't like being the one singled out, but what choice did he have? He stepped closer to the arch not taking his eyes off the center stone. There was indeed a black smudge on it.

"Hey, C-man," Dane said, noticing the quiver in his voice. "If I'm wrong what kind of booby-traps you think this could have?"

"Death by electrocution most likely," Collin said.

"Or," Alex said, excitement raising her voice, "the stone could open up and swallow his whole hand, kind of like in The Mummy or X-Men: Apocalypse."

"What if," Paul asked, "it zaps him to some hellish dimension?"

"Ooo, yeah," Simone joined in. "Like some demented teleportation machine."

"Not helping guys," Dane said.

"You asked," Alex said with a wide grin.

"Well, I didn't know my potential death would be such a fun topic," Dane said. He studied the smooth, white stone. It was similar to his bracelet. Before he could change his mind, Dane reached up, touched the stone, and shouted, "Hieroglyph!"
57

The word hieroglyph was hardly out of Dane's mouth when a bright purple flash shot from the stones and his bracelet's symbol.

Dane couldn't remove his finger. Light radiated around it. His friends were all correct. The stone would simultaneously electrocute, swallow, and transport him to some hellish dimension.

The light faded, releasing Dane's finger. He patted his chest. He was still alive, intact, and in Murry's lab.

"L-l-look at the symbols," Collin said.

His best friend had never sounded more like a child. Dane stepped back, wanting to be surrounded by his friends.

All seven stones on the arch had drawings on them, similar to his bracelet. A final trace of purple light scanned through them. Dane felt the light wash across his face. A calming hum—or voice—followed it. The lab seemed empty after the light and sound had gone.

"Illumination," Simone said, her eyes gleaming up at the stones.

"Did anyone understand the voice this time?" Dane asked. He took his friends silence for a no. Was he the only one that could hear it? Why him? He wasn't special. Heck, he had a bum leg after all. He couldn't even keep the girl he loved as his girlfriend.

"So now," Penny said, "we simply find the correlating symbols and read what it says."

"Easy peasy," Paul said.

CG

From behind the long steel table, Dane took solace in petting Tub while he restudied the symbols.

Penny rubbed her eyes. "I can't make anything out of it," she said.

Collin and Alex walked back into the lab. Penny still insisted on the buddy system. Collin stopped at the bookshelf to check on the camera with Simone.

"Tommy is in the library," Alex said.

"Doing what?" Penny asked from the still inactivated portal.

"Rummaging through books," Alex said. "What else would he be doing in there?"

Penny turned back to the symbols above the arch.

Dane felt sorry for her. The pressure of activating the portal and possibly saving all their lives rested on an answer in her soon-to-be field of expertise. He knew a little about hieroglyphs, but he hadn't memorized any of them.

Alex came up next to him, her limp all but gone.

"Ankle better?" Dane asked.

"Yep."

"Too bad," he said. Alex gave him a squinted glance. It was beyond cute. Dane cleared his throat and said, "We had the same stylish stride for a while, that's all."

Alex hit Dane in the shoulder. "I've told you," she said genuinely upset, "I never notice your limp."

He'd hoped she'd say that.

"Any luck?" Alex asked.

"No," he said and yawned, the burst of excitement already poured out on the wrong ideas. He glanced at the digital clock on the wall: 2:34 a.m.

Alex stroked Tub's back. Tub purred, keeping his eyes closed. "I could use a nap, too," she said. "I mean we've already figured out two clues. Why a third?"

"I don't know," Dane said, studying the symbols, "because Murry's mad in the head."

"No, it's security," Collin said from the bookshelf. "Only way he could make sure the chosen went through."

"How did Mad Murry even know he'd need us?" Alex asked.

"I don't follow?" Paul asked.

"He set up the clues before he went through," Alex said. She put her hands on her hips. "It was a surprise attack. He didn't know he'd be trapped on the other side."

"You're right," Paul said.

Dane shut his eyes. Was Paul simply agreeing with Alex? Dane breathed in, doing his best to calm his frustration. Or was it jealousy? He opened his eyes, speaking slowly, "Maybe he had a premonition."

"Well, I'm not having any psychic dreams," Alex said.

Paul chuckled.

Dane knew Paul would. To Paul, everything Alex said was hilarious or the smartest thing ever. Dane rubbed his eyes. He wasn't upset with Paul. He was just tired and frustrated the clues were so hard.

"Face it," Alex said, "maybe we're not the chosen ones."

