The Seeking Serum

by Frank L. Cole

“The what?” Adilene glanced up and adjusted her new pair of prescription-strength eyeglasses.

  After they left the football stadium, Gordy and his mother, along with the help of a few others, had harnessed the power of the Vessel to reverse some of the effects of Adilene’s waning eyesight. It didn’t cure everything, but the improvement was immediate. After that, Adilene’s parents took her to a regular optometrist. She said she was having a hard time getting used to wearing glasses, but Gordy thought they made her look older.

  “What committee are you talking about?” Adilene asked.

  Max ripped off a hunk of taffy with his teeth. “The one that scours the countryside, bringing Scourges to justice,” he said in his best movie-announcer voice.

  “There’s no way you’ll be allowed to join that,” Sasha chimed in.

  “Why not?” Max chomped noisily. “I’m pretty sure I’ve taken down more Scourges than most Elixirists in this audience combined.”

  Adilene scoffed.

  Gordy shrugged. “He has a point.” His best friend had seen his fair share of action in the past year.

  “Don’t encourage him,” Adilene said.

  Max gave Gordy a confident nod and extended his hand for a fist bump.

  The rest of the morning progressed slowly as the gathering had many issues to discuss.

  How to remove evidences of the Potion War?

  What location should become the Vessel’s permanent residence?

  How to handle the captured prisoners?

  To no one’s surprise, the issue of what to do with those Elixirists recently ExSponged caused the greatest outburst from the audience. Those from B.R.E.W. demanded a restoration of powers for their fallen associates, while most from the Swigs believed the punishment seemed justified on account of the Chamber Members’ previous behavior.

  In the end, the decision was made that each ExSponged Elixirist would be presented at a future date in front of a jury of their peers to determine their fate. This news did not sit well with Sasha, who desperately wanted her mother’s powers restored. She almost stormed out of the gymnasium, but Gordy convinced her to stay.

  “She was the Chamber President!” Sasha hissed, choking back tears. “And now she’ll stand trial? A trial for what?”

  “I made you a promise,” Gordy said. “We’ll make it right for your mom.”

  “The final order of business!” Yosuke’s voice boomed, snapping Gordy’s attention to the podium. “A decision must be made on what to do with B.R.E.W.”

  This was why most of the Elixirists had come to the meeting. Yosuke and the others seated beside Gordy had all agreed that morning that no matter the outcome of the other topics, the issue of B.R.E.W. would have to be settled before the meeting was adjourned. It was too important to postpone. The future of B.R.E.W. impacted every Elixirist for better or for worse. But with the audience teeming with equal numbers of both supporters and opposers, Gordy had no idea how that would work.

  “It is proposed by this committee that B.R.E.W., from this day forward, be dissolved,” Yosuke stated.

  A collective gasp echoed through the crowd. A few Elixirists applauded, but that petered out almost at once. No one knew how to respond to Yosuke’s statement.

  “Dissolved?” The tall, imposing Elixirist from B.R.E.W. sprang from his seat. “Meaning?”

  “Meaning it will be no more,” Yosuke replied calmly.

  Several representatives from the Swigs began nodding in agreement. Gordy watched as they shook hands with each other, pleased with this latest development.

  “That is preposterous!” exclaimed a fair-skinned woman with blonde hair and wearing a white pantsuit. She appeared ready to leap from the top bleacher all the way down to the gymnasium floor. “You’ve Blotched the committee members!”

  “I have done no such thing, and I am not finished speaking!” For the first time, Yosuke appeared angered by the outbursts. “As of this day forward, the Swigs will also be terminated. The entrances sealed, the storefronts closed, and the memberships revoked.”

  Those previously celebrating had their gleeful expressions instantly erased. Many more rose to their feet, pointing and accusing.

  Gordy felt certain that vials of volatile chemicals would soon be flung from the stands. Things had gotten ugly in a hurry. He looked desperately up at Yosuke, who remained composed, his mustache twitching as he itched his nostril. Then, with a flick of his finger, Yosuke signaled to Tobias seated at the end of the row, and thunder crackled in the gymnasium.

