The Seeking Serum

by Frank L. Cole

Gordy sucked in a sharp breath and desperately looked at Max. “I thought you said Carlisle stopped Esmeralda.”

  “That was after,” Max explained. “I tried to stop her, but I . . .” He lowered his eyes, embarrassed. “I’m no good at potion chucking.”

  Adilene groaned. “I tried to stop her, too, but I guess I wasn’t fast enough.” She held out a hand, and Gordy helped her to her feet.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Sasha asked her.

  “I jumped in front of Iris when Esmeralda attacked. She struck me with the Decocting Wand,” Adilene said, stumbling for balance.

  Gordy stared at her in shock. “While she was performing the ExSpongement? You could’ve been seriously hurt!”

  Adilene winced, gingerly rotating her right shoulder. “I can already feel it starting to bruise. And my head is spinning. It’s getting worse—my eyesight. Everything looks so fuzzy.” She leaned into Gordy, resting her head on his shoulder.

  This was bad. Adilene was lucky to have survived Esmeralda’s attack, but her failing eyesight made him worry.

  “I’ll make you something,” Gordy said. “A potion that could help.”

  “I just need something for my headache,” she said.

  Gordy nodded. “I’ll start brewing some Boiler’s Balm.”

  “Or you could just get her some aspirin,” Max suggested. “There’s probably some in your bathroom.”

  Adilene opened one eye and half smiled at Max. “That sounds like a better plan.”

  Max nodded and trotted out of the kitchen.

  “Wait a minute,” Sasha said, staring at Iris. “If Adilene stepped in front of the Decocting Wand, didn’t she stop the ExSpongement?”

  Iris sniffled. “She didn’t stop anything.”

  “Then how do you know you were ExSponged?” Gordy asked. “With Adilene standing in the way, it—”

  “You’re a Cipher, Gordy,” Iris snapped. “You can decipher ingredients, tastes, sensations.” Her voice caught. “Well, I was too. I could see images in my mind of entire recipes when I inhaled. I couldn’t even tell you what’s in this anymore.” She pointed to a bowl filled with orange cheese and soggy noodles. “My gift was taken from me.”

  Gordy’s blood went cold. Helping Iris had been their main objective, and now everything was falling apart.

  Carlisle’s joints popped as he stood up. Esmeralda didn’t even try to scramble away, Max’s full dose of Girning Glop keeping her preoccupied.

  Max returned and handed Adilene a container of painkillers and a bottle of water. Adilene thanked him and tossed down two of the pills.

  Gordy turned his attention to Carlisle. “You could have gone anywhere you wanted. No one was going to come after you. Why come back to my house?”

  His lips were pursed and puckered, his breathing ragged. Carlisle didn’t reply. Gordy wasn’t entirely sure, but he suspected the younger Bimini had aged a few extra years since his departure from Tobias’s farmhouse. He had nowhere to go, no family to speak of, unless . . .

  Gordy’s eyes narrowed. “You want to go home, don’t you?”

  Carlisle’s chin dipped slightly.

  “And you think we can help you,” Gordy continued.

  Another nod from Carlisle. Actual communication.

  Sasha knelt next to Iris, grabbing the woman’s knees. “How long will it take for Mezzarix to destroy the Vessel?”

  “I . . . I don’t know,” Iris answered, sobbing. “It’s not as simple as pouring out the contents. The procedure takes time and many, many steps. But it doesn’t matter anymore! There’s nothing standing in his way now.”

  “But he doesn’t know that yet! Unless he’s hovering over the Vessel night and day, testing it for Blood Links, he won’t find out until one of his followers tells him. And we’ve taken down the only Scourge who knows what’s happened.” Sasha looked down at Esmeralda, who hiccupped and then puffed out her cheeks like a bullfrog. “We can still get to him first and stop him before he carries out his plan.”

  “How are we going to get there?” Gordy asked.

  “Bolter!” Sasha’s voice boomed. “You said he’s flying here to take us to safety, right? We’ll just have him take us out to the island instead. Then, once we land, Carlisle can show us how to find your grandfather.”

  Gordy looked at Carlisle in disbelief. The old man straightened with purpose, his posture indicating he agreed.

