The Perfect Ten Boxed Set

by Dianna Love

  I lifted an eyebrow. Was that really how it was done?

  She released one of her bubbling laughs that bordered on scary then lifted her shoulders in a what-can-it-hurt motion.

  I sighed and turned back to the table. I had no reason to treat her with caution or condescension the way Nicholas had, because she seemed nice and harmless. I put my hand out and waved it over the top of each laptop.

  “Ah, for love of Einstein, are you two for real?” Tony complained, crossing the room, a scowl on his face. “What are you doin’?”

  Gabby rounded on him with an expression of excitement. “Perhaps she’ll prove that you techno-ites are not all full of dull stuffing,” she taunted. “Rayen is using her sensory skills to select the perfect computer, which requires the unique ability of energy touch. Please don’t try it or you might hurt yourself and I wouldn’t be able to help you. My magic wand only works if you possess a heart.”

  I smiled, playing along with her teasing while I searched for a computer that showed some promise, anything to get Tony off my back. I mean, what could it hurt to go along with her? It wasn’t like I knew what I was doing anyhow.

  Tony smacked a hand on his forehead. “Oh, no, don’t tell me you’re one of those woo-woo students from the east wing.”

  Gabby struck a pose with one shoulder cocked up and her chin held high. “Careful or I’ll call my flying monkeys.”

  “For the love of...” Tony mumbled, pulling out a small handheld device he started thumbing. “Say your name’s Gabby, huh?”

  I’d seen those handheld units used earlier. Communication devices. A phone. Tony could call someone and–

  I moved to reach for him, but my extended hand yanked toward a laptop, jerking me forward with the motion.

  My fingers gripped a scuffed-up machine in the second row that had a scratched black case. Weird. I caught Gabby’s startled look, but she said nothing so I wasn’t going to acknowledge it. I lifted the computer and made room for it on the front of the worktable.

  Oblivious to us, Tony waved his phone, chuckling. “Oh, yeah, this explains everything. Gabrielle Lin.” He glanced up, his flinty gaze more calculating than friendly this time. “You don’t look Chinese.”

  “Oh, dear, really? Because you certainly appear to be the spitting image of an A-hole.”

  “Ah...major screw up.” Tony focused again on his phone screen. “Says here you’re sixteen.” He eyed her up and down as if doubting her age then went back to reading. “Psychological profile...delusions, antisocial personality syndrome, alien...they got that right. What planet you from, babe?”

  Right then and there I decided that if I ended up staying here I’d figure out how to build a computer from scratch on my own before I asked Tony for anything.

  Prancing around happily, Gabby ignored Tony and snagged the wire attached to the laptop that had responded to my hand. Had pulled me to it. I hadn’t even felt heat inside me this time. Did that happen with others...or just me?

  She stuck the metal prongs at the end of the wire into the wall. Must be the power source.

  I tried to concentrate on what was happening with the laptop, but my mind still worked on what to do with that threat outside our room. What was that bird-beast doing?

  I once again considered using Tony’s phone to call in help, but who would we call? Teachers? Dr. Maxwell? I’d been warned not to cause any trouble. Besides, I knew better than to try convincing the Jersey Jerk that a rabid, shape-shifting, predatory threat was loose in the hallway. Tony wanted a reason to get rid of me and that beast might morph into something else by the time someone got here.

  Best case, I’d end up looking like a bigger idiot or a troublemaker.

  Worst case, the bird could kill whoever showed up and us. But the bird-thing had seemed interested only in me so I just needed to keep my head down until five o’clock when I hopefully got some answers.

  I realized Gabby was waiting for me to do something. When I didn’t, she finally pressed the button near the top of the keyboard.

  The computer whirred to life.

  Still tapping keys on his phone, Tony paid no attention to us. “Ah, now we gettin’ to the good stuff. Kicked outta the last two schools for disciplinary reasons, but...this can’t be right. No way Cindereller tested that high.” Tony frowned. More thumb typing.

  The laptop in front of me buzzed with energy. I punched a couple of keys, surprised to find that my fingers knew how to form words as quickly as I thought them.