  The arguments were stifled as all eyes peered up at the ceiling at the dense storm cloud forming near the rafters. Gordy could smell rain, and the hairs on his arms began to prickle with electricity.

  Pooling upon a long, pewter tray at Tobias’s feet was a mixture of green-and-gold sludge, bubbling with agitation.

  “If you don’t want to be soaked, I suggest you sit down and listen, friends,” Tobias shouted. He sprinkled a few unrecognizable herbs into his concoction, and the overhead cloud rumbled.

  “Thank you, Tobias.” Yosuke smiled curtly at the Irishman as pattering raindrops began to fall, clinking against the metal guardrails of the bleachers. He turned to address the crowd.

  “There will be no more need for underground trading. With the dissolvement of B.R.E.W. and the Swigs, we usher in a new union! Without structure, our Community will fall into chaos. That was Mezzarix’s way, but it is not our way.” Yosuke gave Gordy a sidelong glance and winked. “For that reason, we have decided to share all decisions involving the Vessel equally. The new leadership announced today will be Paulina Hasselbeck, Goldie Greta, Tobias McFarland, and Bolter Farina.”

  Though still unsettled by Tobias’s storm potion, a few dissenters in the crowd voiced their opposition of the new leadership, but most of the Elixirists seemed satisfied by the decision. Bolter and Goldie both had been loyal to B.R.E.W., while Tobias and Paulina had held the Swigs as their top priority. It was the perfect match. An equal pairing.

  Yosuke’s middle ground.

  Gordy smiled at Bolter. Despite having learned of the committee’s decision the previous evening to make him a leader, Bolter looked uncomfortable as he eyed the massive throng of his peers.

  “Before we conclude, I would like to propose a slight change to our decision.” Yosuke’s voice hushed the crowd, punctuated by a blinding flash of lightning. “Ah, Tobias, I think it is safe to put an end to your potion for the moment. Please.”

  Tobias’s cheeks reddened as he dropped a damp dishcloth over the platter, bringing the storm to a simmer. The cloud dispersed, and a faint rainbow appeared, dipping behind the basketball standard.

  “Nice touch,” Yosuke said, smiling.

  Tobias offered a slight shrug.

  “As I was saying,” Yosuke continued. “While the four selected are certainly qualified to govern, not all verdicts will be easy. Some decisions may seem impossible to determine, resulting in a tie.”

  Gordy’s brow furrowed. He had been present during the voting for the members, but this was a new development.

  “Therefore, I would like to nominate Gordy Stitser as the fifth member of the leadership.”

  Silence engulfed the gymnasium.

  Then Max suddenly erupted, whooping and waving his fist in the air as though he had just won the lottery. Adilene leaped up and wrestled Max back into his seat.

  “I have already received his parents’ permission,” Yosuke said. “Though he is highly qualified due to his extensive skill demonstrated in the field, because of his age and lack of formal experience in governing, perhaps it would be best if this nomination be voted upon by everyone in attendance.”

  Gordy wanted to protest, but he didn’t have the voice to put a stop to Yosuke’s madness. Looking at his mother in desperation, he was shocked to see her smiling at him, nodding reassuringly. Eagerly leaning forward i
n the seat next to Wanda, Aunt Priss appeared ready to burst with excitement. Before Gordy knew it, Elixirists distributed ballots into the audience, and the vote was cast.

  Adilene stepped around a crowd that was arguing over the final announcements. She ducked to avoid a clobbering from a tall, dark-skinned man wearing tiny basketball shorts who was waving his arms and gesturing wildly. Adilene wasn’t sure which side the man represented, but he wasn’t happy. Most in the group weren’t. She wasn’t certain whether they were upset about the dissolvement of B.R.E.W. and the Swigs or by the newly called members of the leadership. Whatever the case, Adilene couldn’t believe what Yosuke had just said. Gordy might end up as one of the main Elixirists in charge. She was excited for her friend, but Gordy looked positively ill.

  Right after Yosuke had opened the floor for voting, Wanda and Priscilla ushered Gordy to a corner for a private conversation. Adilene would have loved to hear what they were talking about, and she couldn’t wait to smother Gordy with a massive hug, but for now, she would have to wait.

