A cry of revulsion rose up in Janelle’s throat. She struggled to yank her wrist from the monster’s grip, but her strength matched her own.
This monster had taken eight hundred lives. Purposely.
Andrina’s shark grin grew wider. She’d won, already. Now, Janelle was trapped in the grip of someone far worse than her father ever could have been. It had been a mistake to leave. She wanted to go back to him, and now, even if he took her straight to the ocean. Better his company than Andrina's. “So you must have heard me. All Tempests are born with different natural potentials, and you’ve got great power in you, Janelle. You’re going to make history, like me. But I doubt your father’s raised you with proper Tempest pride. He wants us to live our lives apologizing for what we are.” She glared over at Mr. Deville and then at Gary, who’d frozen near the window. “There are so many disappointments in our world, but I know you will not be one of them."
Heart racing, Janelle thrashed against her grip. There was a mistake. Those words weren’t about her. “I’m not like that.”
“But you are,” Andrina said. “I’ll help you bring out that power. You may be the one to save us.”
Mr. Deville voice quavered as he spoke. “You can’t use this girl for Operation Reckoning. The guilt would kill her. I won’t stand for this.”
Andrina faced him, her words rolling like crashing waves. “Do not argue with me.”
Janelle took the distraction. She ducked, breaking her grasp. The classroom tilted around her.
Andrina’s other hand shot out and caught her wrist, stopping her cold. Now her voice dripped with sugar, but there was still a blade underneath, waiting to come out and slice at any second. “Janelle, listen to me. I have your best interests at heart. You might be scared now, but your fear is misdirected. The world is changing, and we need to--"
Gary’s fist swung at the side of Andrina’s face. There was a clunk as her teeth clamped together. With a jolt, she let go of Janelle’s wrist and staggered back, holding her other hand to her cheek. Janelle caught her balance as Kevin rushed over to catch his leader.
Gary took her place, fists balled and nodding at some chairs nearby. “Now!”
Janelle raced for them. She lifted a chair in front of her to use as a shield. To the side, Mr. Deville rushed to do the same thing. The three of them had to fight. It was the only way out of here.
Janelle had never fought anyone in her life. Well, she’d slapped a boy in kindergarten for throwing Leslie's lunch on the ground, but that was it.
Still, she had to try. If she was as powerful as they said she was, they might have a chance.
Footfalls sounded as someone raced for her. She whirled around, chair held high and mind blank.
“Umph!” Kevin collided with it so hard that his sunglasses bounced on his face. He hadn't been expecting this.
Shock ran up her arms, bending her elbows. Janelle flew back into a table. Pain surged through her back. Yellow spots danced in front of her eyes. Kevin was still rushing at her, clawing his way around the chair, but somehow, she found the strength to shove the chair back into him. He flew back, hitting the file cabinet with a bang.
She'd pushed back a guy twice her size. But there was no time to marvel.
“Run, Janelle!” Mr. Deville leapt in front of Andrina, pushing her into a desk.
Camellia left the doorway and ran at her son, waving her arms. “Hank! Knock it off!”
The door was open. Her teacher had given her an escape.
But she wasn’t leaving without Gary.
Andrina held Mr. Deville up against the wall by the cuff of his shirt. Camellia waved her arms at her boss. “My son! You’re hurting him!”
A breeze snapped through the room, blowing papers everywhere. Camellia moved out of the way, revealing the worst: Kevin had Gary in a headlock. Gary kicked his feet and gasped for air as his face turned a purple color. Gary’s breaths grew more ragged by the second. They'd kill him if she didn't move.
“Hey!” Janelle shouted. She wasn’t even sure what she was doing.
It was as if someone had hit the pause button. Kevin peeked over his sunglasses. Camellia whirled around. Andrina glared in her direction, the gray in her eyes swirling. If Gary's had been terrifying, hers were worse.
The sight stopped her in her tracks, paralyzing her.
Andrina’s knuckles grew big around Mr. Deville’s shirt. “Camellia, restrain her.”