  Standing at my right shoulder, Gabby hummed something quietly to herself until an image of circles appeared on the screen. She brightened at that and said, “Ah, you’ve found the entrance, but do you know the password?”

  I shook my head.

  She cocked her head, ponytails flopping to one side, laughing silently. “I like to keep my finger on life’s Escape key. Try hitting that, Jedi.”

  I knew that key, but couldn’t very well say so after I hadn’t hit it. I pressed ESC.

  Nothing happened. The three circles of banded colors that mixed with copper, gold and silver, kept spinning and turning, passing over and around each other.

  Gabby gave the computer a confused look and leaned closer, mumbling, “Wonder what’s wrong?”

  Tony appeared on the other side of me. “Nothin’ other than two morons do not a computer tech make.”

  Ignoring the loudmouth, I kept manipulating keys in hopes of clearing the screen, but nothing would let me past those circles.

  Gabby angled herself forward, talking across me to address Tony on the other side. “Perhaps there’s a better way for a computer savvy one such as yourself to garner the attention of the Browns. Such as letting Mr. Suarez know how gifted you are in hacking confidential records.”

  Tony dropped his voice low. “You threatenin’ me, sweet cheeks?”

  “Threat is such an unattractive word. Think of it as inspired relationship building,” Gabby said, not the least bit intimidated by Tony.

  “Who they gonna believe?” He scoffed. “Me or some psycho babe with zero computer ability?”

  “And here I thought you found all my records, placing you in the caliber of a true mastermind as opposed to petty thief.”

  “Yeah, I found them, but records can be doctored. Not that you didn’t show an impressive level of skill pluggin’ in that power cord. Now you two are pickin’ out a computer like itsa Ouija board. Can’t wait to see what’s next.”

  I lifted my hands to hold up between those two, or I tried to, but something tugged my fingers back to the computer.

  Then I caught a swooshing noise outside in the hallway.

  So intent on arguing, Tony and Gabby missed the flying dark shadow flashing past the glass window.

  I glanced over in time to see black wings flapping. What would that thing morph into next? And would it stay outside this room? Even if it only wanted me, would it harm Gabby or Tony if they got in the way?

  I had to get out of here and draw the beast-bird away, then figure out how to not get caught again. Something told me I’d only been lucky last time, but I couldn’t stay here and be the reason these two got hurt.

  Gabby waved a hand, dismissing Tony, and sounding bored with their verbal game. “Some people have the gift of touch, an unfortunate shortcoming in those who don’t.”

  Tony waggled his fingers and eyebrows, smiling. “I got plenty of touch, babe. My fingers can make that laptop sing.”

  Gabby glanced at my hands with a knowing look and murmured, “Don’t think you’ve got her touch.”

  “Ya think? She can’t even get the screen to open.”

  I tried to lift my hands again, but my fingers were heavy as weighted metal and drawn to the keys as if they were pure magnets. This wasn’t helping my immediate goal of escaping this room. More than that, I didn’t think this was normal.

  Gabby looked up at me, her face calm and sincere. “Just ignore Tony and open your senses to–”

  Tony hooted as if he hadn’t h
eard anything so ridiculous in years.

  In a surprising change from her earlier teasing, Gabby growled and grabbed my right wrist as if forgetting her wariness about touching. She snatched my hand off the keyboard and shoved it palm out toward the monitor, speaking past me at Tony the whole time as if he was the clueless one. “Everything has energy. You just have to–”

  My arm sucked into the screen.

  Gabby shrieked and gripped my wrist tighter, trying to hold me back.

  I tried to back away, too, but whatever had latched onto me wasn’t turning loose.

  The raven slammed against the glass window, beating its wings to get into the room. Tony and Gabby were both shouting so loudly, I doubted anyone heard the thing but me.

  Tony repeated, “What the f–” He clamped his hand on my left arm, yanking to pull me back.

  He was strong. I hoped he’d win the tug o’ war, but my hand kept sinking further into the monitor...then my arm started shimmering.

