Return to Zero

by Pittacus Lore

  Nicolas. Omar. Rabiya. “We are Earth Garde!”

  Everyone. “WE ARE EARTH GARDE!”

  “Good,” Taylor said, once the shouting subsided. “Then if you’re with me, here’s what we’re going to do . . .”

  “Our goal is to hold the Academy and prevent any of our people from falling into Earth Garde’s clutches,” Taylor told the room. She looked up at the balcony, where John and Nine stood together. “But if we feel like that’s a losing fight, we’ve got a backup plan. John?”

  Maybe it was a little showy that John chose to float down from the second level so that he could stand next to Taylor on the table, but she didn’t mind. It was a relief, actually, to have the attention on someone else for a while. All those shining eyes looking up at her were starting to freak her out.

  They trusted her. They really thought she knew what she was doing.

  John explained what he’d been building in India. Taylor, a little dazed from giving her own speech, didn’t really listen. Her eyes found Kopano in the crowd. He flashed her a thumbs-up.

  “With one more force field generator, I’ll be able to secure the area,” John was saying. “But we don’t want to give away New Lorien’s existence before it’s safe, which means you guys will have to hold out here until I have everything installed.” He glanced at Taylor, then up at Nine. “Hopefully, it won’t come to running. We want to keep this Academy open. We want to work with Earth Garde—”

  “But we also want to live free,” Taylor added. She looked around. “Any questions?”

  Of course there were questions.

  At some point, Taylor and John climbed down from the table. Nine and Malcolm descended from the second level to explain how things would work. They elected team leaders. Some people trickled out for guard duty, others to rest and still more to work on defenses for tomorrow. Taylor let the activity swirl around her and carry her forward. She talked to as many of the students as she could. Of course, many of them seemed nervous, but they were also resolute and upbeat.

  They felt ready.

  The pep rally was all well and good. Taylor did a bang-up job. But Nigel knew that for a movement like theirs to be successful, someone had to be willing to get their hands dirty. He was happy to take that on himself.

  He was his mother’s son, after all.

  Nigel remembered how guys like Nicolas operated back at Pepperpont. The little aggressions like a shoulder bump or a snide remark that didn’t seem so bad at first—nothing you couldn’t tolerate—that gradually escalated into grander humiliations and finally brutal cruelties. Those prep school pricks had hurt Nigel badly enough without Legacies. What were people like Nicolas and his cronies capable of if left to their own devices?

  So after the meeting let out, Nigel kept an eye on Nicolas.

  He watched from the shadows as Nicolas had a quiet conversation with Anika and a couple of tweebs on the lawn in front of the dorms. He watched as that guy Ben joined them, all of them huddled together, plotting something.

  It was the same group Kopano told him about; the wannabe lynch mob that had gotten in Vontezza’s face. Nigel wasn’t exactly crazy about having a Mog on campus either, but if John Smith vouched for her, then he figured she must be decent enough. Nigel was more concerned with the kind of damage that Nicolas and his friends could do to the Academy. Were they so pissed off about Vontezza’s presence that they’d sell out to Earth Garde?

  When the six of them left the torch-lit expanse of the lawn for the empty Academics Building, Nigel became even more suspicious. He’d been around the Foundation enough to know what a conspiracy looked like.

  Nigel muted his footfalls so that the others wouldn’t hear him padding across the tile floor behind them. Thanks to all the lights being out, it was easy to trail them. He watched the group file into an empty first-floor classroom. Figuring that no one was around, Nicolas and his crew didn’t even bother to shut the door.

  Nigel edged along the hallway, not exactly sure what he should do. It would be just one of him against six others. He knew that he should get help. That would be the smart move. But it had been a long day and something inside Nigel had frayed along the way. He was tired of shadowy cabals and secret meetings. He was tired of losing.

  “What did he say to you before he left?” That was Anika’s voice. Nigel stood just outside the door, his back against the wall, listening in.

  “He said he would protect us,” Nicolas answered. “Said those bastards wouldn’t even see him coming.”

  That was it, then. Another betrayal. Nicolas had made contact with someone from the other side and arranged to keep his little clique safe. They’d probably blown the secret of New Lorien, too.