  Gordy rocked back on his heels. “Bolter will never agree to take us to Florida,” he said, remembering Bolter’s determination when Mezzarix had attacked B.R.E.W. headquarters not so long ago. The wiry Elixirist had appeared out on the lawn to rescue Gordy and Max. Aunt Priss had still been inside the decimated building, but Bolter had refused to deviate from his instructions. He had been charged with an assignment and had no intention of breaking his commitment.

  Sasha scrunched her nose. “Then we Blotch him. We may not even see your mom for days. She won’t know about the location of Mezzarix’s island.”

  “Bolter could call her,” Gordy reasoned. “Tell her what we found.”

  “They’re about to battle some of the deadliest people on the planet. They’re not going to be able to fly down to Florida to attack your grandfather.” Sasha’s eyes narrowed. “And that’s if she believes us. We’re just kids, remember? Drams without any experience. Do your parents always listen to you? I know mine don’t.”

  Sasha’s suggestion was madness. And yet Gordy couldn’t help but feel like she was right. His mom definitely considered him as more than just a child. She believed him, but she also exercised caution, which was what all parents tended to do. If his mom waited to confirm what Gordy had already discovered using the Seeking Serum, it would definitely be too late.

  “Are you saying this because you want to help your mom?” Adilene asked.

  Without hesitation, Sasha nodded. “Yes, I am. I want to help my mom recover her potion-making powers. I want her back like she was before, and this is our chance. But I also want to help everyone. Our goal is still the same as it has been. Once Mezzarix finds out the last Chamber Member has been ExSponged, he will destroy the Vessel. This power outage”—she waved a hand around the room—“is just a taste of what will happen everywhere.” She pressed her palms against the table, leaning forward, gaze fixed on Gordy. “And if Adilene really is losing her eyesight, there’s no better cure than the Vessel.”

  “But how do you Blotch someone?” Max asked.

  Every eye turned to Gordy.

  Gordy had only seen his mom brew a Blotching potion once, but he thought he remembered the basic steps. And if he was lacking in ingredients, he had a feeling he could improvise. But trying to pull a fast one on Bolter would not be easy. He was a seasoned Elixirist, one who had seen his share of tricks.

  “We’re really going to Blotch Bolter?” Gordy questioned, more to himself.

  Sasha smacked the table emphatically. “We’re going to Blotch Bolter!”

  A rhythmic pulsing churned in the distance. Gordy and Sasha had just finished putting the final touches on the potion when the kitchen chandelier flickered to life, illuminating the table. The power had returned and with it an eruption of car alarms out on the streets. Sirens blared, televisions and radios blasted at top volume from living rooms throughout the neighborhood, and above it all, deep and powerful, an unnatural thunder echoed through the sky.

  Gordy rushed to the window, yanked open the blinds, and looked up as a single black cloud ballooned into the air a mile or so in the distance. It came from the direction of Kipland Middle and looked as though a giant squid had just inked into the murky gray twilight. Corded lighting crackled through the cloud like an electric eel.

  Tobias wasn’t messing around. That was no normal Sturmwolke Slosh.

  Vibrant, fluorescent-green and purple lights flashed. Screeching ribbons of light swooshed thr
ough the air, trailing silver sparks in their wake and impacting with a concussive din that reverberated through Gordy’s chest. He could see objects catapulting through the air. Cars and trucks and severed streetlights shot up only to plummet back to earth once more.

  “It’s the apocalypse!” Max shouted above a wailing whirlwind that had gathered above the house. “But who’s winning and who’s losing?”

  There was no way to know for sure, but Gordy had a feeling his mom and Aunt Priss were wreaking havoc upon the Scourges. They had messed with the wrong Elixirists.

  The wind continued to howl, and the ground quaked beneath their feet. The roof seemed to groan from the pressure, the kitchen chandelier spinning on its chain as several chunks of ceiling collapsed and splattered drywall across the floor.

  Adilene grabbed Gordy’s hand and squeezed his fingers until his knuckles hurt. Then a beam of light shone through into the living room, catching Gordy’s attention. Estelle’s headlamp appeared in the window, blinking in desperation.

  “I think Bolter’s here!” Gordy wobbled uneasily across the trembling floor.