  In the next instant, I was sucked all the way inside, my body twisting into a kaleidoscope of colors. Heat ripped through me from my arms to my chest then through my legs.

  Gabby blurred into a colorful stretched shape beside me. Tony’s grip tightened on my arm as we all spun into a bright orange-red vortex.

  CHAPTER 6

  I slammed up and down, over and around, freefalling in a vacuum of cold air. Someone screamed. Gabby? Her foot kicked my arm, grazing me then gone.

  Another shout. Tony?

  No time to think.

  Slam.

  For the third time in less than a day, I crashed into a hard, unyielding surface. This time a knee jammed my spine. An elbow gouged my stomach.

  “Get your effin’ foot off my ribs,” Tony growled from somewhere nearby.

  Everything was black. I couldn’t see.

  I squeezed my eyes tight then cracked them open. I sucked air. My eyes adjusted slowly. Feeble light and barely visible shapes came into focus.

  Another room. This one metal. Round walls. Blinking red-orange light.

  Where was I now?

  Not any more familiar to me than the desert or school had been. I pulled into a sitting position. No bones broken but bruises on top of bruises. How much could a body take? When my vision adjusted further, I realized I could make out details. An eerie red glow washed across everything. I licked my lips, mouth dry as a dust bowl.

  Gabby groaned.

  “You two okay?” My words echoed in the cramped space.

  I could see enough to notice Gabby cocked her head one way then the other, sending ribbons and hair flying. “I’ll live.”

  Twisting, I found Tony, head in his hands. He drew his knees to his chest then lifted his head and grasped the metal disk hanging from a chain around his neck. A talisman?

  I nudged him with my elbow. “You alive?”

  His head popped up. “Yeah, I’m alive.” In a quiet voice, he added, “What the freak just happened?”

  “Don’t know.” My standard answer for the day and doing nothing to ease my sense of dread. I rolled to my feet, biting back a groan. Complaining wouldn’t help anything.

  I fisted my hands to stop the trembling. Were these things really happening or was this some bizarre dream? Nightmare more like it. Tony and Gabby were real though, so this must be. At least I wasn’t the only one confused this time.

  But that didn’t offer any comfort.

  This space reminded me of a large, round version of the elevator but three times the size. Wouldn’t this thing have a door or hatch? Maybe a reverse button to take us back? One I’d jab in a heartbeat.

  I stumbled toward an arch of smooth metal with purple light seeping around the edges. Possible entry and exit point? With my hands splayed open, I connected with the cool surface and felt for a button, control, anything, but stopped when the wall hummed under my fingers.

  Buzzing metal, a vibration. I wish that was a good sign, but the noise and vibration climbed up my spine like claws.

  Gabby asked, “Smell that?”

  I hadn’t until now and caught a whiff of a scent that immediately put me on alert for the sentient beast.

  But this was a different smell. Sulfuric.

  Even so, some deep, primitive sense of survival warned me that we had to get out of here. Now.

  “Rayen?” Gabby’s earlier happy voice was gone, replaced by a low guarded tone that transmitted equal concern. “I can’t explain it, but I feel this is a bad place to be.”

  “Agreed. But how do we get out of this thing?” I ran my hands over the arched door again, searching for a release mechanism.

  Tony called over, “Wait a minute. Why try to get out of here when we might need to be here to go back?”

  I glanced over my shoulder, keeping an eye on both of them while I kept touching the metal, hoping to find some release mechanism. Tony pulled himself quickly to his feet then braced his hands on his knees. “Think I’m gonna puke.”

  Gabby shuddered. “Eew. Just kill me now if you do.”

  Tony put his hand on the wall and groaned.

  I might have chuckled at seeing the loudmouth brought low if I weren’t so concerned about where we were and how in the world we’d ended up here. The last thing I remembered was Gabby sticking my hand on that laptop monitor...no, in the monitor.

  Gabby unfolded her arms and shifted from the floor to her knees to a standing position, her face pale in the pulsing red haze. But she shook herself, as if preparing for whatever she had to face, and straightened her spine. She stepped up next to me. “Got any idea where we are?”

