The Reckoning

Thirty-one

BY NOW, WE WERE experts at this escaping thing. We filled Tori in, then split up to gather what we needed-clothes, money, food. We took turns, two packing while the other two hung out, talking so Andrew didn’t wonder why he had a house with four teenagers in it and sudden silence. Thankfully Andrew spent the whole time in the kitchen. I don’t think any of us could have faced him.

Tori and I were on make-our-presence-known duty when Derek slipped in with an armful of ski jackets.

“Found these in the basement,” he said. “It got cold last time.” He passed me a red one and gave Tori a blue one. “Simon’s finding one that fits, then coming up. We’ll head out the back door. You three will go on ahead. I’ll stay inside and make sure Andrew doesn’t come out until you’re safe in the woods.”

“And if he does?” I asked.

Derek rubbed his mouth, meaning he’d rather not plan for that possibility.

“Don’t tell me you’ll have any problem taking him out,” Tori said. “After what he did to you? I say we handle him now, save us all this sneaking around. I’ll use the binding spell. You guys tie him up.”

“Works for me,” Simon said, coming up behind us. “I still remember my knots from Scouts.”

Derek hesitated. Then he looked at me, which surprised me a little, and I said, “I-I agree,” not really sure he was looking for that, but he nodded, and I said, more firmly, “It’s the best way. Otherwise, once he figures out we’re gone, he’ll-”

The doorbell rang. I wasn’t the only one who jumped. Derek grabbed our bags, ready to bolt.

“Guys?” Andrew called. “Can someone get that? It’s Margaret.”

“That makes things a little tougher,” Tori murmured. “But not much. She’s old, and she’s just a necromancer.” A glance at me. “Sorry.”

“Guys?” Andrew’s footsteps tapped down the hall.

“Got it!” Simon called.

“We’ll take out Margaret first,” Derek murmured. “Tori can bind her. Simon can tie her. I’ll go for Andrew. Chloe? Move the coats and bags into the closet, just in case.”

Move the coat and bags? Sometimes I really wished my powers were a little more, well, powerful. I hefted two backpacks as Derek headed for the kitchen and Tori and Simon went to the front door.

I was coming back for the second load when I heard Margaret’s voice. Had Tori’s binding spell failed?

“This is Gordon,” Margaret was saying. “And this is Roxanne. With Russell and Gwen gone, we thought it was safe to bring a few more of our members in to meet you. Now, let’s all go review our plans.”

Tori wanted to take on all four, but suggested it only halfheartedly. Four adults versus four kids meant bad odds, especially when we had no idea what supernatural types Gordon and Roxanne were. Our plan, then, was to sneak out as soon as they started their meeting. Except they wanted us in on that meeting. Simon opted out-he couldn’t face Andrew-so Derek and I covered for him. I was the one they most wanted to talk to anyway, asking more questions about the Edison Group laboratory and staff.

I had to call on all my years of drama training to pull off that performance. That, and not look in Andrew’s direction any more than absolutely necessary. I seethed the whole time, knowing they didn’t care what I said, that they weren’t planning on going back. I had no idea what they were planning, only that we weren’t sticking around long enough to find out.

Finally, they released us.

“Get Simon,” Derek whispered to Tori as we hurried down the hall. “I’m going to move the bags out to the woods. Chloe? Cover me.”

It would make more sense for Tori-the girl with the spells-to cover him, but I didn’t suggest it. Derek still didn’t trust her enough for that.

Tori didn’t even make it as far as the stairs, when a voice called, “Kids? Are you back here?”

Derek swore. It was Gordon, the new guy.

“Over here,” I said, walking to where he stood in the hall. Derek followed.

Gordon was about Andrew’s age, average height, with a potbelly and graying beard, the kind of guy who’d be recruited to play the office Santa.

“Do they need us again?” I asked.

“No, they’re busy making plans, so I thought I’d say hi. We didn’t get much of a chance to chat in there.” He walked over to Derek and beamed a wide smile, shaking his hand. “You don’t remember me, do you? I’m not surprised. You were just a little guy the last time we met. I used to work with your dad. We played poker on Tuesdays.” He clapped a hand on Derek’s shoulder and steered him into the living room. “Andrew tells me you’re quite the science whiz. I teach physics over at…”

Gordon kept talking, leading Derek into the next room. Derek shot me a look, annoyance mingled with frustration. When I opened my mouth, though, he shook his head. We were stuck. Again.

“Are we going?” Tori whispered, returning with Simon.

“Not yet.”

Gordon eventually called us all in. He’d known my aunt and Tori’s mom, so now he wanted to get to know us a little better, too. Yesterday, we’d all have been thrilled with the chance to make a good impression and prove we were normal kids. Now, it was just creepy, giving our life stories to a guy who might be ready to kill us if our powers proved as uncontrollable as he feared.

After the meeting, they all decided to stay for dinner, and there was no way for us to get out, not all four of us with our backpacks.

