The Feros (Vindico)

by Wesley King

  Sam shrugged. “I don’t know. Said he’d be right back.”

  “Well, let’s just enjoy the party,” Emily said. “Even if someone is watching, they’re not going to try anything with this many people around.”

  “Yeah,” Sam agreed quietly. “I’m just going to go to the bathroom.”

  “You okay?” Lana asked, frowning.

  “Fine. See you in a minute.”

  He hurried to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The roiling conversations quieted somewhat, and he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

  Extending his thoughts, he trailed over the emotions of the partygoers: a vibrant mix of joy, jealousy, lust, and nausea. He touched against each one for just a moment and then moved on, listening for the soft voice. It wasn’t long before he heard it again.

  This time he concentrated on it and realized it was so quiet because it was being directed at a specific person. Sam focused until he found the person it was aimed at. Suddenly, the words became clear.

  * * *

  Lana and Emily looked around the crowded room.

  “See Hayden anywhere?” Lana asked.

  “No,” Emily said. “He’s probably showing off the Haydenmobile. He loves that thing.”

  Lana smiled and tried to ignore her nagging feeling of worry. They’d searched the shadowy backyard, and up and down the street, but hadn’t found a thing. Still, something seemed wrong. Just relax, she told herself, this is your last night here.

  “I’m going to get some water,” she told Emily.

  She’d taken one step toward the kitchen when an extremely strong hand grabbed her shoulder and whirled her around. Her muscles tensed, ready to lash out, but she stopped when she saw it was just James. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were drawn in a thin line.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Without warning, he cupped her chin in his hands and kissed her.

  Lana pushed hard on James’s chest and he stumbled away.

  She turned to see Hayden standing there, arms planted on his hips.

  “What are you doing, James?” he asked coolly.

  James wheeled on Hayden and shoved him. Hayden went toppling backward, slamming into the ground.

  “James!” Lana gasped.

  Sam sprinted down the hallway, waving his hand. “Hayden, wait!”

  “Now you pissed me off,” Hayden said.

  He lifted a hand and James was blown off his feet, as if a tremendous gust of wind had swept through the room. He smashed through a section of the wall behind him, the wood and brick splintering with an earsplitting crack. James and all the debris went careening across the alley before crashing into the neighbor’s house, and he flew right through that wall as well.

  The party erupted into chaos. Screaming kids scattered in all directions, tripping over each other to get to the front doors.

  Ally pushed her way through the crowd. “What just happened?” she shouted.

  Lana ignored her and turned to Sam.

  “I was trying to warn you,” he murmured.

  “Of what?” Lana asked.

  “The voice I heard—it was a telepath. He was telling James to kiss you.”

  Lana frowned. “Why would it do that?”

  James emerged from the other house, completely covered in dust. He scowled as he picked his way across the alley and climbed back inside. Ally looked like she was about to faint.

  James turned to Lana. “Sorry, I didn’t—”

  “We know,” she cut in. “Sam just told us.”

  He shook his head. “I just snapped out of it. I didn’t even realize what was happening.”

  “Sorry for what?” Ally asked. “What just happened?”

  “My bad, James,” Hayden said.

  “Yeah, thanks,” he muttered.

  “What is going on?” Ally said sharply. “Someone had better explain this to me!”

  They heard sirens wailing in the distance and shouting voices as the neighbors began to stream outside.

  “How will we explain this?” Sam asked nervously.

  “We’ll just say we’re as confused as everyone else,” Hayden said. “The cops aren’t going to—”

  “Don’t move,” a loud voice commanded, and the Flame suddenly appeared on the other side of the hole, his right hand wreathed in a blaze of red and yellow fire.

  Three others stepped up beside him: Sinio, Jada, and Gali.

  “You’re under arrest,” the Flame continued, climbing into the house. “The ship is on its way. We’ll discuss the matter further once we get to headquarters.”