  Before he even knew what he was doing, Nigel lunged into the room. He was so, so sick of this. Visions flashed through his mind—the sneering faces of the Pepperpont boys as they loomed over him, the dark tunnels beneath Patience Creek, Einar whispering in his ear, his mother’s back as she walked away from him. He wanted to make someone hurt.

  Nigel whistled. It was a little trick he’d been working on in the training center. He used his Legacy to ratchet up the volume into a piercing, teeth-grinding siren. Then, he shaped the vibrations into an arrow, focused and aimed the whistle right for Nic’s eardrum. Take down the biggest one first, that was the rule of the schoolyard.

  Nic howled and fell off the desk he’d been sitting on, clutching the sides of his head. The group had been arranged in a circle and now all of them stood up in alarm. A bag of tortilla chips one of the tweebs was holding spilled everywhere. As Nic writhed on the ground, five sets of wide, panicked eyes focused on Nigel.

  “What are you doing?” Anika shouted, flinching as Nigel redirected his whistle in her direction. “Stop it!”

  Something didn’t feel right.

  For one, Anika held a box of tissues in front of her to ward Nigel off. There were also way too many snacks for a conspiracy. And wasn’t that the Sharing Bear—an old plaything of Dr. Linda’s that she once tried to get Nigel to hold a one-sided therapeutic conversation with—on the floor next to Nicolas?

  Nigel stopped whistling, glaring at the others. But no one tried to attack him. Nic, groaning, managed to sit up. He gingerly touched his ear and winced.

  “Right, then, what the hell is this?” Nigel demanded. “If you lot think you’re going to sell the rest of us out to Earth Garde—”

  “What are you talking about?” Nic yelled. At that moment, he was both angry and a little deaf. “We aren’t selling out, you asshole!”

  “We’re on your side,” Ben said nervously. “I mean, I thought we were.”

  Nigel pointed down at Nic. “I heard about what went down with you and the Mogadorian. Saw you trying to intimidate Kopano. I know your bloody type—”

  “Yeah, we tried to scare off that psycho Mog,” Nic replied sharply. “But we didn’t—ugh, you really hurt my ear, man.”

  Anika came forward with her hands raised, her voice gentle. “We realized that all of us lost people during the invasion,” she said. “We thought, instead of taking out our feelings on other people—or hideous aliens—that we should talk about what happened to us.”

  Nigel wiped a hand across his eyes. “Bollocks. I just assaulted a support group.”

  “Don’t make it sound so lame,” Nicolas snarled.

  “When you came in, Nic was telling us about the last conversation he had with his brother,” Anika said. “Before he was killed in the invasion.”

  Nigel took a step back. At that moment, he wished that he had Kopano’s Legacy so he could just go transparent and sink through the floor. The others were all staring at him, afraid of what he might do next. Paranoia, cynicism, rage—that was his mother’s legacy to him. Nigel felt like he might be sick.

  “I’m—I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I’ll go.”

  His cheeks were hot and his eyes were wet as Nigel left the room. He wanted to run. To get as far away as possible.

  As he st
umbled through the dark hallway, Nigel was vaguely aware of movement behind him. A strong hand clasped his upper arm and turned him around. Nicolas, back on his feet, a small trickle of blood visible in the cup of his ear. Nigel braced himself. He’d been punched before. He deserved to be punched again.

  “Hey—hey, man, stop—” Nic said awkwardly.

  The fit Belgian loomed over Nigel, but he didn’t look angry. It took Nigel a moment to register the unfamiliar expression on Nic’s face. Sympathy.

  “I’ve heard, uh, about what happened to you,” Nic continued. “Maybe you should stay. Talk with us. Or just listen. You know, if you want.”

  Somehow, Nigel found himself pressed against the larger boy’s chest. He shuddered. Nic patted his shoulders, squeezed the back of his neck.

  “Okay,” Nigel said. “But don’t tell anyone about this.”

  Nic snorted. “Yeah. You neither.”

