Psi Another Day (Psi Fighter Academy) (22 page)

“You’re pretty good with that scrawny blade.” Egon pounded his Hammer at me with an overhead two-handed blow. “You’d make a great Knight.”

“Sorry, I have a job,” I said, stopping the Hammer dead with a ferocious upward block. The Hammer screamed in anger, and my Saber laughed. “Getting frustrated, are we?”

“Maybe. Sure you won’t change your mind? Think of the things we could do together. We’d be unstoppable.” Egon swung the Hammer at my leg.

“Unstoppable? Really. You need to work on your battle rhetoric. That was so movie villain cliché.” I slammed his Hammer with a fierce downward slash, nearly knocking it from his hands.

“Rinnie, no!” a muffled voice said.

I felt the color drain from my face.

“Susie? Susie! Where are you?”

Chapter Thirty
-
two

Susie's Fury

The second my attention was pulled from Egon, his Hammer’s flat head crashed through my shoulder. Sharp coldness like slivers of frozen glass shot down to my fingertips. My sword arm went numb, my Thought Saber fizzled out. The Amplifier fell from my hand and bounced in the street.

“Easily distracted, I see,” Egon said, extinguishing the Hammer. “I thought Psi Fighters were challenging. Guess not. Now, let me tell you my plan. The War Hammer is such a cool weapon. It can crush brick, smash steel, bust up just about anything I like. But, as you know, Psi Weapons don’t have the same effect on flesh. I would have crushed Mason’s mind if you hadn’t interrupted. I’m pretty sure his heart or lungs or something important would have stopped once I destroyed his mental connections. But I have a better plan for you. Okay, I realize you’re slowly becoming paralyzed, and to tell you the truth, I could have a lot of fun with that. But what I’d really like is for you to bleed. And for that, I need a good, old-fashioned hunk of iron.”

Egon motioned toward Mason’s crowbar lying against the brick wall. It jumped through the air and into his hand like he was holding a giant magnet.

“What are you, a Jedi now?” I said.

“Surely, those useless Psi Fighters taught you telekinesis.”

“I’m in the slow group.”

“Well, enough babbling.” Egon stared admiringly at the crowbar in his hand. “Do you know how many nerve endings you have in your toes?”

My legs gave out and I fell. “Enough to feel it when I kick ’em up your butt.” The numbing effects of the Hammer were spreading, and soon, I wouldn’t be able to move at all. I had only seconds to do something. I just wasn’t sure what.

“Leave her alone, coward,” Mason hissed weakly. “Come fight me. Let’s finish what we started.”

“Mason, buddy, you’re no challenge. I’ll get to you in a minute.”

Mason’s eye was rapidly swelling shut, his head bleeding badly. He struggled to pull himself to his feet, but collapsed. I was on my own.

My Amplifier lay just out of reach. I tried to crawl, but my paralyzed body parts wouldn’t cooperate. My sword arm flopped like a gummy worm, my legs were like anchors. This was so much worse than the Mental Blast. I still had some feeling in my left hand, so I stretched it toward my Amplifier. I concentrated, imagining the Amplifier flying into my hand like Luke Skywalker’s light saber. I pulled hard with my mind, reaching out with everything I had.

The stupid Amplifier refused to move. It had apparently never seen the movie.

I looked up helplessly.

Egon’s face had become a canvas of insanity. Grinning like his skull mask, he held the crowbar in both hands and spread his feet. “Interlocking grip, nice wide stance. Head down, eye on the ball, and
fore
!”

Egon whipped the crowbar back above his head, then sliced it down toward my shoe. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, a high-pitched scream reverberated through the alley. Egon stopped in mid-stroke.

I felt a maelstrom of mental force gushing from the garbage pile. Tattered paper and plastic bags swirled as though they were in a cyclone. Garbage hurtled through the air and splattered against the bricks. Suddenly, a crate exploded with an ear-shattering crack, scattering wooden fragments and filling the alley with dust.

When the dust cleared, a tiny figure levitated a foot off the ground, centered in a ten foot circle emptied of all debris, her hair suspended as though she were floating underwater.

“Susie,” I whispered.

“You didn’t tell me your sister is a Psi Fighter, too.” Egon twirled the crowbar. “Bonus!”

Susie sat in midair, cross-legged, hands dangling at her sides, appearing perfectly relaxed—except for her face. Her eyes burned with a terrible hatred that frightened me, and her mouth was twisted with rage. Susie was silent, but her mental attack screamed like a small child in agony. It struck Egon and shattered his crowbar like cheap glass. Steel shards embedded themselves in the brick walls of Dead End Alley.

Egon’s scream was real. He covered his ears and sank to his knees. His whole body shook as Susie’s attack strengthened.

Susie stepped out of midair and stomped toward Egon, her fists clenched, her hair floating on a mental tsunami.