  9

  THE BLARING SIRENS GREW LOUDER, AND THE FLAME REACHED INTO HIS POCKET and pulled out a small silver device. “Hurry up,” he said into it. “They’re on the way.” Then he looked up at the protégés and gestured behind him. “Out into the street. Now.”

  “All right, don’t get testy,” Hayden said, starting for the hole.

  “No,” Sam said. Everyone turned to him in surprise. “We’re not going anywhere.”

  “Sam?” Lana whispered.

  The Flame turned to him. “What did you say?” he snarled.

  “It was Sinio,” Sam said, nodding toward the thin, sallow-faced League member. “He set up James. I recognized his voice.”

  Sinio shifted uncomfortably.

  “What?” James asked him. “Why?”

  The Flame narrowed his dark brown eyes. “I don’t know what you kids are talking about. You have violated the terms of your sentence. End of story. Now, you will proceed outside to wait for pickup. As I said, we can discuss this when—”

  “I don’t think we’ll be doing that,” Hayden said, folding his arms. “How did you get here so fast anyway?”

  “We were assigned to watch you,” he said. “For good reason, obviously.”

  “So why did you tell James to kiss Lana?” Sam asked suspiciously.

  The Flame scowled. “I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking—”

  “There’s the ship,” Gali said. “Let’s move.”

  James shook his head. “We’re not getting on that ship. This doesn’t make any sense. Where’s Thunderbolt? We want to talk to him.”

  The fire swirling around the Flame’s hand immediately grew brighter. “Get into the ship,” he ordered.

  “No,” James said. “Not until we hear from Thunderbolt.”

  The Flame stepped toward him. “Then we’re forced to detain—”

  James reacted instantly. He put his shoulder down and bodychecked the Flame in the chest, sending him sprawling backward through the hole. He hit the ground with a thud and the other three League members scrambled through the blown-out opening.

  “Get Ally!” James shouted to Emily, just as Gali charged him.

  He slammed into James with the force of a truck and they both crashed into the beige couch. James heard the wood frame splinter beneath the cushions. He strained against the enormous weight of Gali, who was trying to pin his arms.

  “Stop resisting—” Gali managed.

  He was interrupted as James kneed him fiercely in the stomach. He grunted and rolled off. James leapt back to his feet, sparing a quick look at the others.

  Sam was locked in concentration with Sinio, but Hayden waved a hand and sent the League telepath spiraling across the kitchen. He crashed into the cupboards, shattering all the glasses. Lana was grappling with Jada nearby, while Ally was watching in horror with Emily from the stairs.

  “Just stay there, Ally!” James called to her. “It’s okay—”

  Gali suddenly pushed James from behind, and he smacked into the wall. Spinning around, he faced the huge man, who was a foot taller and almost twice as wide. His huge, muscular arms and powerful chest looked like they might burst out of his navy-blue League uniform at any moment.

  James met his eyes.

  Gali charged and James dropped to the ground, hip checking him over his shoulder. The big man tripped and crashed into the floor, shaking the wh
ole room. But just as James prepared to jump on him, a blast of fire hit his left arm, burning through his shirt. He dove behind the recliner as more flames streaked past.

  James heard a muffled curse, and he peeked around the armrest just in time to see the Flame get pinned against the wall by an invisible force.

  “That wasn’t nice,” Hayden said to him. “You ruined James’s skintight shirt.”

  Jada and Sinio were already lying on the floor, unconscious. Gali heaved himself to his feet, but when he saw that the rest of his group was already defeated, he just stood there for a moment. Using the hesitation, James picked up the recliner and threw it at him. It sandwiched him against the wall and he dropped to the ground, dazed.

  “Nice one, Jamesy,” Hayden said, and then turned back to the Flame. “Now, what’s going on? Why did you set up James?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the Flame growled. Tongues of fire started to run up and down his body, but he couldn’t penetrate the invisible grip holding him against the wall. “Now you’ve attacked League members,” he snarled, looking completely enraged. “You’re all going to the Perch. Thunderbolt isn’t in charge anymore. I am.”

