“I deserve a lot of credit.” Egon’s foot shot out and hooked me by the ankle, dragging me to the ground. He leapt on top of me, pinning my wrists. I struggled, but couldn’t break his grip. He was strong. Fortunately, I knew how to deal with strong.
“Now, tell me where your school is.” Egon’s eyes were inches from mine, his breath hot on my face. “We’ll get Susie and take her there with us. I just want to see it.”
“Having trouble keeping your story straight? You said she was there.”
Egon smiled. Blood dripped from his chin and landed on my cheek. He bent closer, licked it off, and kissed me right on the lips. With his entire mouth. I felt him try to scan, so I slammed my mind shut. Egon pulled away with a jerk.
“Why does my first kiss have to come from someone who’s trying to kill me?” I growled. That totally shot his chances for a second date.
“First kiss? I am honored. Maybe we should rethink this relationship.”
“Rethink this.” I flicked the Amplifier in my pinned hand. A shadow shot around Egon’s arm like an eel.
I tugged, and he screamed. Suddenly, I was on my feet, his ghastly memories flickering through my mind like a strobe. I became Scallion.
My reflection glared back at me from the window of the dark room. I looked good. Awesomely good. The mask was a nice touch. White cranial cap, sharp mandibles, deep black eye sockets. You have done well, the master said. Now find the girl. The master wore a mask similar to mine. But I looked better. Thank you, master, I replied. You know I will. He liked it when I called him my master. He actually believed he was.
My mind flickered, and Mason stood staring at me, a mixture of terror and fury on his face. You’re not the man who murdered my mother, he said. Of course not, I told him. But I know where he is. All you have to do is whatever I tell you, and I’ll take you to him.
Then I was at the elementary school. The little girl looked at me and screamed. She was so small. I wondered why LaReau wanted her. The man had issues. But he also had money. The master didn’t know about my side job. He wouldn’t have approved. Like I cared.
Don’t touch me, the little girl yelled. Right. I struck a pressure point on her neck, and oh, it felt good! I wished I could have hit her harder. She collapsed. I covered her head with a black hood, carried her through an alley and handed her to Norman. Not now, LaReau whispered. I think I’m being followed. The coward. Maybe one day I’d take him out. I pulled off the girl’s hood and Christie Jasmine stared wide-eyed at me. That’s okay, I said. I have a place to keep her.
The image changed. I was in the back room of the Shadow Passage. Mason came through the door, concern on his face. Captious took her, he said. I tried to stop him. Not your concern, I told him, wondering whether he was going soft on me. Let’s talk about the Class Project. Have you made the changes I asked for?
Then Tammy Angel’s face was in my mind. She wanted me. If only she knew how close she had been to me. So easy to control. I touched her hair. Tell Rubric to make Mason kill Blys. He’ll never listen, she said. When Mason asks you for 10, give it to him. Then he will do whatever Rubric tells him.
Suddenly I was in the girl’s bathroom at school, moving soundlessly toward Kathryn from behind. I held a syringe of 10 in my hand. The new 10, guaranteed to satisfy. The babes who called themselves the Red Team watched me in terrified silence. They knew to be quiet. I hated Kathryn’s goodie-two-shoes life. And her hair. I grabbed it and jerked hard. She squealed and her head snapped back. I wrapped her in a choke hold and jammed the needle into the crook of her elbow. I thought about snapping her neck, but pressed the plunger instead. Kathryn grew limp and her eyes rolled back. I shoved her hard into the stall. She hit her head on the toilet with a wonderful, bone-wrenching crunch. I pulled the stall door shut and locked it with my mind, laughing. That felt great.
The memory flickered, and Rinnie’s little sister got off the bus. She waved and smiled, and my heart raced in anticipation. Hurry, Susie, Rinnie was in an accident, I told her. Come with me, I’ll take you to the hospital. I giggled a little as her eyes filled with tears. I could smell fear on her, and worry, and a dozen other delicious emotions. Then I pulled a cloth sack over her head.
I was me again, suddenly aware that Egon was screaming in anger to take the nasty bag off his head and fight like a man. I released him from the Lash, breathing hard, soaked in sweat. An image of Susie’s angry face burned in my mind. She fought back, just like I had.
“Why?” I sputtered, shaking my head. “Egon, why?”
Egon pulled himself to his knees and stared up at me. He began to giggle under his breath, then completely lost control of himself laughing. “A Memory Lash? I can’t believe you actually thought that pathetic thing would work on me.”