“Don’t you ever hurt my sister!” she screeched. Her eyes became narrow slits as her anger took physical form. Her shoulders twitched. Her fists jerked and lurched forward like twin cannons. Egon wailed again, grabbing his leg.

“
Ever!
” Susie thrust both palms into the air and a loud crack like a lightning strike echoed down the alley. Egon was thrown backward as though he had been struck by a battering ram. He slammed off the brick wall and landed facedown on the pavement, unconscious…or worse. I had never felt such power from a Mental Blast.

Dead End Alley became silent.

I sat up and shook the numbness from my aching limbs. “Hi, Susie. I found you.”

Susie ran toward me and flung her arms around my neck, sobbing.

“I knew you’d come. Did he hurt you?”

“He tried,” I said, hugging my little sister with what little strength I had in my left arm. “But you protected me. Hey, where’d you learn to levitate?”

“That was awesome,” a weak voice said. Mason limped toward Susie and me.

“Mason, I—” The words caught in my throat. Mason’s wrist was twisted at an awful angle, his eye was swollen shut, and his face was bleeding badly.

“Hey,” he said, touching my cheek. “Do you know if the Dweeb League is accepting applications? I need a new job.”

Chapter Thirty
-
three

Another Day in the Life

The school library was deserted, and we huddled in our little study room. Bobby gently caressed Kathryn’s forearm. Wouldn’t you know it? Even after nearly dying from a horrible overdose of the deadliest, most addictive drug on the street, Kathryn was beautiful.

“I have the best friends in the universe,” Kathryn said. “I mean, I was totally out of it, but you washed my hair
and
did my nails. If I had died, I’d have looked good.”

“You almost did die,” I said.

“Now, Rin, you know that would never happen. Who would look after you? Hey, did you know that whispering lady stopped to see me?”

“Mrs. Simmons?”

“Yeah, she came after visiting hours one day. At least I think she did. I wasn’t too coherent. Maybe it was a dream, but I don’t think so. She just sort of appeared, like that day in the library. She talked weird, real formal. Like Mrs. Bagley. She told me that the Whisperers are the protectors of the protectors. They guard the Psi Fighters’ secret identities, but whisper of their existence to give hope to victims in times of trouble. She said I might be a Whisperer one day. Rinnie, I think she made me a job offer. Do you think I’m Whisperer material?”

“At one time, I might have thought so. But I know now you can’t keep a secret.” I nodded toward Bobby.

“Oh, hush, Bobby doesn’t count.” Kathryn waved me off. “Besides, you’re the one who has trouble keeping secrets. You go rushing off into the park, attacking with no mask, and we have to play cleanup. My Bobby could have taken care of himself. I think you just like the attention.”

“No, your Bobby needed help that day,” Bobby said.

“Well, maybe. But Rin should still be more careful. Batman never made it so easy for the Joker to figure out who he was.”

“Batman is a comic book character,” I said. “Sometimes being real stinks.”

“Speaking of things that stink,” Kathryn huffed. “What a jerk Egon turned out to be. I think he was in love with you, though, in his own deranged, psychopathic, controlling way. But the B-movie ninja outfit? Really? Rinnie, please tell me that you don’t wear that corny skull hood and leotard when you’re out doing your Psi Fighter thing.”

I laughed. “When it comes to fashion, the Psi Fighters have it all over the bad guys.”

“Thank goodness.” Kathryn patted my hand. “Are all Knights such nutjobs?”

“Maybe.” I sighed. “At least my secret is safe.”

“So he doesn’t remember anything?” Bobby asked.

“Susie went a little overboard with her Mental Blast. She hit him hard. Not much physical damage—except for slamming him off the wall, which he totally deserved—but she wiped his mind clean. His memories were totally blasted. Gone. Kaput.”

Kathryn did a double thumbs up. “So, technically, he’s been destroyed, and he’ll be put away for a long time for his evil ways. A jail will hold him now.”

“But I can’t use him to find Nicolaitan. Susie’s attack obliterated Egon’s Amplifier. The Psi Fighters and all of Greensburg are still in danger until we find him.”

“You can’t avenge your birth parents’ murder,” Bobby said quietly.

“Yeah.” I shook my head slowly.

Kathryn sighed. “It’s nice to know Mason has lost his wombat status. He had a conscience after all. Did you know he came to the hospital every day?”

“As much as I hate the Memory Lash, I guess it has its moments.”

“What did you see when you Lashed him?”

The image of a young Mason bound to a tree with a dog leash flicked through my head. “Mason didn’t have a nice childhood.”

Bobby nodded. “So what was really going on between him and Scallion? I mean Egon?”