"The bracelets chose us," Dane said. "We found the journal."

A tattered, late-night silence blanketed the lab. Penny and Paul flipped through the book, in search of symbols. Simone and Collin replaced the battery in the camera, chatting in soft whispers.

Dane rubbed his eyes. He was unable to shake the feeling that he knew where to find the meaning of the symbols. Penny's book had been no help so far.

"Guys," Alex said, staring at her phone, "I have internet connection. Anyone know Murry's network password?"

"Just wait," Dane said. "It's probably another clue to figure out."

"Quick," Penny said, "look up a hieroglyphics translator."

Dane stared at the book in Penny's hand. Its front cover had a bright illustration of an ancient man in a jackal headdress. It was similar to...The Narnia books? No—

Alex looked up from her phone. She shook her head and said, "The online hieroglyph is childish, really."

"What did you say?" Dane asked.

"It's childish," Alex said. "You know, like your horror-figure collection."

"I'm going to Murry's library," Dane said. He trotted to the door.

"Not by yourself," Penny chimed not looking away from the arch and the symbols.

"I know," Dane said at the door, "you're coming with me."

Penny sighed and said, "I'm busy."

Dane smiled, unfazed. "Grab your book," he said, feeling refreshed. "I figured out where to find the symbols."

For a moment his friends simply stared at him, even Tub, who'd been awaken by all the commotion.

"I think we'll all be coming," Simone said, putting the camera back in its place on the bookshelf.
58

Dane entered Murry's library as excited as entering his favorite comic book store: Heroes On Shelves.

Tommy looked up, clearly startled. "Any luck with the journal?" he asked.

"We're working on it," Dane said, hoping he sounded casual. "Mind if we use the library?"

"Not at all," Tommy said. He swept a few books off the tiny table and squeezed through to leave the room.

Dane caught a glimpse of a book spine in Tommy's arm. It had Cop written on it. The rest of the book's title was blocked by Tommy's arm. Why would Tommy be researching cops?

Tub darted into the room and claimed the cigar chair.

Alex smiled at Tub. "I didn't even know he followed us," she said.

"He likes being a part of the action," Dane said, stepping over books.

"My dad is a big fan of bed and breakfasts," Simone said. "He'd call this room quaint."

Penny entered the library.

"What took you so long?" Paul asked.

"I drew the symbols," Penny said, holding out a piece of paper. "So what did you figure out?" she asked Dane.

"Here it is," Dane said, pulling the thin book out. He remembered it from his search with Alex. "It's a child's book really," he said, "probably why Tommy hadn't bothered with it."

His friends gathered around him. On the table, he opened Hieroglyphics: How To Read And Write Them.

Penny spread her paper out next to the book.

Dane studied the drawings:

Dane flipped through the book, scanning the large hieroglyph illustrations, their meanings printed below them.

"Sis," Paul said, "are you sure these are the same symbols from the stones? They don't look anything like them."

"I was in a hurry," Penny said.

"Please tell me," Paul said, grinning, "you haven't taken an art class in college yet."

"It must be hereditary," Alex said, "because you're horrible at Pictionary, Paul."

"No I'm not!" Paul said genuinely offended.

"You're pretty bad," Simone said. "Sorry, Paul."

Paul slumped.

"I found one!" Dane said. "It's even highlighted."

"You're right," Penny said, pointing at the third drawing. "It's the arm one."

"It means power or powers," Dane said.

Penny scribbled powers under the symbol.

"See if there are others," Simone said.

Dane skimmed through the book.

"Look, the last one," Alex said, so close her cheek brushed Dane's. "The open rectangle and oval with legs."

"It's come forth," Dane said.

Penny wrote it down.

Dane turned the page and saw two more highlighted symbols. The oval with three circles was earth. And the two columns of three circles with legs and a dotted circle between them meant eternal.

Penny jotted them down.

Dane flipped through the rest of the book, nothing else was highlighted. He closed it. "So, what do we have?" he asked.

Penny studied the paper and said, "We don't have the first one so: Blank, earth, powers, blank, blank, eternal, come forth."

Alex held out her phone. "I tried the number six in the online translator and it matched the first symbol."

Penny wrote down six.

Dane turned the paper to read it better:

"And the middle stone you touched," Penny said, "are obviously birds."

Dane ran his hand through his hair.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

Dane shrugged. "Something about hieroglyph birds," he said. "You think the circle with lines coming out is a UFO shooting lasers?"

"No way," Paul said. "It's a sun. They're rays."

