“I’m sorry I didn’t hang out as much as you wanted. Please, help me find my sister,” I pleaded. “I trust you, Egon. I do.”
“Okay, then. Listen to me.” He took me by the shoulders. “I’m working with Dalrymple. I’ve been trailing Mason. Susie’s kidnapping has something to do with your kung fu school. My information says they’re holding her there. If you want to save her, I need you to take me there.”
I looked up into his eyes. Egon was an informant, too? How many of these people did Dalrymple have? And how clueless could they be? If Susie was at the Academy, I’d know it.
Egon brought his face close to mine. “You want to know what really bugs me?”
“No. I don’t. I want to find Susie.” This was not the time for a needy boyfriend, and I felt the first twinges of becoming majorly annoyed.
“Okay, I’ll tell you,” Egon said as though I had never spoken. “Every time I want to be with you, you hit me with an excuse—not allowed out on a school night, not feeling up to it, being late for something—always an excuse. I know it’s that school. Why is it so important to you?”
“What I am worried about,” I said, growing suddenly angry, pulling out of Egon’s grip, “is my sister. The Academy is a part of my life I was starting to regret. I was planning to quit. Because of you. I thought we had something special. But if that were true, you’d be more worried about where my sister is than about how neglected you are.”
“You are special,” Egon said, reaching for me. “And if we have special feelings for each other, we should trust each other.”
I felt anger for only a second, until Egon took my hand in both of his. Warmth and calmness washed over me. All I could feel was his soft touch, all I could see were his beautiful green eyes. Such a nice touch. Such loving eyes. So special. We belonged together.
Just like Romeo and Juliet.
Who, it occurred to me, both woke up dead.
I pulled out of Egon’s grip and my mind instantly cleared.
“How did you find me, Egon?”
Egon’s eyes narrowed. “Bobby.”
“I never told Bobby where I was going.”
“He must have read the note.”
“I never told him about any note.” I stared at Egon’s open jacket. A pen poked out of the secret agent pocket. I did a double take. Red and silver barrel with a white rectangle.
Suddenly, I understood. I backed away.
“That’s how Mason knew,” I said quietly. “Scallion hands him a ransom note, and Egon shows up. You’re the Knight.”
“Yeah, right from King Arthur’s Court, babe,” Egon said. “You’re out of your mind with fantasies about shining armor, and I love it.”
I stood up tall and straight. Mental energy rampaged through my body and concentrated in my palms. My hair poofed. “Tell me where my sister is.”
“At your school. She’s probably frightened out of her mind.”
I had never faced a Knight before, but the idea didn’t bother me anymore. In fact, I looked forward to it. My patience was below zero. Susie might already be dead. I needed answers and Egon had them. He had one more chance to tell me what was on his so-called mind before I surgically removed it. I took a menacing step toward Egon, and he backed against the alley wall.
“Babe, don’t do something we’ll both regret.”
That did it. Last chance officially withdrawn. “Don’t call me babe.” I thrust my palm forward, straight at his chest, and discharged the Mental Blast of all Mental Blasts. Egon’s hand shot out like lightning, deflecting my attack. My hand smashed into the wall, and the Blast exploded. Dust and brick shards flew everywhere.
“Is that all you got?” Egon asked, smiling at the gouge in the bricks.
I drew my Amplifier. “Not really.”
Egon laughed.
Chapter Thirty-one
Scallion Unmasked
My Thought Saber burst out in a searing flash of mental energy, screaming in anger as I attacked. Egon’s Amplifier was in his hand in less than a heartbeat. A Shield exploded out, stopping my Saber in mid-cut.
He grinned. “You fight like a girl.”
“Practice harder, and maybe someday you can, too.” I cracked a side kick through Egon’s Shield, right into his pearly whites. Good form, solid hit. Definitely a ten. Egon let out a howl of agony. His knees buckled and he crumpled to the ground. He shook his head and snarled up at me.
“Impressive.” Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. He spit out a tooth. “I didn’t think I’d have to kill you, but maybe I’ll change my mind.”
“You give yourself a lot of credit.” I wasn’t nearly as brave as I sounded. Egon was way tougher than I had expected. I held back on that kick and was thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have.