Terminal

by Kathy Reichs

  Speckman gasped and sputtered as Chance and Ben grabbed him from behind. Hi slid on his knees across the floor, arm-wrapping Cole’s legs while Shelton rammed a shoulder into his side. Bodies went sprawling.

  I tried to pin Ella, one hand fumbling for a zip tie in my pocket. I knew the advantage of surprise would only last a few more seconds. But the plastic restraint slipped through my fingers.

  Ella’s body quaked. She slithered beneath me like a snake, flipping onto her back and wedging her knees between us. I caught a glimpse of burning red eyes, then Ella launched me across the hall like a rag doll.

  I hit the floor and careened into lockers on the opposite side.

  For a moment, everything went hazy. I watched Ella flee deeper into the building.

  No. Not again.

  I glanced back at the boys, saw Cole jump six feet straight up in the air, shedding Hi and Shelton like flies. Behind him, Speckman dodged a punch by Ben, then grabbed his arm and launched him into Chance.

  I lurched to my feet. Dove at Speckman’s knees.

  He sidestepped with ease, red eyes contemptuous as I tumbled past. Then Cole and Speckman ran after Ella. I turned, wobbling. My friends were lying like flotsam on the hallway floor.

  Our ambush had been a disaster.

  So strong. Hi rubbed the side of his head as he helped Shelton stand.

  “You keep getting in my way!” Ben yelled at Chance.

  “You can’t take him alone!” Chance threw his hands skyward. “Work with me, Blue. For once!”

  They’re getting away. I took off after the Trinity, sending a message the boys couldn’t hear as I revised my plan on the fly.

  The hallway ended in a T intersection. Sniffing the air, I could tell the Trinity had turned right, toward the rear of the school. I sent another message, hoping I wasn’t too late.

  Ben appeared, puffing, at my side. They are stronger than we are, he sent grimly. I knew how much the admission cost him.

  I nodded. We need to fight smarter.

  Chance and Shelton caught up, with Hi just a step behind.

  “We have to corner them.” I spoke aloud for Chance’s benefit. “But we can’t take them by force alone. Not when they’re flaring.”

  “What can we do?” Shelton’s golden eyes crinkled with worry. “They’ve been Viral less than a month, yet we can’t compete.”

  The answer hit me like a thunderbolt.

  “Of course!” I almost smiled. “We’ve been going about this all wrong. We have to show these newbies what we’ve learned.”

  Before I could say more, riotous barking erupted from somewhere up ahead.

  A message slid into my brain.

  “Come on!”

  I flew down the hall, then turned left. Up ahead, the Trinity were slowly backing away from an emergency exit. Speckman slammed the door with a grunt, cutting off the baying outside.

  Thanks, Coop.

  Beyond the portal, I sensed his doggie grin.

  Spotting us, the Trinity bolted through a pair of double doors at their backs.

  “The gym.” Chance glanced at me. “They still padlock the corner exits on weekends?”

  I nodded. “There’s no other way out.”

  We ran to the double doors, opened them slowly. The gymnasium was crisscrossed with shadows, the only light streaking down from windows high overhead. Plenty enough for Virals, however.

  The rafters were jammed with purple-and-white banners. Bleachers on both sides had been tucked to the walls, exposing an acre of gleaming hardwood. A sinuous griffin glared up from the center. Fire exits dotted each corner, closed and locked.

  The Trinity stood at mid-court, arms crossed, smug expressions on their faces.

  “Your dog isn’t very friendly.” Speckman’s mocking tone carried across the hollow chamber. “You should teach him to respect his betters.”

  I actually laughed. “When he meets one, I’ll let him know.”

  “The cure isn’t here, is it?” Ella turned to scowl at her companions. “I knew this was too easy. They set us up, and we walked right into it.”

  Cole shrugged, cracking his knuckles with an evil grin. “Whatevs, man. These dopes want another beatdown, I’m game.”

  Speckman snarled at Chance. “We’ll find it eventually. You can’t hide the cure forever.”