"I think he's right," Alex said.

Dane bit down. They always agreed with one another. He took a breath and asked, "So, what do we have?"

"Six earth powers birds rays eternal come forth," Penny said

"That doesn't make sense," Collin said, stepping back.

"I agree," Dane said, "but let's give it a try." He grabbed the book.

"Come on, Tub," he said before they left the room.

Tub jumped down and followed.

They made their way up the stairs and to the lab. Tub sniffed the robot at the lab door. Its motion sensor had activated and its siren blared.

Tommy watched them enter from behind one of the tables.

"Hey, Tommy," Dane said.

"He's by your backpack again," Collin whispered to Simone.

Tommy slammed a book close and gathered up two others. "I'm...um...just researching where the portal could lead."

"Thanks," Dane said, wondering what a book on cops had to do with where they were going? Dane figured the word could be copper or—

"Do you need any help?" Tommy asked.

"No," Penny said. "We've got it."

Dane was glad Penny felt the same about Tommy as he did.

Tommy left the lab.

"He's acting really strange," Alex said.

"Yeah," Paul agreed. "Why isn't he helping us? Doesn't he want to help save his uncle?"

"Maybe because he knows he can't go through without a bracelet," Simone said.

"Right," Alex said. "Even more reason to help us now."

"I'm glad he's not helping," Collin said.

Dane and his friends gathered around Penny in front of the cutout arch.

Penny stared up at the seven stones and their symbols. She checked the answer on the paper. She nodded at Dane.

"I think we should all say it together," Dane said.

Huddled together, they stared at Penny's paper:

"On the count of three," Penny said. "One, two, three."

Together they all pronounced the seven-word phrase with a slow, methodical rhythm: Six earth powers birds rays eternal come forth.

Nothing happened. No purple light. Nothing.

After saying the answer out loud, Dane wasn't surprised. It didn't sound right. Especially the middle part: powers birds rays. It was nonsense.

"Maybe, it's flight and not birds," Alex said.
59

At one of the steel tables, Dane flipped through the hieroglyph book from Mad Murry's library. Lying on his side, front paws curling, Tub snored rather loudly for a cat.

"I can't find any other meanings the symbols could have," Dane said.

They'd tried countless word combinations: Flight, feathers, ducks for the birds symbol and sun, disk, spaceship, and lasers for rays. Dane had lost track of the different phrases. Nothing had worked.

Penny and Paul remained in front of the unlit arch searching through Penny's book from the library.

Alex, Collin, and Simone had all but given up on the clue. They were at the desk to the right of the hole setting up Simone's laptop. She wanted to record the video feeds.

Dane yawned and shut his book, waking up Tub. "Sorry, Tub," he whispered, petting his cat, while watching his friends.

"We're live," Simone said.

"Great job, guys," Paul said, looking up from the book.

"You told us where to put the cameras and robots," Collin said.

Seven robots: plastic sentinels guarded entryways into the house and select rooms. Paul and Collin had setup three cameras, including the one on the lab's bookshelf.

"I'm archiving the video feeds to a drive," Simone said.

"Will the drive fill up?" Alex asked.

"Nope," Simone said. "I lowered the video resolution and the drive has multiple terabytes of space."

"Wait," Penny said, the open book forgotten in her hand, "how will we see the video feeds if we lose internet connection?"

"Sis," Paul said, "the cameras are wirelessly connected to the app on the computer. You don't need internet connection."

The laptop's monitor showed all three of the cameras' video feeds. The top left revealed the lab room.

Dane glanced at the hidden camera on the bookshelf.

"The order is wrong," Simone said. Using the laptop's touchpad, she moved the front entrance shot to the top. The app's interface pushed the lab's feed to the top right. Simone selected that portion and dragged it to the bottom. Automatically the order changed: first the foyer and upper staircase shot, then the living room, and finally the lab.

"Now the order is correct," Simone said, staring at the video feeds.

"I simply don't get it," Penny said, frustration lowering her voice. She slammed the book shut. "All the birds in here have closed beaks."

Dane studied the arch's middle stone: two birds back to back with open beaks. And the answer hit him with an internal jolt, like taking a shot from Thor's hammer. "That's it!" Dane said. He forgot all about being tired. He moved to the arch, not taking his eyes from the center stone and the open mouthed birds.

"No, there's nothing in here," Penny said.

"Because that book reads left to right," Dane said. "But hieroglyphs can also be written and read right to left, even up and down."