  “How can that be?” Lana asked skeptically. “We just saw Thunderbolt giving that news conference a few days ago.”

  “Things have changed. He’s left headquarters. Now release me!”

  “Where is Thunderbolt?” Emily asked.

  “I don’t know,” the Flame said. “He didn’t tell anybody where he was going.”

  “Something’s wrong here,” Sam murmured.

  “I think we better figure this out ourselves,” James said. He glanced at Emily. “Is the League ship outside?”

  She turned to the front door and focused on the infrared in her visor. “Yes.”

  “What are you going to do?” the Flame asked.

  “We need a ship,” James said, “so we’ll take yours. Hold him here, Hayden. Everyone else, come with me.”

  James ran for the front door, but Ally grabbed his arm on the way.

  “How did you do—” she asked, looking confused.

  “Later,” he said. “Come on.”

  James hurried outside and saw one of the the League’s gleaming white ships, the Mediator, sitting in the front yard. Its ramp was already lowered to the gravel. Farther down the street, he saw the first cop cars wheel around the corner. They had to move fast.

  James charged up the ramp to find Noran in the belly of the ship holding a large black rifle. James quickly swiped the gun from Noran’s hands and grabbed his shoulders, pitching him out onto the lawn, where he flopped into a tangled heap and lay still.

  “Let’s go!” James called to the others. Hayden was still in the house, holding the Flame.

  They scurried up the ramp. James dropped into the pilot’s chair and was relieved to see that the controls were very similar to the Shadow’s. Outside, the cop cars screeched to a halt twenty feet from the ship and the officers stepped out uncertainly, weapons drawn.

  A few seconds later, Hayden ran out the front door and into the ship.

  “Everyone in?” James shouted.

  “Good to go!” Emily said, sliding into the copilot’s chair and running over the controls. “Ramp’s closed.”

  James pulled back on the throttle, and the Mediator jumped into the night sky, the flashing red and blue lights disappearing below them.

  Hayden slapped James on the back. “That was pretty reckless,” he said. “I’m so proud.”

  “What just happened?” Ally breathed, leaning against the doorway. She was still completely white. “James?”

  Hayden put his arm around her shoulders. “You should probably know that we’re kind of supervillains.”

  “Well, we were going to be superheroes,” Emily said. “We were supposed to join the League, but now we’re probably villains again.”

  “I hope you were right, Sam,” Lana muttered.

  “Me too,” he said weakly.

  The night sky suddenly opened up as the ship passed through the clouds, the stars clear and endless. James leveled them out and felt a moment of weightlessness as they stopped their rapid ascent.

  “I hate flying,” Sam said, sitting down against the wall.

  Ally looked at James. “All this time, you didn’t tell me you had superpowers?”

  “I wasn’t allowed to,” James said. “Even Mom and Dad don’t know.”

  “See, your brother’s cooler than you thought,” Hayden added, grinning. “Not as cool as some of the other group members . . . myself, Lana, Emily, Sam . . . but definitely cooler than the old James.”

  “Thanks, Hayden,” James muttered.

  Ally just shook her head. “I think I need a minute to process.”

  “I told you your house would be destroyed,” Lana said to Hayden.

  “True, but you didn’t say that I would be the one doing it,” he replied. “It’s not all bad. I don’t have air-conditioning, so that hole should really bring in a nice breeze.”

  Emily activated the communications relay and signaled League headquarters. The relay beeped, but there was no answer. “That’s not good,” she said.

  “Now what?” James asked. “We can’t go to headquarters if Thunderbolt’s not there. The Flame will get another ship, and that will be his first stop.”

  They were all silent for a moment.

  “Yep,” Sam said. “We’re in trouble.”

  10

  “YOU SURE YOUR PARENTS ARE GONE?” HAYDEN ASKED.