  Plugging her nose and gasping for breath, Adilene pressed through the crowd, trying not to gag from the overwhelming scents of spices and herbs permeating the air. Max didn’t seem affected by the smells. With half a strand of red licorice protruding from his mouth, he elbowed his way into the center of a conversation between Paulina Hasselbeck and the grisly-looking Scheel.

  Sasha had vanished. Adilene suspected she had gone home, and she felt horrible about how things had turned out. Still, Adilene had her own issues to address. Politely brushing past elbows, Adilene made eye contact with her target and picked up her pace.

  Yosuke lingered behind the podium, engaged in a one-sided conversation with the argumentative woman wearing the fur stole. She brandished her crinkled ballot under Yosuke’s nose as though trying to sell him an expensive bottle of perfume. When he noticed Adilene closing in, Yosuke politely excused himself from his discussion and smiled warmly at her.

  “Hello there,” Yosuke said, bowing to Adilene.

  “Mr. Nakamura?” Adilene’s heart raced. “May I speak with you for a moment?”

  “Please!” He motioned toward a pair of folding chairs and turned his back on the woman. Though she harrumphed with annoyance, she immediately stormed away to argue with someone else. “My name is not Mr. Nakamura, by the way,” Yosuke insisted. “Certainly not to my friends. You may call me Yosuke. It is Ms. Adilene Rivera, am I correct?”

  “That’s right.” Adilene took her seat and adjusted her glasses. They felt like a pesky horsefly permanently perched on the bridge of her nose, but at least she could read again without every word blurring together in a garbled mess. Though she had been allowed to join Gordy with Max and Sasha on the committee, she and Max hadn’t been present during the secret meetings throughout the week. This was the first time Adilene had been able to speak with Yosuke. The old man seemed kind but incredibly intimidating. “I’m Gordy’s friend.”

  “Oh, of course! But you are more than just a friend, from what I hear.” His eyes twinkled. “You are Gordy’s trusted lab partner and faithful companion. It is an honor to officially meet you. Now, what do you wish to discuss?”

  Adilene felt as though every pair of eyes had suddenly whirled to stare at her. Now that she had Yosuke’s ear, she was terrified to ask her questions.

  “I assure you, I will not snap your head off,” Yosuke said, crossing his legs and steepling his fingers at his chest. “Please do not be nervous. Let us talk. I sense you have many urgent concerns.”

  Adilene swallowed. “I do. Back at Gordy’s, when we were attacked by Esmeralda Faustus, something happened.”

  Yosuke nodded. “You are referring to when Ms. Faustus ExSponged Iris Glass?”

  “Well, when she swung her wand, I . . .” Adilene cast a wary eye at a group of nearby Elixirists, making sure they were minding their own business. “It hit me first.” She rubbed her shoulder, indicating the spot struck by Esmeralda’s weapon. “And I felt something change inside me.”

  Yosuke raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

  “Is it possible that when Esmeralda ExSponged Iris, some of her potion-making ability transferred to me?” The question had been plaguing Adilene all week, and now that she had finally asked it, she felt exhausted. She wanted so desperately for it to be true.

  “Hmm . . . a transfer? Interesting.” He stroked his chin with his long fingers, eyes closing in thought.

  Adilene held her breath, her pulse quickening.

  Yosuke bowed his head solemnly, and her spirits plummeted. “It is not possible,” he said with a deep sigh. “No one has ever transferred their ability by ExSpongement or any other means. It cannot happen.”

  “It can’t?” Choking back tears, Adilene willed herself to keep control in front of the master Elixirist. “Are you sure?”

  “I am. When Esmeralda performed the ExSpongement on Iris, she lost her powers. It is not as though the Decocting Wand absorbed her ability, so to speak. It was simply blocked. This is the method behind an ExSpongement. If our leadership deems Iris worthy of restoration, the block will be lifted, and her ability will return.”

  “I see,” Adilene said, her throat dry.

  “Why is this a concern of yours?” Yosuke asked.

  Adilene shook her head. “It . . . It’s nothing. I just thought maybe I could do more now.” She looked across the gymnasium to where Gordy sat, head in his hands, waiting to learn his fate, as his mother rubbed his shoulders.

