Raging Sea (Undertow, #2)

Every step to the park feels like a trudge through cement. I waffle back and forth a hundred times on the plan, wanting to run back to my family and hide, then determined to help Doyle. All the while, my thoughts do a number on me. Spangler is smarter than Doyle and me. The guards side with him. He has been one step ahead of us the whole time. But then my anger takes charge. He put you in a cage. He chopped off Arcade’s hand. He’s killing people.

When I get to the catwalk, I’m sure we’re making a mistake.

“Where’s Doyle?” I ask the guards.

They call for him on their radios, but he doesn’t respond.

I try to be cool about it, but the old panic returns. Spangler knows the plan. He’s already killed Doyle. He’s up in my room slaughtering my friends and my parents. He’s putting Arcade in the tank with the squid creature so he can watch her die.

“Can you let Spangler know I need him to turn off the EMP? The kids can’t practice with the Oracles when it’s still on,” I ask Darren just as the kids enter.

“You okay?” Riley asks, giving me a little nudge on the shoulder.

I nod, but I’m not really listening to anything he’s saying.

Spangler enters with a bright smile.

“I love the dedication, kids,” he says as he activates the machine that reveals the pool. “Show me what you can do! We don’t have a lot of time left, so do your best.”

My insides clench with how much I hate him. He needs to go away. I wasn’t sure about it until right now. I’m going to help Doyle end this man.

The children line up to demonstrate the extent of their skills. Some are impressive, but all of them are good. Riley is still the best, then Geno and Georgia, but Cole, Breanne, Alexa, and Danny have all made dramatic overnight improvements. Tess, Emma, and Jane, as well as William, freshly wounded by the deaths of their parents, are not far behind. Even Chloe, with her tiny little body, makes a sword as big as a rowboat.

While the kids applaud, my eyes find Doyle on the catwalk high above. He paces, agitated. He checks his watch and disappears. The plan has started.

“Lyric, I did it,” Chloe says proudly.

“That’s great news,” I say, leaning down to hold her hands. “Chloe, I want you to stay very close to Riley tonight. Can you promise me you’ll do that?”

She nods.

“Good. Riley, don’t let her out of your sight. Keep her close.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

“Lyric, you’re not looking,” Chloe scolds when she creates a dolphin that leaps into the sky.

“It’s beautiful,” I say, then scan the room for the other kids. I want to know where they are when the system crashes so I don’t accidentally hurt anybody.

There’s a piercing alarm, and lights go out. The ceiling glows with red emergency lights, and backup illumination appears above the exit doors. The children cry out, but Spangler and the guards urge them to stay calm.

“What’s going on?” Breanne cries.

Spangler taps his screen, then does it again. He looks up at me, and suddenly his concerned face changes to one of understanding.

“This was a very dumb move, Lyric,” Spangler says, then taps on his tablet and races off as soldiers rush into the room. Half attempt to corral the children, while the other half aim their guns at me.

“Lyric, what is happening?” Tess cries.

“Stick together!” I shout.

It’s time to do my part. I power up my glove, and it burns brighter than I have ever seen it.

What would you have us do?

“Help me put a stop to this place,” I whisper back.

The pool comes alive, bubbling and spilling over its sides. The water reaches up and snatches the armed guards nearby, violently jerking them off the ground like dolls and pulling them under. More soldiers charge through the doors, shouting orders, but I send a lightning-fast whip that smacks them across the room. With my path clear, I sprint forward, only to be clobbered from behind by a wall of salty liquid. I tumble to the grass, end over end, and land flat on my back. When my head stops ringing, I find Riley and his glove glowing in my face.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s happening, but you can’t—”

This is exactly what I feared. Riley and the other kids are siding with Spangler. I yank half the water out of the pool and throw it at Riley. He slides across the lawn as scales appear on forearms and neck, fiery red with confusion and anger.

“I’m sorry too,” I say as I scamper back to my feet. “I’m bringing this place down right now. If you’re smart, you won’t try to stop me. Get away from here and take whoever you can with you.”

“I thought you were one of us,” he cries.