by Lia London
“What’s going on, Amity? Did Miss Flinckey scramble your brain? You’re acting really weird.”
She sighed. “Did you get my note?”
“Uh, yeah. That was…interesting.”
“But you did ‘get it’, right?”
“Yeah. You’ve got information for me,” I said.
Her face broke into a grin, and she slid her backpack onto the floor. “Smart boy.”
“But why the big show? I mean, I’m not complaining about having a gorgeous girl throw herself at me, but…”
Amity chuckled and signaled for me to follow her to the kitchen. “I’m sorry, but we’re being watched,” she said. Something in her tone made my stomach flip. She turned back and looked at me seriously. “It’s bad, Kincaid. It’s like we have to work a whole PR thing for you. You have to be nice to everyone.”
“Aren’t I already?”
She opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of juice. “Everyone.”
“Like…?”
“Jack, Petercriss. Anyone who tries to get you riled up. You have to keep your cool to save Magian High and to keep your power from draining.”
“Jack and Petercriss are both gone,” I said, trying not to sound defensive. “And what does that have to do with you…you know, falling all over me?”
“I know. I probably overdid it. I’m not used to acting like the typical teenage idiot.” She helped herself to some juice and slid a box of crackers across the counter at me. “But we have to look like we’re too in love to care about solving any kind of conspiracy.”
“We’re solving a conspiracy?”
“They have to think we’re totally normal teenagers.”
“I am a totally normal teenager,” I said, shaking a handful of crackers into my hand.
“Yeah, but for a little while, we need to focus on saving Magian High and everything it means for our future.”
I felt a really big knot form in my intestines. “How about you fill me in on what Flinckey said.”
With her fingers, she counted off the points. “One: NMI’s educational aims started as a legit thing, trying to improve the overall quality of Mage schools, which, of course, are abysmal compared to places like Wiser. This was a national thing, privately funded, before desegregation, obviously.”
“Obviously.”
“Two: Mrs. Bagler bought her way into the Superintendent slot, but she was so pro-education reform that there wasn’t an outcry. She garnered quite a bit of support from Magian High people—initially, at least—and Flinckey, Whittle, and Petercriss were especially interested. Since they were already part of the local chapter of NMI, that makes sense.”
“Okay,” I said, still not seeing a crisis.
“The three of them were named to the Board of Directors of the Bagler-Farrell Foundation, some kind of an investment corporation. They all got on board hoping to be involved in a better way to fund education for Mages. Point three: the Foundation is getting pressure—or possibly offers—from higher up, national leaders to turn a local NMI academy into something more—something that smacks of a supremacy thing. Not ‘separate, but equal’. Separate with Mages dominating everything.”
I groaned. “You know I don’t think like that. There’s tons of stuff Nomers can do that I can’t.”
“And that’s why you’re point number four,” she said. “Flinckey’s not one hundred percent sure, but she’s been overhearing things. This whole district support for desegregation thing’s apparently a sham. Mrs. Bagler and her bunch voted for it because they wanted to make it fail. They saw what you and your supporters had built, and they were afraid it would take off. But instead of shooting it down, they picked a back door approach. They were counting on the Punkers to stir up enough hostility that people would scream to take things back to segregation permanently—and preferably they’d scapegoat Mage minors.”
“That makes no sense. Why would they want to make the Mages look bad if they’re trying to do a Mage supremacy thing?”
“Well, for starters, there’s money in the land deal for the Baglers, but the district wouldn’t authorize a public school outside of city limits, so they’re intentionally trying to make a private school necessary. We were right. They’ll charge tuition and be out of the jurisdiction of the superintendent. We’re talking huge amounts of money, according to my Dad and Flinckey both.”
“Why would Mrs. Bagler take away her own authority? She’s the superintendent.”
“Money, Kincaid. She’ll make millions on the land deal, and she’ll still be in charge of the other district schools, so she can make sure that Nomers don’t get a competitive education. She wins at both ends.”