  I took a few steps onto the court. “Why do you want it so bad?”

  Speckman gave me a withering look. “Same as you. To trade.”

  His answer surprised me. “You think you can buy off those agents?”

  “It’s what they want.” Speckman spoke as if I were a child. “They’re after our research. If we deliver it to them, and don’t cause trouble, they’ll go away.”

  I shook my head. “What good’s a cure without the virus it’s designed to counteract? They’ll want both, or at the very least a person who’s afflicted. Which means capturing a Viral.”

  “Duh.” Cole snorted. “Why do you think we set you up?”

  My temper slipped. “You’d deliver us into cages? To save your own skins?”

  My eyes found Ella.

  At first, she met my gaze boldly. But then her head dropped.

  “We didn’t have a choice!” Speckman said hotly. “Agents were snooping into the Brimstone project. Chance was too sloppy, and we landed on their radar. Once that happened, there was only one way for this to play out. Someone has to end up a lab rat. Not. Me.”

  Ella’s chin rose suddenly. “But that’s not true anymore.”

  Cole and Speckman spun on their companion—one surprised, the other annoyed.

  “If we took the cure,” Ella said, her voice trembling, “there’d be no Virals left to capture.”

  My eyes popped.

  So simple, yet a solution I’d never considered.

  “Take the cure?” Speckman closed in on Ella, his expression livid. “What, you want to be weak again? A victim, again?”

  “No.” Ella shivered, hugged her body close. “Never that.”

  Speckman nodded sharply. “That’s what I thought. Give up being Viral! Who would do that? No thanks.”

  I watched Ella. She’d been close to something, but I felt it slipping away.

  “This is dumb.” Cole scratched his greasy mustache. “There’s no cure here, anyway. Nothing but a group of weaklings and a fight I’m looking forward to.”

  “Don’t be so sure.” I nodded to Chance.

  Chance removed the metal box from his pocket. Held it aloft for everyone to see.

  Speckman’s eyes narrowed with pleasure. “Stupid to the bitter end, eh, Claybourne?”

  He stepped forward and held out a hand.

  “I’ll take that. Now.”

  Everything happened quickly.

  My friends and I were spread out in a line, blocking the only exit.

  Speckman and Cole stalked across the hardwood, feral expressions twisting their faces. After a moment, Ella joined them, eyes hardening.

  “They’re talking to one another,” Chance warned. “But they’re lousy at it.” Then he winced, one hand grabbing his forehead. “They just shut me out.”

  “We hear one another just fine,” Speckman sneered. “Same as you.”

  My pulse quickened.

  Was that the best they could do?

  The Trinity oozed confidence, like cats approaching an injured bird. They had every right to feel that way. Experience had proven we couldn’t stand against them.

  But we knew more tricks than they did. Had overcome greater odds than this.

  We’d faced down murderers. Kidnappers. Lunatics. Thieves. Had put our lives on the line a dozen times. Why should we fear three red-eyed kids who barely knew which way was up?

  I sent a message to my pack.

  They don’t know how
to work together. Time to show these jerks what we can do.

  Closing my eyes, I slipped into my subconscious. Called forth the telepathic connections linking my friends and me. A flaming grid sprang to life in my mind—humming, glowing lines that bound me to each Viral, and them to me.

  I focused on the connections, converting cords into conduits. Then I threw my conscious mind down each channel, widening and deepening the bonds.

  There was a shock, like a plunge into cold water. The feeling of a bolt sliding into place.

  I felt my mind merge with others.

  Ben. Hi. Shelton. Me. And Coop, prowling outside the building.

  My pack united in a way the Trinity couldn’t imagine. Body and soul. My senses were theirs. Theirs were mine. Our thoughts became one.

  When my eyes opened, the world had changed.

  I watched the Trinity approach from four different vantage points.

  Hi. Shelton. Take Cole down.

  My instruction was barely complete when the two boys sprang forward.

  Speckman dodged left. Ella right.

  Hi and Shelton struck Cole simultaneously, bowling him over backward.

