Nikki Tesla and the Fellowship of the Bling

by Jess Keating

  I gritted my teeth and got ready to give my usual response. I’d practiced it in the mirror a dozen times since our first conversation. I was getting pretty good at rattling it off without appearing angry.

  So in one long breath, I said, “I’m not finding any of this difficult. I told you last month: I don’t care about him. I know he might be alive. I know that evidence is indicating that he probably is. I’ve heard it all. But I am not interested in knowing any more. I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to speak to him. And I definitely don’t want him to weasel his way into my life after everything he’s done.” I turned to the rest of the group, putting them on the spot. “Or do I need to remind you of what happened this summer? When one of his old colleagues stole my death ray? And tried to destroy the world? That ringin’ a bell?”

  Everyone stayed silent and stared at their feet. Clearly this was as awkward for them as it was for me. I was glad for it: It meant they wouldn’t push me on the subject any further.

  Talking about my father like he was still a part of my life made me anxious. I meant everything I’d said. But while it was the truth, it wasn’t the whole truth. I was terrified that he was alive. He obviously wasn’t a good guy. No, he was a criminal who had tried to hurt people with his inventions. And his actions had made life practically impossible for my mother and me. It was tough on us when he’d died, but we were better off without him.

  But the thing I refused to speak about? Even with Mary?

  I didn’t want to face the possibility that if he was alive, that meant he just … didn’t want to see Mom and me again. If he had survived the explosion in his lab, why hadn’t he come back to us? Why leave us alone for seven years, thinking he was dead? Seven years is a long time to pretend you don’t have a family, even if you are a criminal. You only do something like that if you don’t want your family anymore …

  It was better to keep these thoughts locked up in a drawer in my laboratory, where questions and fears like this couldn’t get to me.

  I was grateful when Grace cut off my thoughts. “For what it’s worth, Tesla, I agree with you.”

  I sat back in my chair, surprised. “You do?” A small blossom of hope grew inside me. Grace was our leader, and everyone always seemed to respect her choices. If I had her on my side, there was a chance we could sweep this whole father issue under the rug, where it belonged.

  “Yep,” she said. “You’re right. You don’t have any evidence that he should be back in your life. He broke the law and almost hurt a lot of people. And even after you thought he was dead, the people he was mixed up with did even worse stuff that we had to deal with. Seems pretty simple to me. So what if you’re a little off because of it?”

  “Yeah, thanks,” I said. The meaning behind her words hit me a beat later. “Wait—what? What do you mean off? I’m not off, am I?”

  I faced Martha first, then Leo. He caught Bert’s eye, who almost imperceptibly nudged Leo with his shoulder. “Um …” Leo said.

  “Um, what?” I demanded. “How am I off?!”

  Bert lifted his hand, like he was apologizing for what he was about to say. “It’s just that we can tell that your mind is a little distracted, that’s all,” he said, his eyes widening at the others, practically begging them to jump in.

  But I didn’t give them a chance. “Distracted?! We only wrapped up saving the world like a month ago, and I’ve been in my lab ever since, developing some pretty amazing surveillance technology that could totally change the way we protect others, thankyouverymuch …” My shoulders rose up to my earlobes as I spoke, and I wagged my finger at them with every word. I was officially turning into my mom.

  “Your tech is great!” Charlie winced again as she leaned her elbows on her knees. “But two days ago you missed training because you forgot to set an alarm. And yesterday you left the door to the weapons hatch open.”

  “An accident,” I muttered. “I thought Bert was going to close it behind him.”

  “What about all your late nights in the computer lab?” Bert asked gently. “You barely sleep. I know you say it’s just research, but …”

  My face went hot. “It is research!” I tried my best to sell my white lie. It was true I’d spent a lot of time printing those ancient newspaper articles about Dad’s laboratory explosion, but they didn’t need to know that. Had someone noticed my printouts?

  Martha frowned. “And how did your simulation with Mary go this afternoon?”