His friends gathered around him. "You see in ancient times," Dane continued, "they were drawn on buildings and around door frames. So, they had to be written and read both vertically and horizontally."

"But this is an arch," Penny said.

"Right," Dane said, "but the way you can tell which direction to read is toward the open mouth of the bird."

His friends all looked up at the stone with the two birds.

Dane studied Penny's drawn symbols.

"I know," Penny said, sounding tired, "the stones' symbols are way more intricate."

"Penny, you saved us a lot of time by jotting the symbols down," Dane said. "It was really smart."

"Thanks," Penny said. She gave Dane a weak smile. He couldn't help thinking the circles under her eyes had darkened. For some reason, his mind returned to his tree fort after seeing Brim on his TV screen: pure terror frozen in time with yellow fangs. What had Simone said? Something about real life energy sucking vampires. Not for the first time, Dane got an uneasy feeling they were being watched. The house was haunted. He was sure of it.

"So, it reads left to right and then right to left," Alex said.

"And we don't say anything for the bird stone," Paul added.

"Dane, you're right," Penny said, re-writing the answer. "It makes sense now!"

Dane was grateful for Penny's compliment, mainly because it ended his internal darkness about Mad Murry's house. Penny smiled at him. Dane saw the circles under her eyes weren't that dark. Besides, it'd been the craziest of days. They were all tired. Dane was sure he had the same circles under his eyes.

No one else has them. Only Penny. A voice in Dane's head tried telling him. He shook it off.

Dane and his friends gathered in a semi-circle around the sheetrock hole. But it's not a hole anymore, Dane thought. It's a door.

"On the count of three," Penny said. "One, two, three."
60

Aloud and in unison, Dane and his friends read the updated phrase:

Six earth powers

Come forth eternal rays

The lab filled with a blaze of purple light.

The portal swirled with infinite purple hues.

"It's like at the pool, but more intense," Dane said, stepping forward. The portal's light fizzled out. It was gone. His friends shared his disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me," Dane said, rubbing his face.

"What's that noise?" Collin asked.

Dane heard the rattling, too.

"It's coming from the old PC tower," Alex said.

Paul leaned down and said, "There's a bullet hole on the side." He slipped off the CPU tower's side panel.

"If it's generating a wormhole," Simone said, "there would need to be a nearby power source."

Inside the tower, multi-colored drive cables hung unplugged. The tower concealed, not drives, but a chrome cylinder, which fanned out to larger ovals on both ends. It vibrated and clattered at the bottom of the CPU unit.

"Looks like a mini, futuristic barbell," Collin said.

"Is your mind ever out of the gym?" Alex asked.

"More like a Sci-Fi atom fuser," Simone said, eyes wide behind her lenses.

"Look above it," Paul said.

At first Dane didn't see it, but then—like a dried spot on a hard floor—at the correct angle, he saw it. A faint, purple sphere floated above the otherworldly cylinder. It shimmered, like a baseball-sized soap bubble.

"It's an energy field," Simone said. "And the cylinder-thing should be inside it."

The bullet must've knocked it out of place," Paul said. He traced the bullet hole in the CPU panel.

"What happened to the bullet?" Alex asked.

Dane hadn't considered that and thought it a very good question.

"The energy field bubble disintegrated it," Simone said with absolute finality.

Paul nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Penny said, "it's time to call the authorities."

"No," Dane said. He knew what he must do. "I'll put the cylinder back in the bubble-thing."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that," Simone said. "This isn't part of Mad Murry's security measures."

"Touching that sphere would be very bad," Collin agreed.

"I'm not going to touch it," Dane said. He closed his eyes, took a long breath, exhaled, and opened his eyes. He concentrated with all his might on the cylinder. He visualized it lifting into the purple bubble. The silence of the room enveloped him. His pinpoint concentration intensified. And...nothing happened.

"Oh, for villains' sake!" Dane grumbled. He grabbed the cylinder.

Someone screamed, "No!" It might've been Alex.

Dane thought the sphere would simply take the cylinder, like a Star Trek tractor beam or something. But it didn't, so he placed it into the sphere, even with Simone and Paul pulling on his arm.

When his fingers entered the sphere it didn't pop, bulge, or indent. It simply accepted him, allowing him to enter it.

The floating ball of energy didn't disintegrate his fingers, like it must've done the bullet, nor did it electrocute him, which was what he'd expected.

Instead, a wave of energy surged through him, tingling his brain. In its wake was a calm invincibility. This was what a superhero felt before battle or after saving a victim.