“Can we leave them behind?” I asked. “We’ve got money. What if-?”

“Tori?” Andrew called. “Could you give me a hand with dinner?”

“Um, actually…” she began.

Andrew popped his head around the corner. Seeing all four of us clustered in the hall, he frowned, then forced a smile.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Just making plans for a breakout,” Tori said.

My gut twisted, eyes widening.

“We were hoping to sneak off for ice cream after dinner,” she explained.

“Ah.” Andrew ran his hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. “I know you kids are tired of being cooped up here-”

“Developing serious cabin fever,” Tori said. “Plus, my housekeeping wages are burning a hole in my pocket. We’ll be careful, and we’ll be back before dark.”

“I know, but…No, guys. Sorry. No more going out.” He tried for a smile. “We’ll be leaving for Buffalo tomorrow and I promise we’ll stop for ice cream on the way. Now, if I can get your help, Tori…”

He led her away.

“He knows,” Simon said as we sat in the games room, pretending to play Yahtzee.

“It sure feels that way,” I said. “But maybe we’re just paranoid?”

We both looked at Derek.

He shook the dice onto the table a few times, deep in thought, then said, “I think we’re okay. We’re just nervous.”

“We want out so it feels like they’re blocking us.” Simon exhaled and tried to settle into his seat, fingers drumming his leg.

“We should wait until tonight,” Derek said. “Head to bed, then go after Andrew when he’s asleep. The others will be long gone by then, and that’ll buy us more time-no one will realize he’s in trouble until morning.”

“Makes sense,” Simon said. “Question is, are we going to make it that long without going nuts-”

He stopped as Derek cocked his head, then pivoted toward the door.

“Trouble?” Simon whispered.

“Cell phone.”

“Um, yeah, they’ve all got them. So-”

“They’re that way.” Derek pointed left. “I’m hearing a muffled ring from the front door, where they left their coats.”

“Okay, still not-” Simon shot up straight. “Cell phone. Dad.” He scrambled up. “Where’s the number?”

Derek held the paper with the number just out of his reach. “Cool it.”

“Okay, okay.” Simon took another deep breath, forcing himself to relax. “Cooled?”

Derek handed it over.

I hung back, again reluctant to intrude, but Derek motioned me along. As we neared the front door, he waved Simon ahead, whispering that we’d stand guard while he called.

“So what’d you think of that book Andrew is editing?” Derek asked.

I gaped up at him. Very attractive, I’m sure.

“Talk to me,” Derek whispered.

“Right. Sorry. It’s…good so far. I-”

“No signal,” Simon hissed, peeking around the corner.

“Move around,” Derek whispered back. “Andrew’s been using his.”

While Simon did that, I pretended to talk about the book, which wasn’t easy when I hadn’t read so much as a single line. So I blathered on with general comments about pacing and style, until Simon peeked again, waving frantically, phone at his ear as he mouthed “It’s ringing!”

Derek motioned him back behind the corner, then told me to keep talking. I did, though I couldn’t help hearing Simon.

“Dad? It’s me. Simon.” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “Fine. Well, okay.” Pause. “He’s right here. With me. We’re with Andrew.” Pause. “I know. We’re trying to-” Pause. “No. Not Andrew’s. It’s a safe house. Belonged to a guy named Todd Banks. Big old-Dad? Dad?”

Derek strode off, motioning for me to stand watch.

“Signal,” Simon whispered.

Derek started to say something, then swung around the corner, gaze fixed down the hall. Sure enough, a second later, I heard footsteps.

“Guys?” Andrew. “Dinner.”

“Coming!” I called.

“Let me try-” Simon began.

“No,” Derek said. “I need to erase the outgoing call. Get in the kitchen with Chloe. We’ll phone again from the service station tonight.”

Everyone picked at dinner, forcing down only enough to make it look good. Derek kept whispering for us to eat, fill our stomachs, but he barely finished himself, too busy straining to hear the ring of the cell phone, worried his dad might call back and expose us.

He didn’t. From what I’d heard of their dad, Derek got his cautious streak from him. Where a normal person would automatically call back after being disconnected, I suspected their dad would look up the number first and something about it-like Gordon’s name attached to the listing-had stopped him.

He wouldn’t try calling Andrew, either. The fact that Andrew hadn’t told him we were with him spelled trouble. He wouldn’t make contact. He’d just come looking for his boys.

Had he heard the part about us being in Dr. Banks’s house? Did he know where that was? If so, would he come for us too late, get captured trying to save his sons after they’d left?

I reminded myself that the service station was only a fifteen-minute walk away. We could warn Mr. Bae before he tried anything. Unless he was close enough to the house to come for us before we left…A nice thought, but I knew we couldn’t count on it and probably shouldn’t even hope. We had a plan. We’d get out safely, find Mr. Bae, and with his help rescue Aunt Lauren and Rae.