  They were standing at the bottom of James’s driveway, staring up at the darkened house. The Mediator was parked in a patch of forest a few blocks over, tucked right in the midst of the trees so that the canopy partially obscured it from above.

  “Yeah,” James said. “They’re away at a spelling bee. That’s why I have Ally.”

  “We have to leave soon anyway,” Lana said. “If the Flame doesn’t find us at headquarters, he’ll check our houses next.”

  James nodded. “But at least we can drop off Ally and think about what to do now. She’s safer home alone than with us.”

  Ally stood beside him, tightly hugging herself and shivering. She’d asked about a hundred questions on the flight, and James had tried to explain everything. Even though she was scared, she looked positively delighted to be involved in League affairs. She was already speculating as to where Thunderbolt might be by the time they landed.

  “You don’t have to drop me off,” she said.

  James scowled. “Yes, we do.”

  He’d left his house key in his bag at Hayden’s, but there was always a spare under one of the flowerpots. Scooping it up, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. The others were just coming through the door behind him when James’s mother and father came hurrying down the stairs, wearing identical red bathrobes. His father was holding a slipper like a baseball bat.

  “I thought you weren’t coming home until tonight,” he said, seeing James. He looked past James at the other protégés. “Are these your friends?”

  “I thought you were at a spelling bee,” James said.

  His father frowned. “Jen lost in the first round, so we left early. She spelled plankton wrong. I’m pretty sure she lost on purpose so she didn’t have to spend another night in the hotel with us. She can’t stand our snoring.”

  “Your snoring,” his mother corrected. “Now, what’s going on?”

  “Let’s go in the kitchen,” James said.

  “Sorry about this,” Lana apologized to James’s parents.

  “James?” his mother asked sternly.

  “Kitchen,” James repeated, and started down the short hallway.

  The green walls were dotted with old family photos, and James desperately hoped Hayden wouldn’t notice them. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard a muted snicker from behind him. He sighed.

  James flicked on the kitchen light and gestured to the table. “You should probably sit down, guys.”
>
  Emily, Sam, Lana, and Hayden all sat down at the table, while James’s parents remained in the doorway, Ally beside them.

  “Now, what’s going on?” James’s mother repeated.

  “Does anyone want a drink?” his father added.

  “I’d love some orange juice,” Hayden said.

  James rubbed his forehead in exasperation. “Mom, these are the other kids who got abducted.”

  “I know that,” she said. “I recognize them from the news. And it’s very nice to meet you all. But if you wanted to have your friends over, James, you should have given us a little more notice. I mean, it’s past midnight and—”

  “Anyone else?” James’s father asked as he poured a tall glass of orange juice.

  “Is that really necessary right now?” his mother snarled.

  “Can I have some, please?” Emily asked.

  James’s father smiled. “See? Maybe I should make some pancakes—”

  “We’re here,” James interrupted, “because we just had a run-in with the League. We’re not sure what happened, but they set us up and then tried to arrest us.”

  His mother frowned. “Why would they do that?”

  “We’re not sure,” Emily told her. “Thank you,” she said as James’s father set one of the glasses down in front of her. “But we fought them and—”

  “You fought them?” James’s mother put her hand over her mouth.

  Hayden nodded. “Yeah. You should have seen James. He stole their ship.”

  She whirled on James, her eyes wide. “You did what?”

  “We had to,” James said, glaring at Hayden.

  “So what now?” she asked worriedly.

  James started pacing around the kitchen. “We have to leave soon. The League might come here, and we can’t be here when they do.” He looked at the others. “But where are we going to go?”

  “We need to find Thunderbolt,” Emily said.

  “Where do we find him?” Lana asked. “If he’s not at headquarters, he could be anywhere.”

  “I could log on to the League network,” Emily said. “Maybe there will be some information on what’s going on. And we could try and track down Deanna and Lyle too. Maybe they’re with Thunderbolt.”