  “No.” There had to be a lever or button somewhere to open a door or hatch.

  “Either of you ever see anything like this before?” Gabby asked louder but calmly, even though I caught the way she clenched her fingers.

  Tony grumbled, “No.”

  I admitted, “I don’t know.”

  “What kinda answer is that?” Tony’s bravado returned in full force. “Either you’ve seen somethin’ like this before or not. It’s a yes or no question.”

  “I said I didn’t know.” I turned back to patting the wall, urgency driving me. Not sure why. The smell? The buzz?

  “Look, Sacagawea, now’s not the time to be cryptic.” Tony stood and stepped toward me, his chin up, his whole attitude set for a fight.

  “Now’s a good time to give it a rest,” Gabby interceded in an even tone, but sounding much more serious than she had before. She angled her head, staring at me as if she tried to reach inside me to get an answer her own way.

  If she could dig something out of my mind that’d help, I was all for it. But she just shrugged.

  Tony argued, “No, I won’t give it a rest. We’re here because of her.”

  “Not really,” Gabby corrected. “I put her hand on the monitor and I saw you grab her arm, so that would seem to implicate all of us equally, don’t you think?”

  Tony wouldn’t relent, studying me as if he couldn’t decide what to think. “Whatcha mean when you say you can’t remember, Sacagawea?”

  Why play with words or avoid the obvious at this point? Besides, Nicholas had probably already told the Browns about my head injury so how could it matter if these two knew?

  “I’m saying my mind’s a black hole.” My voice burned dark with frustration crowding my throat. I slammed one hand against the metal. For all the good that did. But we couldn’t just keep on standing here. Waiting for whatever had caused that smell to return.

  My skin chilled at the idea of being trapped in here. I knew on some primal level that we had to escape. Now.

  “Like amnesia?” Gabby asked, her tone too bright in the face of Tony’s incredulity. “How fabulous. That means you get to start over, clean slate. Make your life whatever you want.”

  Just when I thought I had an ally I could depend upon...

  I faced her. “Yeah. Just like amnesia, but I’d rather have my original life back than a new one.”

  “Oh, in that case I
’ll help you hunt for it,” she offered as if we were looking for a lost shoe. The red flashing light looked different in her green eye than it did in her brown eye.

  “You can’t have amnesia,” Tony scoffed, getting his teeth behind his words. “We just got here. No way could you–”

  “I’m saying I had amnesia back at the other place. The school. Nothing’s changed here.” Except for my sense that staying trapped in this space could be dangerous. “Look, we’ll talk about that more when we have time. For now we’ve got to get moving.”

  “Why?” Tony asked, oblivious to the red pulsing light that kept increasing in intensity. He held up his hand and huffed out a hard breath as if trying to be reasonable. “Let’s use logic. If this thing we’re in brought us here, wherever here is, then it should take us back, right?”

  He had a point, but the metallic hum chose that moment to grow into a low whine that picked up in volume. What was happening?

  Tony covered his ears. “That’s frickin’ awful.”

  “Still want to stay in here, Jersey?” Gabby called to him.

  I had to yell even louder over the screech. “Help me find a way out. Gabby, you search this side of the room and I’ll search the other.”

  “What’re we looking for?” she called back, surprising me when she jumped into action.

  “A handle. A button. I don’t know–something. There’s got to be a lever to open a hatch on this thing.”

  Tony dropped his hands and shouted, “Oh, come on, you two. Maybe whatever sent us here is sending us back. Ever think of that?”

  Gabby yelled back, “If you’re not going to help us, I’d say it’s been nice knowing you, but I’d hate to die with a lie like that on my conscience.” She swiped her hands back and forth frantically over the metal faster and faster. “That smell’s getting worse and it feels...hostile.”

  The hairs were already standing up on my arms from the same thought.

  “What smell?” Tony demanded, but his voice sounded shaky. “Hostile? You tryin’ to pull more woo-woo crap? Tryin’ to scare me? Won’t work.”