Chapter 17
"That was fast," Jack said. "Where are the bagels?"
"We've got to get out of here," I said. "Taylor's friends are inside."
He looked at Taylor. "Did they see you?"
"Yes, but I rebooted them."
"Hope it worked." Jack put the car in reverse, backed up, then squealed out of the parking lot. When we were a couple of blocks away he asked, "Where to now?"
"There's that other bagel place over on Thirty-Third," I said. "Next to the theater. I think they have a drive-through window. What do you think, Tay?" I looked over. "Taylor?" Her head was down, her eyes covered by her hands. She was crying.
"What's wrong?"
She kept crying. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Taylor?"
She wiped her eyes, then looked up at me. "I just miss my life," she said. "I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my mom hiding my Easter basket in the same stupid place every year for the last ten years. I even miss my dad yelling at me for being gone all the time."
I wasn't sure what to say. Jack glanced at me in the rearview mirror with a helpless expression.
After a moment I breathed out heavily. "Maybe it's time you went home."
Her expression turned from sad to angry. "You're trying to get rid of me?"
"No. I just don't want you to be so unhappy."
"We're in this together. All of us are. Besides, we both know the Elgen aren't going to leave me alone just because I gave up. It makes me an easier target."
I held her hand. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. I just needed someone to listen." She wiped her eyes. "Do you have a Kleenex or something?"
"There are some napkins up here," Jack said.
"That works."
Jack handed her a stack of napkins, and she blew her nose and wiped her eyes again.
Just then the cell phone rang. I picked it up, and Taylor took my arm to listen in.
"h.e.l.lo?"
"Well done last night, Michael," the voice said. "Another potential catastrophe averted."
"We found my mother," I said.
The voice paused. "Are you sure?"
"She's being held in Puerto Maldonado, Peru."
"Their Starxource training compound," the voice said. "Of course. It's their most secure compound-especially as far as Hatch is concerned. He has complete control over the personnel. How do you know she's there?"
"I can't tell you," I said.
"Are you certain your information is correct?"
"We know that she was sent there after she was kidnapped. I've seen her file with a picture of her."
"So you either hacked into their system or, more likely, downloaded the files at the academy."
I could have kicked myself for divulging so much. I didn't confirm his guesses, but I began gulping.
"You're right not to tell anyone," the voice said. "If Hatch knew that Grace had downloaded those files, he would stop at nothing to hunt her down."
His words filled me with fear. "I didn't say anything about Grace."
"You didn't have to, Michael. She's the only one who could have accessed that information before it was destroyed."
"How do you know it was destroyed?"
"Elgen protocol," he said. "Does Hatch know that Grace is with you?"
"I don't know."
"Even if he does, he
"We think all of it."
"This is a fantastic stroke of luck," he said. "That information is invaluable to our cause. Where is this data now?"
"It's on one of the computers at the house."
"We need to get that information. We'll send someone over this afternoon to retrieve it. The van we send will be disguised as some type of service vehicle."
"I didn't say you could have the information," I said.
There was a long pause. "What do you mean?"
"I need a ride to Peru."
"You want to try to rescue your mother?"
"Yes."
"You do realize that you're walking into a trap and that Hatch is holding your mother as bait."
"Probably."
"Not probably, he is. And once you're in the compound there's nothing we can do to help you."
"I wasn't planning on your help. I have to take a chance. I have to save her."
There was another long pause. When he spoke his voice was softer. "I just wanted to make sure that you know what you're up against. I'll make the arrangements. It will take me a while. We'll get you to Peru and provide you with all the information we have on the compound in return for Grace's information. But we want one more thing. We want Grace."
Taylor looked at me. She mouthed, "Grace?"
"I can't turn her over to you."
"If Hatch catches her, he'll probably kill her. But he'll break her first. Then he'll know exactly how much we know. It will render the information useless."
I thought over his warning.
"You know I'm right, Michael. Grace can't help you. Her powers aren't what you'll need. And you'll be putting her life in terrible danger. If you won't do it for the cause, do it for her sake."
After another minute I said, "Okay. I'll ask her. But it's up to her."
"Fair enough. Do we have a deal?"
I looked at Taylor and she nodded.
"Okay," I said. "We have a deal. Send your guy."
"We're going to Peru?" asked McKenna, her mouth full of blueberry bagel.
"Isn't that in Africa?" Wade asked.
"Did you even go to school?" Ostin said.
"Same one you did, loser."
"Same school, different planet," Ostin said.
All eleven of us were gathered in the loft eating bagels. I stood in front of the TV with Taylor by my side. "Yes, we're going to Peru. The voice has promised to take us there." I looked around the room. "This is going to be very dangerous-even more dangerous than what we risked at the academy. I don't want you to go unless you're positive you want to."
"I'm in," Jack said immediately. "Wade?"
"I already committed," he said. "I owe you, Michael."
I nodded. "Thanks."
"What about you, Mitch?" Jack asked.
"Uh..." His eyes darted back and forth between Jack and me. "I think my parents are... I think we're going to be out of town. My dad-"
Jack cut him off. "It's okay, Mitch. It's not your battle. It's probably better that you don't come."
Mitch.e.l.l looked relieved. "If you say so."
"I'm there," Zeus said.
"In with both feet," Ian said. "Girls?"
Jack and Zeus both looked at Abigail. She shrugged. "I'm coming."
"Me too," McKenna said. "You're going to need me."
"You can count on that," Ostin said.
McKenna turned to Grace. "How about you?"
She looked at us. "I guess I'm in too."
"Actually," I said, "it might be better if you stayed back."
"Why?"
"If Hatch catches you, he'll force you to reveal how much you downloaded. That will jeopardize all the information we already got from them. Plus, you know he won't hold back on your punishment. It's probably best if you're not with us."
"Where will I go?"
"With the voice."
Grace looked at me nervously. "But we don't know who they are."
"I know," I said. "Either way, it's a risk. It's your decision. But if Hatch catches you..."
"You know what Hatch does to traitors," Zeus said.
I looked at Zeus. I was afraid for him as well.
Grace looked down for a moment, then said, "All right. I'd probably just be in the way anyway."
"I think it's the smart choice," Taylor said.
"So when do we go?" Zeus asked.
"I don't know."
"Then I have a suggestion," Zeus said. "We need to better prepare ourselves."
"How do we prepare for the unknown?" Ostin asked.
"By practicing our powers."
"Practice?" Ostin said.
"We practiced using them every day in the academy. When I first got there, I could only shock things less than a yard away. Now I can shoot more than fifty yards."
"How do we practice our powers?" Taylor asked.