“Hi, Rinnie,” Tish said. “I never thanked you for the other day. You shouldn’t have bothered. It’s not worth the hassle.”
“I, umm…you’re welcome?” I looked at Tish for a sign that I had responded correctly, but her woe-is-me eyes remained unchanged. I did a double take and noticed that the dark circles under them were painted on. What kind of fashion statement was that?
“Stay away from the front of the cafeteria,” Whatsisface said. The dark circle under his left eye was definitely not painted on. “Art Rubric and Chuckie Cuff are charging a toll.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll do that.”
“Did you hear about Erica Jasmine?” Tish’s eyes filled with tears. “Her little sister Christie was kidnapped this morning. Right inside the elementary school.”
Kathryn and I caught each other’s gazes. She looked as terrified as I felt.
“Mr. Munificent was right,” Whatsisface murmured, rubbing his black eye. “As if things aren’t bad enough here without a kidnapper to worry about.”
…
The rest of the day was agonizingly long. I wanted so badly to text my little sister Susie, but she didn’t have a cell. That evening while the other students were doing their warm-up stretches, I made it a point to train with her before class started. Susie was ten years old and, like me, had been a student at the Academy since she was six. She was my little buddy, and there was no way the stalker was going to touch her. I couldn’t personally guard her all the time, so I decided to make sure she could guard herself.
The Kilodan wasn’t big on breaking inanimate objects with our bare hands, but he was big on breaking them with our minds. We practiced on boards like the regular martial arts people did. I chose a nice, heavy oak slab about two inches thick, and dangled it on a wire from the Academy ceiling. If Susie could shatter that, she could shatter Elmo.
“Will the Kilodan find Christie?” Susie asked.
“He’s the best hunter we have,” I said. Christie and Susie were friends from school. “He can find anybody.”
“I should go after her myself,” Susie growled. “If the kidnapper is lucky, the Kilodan will find him before I do. I won’t be as nice.”
“Susie, you know you aren’t allowed. Be patient. I know it’s scary, but the Kilodan will handle it.” She sounded so much like me, I couldn’t imagine that we weren’t blood relatives. Whereas I am blond and pale, Susie has gorgeous black hair and tans better than anyone else in my family. She blinked at me with her deep chocolate eyes.
“Don’t be scared,” Susie said, reaching up to touch my cheek. “I won’t let him get you.”
“My bodyguard.” I hugged her. “Now let’s practice, in case you have to save me.”
“Okay.” Susie turned to the board. “Board, prepare to be boarded.”
I covered my face with my hands. “I gotta keep Andy away from you. Okay, elbow down, fist vertical, and imagine that your arm is a cannon.”
Susie was still six years away from her black belt, too young to have an Amplifier. Her Mental Arts skills were powerful, but completely unpredictable. She dropped into her fighting stance, hands clenched, fists tight, knees stiff.
“Relax,” I said. “He took your friend. Find your anger.”
“Okay.” Susie squinted and pursed her lips, concentrating with everything she had. She extended her closed fist slowly toward the dangling board, then bared her teeth like a lion cub about to attack. Her face became so furious I almost giggled.
“Focus…”
Her arm stiffened and her feet shifted. Her breathing quickened. Her whole body shook like a jackhammer.
“Blast it!” I shouted, trying not to laugh at my vibrating little sister. Susie’s shoulders lurched violently, her fist flashed open, and a tiny pop echoed against the Academy walls.
Hmm.
A cricket chirped in the distance.
On the plus side, the board wobbled a little, which was actually pretty impressive for a first try, but I knew Susie wouldn’t be satisfied.
“Aw, crud,” she groaned. “How come I can’t do it? My hair didn’t even poof.”
“Are you kidding? That was awesome!” I said. “I couldn’t get it to move until I was twelve.”
“I didn’t break it. C’mon, show me!”
I smiled, and kissed her cheek. “It’s all in your head.”
I eased into my fighting stance and slowly raised my half-opened fist to the suspended board. I didn’t have to try hard to find my anger. I thought about the children I saw in Elmo’s mind. Instantly, my body tingled as mental force ignited the rage inside me, ripping down my arm, gathering speed like a jet engine winding up for takeoff. Sparks snapped as though I was traveling down a plastic sliding board. My hair frizzed, my body twitched, my hand opened, and the board exploded with a sonic boom, sending fragments across the Academy floor.
“Cool!” Susie screamed. “Lemme try again! I wanna—”
“Line up!” a voice bellowed. The other students took their places on the practice floor.
“Oh, crud, time for class,” Susie said. “Can we practice again later?”