  I bit my tongue and forced my attention to a seam in the marble floor. “Pickles found her.”

  Mary cleared her throat but didn’t correct me. I mean, it was sort of the truth. My ferret had found her eventually …

  I squirmed in my seat as Martha scrutinized me.

  “And you almost did a load of laundry with Pickles in the basket,” Leo pointed out.

  I darted him a look. “She had it coming, hiding from me like that!”

  “We’re simply getting a little worried about you. It’s okay to be distracted. But we can tell there’s something weighing on you,” Martha said.

  “What is this? Some kind of intervention?” Shame and guilt wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket. That my friends had noticed I was off my game was excruciatingly embarrassing. But we saved the world at Genius Academy—what if they thought I was so distracted, I couldn’t do my job here? What if they worried that I would accidentally put people in harm’s way? Could they kick me out?

  “Is that what this is, Martha?” Tears pricked the back of my eyes, but I refused to blink and let them spill out. I swiped my sleeve angrily against my face and asked her again. “Tell me you didn’t call this meeting because of me.”

  Martha gave me the tiniest smile. “Your friends requested that we discuss this again, Nikki.”

  The room seemed to shift around me, as everyone’s shoulders tightened. Had they all requested it? Or one person in particular, and the rest went along with it? I was too ashamed to look them in the eyes to find out.

  The truth settled over me and, suddenly, I could feel a familiar tightness settle in my chest, the invisible shield I built to protect myself and keep people at arm’s length. These so-called friends ratted me out to Martha? How could they do that?

  But I’d felt this way before, and my shield only hurt me at Genius Academy. And that realization made my anger dissipate as fast as it had appeared. It turned into something much softer, allowing me to see two very clear paths in front of me. Two possibilities. One: My friends were really were annoyed at me for being distracted. And two …

  Mary read my mind. “It’s because we care about you,” she finished my thought.

  I let my shoulders relax. Friends do worry about each other. “Okay,” I said. “I get it. I’m sorry if I’ve been distracted. But I just found out that he might be alive. I need time to forget about him again. Or at least try to.”

  “Wait a second,” Mary interjected. “Nikki, you’re all about equations. Your father is a huge variable in the equation of your life! How can you not want to know about what happened to him? Even if he is a bad man, don’t you want any … any …” She trailed off.

  “Closure,” Charlie offered. “Knowing what happened to him would probably be a good thing, right?”

  My throat tightened. “If he is alive, then he’s not only a criminal who tried to blow up a bunch of people but also a jerk who abandoned his family. For seven years, guys. There are a million variables to this equation, but the final answer never changes. He left us. And now all these years later, Martha gets some random tip, and I’m supposed to jump at it? No, thanks.” I sat forward in my chair so I could turn to look at each of them. “I know you guys are trying to help, okay? But if you want to help me, the best thing you can do is to let me deal with this Dad stuff myself, however I can.”

  Grace caught my eye and gave me the tiniest of nods. Solidarity. I had her on my side, at least. Mary, Leo, Charlie, and Bert avoided my gaze. Mo was always an enigma, but if I could count on hi
m for anything, it was his silence.

  “All right,” Martha said, clearly satisfied. “Apologies for dredging up old wounds, Nikki. We’ll move on to business.”

  “Great,” I said, clapping my palms against my knees. As she continued, I tried my best to focus on our next mission. But my friends’ words had already begun to wind around me, squeezing the places where I felt most vulnerable.

  I didn’t need closure. I wasn’t festering. Sure, maybe I was a little distracted. Who wouldn’t be, right? But was I that off my game?

  No matter what, I wanted the team to trust me. To know that I would never let them down, even if I was a little preoccupied with the news about my father. They were my family now, and my home.

  I’d do anything to make sure they knew I wasn’t flaking out on them.

  Martha tapped her laptop, sending a projection onto the wall beside us. “The Galápagos,” she began.

  “What about it?” Bert asked.