  “Get off me, you geeks!” Cole struggled to rise, but the smaller boys had him pinned.

  Then everyone was moving.

  Speckman tried to grab Hi from behind, but Hi spotted the move through Ben’s eyes.

  Hi rolled, releasing Cole’s arm and popping up behind him. One hand free, Cole tried to punch Shelton, but a glance from me alerted my friend in time. Shelton ducked, then shoved the overextended stoner past him. Cole skidded across the hardwood.

  Speckman turned just in time to catch Ben’s fist across his jaw. The taller boy staggered backward, then spit out a mouthful of blood. “You’ll pay for that one.”

  Speckman darted at Ben, catching him by the shoulder. But Chance slipped behind and wrapped an arm around Speckman’s neck. Two sets of red eyes strained as Chance wrestled Speckman to the ground.

  “You’re . . . not . . . stronger . . . than me . . . pal!” Chance wheezed. “We’re from the same litter!”

  Speckman roared, then elbowed Chance square in the stomach. “I’ve always been better than you, Claybourne! Always!”

  Speckman reached backward. Grabbed a fistful of Chance’s hair. Pulled hard.

  Chance howled, his grip slipping. Speckman was close to wrenching free.

  Ben’s knuckles connected with Speckman’s chin.

  Then again.

  Then a third time.

  I winced, but the older boy roared to his feet, knocking Ben and Chance backward. He staggered sideways, swinging his fists wildly.

  A shadow darted at my back. Through Shelton, I saw Ella’s foot arcing toward me.

  I dropped to a crouch, felt a leg swoosh overhead. Popping back up, I rolled left, having seen Ella’s next attack through Hi.

  Her jaw clenched as I spun out of reach. She glanced at Hiram, then back at me. “How did you—”

  My hand smashed across Ella’s face, knocking her sideways.

  Ella doubled over. I kicked her in the stomach.

  Gasping, she collapsed in a heap. I was already turning to help my friends.

  Cole had Hiram by the throat. Shelton was lying on his back.

  I lunged at Cole. Spotting me late, he whirled as I threw a punch. I connected with his ear, and we both howled in pain. Cole staggered, releasing Hi and grabbing his temple.

  Hi wheeled. Slammed his forehead into Cole’s face.

  Cole let out a whimper, then dropped to the floorboards. The fire winked from his eyes.

  Speckman’s head whipped to where Cole lay crumpled on the hardwood.

  Ben, now!

  Ben sprang forward and snaked his arms around the taller boy. “Chance, help!”

  Red eyes gleaming, blood streaming from his nose, Chance darted forward and punched Speckman in the jaw. The leader of the Trinity slumped.

  Ben spun the taller boy, his golden eyes blazing with hatred. I felt a pulse of triumph as he pummeled Speckman with both fists.

  Speckman’s eyes rolled up as he fell.

  Ben hit him again. Then again. Then again.

  Ben, stop it! You’ll kill him.

  Good.

  Stop it!

  Ben stepped back and unclenched his fists. Then he spat in Speckman’s face.

  Chance clapped Ben on the back. I tensed, unsure what my packmate would do.

  Panting, Ben held out a bloody fist. Chance bumped it with a weary sigh.

  Tory, look out!

  Too late, I saw what Shelton had.

  Ella’s fist connected to my side. Every liter of breath whooshed from my lungs.

  I crumpled, and Ella jumped on top of me. She slapped me across the face.

  “It’s all your fault!” she hissed. “Getting taken by that monster. Becoming a mutant. These men hunting me. It’s all because of you!”

  Ella lifted my head, then slammed it to the floorboards.

  The room spun. Ella grabbed my hair a second time.

  Then froze.

  A menacing growl rattled my bones. Set my teeth on edge.

  Ella went deathly pale. Setting my head down gently, she slowly crawled backward, the red glow vanishing from her eyes.

  I rose to an elbow, unsure what was happening.

  Felt a giant pink tongue slather my face.

  Sister-friend.

  Great timing, boy.

  I patted my wolfdog’s furry side.

