“Yeah,” Devin said. “Anavi’s right about that. Easy to slay. I beat it the first month I started. And it says it’s an independent study thing. They wouldn’t get credit just to play the game.”
That reminded me I needed Devin to set me up for that night’s planned visit to Worlds War Three. But I wasn’t ready to broach that topic yet. I was hoping I could arrange for SmallvilleGuy to be my backup, though it was possible he’d have no way to get a holoset. He had to save for extras, and as far as I knew he wasn’t into gaming. But maybe he could borrow one, like I planned to. Lucy’s only had access to Unicorn University, and I didn’t have enough spending cash saved up to buy a Worlds War Three one.
Maddy interrupted my train of thought. “What is a Hydra, anyway?” she asked.
“Huh,” I said. “I don’t know.”
James chimed in. “The Lernaean Hydra was a mythological monster, a sea serpent with many heads and poison breath and blood. If you cut one of the heads off, it grew two more. It wasn’t so easily defeated in the myths. In Greek mythology, Hera raised it to kill Hercules, and he had no luck fighting it at first. He had to get his nephew to help out, cauterize the stumps before the heads could grow back after Hercules cut them off. Once it was down to one, that made it no longer invulnerable, and he was able to kill it for good.”
We all gaped at James. It was hard not to.
“I guess the filthy rich do still get educated in the classics,” I said. “Even the gruesome parts. Thanks for everything but the nightmares that will give me, the Third.”
Devin had been clicking around during James’s disturbing monologue, and he started to shut the windows. “I looked up all the Warheads whose names I know. Every single one has that same study project.”
I went back to my own computer and chair. “I love it when a plan comes together,” I said. “Dev, can you get me into the game tonight? Loan me your holoset again?”
He hesitated. “Probably. We’ll figure it out in a few.”
But he said it evasively, and crooked his head in James’s general direction. James had gone back to his desk and wasn’t paying attention to us. Maybe Devin was worried about him overhearing anyway. Why would James care about me going into the game?
Devin knew him better than I did, and I already had my own issues there. So I nodded, then signed into chat to ping SmallvilleGuy. If he couldn’t join me in the game, I’d have to figure out a new plan or go it alone.
His name popped up a few seconds later.
I held in a sigh of relief.
Sometimes he was unreachable right after school, busy with all the farm chores his parents made him do to earn his allowance. When he’d first sent me the photo of his learner’s permit, I’d done some sleuthing and confirmed farming was a common-enough occupation in Smallville that knowing his family had a farm didn’t give me any actual intel about the reason for his secrecy.
SkepticGirl1: You busy tonight?
SmallvilleGuy: Depends on how much trouble you’re in.
SmallvilleGuy: Oh, wait, forgot you’re on the straight and narrow. Forget I said anything.
I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. I’d never chatted with him when other people were around, except to exchange a few brief messages via the phone app. I didn’t want anyone to notice if I made an inadvertently goofy expression.
SkepticGirl1: Funny. You have any ability at all to play Worlds War Three?
SmallvilleGuy: Somehow I knew this was going to happen. So I spent a chunk of the money I was saving up for a new laptop today and got a holoset.
SkepticGirl1: Oh no!
SkepticGirl1: I mean thank you, but I know how long you’ve been saving that money.
SmallvilleGuy: It’s okay. I was able to buy a used set off someone at school who doesn’t use theirs anymore. It only cost three months of chore money. I’ll earn it back. And I’ve always been curious to figure out how they work. Do you have one?
SkepticGirl1: Not yet, but I’m borrowing one from someone here. And really, thank you, because however much trouble I’m in, I’m about to get into more. Be nice to have you there to back me up. Ten?
SmallvilleGuy: I’ll be there, your trusty sidekick.
SkepticGirl1: Ha. Right. Did you remember?
His next message popped up before I could clarify.
SmallvilleGuy: Remember to take a picture of Nellie Bly? Of course.
His next message contained only an image—of the most adorable black-and-white patchwork calf face possible.
I laughed, and when I noticed the others looking at me in question, I shrugged. So what if I was chatting with someone? That was normal.
No need for them to know about the abnormal secrecy and conspiracy theory enthusiast parts.
SkepticGirl1: Look at that face! I love her.
SmallvilleGuy: Good. Because my dad did think Nellie Bly was an odd name for a cow.
SmallvilleGuy: BTW, when you scam your friend’s holoset off him, ask for the coordinates where I should meet you in the game and send them to me. See you later.