The old woman shook her head, her own gray eyes almost as scary. “Not until you release Hank.”
The sound of Gary's breaths seemed to have stopped. The cord of desperation tugged again as Andrina shoved her teacher back into the window. She had seconds before that monster captured her again.
Janelle seized a chair and lifted it over her shoulder. It felt light as cardboard, but it could do major damage if she threw it. Kevin froze, staring at her from behind his sunglasses. His mouth fell open. Gary sagged in the headlock. Was he passing out? She had to act fast.
“Let go of him.” She sounded more confident now. Maybe all of them could escape.
Kevin's grip on Gary loosened, and he sucked in a breath and elbowed Kevin in the ribs. Gary broke free and joined her at the door, gasping for air as Mr. Deville peeled himself from the window. Camellia and Andrina stood frozen near the desk to watch.
“You can only hit one of us, sweetie,” Andrina said, smiling and ignoring the fact that Kevin was doubled over, grasping his ribs. Her lack of concern melted the confidence building inside her. She was right. “And frankly, that’s not going to do a lot of damage.”
“Janelle, come on,” Gary said.
Mr. Deville barreled past her, shoving her aside. “Go!” he ordered, ramming into her.
Janelle dropped the chair and ran, too. Something fell from her pocket and clattered to the floor, but she couldn’t stop. The only thing that mattered right now was getting away from the Tempest High Leader and whatever plan she had for her.
Mr. Deville pulled out his keys as he slammed into the double doors, sending them flying open so hard they banged against the building. The maroon car waited in the parking lot. It didn’t seem so crappy anymore. It was their ride out of here.
High heels hit the floor behind her, loud and desperate. “Janelle!”
She stole a glance back. Andrina ran after them, teeth bared. She’d reach them before Mr. Deville got the door unlocked.
Janelle stopped, gaze darting around for anything she could use to slow her down.
“What are you doing?” Gary’s voice rang in her ears as his shoes squeaked to a stop.
“Go! Get the car started!”
He didn't. A fire extinguisher hung from the wall nearby. She took it and pulled out the pin, aiming the nozzle at Andrina. What was she doing? This couldn't possibly work.
But the Tempest High Leader slid to a stop two feet away, rage melting from her face as her jaw dropped open. Her arms flew up in front of her as Janelle pulled the trigger. A white spray erupted from the nozzle, showering Andrina. She let out a scream, a human scream with no trace of growling wind or crashing waves. The sound pulled at her chest. For a moment Janelle wanted to stop—was she hurting her? No. This was Andrina, killer of hundreds. Janelle was doing the right thing.
Andrina stumbled to the floor under the spray. The foam sputtered to a stop, leaving the Tempest High Leader covered and shivering in fizz.
Janelle dropped the empty extinguisher to the floor. It rolled over to the wall with a metallic plink.
“Come on!” Gary shouted.
Janelle ducked out of the door he was holding open. The headlights shined at her like a pair of eyes and the engine rumbled, pleading with her to hurry. No arguments there. She yanked the door open and dove into the backseat.
“Janelle! You’re betraying your people!”
Andrina stood by the exit door, the content
s of the extinguisher covering her body like a foamy parka. Baring her teeth again, she raised both palms.
Janelle clawed at her jeans, bracing for the storm in the parking lot. “Go. Please!”
A faint breeze whistled through the air…and died.
Mr. Deville stared on as Andrina let loose a cry of frustration and waved her hands again. Papers blew across the parking lot, but they stopped after a few feet, as if too exhausted to go on.
“I said go!” Janelle shouted. She didn't have time to care that she sounded bossy.
“I agree,” Gary said, snapping on his seat belt.
Mr. Deville switched gears—finally. “Hang on tight!”
Andrina ran towards the car, shaking off foam and raining clumps of it everywhere. She’d reach them in two seconds.
Janelle pushed the lock down. “Exit!”
The Tempest High Leader reached the door and tugged on it, face contorting with frustration, but it refused to budge. The car sped forward with a squeal, breaking her grip and leaving her in the middle of the parking lot.
* * * * *