“I’m still trying to pin down why I’m so important.”
“Because you believe in bringing us all together. You’re putting the rocks in the river, Kincaid—and you’ve made it work already, if only on a small scale. Wiser and Corporal are having all kinds of problems, but at Magian High, there’s hope.”
“Really?”
“Bagler’s group is going to generate pressure behind the scenes to re-segregate so that they can ram the new NMI Academy option through city council without opposition.”
“She doesn’t own the whole city council yet?”
“No. Not all. But we don’t know which ones are still their own agents. And we don’t know which of the teachers at Magian High support the idea of an NMI Academy. Some might be hoping for positions there. We need to work really hard at pulling people together without it looking like we’re working really hard to pull people together. But picture it—if we can get the students on board, they’ll resist any changes back, and you know their parents will listen to them.”
“Think it’ll work?”
“Did the Mill Creek dam get bigger over time? It takes more people adding rocks. They don’t have to be forced to do it, or even asked. They just have to see it’s worth building.”
Chapter Sixteen: A Prank or a Threat?
“Is this a joke or a threat?” asked Amity. It looked like someone had taken rolls and rolls of yellow police “Caution” tape and decorated the school with it.
Laughter won in me, and I shook my head. “We’ll find out, but either way, it’s pretty funny.”
“Who did it?” she insisted. “Some of those streamers are pretty high up.”
“A Mage must have flown up there.”
Rikki and Max came up next to us. “Oh, that’s awesome!” giggled Rikki. “What a funny prank!”
Max whistled. “Someone’s got a good arm to chuck the rolls that high.” I must have given him a confused look because he continued, “Didn’t you ever TP someone’s house before?” He motioned throwing something over the school’s roof. “Some outfielder or quarterback must have done it.”
I thought it was interesting that I assumed it had been done by a Mage using magic, and Max assumed it had been done by a Nomer—probably a Corporal—using sheer strength and skill.
“So you think it’s just a prank?” asked Amity.
Rikki shrugged. “Why else would anyone do it?”
“We used to see stuff like this at Corporal sometimes,” said Max. “It’s harmless, but the teachers and principals usually go nuts. I bet we hear another lecture over the P.A. about how we should respect school property and stuff.” He nudged my elbow lightly. “Aren’t you coming to P.E.?”
We headed towards the locker room and sure enough, two minutes into the morning announcements, Mr. Blakely came on and talked about the caution tape. He said he hoped we’d take pride in our school and that we should stay focused on getting the most out of our education, and then he said two things that made me uncomfortable: “The administration is investigating the motives behind this prank in case the use of caution tape was meant as a threat, and we will be conducting a survey of Mages to find out which of you has Wind magic, since that may have been used to spread the tape so high and so far in such a short period of time. This was done within a ten-minute window of opp
ortunity this morning as teachers were arriving.”
***
Our newly hired chemistry teacher introduced herself as Mrs. Seechak, but midway into class, Amity nicknamed her Mrs. YakYak. The woman could talk for five minutes straight without breathing or changing tones. I thought we’d all be asleep before the labs even started. Next to me, Amity started reading her textbook, and by the time we were putting on our goggles and lab aprons, she’d outlined two chapters.
I stared blankly at the rack of tubes with different crystals. “What are we supposed to be doing again?” I asked. “I’ve been asleep with my eyes open.”
Amity flipped to a page in the book and thumped a chart with her finger. “Here, you look at this and tell me what each of these reactions mean. I’ll heat up the—oh…yeah. Our Bunsen burner’s busted. Can you light your thumb for me?”
But before she could hold even one of the tubes over the flame, YakYak came clicking up to us in her very high heels and said, “I told you, no magic in my class. This is about science.”
“But our Bunsen bur—”
“School is not a playground!” snapped YakYak. She turned to help another kid who had his hand raised.