  Sasha hurriedly shoveled her supplies into her satchel as Gordy ran from the kitchen, dragging Adilene behind.

  Esmeralda, Yeltzin, and Zelda had been cocooned in Tranquility Swaths and left in the center of the living room. They would remain in that state for hours, until someone found them and woke them up. With the protective wards now devoured, there would be nothing stopping a group of Scourges from stumbling upon them. Still, what choice did Gordy have? There was no time to work up another plan.

  Iris saw no point in accompanying Gordy on what she labeled a fool’s mission. She sat in one of the wingback chairs, covering her ears with her hands. Standing a short distance from her chair was Carlisle, his suitcase of supplies pressed to his chest, the uncorked vial of Silt dangling from his thumb and forefinger.

  Gordy pulled open the door.

  Squatting on the front lawn, trying to coax a trembling Estelle from her hiding place in the bushes, was Bolter. He wore his aviator goggles and a long duster that flapped in the storm. Towering above the rooftops and producing gale-force winds from giant turbines was a monstrous flying contraption in the shape of an eagle.

  “Gordy!” Bolter stood and bowed regally, whipping his hand toward the machine behind him. “Allow me to introduce you to Roseanne.”

  In response, the bird-shaped airplane squawked. It sounded like a jackhammer striking a gong, and Max dropped to his knees with a grunt.

  “Come on, come on!” Bolter desperately waved the group toward him. “By now the entire Scourge army is aware of my unauthorized landing. Don’t be afraid. She won’t bite. No teeth, you see. Just mind the beak.”

  Roseanne had a golden beak about the size of a beach umbrella. Her aluminum wings extended from either side of her body, drooping under the weight of two enormous turbines spiraling beneath them. A tail fin made of a sleek, sparkling material rose up at the rear like a sail, and Gordy could see a rotor twenty feet in diameter perched on top, whirring at high speed. Huge chunks of sidewalk had been chewed up by Roseanne’s landing gear, which was nothing more than a pair of t deep into the ground.

  The cabin held controls similar to a helicopter’s along with a captain’s chair. There were a few other seats in line behind it but no roof. The entire machine was covered sporadically with feathers.

  Max finally found his voice. “I’m not climbing aboard Mothra!” He laughed hysterically, and Gordy feared his friend might have snapped.

  “Mothra?” Bolter flinched and flourished his fingerless hand in disapproval. “No, I said her name was Roseanne. And I would caution against calling her anything else.” Bolter prodded Gordy toward the metallic beast with a gentle pat. “This flying wonder is perfectly safe. She is fully operational and has been infused with the essence of the triumvirate of aviary excellence: the eagle, the hawk, and the falcon.” He giggled, baring his teeth, and then said, sounding like a car salesman, “She tops out at two-hundred-and-twenty-eight miles per hour, faster than the maximum diving speeds of a peregrine falcon. She can turn on a dime, hover comfortably at fifty feet without generating a vortex, and she comes equipped with moderately working Distractor wards.” His gleeful expression became slightly regretful. “Still working on those, I’m afraid. The wards have a tendency to short out from time to time. We’ve already been spotted by NORAD. But no matter. Once we land at the safe house, Gordy, you can take a look at my concoction and see if you can improve it.”

  Bolter approached Roseanne’s left flank and snagged a dangling rope ladder. Battling against the gusts of wind swooshing out from the turbines, he managed to scramble up to the cockpit.

  “There’s plenty of room for everyone. I have buckles installed on the floor panels, so don’t be shy.” Bolter steadied the rope ladder with his foot and motioned for Gordy to climb aboard. “If any of you are thirsty or need a light snack, you’re welcome to use the minifridge.”

  Gordy gripped the middle rung of the ladder, his heart pounding in his chest like a piston. He looked at the others, hoping to encourage them, but was sure he only made them feel worse. It took every ounce of courage for him to take the first step. He had to grab hold of a latch welded to the side to keep from being blasted off the ladder by the turbine.

  As Gordy started to climb, he could hear Bolter grunting as though he were the one lifting Gordy a step at a time. And then Gordy was up and sliding across the floor on his belly. He found the first empty seat and immediately fastened his seat belt. Once inside the cockpit, the buffeting of the jet engines and rotor overhead magically lessened. Warm air poured out from vents, heating the temperature to a comfortable degree.

