“Where do you have to go?” I asked.
“Back to the beginning.” His eyes snapped to mine. His lip quivered for just an instant. “Rinnie, what if she dies? How can you ever look at me again if I killed your best friend?”
Mason held my gaze, struggling for words. “If I could go back in time, things would be so different right now.”
Mason looked up at the ceiling and mouthed the words, Please, God. Then he turned and walked away. Just like at the dance. I reached for him, but pulled my hand back.
As I watched him disappear through the door, I struggled to stay quiet. I could see he was in the deep stages of remorse caused by the Memory Lash. The pain of his past would never go away. I wanted to tell him, but those details seemed irrelevant. Mason’s heart had changed. I was certain of it, and I felt sorry for him.
But I also wanted the information he had. Someone tricked him into changing the formula, and I had the distinct impression he wasn’t talking about Scallion. I needed to know if back to the beginning meant Dr. Miliron.
Mrs. Bagley’s message popped into my head. Events of the sort in which I was involved. I almost laughed at how formally she put things. I assumed she was trying to say that I was a teenager in a very dysfunctional high school, and that this sort of thing was just a normal part of growing up under those conditions.
So why did I have the feeling she meant something else, something much closer to the truth?
Soft footsteps caught my attention. Egon walked through the door and shouldered up to me.
“Hi,” he said, smiling. “How’s my mystery girl?”
I smiled back, leaning against him. “I’ve been better.”
Egon took my hand. “And how is your best friend holding up?”
“She’s been way better.”
“Rinnie, you know the rumors around school. You don’t believe them, do you?”
I pulled my hand away and glared. “Angel had better watch her back. I’m done with her.”
Egon slowly turned his gaze toward Kathryn, the smile still on his lips. “I wouldn’t want to be on your bad side.”
I elbowed his ribs gently. “I can’t believe you went out with her, even once.”
A dark, almost frightening laugh erupted from Egon’s throat. “Neither can I. Speaking of going out, do you want to do something tonight? You know, maybe just hang out?”
I shot him a look that said, Are you serious? “I’m not really up for anything, Egon. I want to be with Kathryn. I’m sorry.”
Egon turned to Kathryn and touched her hand. “I meant here. I could keep you two company. You never know when you might need a bodyguard.”
I touched Egon’s shoulder. “I’d like that.”
Chapter Twenty-five Enough is Enough
“Time to cross over the border from Loserville,” Tammy Angel said.
The locker room was empty except for the Red Team, a ninth grader named Jessie, and my contingent of spies. Tammy held a small plastic bag. Jessie took it, her hand shaking. I pictured Kathryn’s face, and it took all my strength to keep from force-feeding the bag to Angel.
“You getting this?” Erica whispered.
“Uh huh.” I watched Tammy and her latest victim from behind the bank of lockers through Andy’s tiny high-tech video camera. It had a cool zoom microphone that was so sensitive it could record a person’s breath from across the room. “Make your move.”
Erica shuffled toward the Red Team and stopped beside Angel. “Hi, Tam.”
I zoomed on Tammy Angel’s face.
“Hey, hey, Erica! How’s Christie? Change your mind about quitting, did you? Gimme a sec, I have to take care of Jessie here.” Tammy turned toward the ninth grader. “Do one of those before gym class. These are the best supplements available. You’ll jump off the Loser Express and onto the Star Ship Angel, where the Cool Rule. You’ll be one of us. If you like it, bring a couple of your buds. I’ll fix them up, too. Remember, this one’s free. Next time there’s a nominal fee.”
Jessie nodded quickly and then walked away. I zoomed in on Tammy’s backpack. Tammy pulled out a plastic bag and dangled it in front of Erica’s face, holding it between two fingers. “I knew you’d be back, Erica. This stuff always brings ’em back. And you can be among the first to sample our new, improved blend. Cash first, of course. House rules.”
“I didn’t come for your drugs,” Erica said.
“Supplements, Erica. Hugs, not drugs, as they say. I hope your little sister is being good.”
Erica’s expression turned to fear. “I gotta go.” She quickly left the locker room.
Tammy laughed. “Price just went up.”
Boot Milner sneered. “Maybe we’ll put some pressure on her.”
Tammy shook her head. “No, we’ll just take her out. It’s time to set an example.”
Boot’s eyes grew wide. “Take her out? Seriously?”