Maddy and Devin opened theirs, and I could barely stand to look at them to see what their reactions were.
Devin gave me a small thumbs-up and a nod. Okay, I figured he’d be the easiest.
Maddy stared down at the paper for a long time. Finally, she looked up and solemnly nodded.
The teacher coughed, and I shifted back to face front. He sat bolt upright as if he hadn’t been asleep, though the way he was blinking himself awake confirmed that he had.
I yawned, turning my neck so I could see if James had moved yet.
He quietly sighed and bent over his desk to retrieve his own note. He read it and put it in his pocket, with no indication whatsoever whether he was in or not.
Fine. Two out of three was better than no one.
CHAPTER 17
The others might have agreed to meet me, but they hadn’t completely forgotten and forgiven. After Butler showed to redistribute our phones at the end of the day and told us (well, me mostly) that he “hoped you’ve learned a valuable lesson,” we went our separate ways.
I risked taking the subway, since the other day’s cab tipping bonanza had left me cash-poorer for the moment, and I might need what remained for some unavoidable expense of the investigative variety. I could only cross my fingers that Maddy and Devin would be waiting at the Scoop office when I got there. Possibly even James.
But I wasn’t holding my breath. Or at least I wasn’t admitting that I was.
As I crossed the lobby of the Daily Planet Building, my phone buzzed and I took it from my bag. I’d signed into the messenger app as soon as I got my phone back, so SmallvilleGuy could reach me if he’d learned something else while I was busy with the day’s punishment.
SmallvilleGuy: Out of dentist?
I tapped out a short reply.
SkepticGirl1: Huh?
His next message came fast.
SmallvilleGuy: Autocorrect. You out of detention?
I snorted.
SkepticGirl1: Yes. On way 2 work.
SmallvilleGuy: Do you have your holoset?
SkepticGirl1: I have James’s.
SmallvilleGuy: Something going on in the game. I’ll meet you in there.
I hurried past the security guard. I almost hoped the others hadn’t gotten to the office yet, because I wanted no delay in finding out what had red-alerted SmallvilleGuy.
So obviously that meant Maddy and Devin and James were waiting when I got to the Morgue. They’d wheeled their chairs out from behind their desks, making a tidy row across from mine. Waiting for me to explain.
I had to. Maybe SmallvilleGuy wouldn’t get too antsy in Worlds.
“You’re here,” I said, not quite able to keep the surprise out of my voice.
“You said you had something important to tell us,” Maddy said. “And we know you didn’t lie about Anavi. I don’t understand what’s going on, but . . . something is.”
I took a seat on the corner of my desk. “You really should be in news instead of style,” I said.
Maddy shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve been told I’m stylish. So, what’s up?”
“Yeah,” Devin said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Anavi never got along with those guys and all of a sudden they’re hanging out and she doesn’t even sound like herself. I don’t get it. Is it about whatever Project Hydra is?”
“You remember Project Hydra,” I said. “Yes, I think that’s exactly what it’s about.”
“What is it?” Maddy was frowning again. “Did you find out and keep it from us?”
“I don’t know everything.” And I can’t even tell you all of what I suspect. “But I did, sort of—well, okay I followed the Warheads. The other day when they left school after lunch, I caught a taxi. I didn’t want to risk getting you guys in trouble.”
“Given today’s jail sentence, that’s ironic with extra sprinkles,” said Maddy.
I went on. “Anyway, Ms. Johnson, from our comp sci class—”
Devin raised his eyebrows. “Our?”
I would never get through this if they kept interrupting. Then again, they had every right to give me a hard time.
I’d endure it.
“You knew I wasn’t staying in that class forever. I didn’t want to get too attached to Ms. Johnson and make our parting too much sweet sorrow.”
“Continue,” Devin said, with a flowery, regal flourish of his fingers.
“They all loaded up in a van and Ms. Johnson drove them across town . . . to the headquarters of Advanced Research Laboratories. I think Butler has them hooked up with some sort of experiment there. He freaked when I asked him about Hydra. We all know he’s letting them get away with whatever they feel like, and it must be because of this. And now Anavi’s involved too.”
“What kind of experiment?” Devin asked.
The kind that apparently makes you lose your personality and start finishing the sentences of creeps. The kind that has no positive application I can think of.