Amity’s face flushed with anger. “Okay, look. Hold the Bunsen burner with your hand like this so the flame from your thumb looks like it’s coming from it. I’ll keep an eye for YakYak while you heat each tube.”
Fudging the angles, we managed to keep one of us between YakYak’s line of vision and my thumb for the rest of the period, and we got all the work done. Amity also took extra pains to make sure that both of us made notes on the worksheet, and she added extra analysis based on the stuff she’d read ahead. “I figure she’ll think we’re both geniuses now and cut us some slack, huh?”
“I don’t think I’ll be fooling anyone on that count.”
We cleared away our station, and then I got an idea. Being careful to look casual about it, I pretended to trip and knock our Bunsen burner onto the floor. Amity caught on and gasped appropriately. “Oh no! Did you break it?”
YakYak came clicking back to us. Amity and I scrambled to set it on the counter and then YakYak tested it. Of course, it didn’t work. It never had. With a heavy sigh, she unplugged it and whisked it into her arms. She carried it towards the front mumbling something about clumsy idiots. I followed after her apologizing profusely, but she waved me out of the room. At the door, Amity stopped and turned a worried face to the teacher. “Are there any spares that work?”
“I don’t know,” said YakYak. “I haven’t had time to inventory the supply closet. I certainly hope so, for your sake.”
Amity turned back to me, both of us hidden now from YakYak’s view. Stifling a giggle, Amity squeezed my hand. “Well, you are a genius after all. That ought to get us a new burner! See you at lunch. Try and talk to Curry before we get there.”
***
Mages were summoned down to the office in alphabetical order, so Curry came into the office while I was waiting the next turn. He nodded in greeting and sat down next to me, even though there were four other kids who should have gone between us. They weren’t going to argue with a guy that big.
“You think they found any Blowers other than you?” he asked in a low voice.
“I’m not a…” I’d already taken the blame for Kelsey in The Morning Edition, but I wasn’t ready to be the fall guy for every Wind-related prank ever pulled. “It wasn’t me,” I said, hoping I hadn’t given myself away.
“Duh,” said Curry. “But it’s rare enough. It could make you look bad.”
The door to Mr. Blakely’s office opened and a kid came out looking relieved. Mr. Blakely poked his head out and saw me. “You’re next, Kincaid,” he said, sounding worn out.
I went in and shut the door behind me. As he sat down, he looked at me strangely. “When did you start hanging out with Punkers, Kincaid?”
“What? Oh, Curry? He’s…” I found myself grinning. “He’s not so bad once you get a cute little Corporal girl under his skin.”
Mr. Blakely’s eyebrow shot up. “He’s got a Nomer girlfriend now?”
I beamed. “Love conquers all!”
He smiled. “Tames the beasts, huh?” Drumming his fingers on his desk he said, “You know I have to ask you this, but did you have anything to do with the Caution tape?”
“Of course not, sir.”
“Yeah, I know.” He leaned forward on his elbows. “But…did I hear correctly that you have acquired Wind magic?”
I must have blanched. Sinking into the chair opposite him, I said, “Sir, can I be totally honest with you?”
“Haven’t you always been?”
“Well, yeah…but…Well, this isn’t about me. It’s…” Mr. Blakely watched me with the kind, trusting eyes I’d come to know for years. “The Morning Edition got it wrong when they said it was me who Blew the Punkers out of the air. It was my little sister, Kelsey. She just got the power like a week ago, and hasn’t really learned to control it yet.”
He sat back. “Isn’t she awfully young?”
“Yes, sir. That’s what’s so weird. But I can’t do it. She’s the one who—”
“Why did you let them accuse you without explaining that? No one would have faulted a little child for that. You could have avoided all that mess with the police at the school and the bad publicity.”
I stared at my feet. “I know, but she’s just a kid. Mom and I didn’t want a bunch of people testing her magic and pulling her into the spotlight for it. It seemed easier to take the blame and hope the whole situation righted itself.”