Purple light shot before his eyes. Had it come from the sphere?

"Your bracelet is radiant," Alex said, her voice far off.

The cylinder started to spin under his fingers, so he released it. Dane let Simone and Paul pull him back. There was a moment of deafening silence, like after a bomb exploding in a movie.

Alex's worried, beautiful eyes were before him. Her lips moved without sound, and then her voice faded into reality, "Your teeth are glowing purple."

"Fantastic," Dane said, standing. He couldn't remember ever feeling this...complete. It was like acing a test, Christmas morning, the last day of school, and going to Comic-Con all at the same time. "Everything's just splendid," he heard himself say.

Penny eyed him with her lips pursed. "Follow my finger," she said.

Dane looked deep into Penny's brown eyes, connecting with her somehow. "You're right," he said, "there is some other thing in this house."

Penny's eyes shot wide, negative energy wafted off her.

Dane hadn't meant to scare her. He simply wanted to let her know she wasn't going crazy.

"Pen Pen, what's wrong?" Paul asked his sister.

"Nothing," Penny said, turning her back to Dane.

"Well, what's wrong with him?" Alex asked.

Dane felt the goofy grin on his face, but he didn't care. He felt superbly glorious.

"The floating sphere must've released endorphins in his brain," Penny said, "like when eating chocolate or—"

"Or what passengers feel before the plane crashes," Simone added, refitting the tower's panel.

Alex chuckled. "Morbid much?" she asked.

Tub's fur stuck up when Dane petted him. Tub's eyes darted above Dane, tracking unseen things.

"I bet my aura's got lots of purple light shooting from it," Dane said. "Huh, Tub Tub? Yes it does."

"Are you sure he's going to be okay?" Alex asked.

Penny wrangled everyone back to the portal. "It'll wear off," she said.

"I hope not," Dane said. Unfortunately, however, the euphoria was already seeping from him. "You be a good boy, Tub. We'll be right back," he said, petting his furry friend one last time.

Tub gruffed in reply, stretching out on his scattered papers.

Dane turned and went to the cutout-arch until he stood directly in front of where the portal would activate. It was really a door...a door unlike any other. It led to a magical, mystical time and place that every modern man, woman—and, yes, kid—would want to visit. The sphere had shown him, well kind of. It was really nothing but a feeling...and something to do with energy.

Dane didn't want to spoil it for anyone, so he simply said, "You guys are going to love this."

Behind him in a bunch, his friends, his gang, were unified in silence.

"I'll count us down," Dane said. "One...two...three."

In unison they all said the activating words.

A single white dot of light appeared in the center of the hole. And then, suddenly, purple light exploded from it. The light didn't have any heat to it, but Dane could feel it on his face and arms.

Before stepping into the luminous, circulating portal, Dane thought about everything he and his friends had gone through: mad men and monsters. His fingers touched the laser gun's metal casing. He pulled the gun out of his waistband and stared at its chrome casing. He knew what the portal's creators wanted him to do.

"Sims," he said, not looking back, "you can bring your backpack." His voice sounded light-years away. "Collin, we can't take the weapons." He laid the gun next to Simone's laptop and Murry's old computer monitor.

Without protest, Collin set the bone-handled knife next to the gun.

Without any hesitation, Dane stepped into the light. He entered the swirling door and the wonder beyond it. He was consumed in swift streaking purples. His friends would follow, the light had told him so.

CG

The bright light didn't frighten Tub. It had no dangerous, unknown scents and its humming purr calmed him. After the last of his humans had disappeared into it, Tub went back to his catnap, which wasn't really sleeping at all. So when the dangerous smelling man entered, Tub opened his eyes. Unlike the bright light, this man's scent was untrustworthy.

The one called Tom-Me grabbed a paper off the table and read it aloud. And then he disappeared into the living light.

Tub looked at the wall behind him and the square on the ceiling where the cool air came from. He couldn't see the unseen, but Tub could smell the other thing in the house.

David C. Baxter prefers flip-flops, tennis, an ocean breeze, and being called Dave. Unfortunately, he's gluten intolerant, but he's thankful it only took four years to find a gluten free beer that taste like the real thing. My author page.

I'd be tickled (purple) if you left a review.

Check to see if Volume Four is out!

To receive upcoming Volumes early, I'd be happy to personally email you a copy, simply submit your email at the official site (it will never be given to third party companies, that's just rude).

TheCrabappleGang.com

