Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

39

I don't know how much later-after my arms had gone numb but before my ankles started burning with pins and needles-the door opened.

A little gray-haired woman in a white coat walked in, carrying a tray. Somebody's evil grandma.

A new scent filled the air.

I tried not to breathe it in, but it was unavoidable.

The woman walked right up to me, a smile on her pleasant face.

Get it together, Max. That was me talking. I hadn't heard the Voice since the melee in the desert.

I tried to look as unconcerned as a fourteen-year-old bird kid strapped to a hospital bed in hell could look.

"This is a first," I said coolly. "Torture by chocolate-chip cookie. Was this all your idea?"

The woman looked disconcerted but tried to smooth out her expression.

"We thought you might be hungry," she said. "These are hot out of the oven."

She waved the tray a bit, to make sure the incredible vanilla-tinged aroma of fresh-baked cookies reached all of us.

"Uh-huh," I said. "Because all you mad, evil scientists sit around whipping up batches of Pillsbury's finest during your coffee breaks. I mean, this is pathetic."

She looked surprised, and I felt anger warming my blood.

"I mean, points for the jail cell," I went on, motioning at the room with my head. "Kudos for the Velcro straps. Those were good starts. But you're sort of falling down with the chocolate-chip cookies. Like, did you skip school the day they taught hostage treatment?"

Pink patches flared on her cheeks, and she stepped back.

"Keep your lousy cookies," I said, narrowing my eyes and letting a snarl enter my voice. "Whatever you sick freaks have planned for us, get on with it. 'Cause otherwise you're just wasting our time."

Now her face was stiff as a mask, and she started to head to the door.

This is a plan, I thought. When they came in to get us for whatever, that would be our chance. And we would seize it.

She was almost to the door when Total raised his head weakly. "Not so fast," he croaked. "I'll take a cookie. I'm not proud."

Fang and I exchanged looks, and we rolled our eyes.

The woman looked startled when Total spoke and didn't know what to make of his request. So she just hurried out the door, and when it slammed behind her, I felt it in my bones.