by Sam Maggs
“About time.” There, behind the curtain, stood Rowan. Her face was lit by a multitude of glowing screens. Cat took in the scene around them—computers, audio boards, monitors—this must be the control center for the stage. Microphone volume, lighting controls, and …
“I know I shouldn’t have taken video of you without asking,” Rowan said apologetically, holding her phone up. “But I guess it came in handy.”
Cat noticed Rowan’s phone was attached to a cable that fed into one of the computers on the control panel. Rowan tapped her phone. Fi’s face was suddenly back on every monitor.
Fi threw herself at Rowan and planted a kiss on the girl’s cheek. Ugh, thought Cat. Teenagers.
Leaving them alone for a moment, Cat turned to her brother. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” Alex said with a small smile. “I can’t believe he got me twice.”
“I can’t believe we got our Quest item!” Cat grinned—but the smile dropped off her face almost as soon as it appeared. “But—oh no. James M.—he had your phone! With the video!”
Alex pressed his lips together. He always did that when he had a secret.
“Spill it!” Cat urged.
“Okay, okay.” Alex laughed. He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I grabbed it the second he put it in his pants pocket. I’m basically right at butt level. Gross, but in this case very helpful.”
Cat burst out laughing. “Definitely, absolutely very helpful. Now, what are you waiting for?” She nudged her brother. “C’mon. It’s time to upload.”
8. Cartwheel down the center aisle in Hall M. (100 points)
26
Alex
“How do I look?” Alex asked his sister, nervously tugging on his bow tie. They were on their way to the Quest Masquerade, the big cosplay party where the winners of the Quest would be announced. Alex didn’t really care that much about celebrities—besides Adrianna Tack and a few other comic-book artists—but even he had to admit that the idea of seeing Corwin Blake and all his Paranormal cast members in person was a little exciting.
He would never tell Cat as much. But yes. He was a little excited.
“You look great,” Cat reassured him. She had changed out of her cape and into a party dress. The fabric was printed with AC Comic strips from the ’60s. Alex’s bow tie was made out of the same material. They didn’t feel like dressing up in full costumes after the day they’d had, so they decided to go geek stylish instead. But Alex wasn’t used to wearing anything other than jeans and a T-shirt, so he still felt a little awkward.
“Is Mom already there?” Fi asked from behind them. She was walking beside Rowan and had finally ditched the coffee-stained blouse, donning a dress color coordinated to match Rowan’s purple hair. They were holding hands.
Alex supposed that if he was going to have to put up with his sister dating someone, it might as well be someone as cool as Rowan.
“Yeah,” Cat responded. They were walking down the streets of San Diego, the restaurants and shops all just as decked out in GeekiCon gear as they were. Alex saw Cat check her Google Maps and then her texts. Alex didn’t need the map—he knew the restaurant right on the corner in front of them was the one they were aiming for. “Mom and Dad are—”
“Sme tu!” Alex’s mom stood up from one of the tables outside the restaurant excitedly. Their dad stayed seated but looked just as happy to see them.
Alex watched as Cat launched herself into their mom’s arms. While hugging, his mom waved over at him. Alex smiled and waved back. Moms always knew what to do.
“Mom, this is Rowan,” Fi introduced, and Rowan and Alex’s mom shook hands around Cat’s head.
“Mrs. Gallo, I’m such a huge fan—”
“Thank you for taking care of my family today.” Alex’s mom laughed. “I hear you like Ducky McFowl?” They seemed to get along right away.
“Come on,” their dad said, standing up. “Let’s get inside. How did the Questing go?”
Cat started chattering away about their day while their mom spoke in rapid Slovak to Fi. She was getting dressed down but only a little. And Fi took it in stride. After all, she still had Rowan.
“You ready for this?” asked Rowan, as the six of them found a booth inside and sat down.
“I think so.” Alex nodded. “We did our best today.”
Rowan smiled. “You really did.”
Alex looked around the restaurant and took in the full scope of the Masquerade. The costumes here were just as impressive as the ones he’d been seeing all day at GeekiCon, and everyone looked equally happy to be here. Old friends, new friends, internet friends, con friends—people ran excitedly over to one another to compliment their cosplays and Quest successes. Kids were taking tons of selfies, adults were gossiping, and the noise of the chatter in the place was almost as loud as the din in Hall M. Most of all, Alex just noticed the big smiles on the faces of every single person in the room. He wore one to match, without even thinking about it.
“Are you Team DoubleTrouble?” A girl had rushed over to their table dressed like a companion from Whom, M.D.
“Yes—I love your costume!” Alex responded.
“Thanks, I love Delaney sooo much!”
“She’s my favorite companion!” Alex said excitedly.
“Me, too!” The girl did a twirl, her skirt floating up. “I just wanted to say I saw your item twenty-five on the Quest app. So sweet!”
Alex frowned. “We didn’t get to item twenty-five.”
“But we did.” Alex’s mom leaned over in the booth to join in the conversation. “‘Pass a hat around a crowded panel and collect donations for charity. The panelists must sing until the hat has reached every person in the room.’ We did it in the Ducky McFowl panel. But by then, you and your sister had already … absconded.”