  Hours after her speech, Taylor peeked through a tangle of metal desk legs, watching the woods. It was late and everything was quiet. There weren’t any Peacekeepers lurking out there. Her four hours of guard duty—she’d volunteered for a late shift—were almost up. She’d spent the entire time rehashing her speech and the discussions afterwards. Did she say the right things? Did she forget any details? Could they tell how nervous she was? Standing up in front of her classmates and pretending that she wasn’t just some farm girl from South Dakota but a leader, someone who knew what she was talking about.

  “Sure fooled them,” she softly said to herself.

  Footfalls behind her broke Taylor from her thoughts. She spun around to see Maiken approaching. Taylor’s shift was over.

  “Go get some sleep,” Maiken said. “You look beat.”

  “Thanks,” Taylor said dryly.

  Taylor padded towards the dorms along the torch-lit path. She glanced up, saw a shadow perched on the wall near the roof and waved at Nine. He waved back from his vantage point. Knowing Nine, he probably wouldn’t sleep tonight. And, despite what Maiken said, Taylor didn’t feel like she could either.

  It occurred to her that, for the first time in hours, she was free. There was nothing left for her to do. She could breathe.

  She wouldn’t waste that time sleeping.

  Taylor knocked gently on the door to Kopano’s pod. She figured that she looked a mess; hair wavy and matted, eyes tired. She didn’t care. Anyway, it was dark.

  Kopano came to the door quickly. He wore just his pajama pants, which were a little too short for him—he’d grown a couple of inches in the months since their arrival. He held a candle, the tiny light flickering in his dark eyes. He lit up when he saw her, a look that Taylor never got tired of.

  “Good,” Taylor said. “You’re still awake.”

  “I should be sleeping,” Kopano replied, leaning in his doorway. “I need to be up very early for my mission with, ah, what’s-his-name.”

  Taylor tilted her head. “John Smith. Your idol.”

  Kopano snapped his fingers. “Yes. Him.”

  Taylor brushed off this weirdness. “Is Nigel here?”

  Kopano looked a little crestfallen that she was at his door asking about his roommate. “Um, no, actually. I don’t know where he’s gotten off to.”

  “Good,” Taylor replied and put both her hands on Kopano’s chest, pushing him back into his room. “I’m spending the night.”

  “You’re—”

  Before Kopano could fully respond, Taylor went up on her toes to kiss him. She needed this. Change was coming. Danger was on the horizon. All that. Taylor didn’t know what tomorrow might bring for either of them. This could be their last chance to act irresponsibly. She was going to take it.

  Kopano scooped her up with one arm and her legs found their way around his waist. He set the candle down. She slammed the front door with her telekinesis.

  Nobody got much sleep that night.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  KOPANO OKEKE

  THE OSIRIS—PFEIFFER BEACH, CALIFORNIA

  “IT IS WAY TOO EARLY FOR YOU TO BE SMILING like that,” Miki said, knuckling some sleep out of his eyes.

  “Yes, I agree,” Vontezza said, her sharp tone only slightly muffled by the hijab and scarf wrapped around her head. “What is wrong with you, large one? Has your mind broken?”

  Kopano sucked in a deep breath of the cold morning air. The sun wasn’t even up yet and the three of them were standing outside the administration building, waiting for John Smith to finish a last-minute meeting with Professor Nine. Kopano tried to turn down the wattage of his dumb smile, but it wasn’t easy.

  “Sorry,” he said. “But isn’t this exciting? We’re about to do something that will help ensure the safety of our people. It’s cool!”

  “My people,” Vontezza replied grimly, “are about to surrender themselves to life in a detention center.”

  “Which is where the rest of us will be headed if the UN has their way,” Miki added, equally jaded.

  Kopano blew out a sigh and waved his hands. “You two. Everything will be fine. I know this. The world is good.”

  “Idiot,” Vontezza grumbled.

  Of course, Kopano couldn’t tell them the real reason that he kept smiling, despite the life-and-death circumstances they and their classmates faced that day. It wouldn’t be gentlemanly.

  “Sock on the door wouldn’t have killed ya,” Nigel had grumbled that morning as Kopano left their room.

  That too had made Kopano smile. He couldn’t help himself. It was a glorious day.

  Just then, John emerged from the administration building. Unlike the others, he appeared relatively well rested. At some point since the night before, he’d trimmed the patchy blond beard. Kopano supposed he wanted to look fresh and authoritative for his interactions with the military.