“It’s confusing,” I said. “During the assembly when Munificent told us that a student had been in contact with the man in the skull mask, I was certain he meant Mason, but Mason knew he meant Tammy Angel. Mason believed that Nicolaitan had returned. He asked Tammy to arrange a meeting. He wanted revenge. But when Scallion showed up, Mason knew he wasn’t his mother’s killer. Scallion convinced Mason that he could lead him to the man he was looking for. He said he would take Mason to him if Mason would modify the Class Project and bring samples to him. Scallion tricked Mason into turning the Class Project into Psychedone 10. Mason didn’t realize what he was doing until Kathryn overdosed.”

“Even though I kept telling him,” Bobby said. “I can’t believe he actually tested that crap on himself just to prove I was wrong. How stupid can a guy be?”

“You know,” I said, “I was wondering the same thing. I thought you told me you weren’t stupid enough to set off the fire alarm.”

A huge grin crossed Bobby’s face. “Wasn’t me. I dared Rubric to do it. Bet him that he was too chicken.”

I laid my head on the table with a clunk. “We really have to talk.”

Out in the hall, the bell rang.

“Oh, what a world, what a world,” Kathryn said in her best Wicked Witch of the West voice, waving her arms and swaying. “Who would have thought that a good little girl like you could destroy all their beautiful wickedness? Oh, look out! Look out! I’m going. I’m going. Ooooh. See you after class, Rin.”

“See ya, Witchie Poo.” Kathryn was absolutely back. Life was good again.

The hall was packed, and I headed toward the locker rooms to find Mason. He had stuck a note on my locker asking me to meet him. I really wanted to see him. He wasn’t who I had thought he was. Or maybe it was more accurate to say that he
was
who I thought he was. Beneath that big, pantherish exterior was a genuine sweetheart who I wanted to get to know better.

I rounded the hall to the gym when, without warning, something slammed into me from behind. My forehead bounced off the locker, and I saw stars. I caught my balance and spun. A huge fist flew at my face, and I slapped it into the locker. A loud clang echoed through the hall. I turned to see Rubric’s face grinning sadistically. Boot Milner and Agatha Chew grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back. Agatha looked at me, then turned her gaze away.

Tammy Angel strutted up beside Rubric. “Social Graces 101. Let the training begin.”

“Just when I think you four can’t get dumber without a lobotomy, you prove me wrong.” I pulled lightly against the Red Team’s grip. Their balance shifted just enough for me to toss them at my convenience. “Let go of me, or I’ll flatten you.”

Rubric laughed. “I doubt it. Egon isn’t around to protect you anymore.”

“But I am,” a small voice said.

A ninth grader I didn’t recognize stood with his hands on his hips, staring up at Rubric. “Touch her and you touch all of us.”

“How about if I touch you first?” Rubric shoved the boy on the floor. “Now you owe me five dollars!”

“I was really looking forward to a peaceful day.” I flipped my hands around and jerked. The Red Team yelped in pain as I wrenched them both into wrist locks. I released Agatha, then gave Boot a little extra twist, tossing her into Tammy. They both landed on the floor with a thud.

I bent down to help the boy up, glaring at Rubric.

“What are you looking at?” he barked.

“Trying to decide which of your appendages I should rip off and shove up your butt.”

“Tough guy, aren’t you?”

“Don’t know your males from your females. That’s sad, Art.”

“I told you it isn’t over,” Rubric said. “There’s still the matter of that five dollars you owe me from last time. Now it’s up to ten. Plus five for the dweeb. Pay up, or get messed up.”

“Arturo!” a voice called. “Mi amiga!”

Mason came strolling around the corner, his arm in a cast, the left side of his face bandaged. He walked with a slight limp.

Rubric’s face puckered. “Dude. What happened to you?”

“Cut myself shaving. What are you doing?”

“Hall monitor. It’s collection day.”

Mason eyes met mine, and he fought back a smile. Then he noticed my forehead, and his mouth tightened. He turned to Rubric with fire in his eyes. “Nice. How’s that working for you?”

Rubric stared arrogantly at me, then looked at the ninth grader. “I got fifteen coming from Peroxide. That’s just for today. Not bad, huh?”

“Nice bump on her head. You do that?”

“Yep.” Rubric looked at me and sneered. “Had to loosen her up.”

Mason got in Art’s face. “I’ll take my cut now. Thirty ought to do it.”

“Your cut?” Rubric squeaked in a suddenly girlish voice, taking a step back. “When did you start taking a cut?”

“Just now. Fork it over.” Mason held out his uninjured hand.

“Dude, that wasn’t the deal.”

Mason balled his hand into a fist. “New deal.” He drew his arm back and Art’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

I reached out and gently put my hand on Mason’s fist. “That’s not fair. You wouldn’t let me hit him in the gym.”

Mason smiled slyly and dropped his arm. “True. Okay, Art, give me my money. Peroxide’s all yours.”