Alex blushed. He would have to look that word up later. “Thank you,” he said to his mom. He turned back to the Delaney cosplayer. They exchanged social media handles and vowed to get in touch later.
So maybe the crowds at GeekiCon weren’t all bad. At least, not the people in them.
25. Pass a hat around a crowded panel and collect donations for charity. The panelists must sing until the hat has reached every person in the room. (83 points)
27
Fi
Fi squeezed Rowan’s hand under the booth. Yeah, she’d gotten chewed out by her mom, as anticipated—but really, it wasn’t so bad. And her mom had been stoked to find out that Fi was finally gaining an appreciation for the nerdier things in life, also as anticipated. Plus, Rowan had babbled so many compliments about Ducky McFowl within, like, the first thirty seconds of meeting her mom that there was no way she had been able to stay angry. It was perfect.
Not caring about the camping trip anymore also meant Fi didn’t have to worry about having lost the twins for several hours today. It was totally fine. And she had someone to sit with at lunch now, regardless.
Rowan felt the hand squeeze. She looked over at Fi and gave her a secret smile. Fi felt herself go red all over again.
“Wait,” Cat said suddenly, and everyone in their booth turned to look at her. “We can have four Quest team members. If Alex and I were doing it … and Mom … and Fi and Rowan…” Alex watched Cat count them all off on her fingers. “That’s one too many! We’ll be disqualified!”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Rowan piped up from next to Fi. “Only Fi registered on the app. I was just her cheerleader. She found all the items.”
Fi thought back on it and realized Rowan was right. “Guess I didn’t need your help after all!”
The table’s laughter was cut short by the restaurant’s lights dimming. A spotlight came up on a makeshift stage in the back of the venue. The whole room exploded into shrieks as Paranormal star Corwin Blake stepped out onto the platform, waving at the crowd. He was just as handsome and roguish in real life as he was on the show, his hair just as artfully messy, his eyes just as deep.
Not that Fi would know anything
about the show. She’d just … seen it on her sister’s laptop a couple of times. That was all.
Really!
Fi leaned over to shout in Rowan’s ear over the noise of Corwin and the crowd. “Thank you for today!”
Rowan shook her head. “For what?”
“For everything!” Fi yelled back. “For showing me there’s nothing wrong with being a weirdo—as long as you’re a happy weirdo!”
Rowan burst out laughing. “For that, you’re so, so welcome.” Rowan squeezed Fi’s hand in return. “I’ll be right back!”
Fi nodded and watched as Rowan slid out of the booth, her purple hair disappearing around a corner. Fi still had a smile on her face. Happy weirdos might just, in fact, rule.
28
Cat
“That’s Corwin Blake!” Cat squealed with excitement.
“I know!” Alex yelled back.
“He’s so cute!”
“Gross!” Alex shook his head. Cat just laughed. Her favorite Paranormal star was right up there … Things were good with Alex … Everything was as it should be.
“And now,” Corwin drawled from the stage. People of every gender in the crowd hung off his every word. He absolutely, positively was that cute. “The announcement you’ve all been waiting for.”
Cat’s breath caught in her throat. She felt her foot start bouncing up and down against the booth. This was it. This was the moment! Alex reached out and grabbed Cat’s hand. They were in this together.
“The winners,” Corwin said, drawing it out, “of Quest Year Five … are…”
Cat froze. Could it be…?
“Team Dangermaker!”
The crowd applauded. The blood rushed back into Cat’s head.
They’d lost.
Team Dangermaker had won.
Again.
Cat felt a hand squeeze her thigh and looked over into her mom’s smiling face. “You did so good,” her mom reassured her. “You should be proud of yourself!”
Cat clapped a few times, halfheartedly. She was happy for Team Dangermaker … she just really thought they’d had it this time. She watched as the four members of Team Dangermaker bounded up to the stage to claim their trophy from Corwin; there went Dahlia and Malik. The white teenager who followed them must have been Fox. And then Rey—
“Holy sh—”
“Fi!” her mother scolded. “Language!”
“No,” Cat interjected, standing up in her seat. “She’s right—look!”
Clambering up onto the stage was the fourth member of Team Dangermaker.
Rowan.
Cat kept looking back and forth between Fi and the stage, her head whipping back and forth so fast she got dizzy and had to sit down again. Fi was just staring straight ahead.
“But she never said anything…”
“But her name is Rowan.” Cat slammed her hands on the table. “Not Rey.”
Fi dropped her head down to the table in front of her and mumbled something. Cat picked Fi up by the scruff of her dress.
“Again,” Cat urged.
“Rowan,” Fi repeated, understandable this time. “Rowan Reyes.”
Cat dropped the back of Fi’s dress and stared at the stage, wide-eyed. “So that’s why she never technically helped us.”
“And why she knew so much about the Quest,” Fi agreed.
“You’re dating someone famous,” Alex chimed in. Fi just blinked.
“Nerd famous,” Cat agreed. “You’re basically nerd royalty now. Congratulations, Queen of the Nerds.”
“Bože môj.” Their mom shook her head, still clapping for the winning team.