We looked at each other in silence for a minute. “You’re a good kid, Kincaid.”
“Thanks, sir. I try.”
He slammed his hands onto his desk with a burst of energy and grinned. With a fake angry look, he barked, “Get to class, you hooligan!”
Mr. Blakely’s goofy sometimes, but he’s so sincere about it that it’s hard to hold it against him. I left the office and gave Curry the OK sign. He almost cracked a smile. “See you around,” I said.
“Yeah,” he answered.
Yes. Curry would be okay.
***
Amity and I walked home from school grateful that the Punkers had left us alone ever since Jack had gone over to Wiser. We talked about normal stuff like music and homework, and all felt right with the world—until we walked into my kitchen and saw Detective Sheldon sitting at the table with my Mom eating a sandwich.
“Uh…hi,” I said.
Mom and Sheldon both turned to us and smiled in a funny way, like they’d been caught sneaking cookies after bedtime.
“Welcome home, honey,” said Mom. “Can I get you anything?”
With my eyes still trained on Sheldon, I sauntered casually across the room. “Oh, I can get it.” I opened the fridge and stared at its contents.
“How was it at school today?” asked Detective Sheldon. “Any weirdness?”
I shut the fridge and turned around. Gesturing to Amity, I said, “Amity, this is Detective Sheldon. Detective Sheldon, this is Amity. She’s my friend from Wiser.”
He flashed his crooked tile teeth at us and repeated the question. “Any weirdness at school today?”
“Is this an official interview?” I asked. He wasn’t wearing a uniform, but I didn’t know if that meant he was undercover or something.
He reached inside his jacket and fumbled for a second. Then he placed his badge on the table. “Off duty, no badge,” he said. “I was just wondering.”
Amity turned to Sheldon pleasantly. “Actually, the school was decorated with yellow police Caution tape today. They did a real number on it.”
“Did they trace who did it?” he asked.
“No, but they questioned all the Mages, trying to find someone with Wind power,” I said a little bitterly. “Apparently it was done really fast, so they don’t think flying would have been enough unless there had been a big group of kids helping, and then they would have been seen. At least that�
�s the story.”
Sheldon and my mother exchanged a worried glance. “Uh huh,” he nodded.
“Do you know anything about it?” asked Amity fearlessly.
“I know it wasn’t a student,” he said.
My eyes about popped out of my head, and Amity and I both sank into chairs beside them. “How do you know?” I asked.
“I don’t know who did it, but I know who ordered it,” he said.
“Bagler,” said Amity and I in unison.
Sheldon nodded. “She’s got at least one person on the faculty in her pocket, but we don’t know who. And Petercriss has been seen lurking around.”
“Yeah, what about that?” asked Mom. “Isn’t anything going to happen to him?”
Sheldon drew a deep breath and leaned on his elbows. “Let’s just say there were some convenient irregularities in the way his case was handled, and he’s getting off on a technicality. It’s not even coming before a jury for indictment.”
“You mean he’s coming back to Magian High?” I asked, my voice cracking.
“No, no. He’s on leave for the rest of the year, but the district will find him work to do.”
“Bagler’s work,” I said.
“For the NMI,” added Amity.
“Probably,” said Sheldon grimly. He picked up the badge and slipped it back into the pocket of his shirt under his jacket. “Okay, badge on for a minute. I need to talk to you two about something I’d like to set up. A sting, if you will. It also involves your father, Amity.”
“Dad?” She looked nervous. “Why? What did he do?”
“It’s not what he did. It’s what he knows. He called me earlier today about the NMI land deals you found. When my shift ended, I decided to take a drive out of town to see the property the Bagler-Farrell Foundation is offering.”
“And?” asked Amity, leaning in closer.
“And I found it interesting that the lot the Foundation is trying to sell already has such a large foundation built on it.”
“What do you mean?” asked Amity.