  Martha clicked the device in her hand and the screen changed, zooming into reveal a tiny island surrounded by beautiful blue water.

  “Glad you asked, Bert.” Her voice was measured and calm. “You’re going.”

  “Five hundred sixty-three miles west of continental Ecuador,” she continued. “Home to tortoises, land iguanas, and even four endemic species of mockingbirds.” Bright exotic birds smiled down at us from the screen.

  Leo raised his hand. “Are we going on a vacation, Martha? It’s been awhile, you know.”

  She tapped her laptop again, and the birds were replaced by a glass box sitting on top of a small pillar of rock. It was photographed in what appeared to be a shadowy, damp, mottled cave. Slices of bright light reflected off its shiny sides, making its contents impossible to see.

  “You wish.” Martha’s eyes twinkled with mystery. “Our intelligence informs us that the Galápagos Islands are home to one of the most dangerous technologies known to man.”

  Have you ever heard that old wives’ tale that every time you get a chill on the back of your neck, it’s because a ghost is passing through you? Do you know the one I mean? I’m glad I don’t believe in that nonsense, because at that exact moment, staring at that puzzling box, a chill zipped through me so fast, I actually shuddered. Something about that thing gave me the willies.

  “Sign me up!” Charlie yelped. “We laugh in the face of danger!” She lifted her sunburned arm in a charge, then winced in pain. “Ouch!” She whimpered and rubbed her shoulder.

  “You need some more aloe vera there, Danger?” Bert smirked at her.

  The screen changed again. A tiny, lone island surrounded by crashing waves appeared before us. “I’m glad you’re so eager, Charlotte. Though you may want to bring extra sunscreen for this one.”

  “Wait,” Charlie said. “Are we actually going to the Galápagos?” She could barely keep herself planted on her chair.

  “Indeed,” Martha answered. “We’ve been hired from above to secure this technology.”

  Leo shot up his hand. “From above? What does that mean?”

  Martha clicked her laptop again, and the screen went black. The mysterious box disappeared. “It means that up until recently, we didn’t even know this technology existed. We do know that it has been kept secret, locked up in an unmarked cave. We’re hoping that this is still the case, but recent intelligence tells us that this technology can be weaponized and that an unknown operative is looking to sell the technology to the highest bidder. As you know, the people who wish to buy dangerous weapons aren’t always the good guys.”

  That got our attention. We exchanged excited glances, eager to hear more.

  “Until we can confirm the technology is no longer for sale and will remain hidden away from the eyes of the world, it seems prudent for the safety of the country—and the world—to relocate it. And my lovely friends, your services were requested directly. I suggest you get packed as quickly as possible. Dress for the weather, of course. And bring any anti-nausea medications you think you might need.”

  Grace perked up. “Anti-nausea?” She grinned widely. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

  Martha winked at her with just the tiniest flick of her eyelid. “There’s only one way to explore the Galápagos, Ms. O’Malley.”

  Grace sucked in a breath and clapped her hands together. “By ship!”

  “By ship,” Martha agreed.

  “Whoa.” Bert stood up. “You never said anything about a ship. Can’t we fly a plane and land it where we need to? Leo and Nikki handled that jet like professionals last time. Let’s do that again!”

  Grace laughed. “What’s wrong, Bertie boy? Worried about a little seasickness? Can’t hold down your Froot Loops?”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Bert was looking a little green already.

  “Not everyone was born at sea, O’Malley!” he yelped.

  “Sorry, Bert,” Martha said. “You’ll be taking a plane the majority of the way, of course. But to explore the Galápagos, and do so in a covert manner, we’re going to need a ship. We’re lucky to have a certified sailor in our midst, wouldn’t you say?” She gestured to Grace, who sat a little taller. Grace’s face shone with pride.

  I darted a look at Mary. All this sailor stuff was totally new information to me. Was Grace really born at sea? I asked her with my eyes.

  Mary answered the question with a single nod.

  Huh. I guess you do learn something new every day.

  Even if you are a genius.