“But wait,” Corwin said into the mic, bringing the room back down to a hush. “There’s more!”
Cat sat back up in her seat. More?
“Some of you may have noticed a Mystery Item was added to the Quest list today.” Cat slumped back down. She and Alex hadn’t found it. And if Fi and Rowan had found it, Rowan obviously would have uploaded it on behalf of Team Dangermaker. Cat examined her nails to distract herself from her sinking feeling of disappointment.
“We are thrilled to announce that one team—just one—managed to find the secret item.” Whatever. “Come get your prize—” Whatever. “… Team DoubleTrouble!”
Whatever.
Wait.
What?
Fi was shaking Cat’s shoulder. “That’s us! Go! Go!”
Cat stumbled out of the booth with Alex beside her. “What happened?”
“We found it!” Fi laughed. “I found it! We won!”
Cat couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She walked forward, half in a dream, to the stage, where someone reached down a hand to help her off the ground.
Cat looked up. The hand was attached to Corwin Blake.
She put her hand in his. It was the best-looking hand she’d ever touched. She would never wash it again in her entire life. Did you even know they made eyes that dark?!
“Congratulations, Team DoubleTrouble.” Corwin pumped his fist in the air and the crowd cheered. Cat turned and stared out into the restaurant in shock. This was real. This was really happening!
“As a reward for your excellent detective skills and your otherwise impressive Quest score,” Corwin said as Cat stared up at him in awe, “you’ll be having dinner with the Paranormal cast and crew tomorrow. We’ve brought out all the stars, our directors, writers, and even our art director! Congratulations, Team DoubleTrouble!”
Cat looked over at her brother in shock as the room exploded into applause yet again. She knew that the expression on his face must have matched the one on hers. Dinner?! With Corwin Blake?! A chance for Alex to talk to their art director?! This was more than Cat ever could have imagined.
Alex flung out his arms and Cat threw herself into them. Together, they jumped in a circle around the stage, Corwin Blake laughing behind them. Out of the corner of her eye, Cat saw Fi run over to Team Dangermaker to sweep Rowan up in a huge hug, too.
They did it. They did it. Cat didn’t want to jinx herself, but …
“Best. Con. Ever,” she yelled in Alex’s ear.
“Best. Con. Ever!” he yelled right back.
Well. Not quite. Cat looked over one more time at Fi and Rowan with a renewed sense of determination.
Yep. It was time to start planning for next year!
Tips for Having An I-CON-ic Con Experience!
Do you want to hit up a comic convention of your very own, just like Cat and Alex? You should—they’re amazing! Here are some fun tips for getting your con on:
- Ask your adults to help you find a con in your area. There are so many comic conventions out there now, so chances are great that there’s a con within a couple hours’ drive of your house! (P.S. Sometimes you get in for free if you’re under twelve. Aww yiss.)
- Check out the convention’s website ahead of time to scope out who’s going to be there, what you want to do, and who you want to see. Con guests can range from the legit famous (like TV and movie actors) to the lesser known (but no less cool) nerd variety (like comic book writers and artists).
- You can meet guests at autograph and photo sessions, or you can see them speak on panels. If you go for an autograph or photograph, prepare something you want to say in advance, just in case you get nervous in the moment. You’ll be ready!
- Dress up! If you want to go full cosplay (dressing up in costume), that’s awesome. If not, wear your favorite geeky T-shirt to let everyone know which fandom is your number one. Still awesome!
- Pack a backpack with your essentials for the day, and don’t forget to include a book or a portable console. Sometimes, lines for panels or autographs can be really long, and you don’t want to get bored. Make sure you leave space for anything you might buy, or bring a folded-up cloth bag for any bigger purchases!
- Wear comfy shoes—you’re going to be walking on concrete floors all day, so a good sneaker is a must. And pack a healthy lunch and snacks�
�apples and a refillable bottle of water are always good bets!
- Bring a camera, or stick close to someone with a camera! There are endless opportunities for fun photo ops, from LEGO statues to mega lines. If you see someone in a cool costume and you want a photo with them, just remember to ask politely first!
- Go see a panel you know nothing about! You might learn something cool and leave as a fan of someone new.
- Visit Artist Alley and come home with a small souvenir from a local artist! You’ll be supporting someone’s comics career, and you’ll never forget your first con.
- Many cons have a Kids’ Day! There are tons of fun activities—I’ve seen everything from wand dueling to comic creating. Kids’ Days tend to be on Sunday, the final day of most cons, which is also a less busy day on the floor—and when lots of booths are trying to get rid of the rest of their goodies. You might even get something cool for free!
Acknowledgments
Here we are, at a place I never in a million years imagined I would be: the acknowledgments page for my first novel. I’ve been fortunate enough to have written some pretty neat stuff in my career, from comics to nonfiction books to video games; but there’s something about writing a novel that’s always felt like an impossibility to me. Writing novels is something other people did, people smarter and more gifted and in tune with the muse than I.
And yet, here we are. As it turns out, I could do it. And if I could do it, that means you, reader (yes, you!), absolutely could, too. And I hope you do! No one else can tell your story—and I want to read it.