  It took the others just as long to make the ascent, but soon their excited voices filled the cabin as they hurriedly took their seats, though Max detoured to the minifridge for a soda. Sasha lingered by the edge for a moment, steadying the rope ladder. Gordy watched her move aside as something invisible brushed past him. Carlisle had boarded, and the countdown had begun. Gordy had no way of knowing how much time they had before Carlisle’s Silt would wear off, but he knew he had to act fast.

  “Safe travels, Estelle!” Bolter called out to his scooter. “I’ll meet you at the safe house! Try not to draw too much attention to yourself.”

  Opening his satchel made of pieced-together automotive upholstery, Bolter removed a jar of teal-colored liquid. After unscrewing the lid, he poured the potion into a hole next to the steering stick. Gordy felt a shuddering sensation beneath his seat as the two anchors began to retract into the base of the bird.

  “I think I’m missing someone,” Bolter said, looking over his shoulder, his goggles in place. He wore a headset with a microphone inches away from his lips. “Where’s Mrs. Glass?”

  “ExSponged,” Gordy replied. “Esmeralda Faustus got to her about an hour ago.”

  Bolter’s eyes widened, transforming his pupils to the size of plums through the magnified lenses.

  “It’s okay,” Gordy said. “We know where Mezzarix is hiding. He’s on an island past the Florida Keys. If you take us there, we think we can stop him before he destroys the Vessel.”

  Lips operating without sound as though trying to unshell a mouthful of stubborn sunflower seeds, Bolter managed to cough in surprise. “Take you there?”

  “There’s no time to waste,” Sasha announced from the back of the cabin. “How far can Roseanne fly without having to stop to refuel?”

  Bolter guffawed boisterously. “Young lady, we have enough fuel to fly to the safe house—which is where we’re going.”

  “We can’t go there,” Adilene said. “Bolter, we’re B.R.E.W.’s final hope of stopping Mezzarix. Going to the safe house won’t help anyone, and going to Gordy’s mom will take too much time. You know we can do this. Gordy can do this!”

  Bolter’s eyes darted between Gordy and Adil
ene before landing upon Max at the rear of the cabin as though he might offer a sensible suggestion.

  Max raised his can of soda. “Do you have anything other than Shasta?”

  Stamping his foot, Bolter hollered out. “I am not taking you to Mezzarix. Absolutely not! You are just children, and I am supposed to take you to safety.” He shook his head at Gordy. “I’m sorry, my friend, but your mother gave me strict orders to guide you away from the danger, not toward it. And that’s what I intend to do.”

  Gordy lowered his eyes. “Okay, maybe you’re right.” He glanced at Adilene, who nodded and subtly unbuckled her seat belt.

  Bolter huffed, then, facing forward, flipped a switch on his control panel and the cabin lights turned off. The squeal of the turbines strengthened in volume as Roseanne rose from the ground.

  “I hope you’re not mad at us.” Gordy leaned forward next to the pilot’s chair, straining against his seat belt. “We had to try.”

  “It’s not your battle, Gordy,” Bolter said.

  “But the Vessel—”

  “Will be an unfortunate loss, but again, not of your concern,” Bolter insisted.

  “How does she fly?” Gordy asked, changing the subject.

  Bolter gave Gordy a sideways look, studying him for a moment, and then his hardened gaze softened. “With lift and thrust, of course, and . . .” He pointed to the empty potion jar. “I call it Barnstorm Broth. A cocktail of albatross egg yolk; the milled fossil of the long-extinct wisdom owl, or Sophionithidae; and the crystalized plumes of a cumulus cloud.” He grinned, pleased with himself. “Oh, and jet fuel and wild-cherry Pop Rocks.”

  “Wow!” Gordy was honestly impressed.

  “My friend and I have been working on it for years,” Bolter answered with a nod. “But we only recently discovered a breakthrough in the fusion compound. That’s why I had to leave when I did, despite how angry I knew your mother would be.”

  “Kind of like us, huh?” Gordy asked, raising his eyebrows.

  Puffing out his cheeks, Bolter waffled with a reply. “That’s different! You’re a child, a very skilled child, but what would your mother say if I—”