  Then I rolled over and threw up on the hardwood.

  It was over.

  Cole was sprawled out on the floorboards, unconscious, but Shelton and Hi had fun tying him up with jump ropes anyway. The two were loudly debating the most effective types of knots.

  Speckman was sitting on the floor with his back to the bleachers. A dozen zip ties secured his wrists before him, giving him the appearance of a man at prayer. But the supplicant posture didn’t touch his eyes, which radiated anger.

  Chance and Ben stood a few paces away, watching closely.

  None of the boys were flaring.

  Nor was I. My powers had slipped away like an ugly rumor.

  Which had me worried—the Trinity could call up second flares at will. We couldn’t.

  We had to hope they didn’t know that.

  Ella was cowering on her butt at mid-court. Coop stood beside her, providing his undivided attention. Sweat dampened Ella’s temples. Fear clouded her flinty-green eyes.

  “Um, Tory?” Ella’s voice quavered.

  I reached into my pocket and removed three zip ties. Raised a questioning eyebrow.

  Her gaze flicked back to Coop, who bared his teeth. She nodded quickly.

  I knelt and secured her wrists, being careful not to pull the plastic handcuffs too tight. For a terrible moment, I wanted to cry.

  Ella was my friend. My best one, outside of the Morris pack.

  I didn’t want to tie her up. I wanted to hug her. But I knew those days were gone.

  She blames me for everything. Nothing I say will change that.

  “Come on.”

  After patting Coop’s head I helped Ella stand, then walked her over to where Speckman was stewing against the bleachers. She went meekly, tears streaking her cheeks.

  Cole came around, moaning as he struggled inside his rope cocoon. Hi and Shelton lifted him upright and perp-walked him over to his companions.

  The Trinity were lined up on the floor.

  They stared at us. We at them.

  The same question was written on every face.

  What next?

  “Get the bag,” I said to Shelton, loud enough for the Trinity to overhear. “And stick your head out the front door—make sure nobody called the police or anyth
ing.”

  Shelton hustled out of the gym. The rest of us crossed our arms and waited, trying to look intimidating. I was sure it wasn’t working.

  Ella kept her head down, avoiding my gaze. Cole’s eyes darted everywhere. But Speckman stared back defiantly, a contemptuous curl to his lips. The sneer retreated somewhat when Coop settled down in front of him, fixing the boy with an unblinking canine glare.

  Shelton returned, flashing a thumbs-up as he handed over my backpack. “All clear outside.”

  “We should hand them over to the spooks,” Ben growled, following our script. “That’s what they planned for us.”

  Cole squirmed inside his jump-rope prison. “Come on, man. Don’t be like that. We’re all Virals here.”

  Hi snorted loudly. “Oh! So now we’re in this together? When we have you guys trussed like Thanksgiving turkeys, instead of the other way around?”

  “We were just playing.” Cole smiled weakly. “All in good fun.”

  “My favorite part was sliding down a support cable from the deck of an aircraft carrier,” Shelton said sarcastically, shoving his glasses into place. “Good times! Lucky thing your plan to imprison us for the MIBs failed.”

  “We shouldn’t have done that,” Ella said quietly. “We shouldn’t have gotten involved with those agents at all.” She glared at Speckman. “This whole vendetta was stupid. We should’ve been working with them, not trying to ruin other Virals.”

  “This is their fault, Ella.” Speckman gestured with his bound hands. “Tory and these morons got you kidnapped. Chance and his stupid experiment got us sick. They transformed us into monsters. Nearly killed us. You just gonna let that go?”

  Ella flinched.

  My temper boiled over. “I didn’t get Ella kidnapped, you idiot!”

  I closed my eyes, took a deep, calming breath. Then met Ella’s troubled gaze. “I’m sorry you got caught up in that, Ella. I was trying to help other people. I feel terrible about what happened to you—I even risked my life to save you. But I’m not responsible. The bastard who took you is.”

  Speckman opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him off.

  “And as for your sickness, you have Will Speckman to thank for that. Alone.”