“Well, I didn’t collect yet,” Rubric said. He seemed suddenly nervous.

“Hop to it, then,” Mason said, folding his arms.

Rubric slowly turned to me. “Fork it ov—”

“Did you know she’s a black belt?” Mason interrupted.

“Huh?” Rubric stared down at Boot and Angel, then drew back a step from me.

“Yeah. Kung fu. Moves like lightning. Knocked Chuckie out. You were there, don’t you remember?”

“I was—”

“Oh, I guess you were trippin’ a little, huh? Yeah, knocked him cold. Hit him three times—
bam bam bam
! He never saw her move. He was so sore the next day he could hardly walk. I don’t mess with her anymore. Glad you’re collecting for me. I don’t want to get hit like that again. Not by a girl.”

“Chuckie…three times?” Rubric gaped at me.

“I only hit him twice,” I said.

“Only twice!” Mason shouted. “ And you did
that
much damage? Impressive! Okay, Artsy, give me my money, I gotta get to class.”

Rubric looked at Mason’s cast, then his bandaged face. “Did she do that to you?”

“Cough up, dude, I’m a busy man.”

“I’ll, uh…” The color drained from Rubric’s face, and he began backing away. “I’ll leave it at the Shadow Passage tonight.”

“I don’t go there anymore,” Mason said. “The place is a hole.”

Still backing away, Rubric rounded the corner and disappeared. “I’ll get back to ya.” The sound of running feet echoed down the hall.

Mason smiled down at Angel, then turned to me. “Hi.”

“Is that all you have to say to Peroxide after she almost broke my butt?” Tammy snapped, still sitting on the floor, clenching her sore behind.

“How stupid can you be, Angel? The Cool no longer Rule.”

“This isn’t over, Mason. My daddy will have something to say about it.”

“There’ll be no one to listen this time, Tammy. It’s over.”

“Mason—”

“Finis.”

“What about Peroxide?”

“I don’t have anything to say to Peroxide.” Mason turned toward me.

Tammy got up. “This stinks, Mason. Let’s go. Boot! Chew!”

“You go. I gotta get to class.” Agatha glanced quickly at me, smiled shyly, then left.

“All right,” Angel yelled. “The Red Team doesn’t need you!” Then she walked away, dragging Boot with her.

“I have a
lot
to say to Rinnie, though.” Mason touched my arm.

“I have a lot to say to you, too. You saved my sister and me in the alley. You risked—”

Mason put his hand over my mouth. “Me first.”

“Don’t make me break that other arm.” The little ninth grader pushed between Mason and me, crossing his arms.

“It’s okay,” I said. “He’s one of the good guys.”

The ninth grader surveyed Mason with his head tilted, lips pursed. Then he looked up at me and nodded as if he approved. Turning to walk away, he said, “We aren’t afraid anymore. Call if you need me.”

“I will. Thanks.”

Without warning, Mason picked me up in his arms like I was a toothpick, and hugged me. His cast dug into my ribs, but it was okay. He felt warm, and suddenly a memory flashed unasked into my mind. Mason was hugging his dad, and they were both crying. But it was happy crying.

“I helped my dad and Dalrymple round up the drug ring,” Mason said. His blue eyes glistened. “Some pretty important people went down. That’s the phone call you heard me take in the hall.”

“Mason, I’m so—”

He held up his hand and smiled. “It’s okay. You didn’t know. And I never really gave you any reason to trust me, did I? So let me set the record straight. I don’t make drugs. I don’t push drugs. I never did drugs.”

“Psychedone 10. In the park.”

“Never knowingly did drugs. And once I figured out what Scallion was up to, I went straight to my dad.”

“How’s your dad taking it?”

“It’s weird, you know, I thought he’d be pretty mad. But he told me he’s proud of me. Says Mom would be, too. I don’t know why. I probably ruined his political career.”

“Maybe he thinks there are more important things.”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

“Thanks for saving my sister and me in the alley.”

“Any time.” Mason gazed at me thoughtfully. “Thanks for whatever it is you did to me that day in the park.”

“You’re welcome.”

Mason smiled, and turned to leave. Then he stopped. “Hey, I’m on the Dweeb League now, so if you have an opening for a body guard, I’d like to apply. I have good references.”

“So I hear. As a matter of fact, I have the first interview question. Why did you always act like you were so afraid of Egon?”

Mason did the cutest eyebrow raise at me. “Because…he could kick my butt. That was no act.”

“And you still protected me against him in the alley?”

“Thought it would look good on my résumé.”

“Okay. Good enough.” I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to throw my arms around him.

He turned to leave again, but stopped one more time.

“Rinnie?”

“Yeah?”

“The hole I told you about? I think it’s getting better.”

That made me smile.