  Adilene knew most of the votes had already been tallied, which meant Gordy might become even more powerful, while she would remain as plain as always. She didn’t want to be jealous. Adilene wanted to be happy for him, but it was hard now that she knew the truth.

  “I do not understand. What do you mean by this ‘more’?” Yosuke tapped Adilene’s hand with his finger.

  “I mean, I wish I wasn’t so . . . normal. Just some tool that Gordy and Sasha are able to Project through.”

  Yosuke’s eyes narrowed with skepticism. “Project?”

  “Yeah, you know when an Elixirist uses another—”

  “I am aware of what it means,” he replied. “Almost every Elixirist has heard about that myth.”

  “Right, exactly. That’s what . . .” Adilene blinked, suddenly confused. “Did you just say ‘myth’?”

  “I did.” Yosuke nodded. “Because that is what it is.”

  Adilene frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “It is a myth. Projecting was disproved years ago by B.R.E.W. The practice does not work, has never worked, and I cannot see how it would ever work.”

  “But Sasha told me that Gordy Projected through me like I was some sort of Bunsen burner!” Adilene raised her voice. How could it be a myth? She had seen potions working by her hand because of someone Projecting through her.

  “We are talking about Sasha Brexil, correct?” Yosuke raised another eyebrow. “Interesting girl, but not the brightest, I suppose. And I just told you that no one’s potion-making ability can be transferred to another by any means. Either you are the instrument, or you are not. There is no in between.”

  Adilene covered her mouth, catching her breath. “I brewed a potion on the island all by myself,” she said, squeezing her fingers together into fists and speaking rapidly. “Sasha didn’t help me, because she couldn’t. Her hands were clamped in these metal gloves, so I added all the ingredients and performed all the steps and made a Moholi Mixture that broke us out of prison.”

  Yosuke clapped his hands softly. “Well done! That’s a basic potion for first-year Drams but still tricky to master. I assumed you were limited in your ingredients because there are dozens of other draughts you could have used as a more effective means of escape.”

  “Are you saying I actually brewed the potion all on my own?” Adilene stood abruptly.

  “You just said that!”
Yosuke answered, chuckling in confusion.

  “I know, I know! But are you confirming that I’m an actual Dram?”

  Yosuke’s nose crinkled as he half scowled, half smiled. “Was there any question that you weren’t?”

  “I’m too old!” Adilene shouted, and several Elixirists turned, noticing her excitement. “I thought you couldn’t become a Dram once you became a teenager.”

  Yosuke puffed out his cheeks, scratching the back of his head and ruffling his long black hair. “It is rare, but it happens from time to time. I apologize. I assumed since you were Gordy’s lab partner, you were already considered a Dram. There are tests that will confirm it, but—”

  Before she could stop herself, Adilene threw her arms around Yosuke’s neck. She heard his muffled laughter and the appalled murmur from several Elixirists close by, but Adilene didn’t care. Not one bit.

  I can’t do this!” Gordy exclaimed, cornering Yosuke as the gathering dispersed for lunch. “There’s no way I can be a leader!”

  “Seventy-two percent of the vote disagrees with you,” Yosuke replied, eyes beaming with delight.

  “But I can’t. I . . . I have school!”

  “Which you should continue to attend, though I do believe you’ll finish the eighth grade in another building.” The old man’s eyes drifted toward the crumbling ceiling. “The reconstruction plans for Kipland Middle will be quite extensive.”

  “How can I be in charge and still be a kid?” Gordy had been looking forward to spending his weekends playing video games with Max and brewing in his lab with Adilene. Not governing and lawmaking and Banishing. Those were adult decisions.

  Yosuke clicked his tongue. “You are the fifth member, only called upon when necessity demands it. That may not happen for many, many months. Maybe never.” He raised his eyebrows encouragingly, but his tone suggested otherwise.

  Gordy felt as though he had just swallowed a Funnel Formula and his insides were being spun into a knot.

  Yosuke snickered. “You and your friends—always so grim. Gordy, your days will not be spent in lawmaking unless you choose them to be. You can have a normal life. Well, as normal as one can having been so involved with the Vessel. There is no denying your impact on our Community already.”