  “Good to go?” John asked.

  Vontezza pointed her thumb at Kopano. “This one won’t stop showing his teeth.”

  John considered this for a moment, ultimately deciding that it wasn’t worth commenting on. He turned to Miki. “So I’ll handle the flight to the landing site to keep you fresh for moving the generator.”

  Miki coughed into his fist. “That’s good. I’m still a little worn from yesterday.”

  “Spot me, though, okay?” John said. “Make sure I’m doing it right.”

  “Sure,” Miki replied, then looked at Kopano and Vontezza. “Just so you know, the wind transformation can be a little weird at first. Remember that you’re air and the air doesn’t need to breathe.”

  Vontezza’s brow furrowed. “What?”

  Kopano nodded sagely. “Cool mantra.”

  “It’s not—” Miki sighed and held out his hands. “Let’s do this.”

  They all linked hands. One second, Kopano could feel Vontezza’s cold fingers and Miki’s sweaty palms and then the next—whoa, his body came apart, he was rising, spinning into the sky, moving fast. He wanted to scream—not in fear, but the way one did at the top of a roller coaster—but he didn’t have the mouth to do it.

  Kopano could see in 360 degrees. The dark sky above him, the flicker of an orange sunrise to the east, the ocean to the west and the Academy drifting away below him.

  They flew southward. Kopano was vaguely aware of the others, their particles intermingling. It felt the same as when you could sense someone standing right behind you. He couldn’t speak with them, though. He couldn’t tell Miki how freaking amazing his Legacy was. He couldn’t do anything, really. He wasn’t piloting the course, he was just a passenger. So, Kopano relaxed and enjoyed the view.

  Eventually, his mind wandered back to the dorms and that morning. Taylor in his bed, sleeping on her stomach, a strand of blond hair in her mouth. She snored a little bit and Kopano had wondered when the last time she actually slept was. He didn’t want to wake her up, so he leaned over to kiss her cheek and left without a word. She deserved all the rest she could get.

  I’m going to link the four of us telepathically now that we’re getting closer, John
’s voice said in his head, jarring Kopano back to alertness.

  It was strange enough to be disembodied without the added weirdness of John’s telepathy. For the first time that morning, Kopano’s giddiness gave way to discomfort. He hoped the Loric hadn’t been reading his mind a second ago.

  I wasn’t, John said in answer.

  Oh, you heard me? Kopano thought back, concentrating for once on not being too open-minded.

  I hate this! I demand my flesh be restored! Vontezza’s inner voice came through as a screech that made Kopano’s mind throb.

  Kopano felt a sudden sinking sensation and his stomach dropped. That shouldn’t have been possible, considering he was wind and didn’t have a body. The falling sensation only lasted a second, though, and then he was back to swirling weightlessly through the air.

  Sorry, lost my grip for a second there, John thought.

  Don’t worry, Miki replied, his mind a whisper. I got us.

  Vontezza’s freaking out a bit so I took her out of the telepathic link-up, John added.

  Kopano chose not to worry about the fact that he’d almost fallen out of the sky. Instead, he turned his attention to what was below. They were coming in from the north, over the ocean, but already Kopano could see—

  They brought an army, he thought to the others. Wow.

  A Mogadorian warship really brings ’em out, John replied.

  They flew over a massive aircraft carrier. A dozen jets waited on its deck, their pilots and crew milling about, ready for action. Flanking the aircraft carrier were a half-dozen ominous gunboats, their funnels belching smoke, cannons along their sides glinting in the dawn.

  They sailing up to the Academy after this? Miki asked.

  Let’s hope not, John replied.

  So much weaponry, Kopano added. Didn’t you tell them the Mogs were surrendering?

  I did. But they’re all about overkill. There’s probably a nuke down there somewhere.

  Seriously? Kopano replied. That’s intense.

  I’m going to take us around. Get a view of everything.

  They gusted over land. Pfeiffer Beach was secluded, its sand glittering purple in places, rock formations jutting dramatically out of the surf. It was surrounded by cliffs with only one viable pathway in. John had chosen a good place for the Osiris to set down; if anything went wrong, the Mogs could be easily contained.