  “Don’t worry, buddy,” Leo told Bert. “We’ll bring some extra anti-barf tablets, just for you.”

  Bert didn’t look pleased, but sat down in defeat. “So we’re going to the Galápagos Islands to retrieve some super awful, extra dangerous technology and stash it away at a safe house? Am I missing anything?”

  Martha clasped her hands together. “Just the part where you save the world from the evil people who plan to use this dangerous technology to harm others.”

  “Right,” Grace said. “Can’t forget that.” She crossed her arms. “Sounds like every other Tuesday to me.”

  I chewed on this plan, and settled upon what was still picking away at my nerves. “Hold up,” I said. “All this talk about secret technology. What exactly is it? What will we be securing?”

  Martha hesitated before answering, tightening her mouth slightly. “It’s a ring, Ms. Tesla. One with unknown capabilities.” She pressed a button on her laptop, bringing up the image of the transparent box again. With a quick double tap on the screen, the image focused closer and the bright reflections of light faded away, revealing the very center of the box. Sitting atop three thin interwoven fingers of metal was the blurry but unmistakable image of a ring.

  I exchanged glances with the team and held back a scoff. “A ring? Have we graduated to security detail for fancy department stores already?”

  Martha sighed, but I could tell from the twinkle in her eyes that she wasn’t annoyed at my comment.

  “Finally, a mission I can get on board with!” Charlie clapped her hands together. “The Galápagos and a cute accessory. When do we leave?” She fluttered her eyelashes and pretended to primp her hair. It wasn’t like her at all, so her whole act made me giggle.

  Martha closed her laptop. “This cute accessory must be secured as quickly as possible. Your flight leaves first thing tomorrow morning. Five a.m.”

  Bert rubbed his temple with one hand and sighed loudly. “Always with the five a.m. flights, Martha! Can’t we save the world after sunrise just once?”

  Martha didn’t blink at his whining. “Morning might not come so early if you didn’t spend half your nights playing video games in your laboratory, Mr. Einstein,” she teased him. “I suggest you all get a good night’s sleep. You’ll need it.”

  Grace held out the map at arm’s length and shielded her eyes from the sun with her other hand.

  You know those days where the sun is warm on your skin, but there’s enough of a cool breeze to hide it, so y
ou don’t end up a sweaty mess? So far, stepping onto the Galápagos Islands was like that—a paradise of cool air, but with plenty of sunshine and wind to balance it out. Even the trees seemed to be showing off in their gorgeous climate, whispering and fluttering their leaves above our heads like they were happy to have visitors.

  “Are we sure this map is up-to-date?” Grace made a face and twisted her hand left and right, trying to get the orientation correct. “It’s supposed to be here.”

  As you probably guessed, Martha isn’t usually wrong about details. She’s one of those people with color-coded binders that can somehow account for every little element of a trip, like what donut shop has the best glazed donuts in every city in the world and which towns have police officers who are most likely to notice young kids out past their curfew. You know, useful stuff.

  Her plan for our mission was straightforward: We were to fly to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where we would catch a smaller charter plane to Floreana, one of the tiny Galápagos islands nestled in the Pacific Ocean. From there, we were to take a diving boat to Corona del Diablo, a half-submerged volcanic crater that formed a ring of rocks jutting out of the water. There, Martha said, our ship would be waiting for us.

  Easy peasy, lemon queasy, as barfing Bert would say.

  But there was one thing she couldn’t account for on this little journey: The ship was missing.

  And yes, you’re correct if you assume that we will literally never let Martha hear the end of this one.

  Pickles clung to my shoulder and sniffed the salty air as a cloud of bubbles rising in the water made us all jump back on the jagged rocks. Leo’s face, concealed in part by a set of swimming goggles and blue snorkel, appeared in the mess of foamy waves. As one of our strongest swimmers, he’d volunteered to do a little digging around (or, rather, diving around) to see if he could figure out why our ship was nowhere to be seen.