excitement. He’d watched the spy franchise with his dad. His favorite actor portraying the iconic character was the current one. But his Dad’s favorite was Sean Connery and the phone’s voice was a spot on match.
“I need the nearest safe house,” Agent Baker said. “Map right.”
Simone gasped in Dane’s ear: the phone projected a map across his side of the windshield. He could make out a pin light projecting from the phone’s side.
“You’re my co-pilot,” the agent smiled.
Dane smiled back. But he knew time was crucial. It meant everything.
“They’re getting closer!” Penny yelled from the back.
The phone calculated: maps flashed at dizzying speeds. Dane had to look away. Between his sneakers sat Simone’s backpack.
“I suck at directions,” Dane said. “Sims, switch with me.”
“Thanks, Dane,” Simone said, unbuckling.
He shrugged. “You’ll enjoy the spy phone more.”
Dane grabbed the backpack. He had to use both hands. Simone’s pack was more like a hiker’s. Kids at school called her The Homeless Hobo, except for when Collin was around.
Dane climbed over the console. “You got any gadgets in here?”
Simone squeezed by him. “It’s an extra music video if you break anything.”
“Sure thing.” Dane moved passed Paul, his finger traced his medallion, as if in a trance. “Alex, you’ve got the best sense of direction out of all of us. Sit next to Paul. I have a plan.”
Alex rose, her eyes shining with excitement.
The van’s tight aisle pressed them together.
Alex’s cheek brushed his. Dane did his best to concentrate on the back window and the incoming headlights. Alex’s heat left him.
Dane sat between Collin and Penny. He did his best to ignore Penny’s knowing gaze.
The phone stopped on a map. “The nearest safe house is 412 Campion Street.”
“That’s in our neighborhood,” Alex said.
Paul eyed Alex. “Didn’t your mom say suspicious stuff was going on there?”
Simone maneuvered the map on the windshield by touch. “It must have motion sensors.”
“Do you need medical attention, Agent Baker?” The phone asked. “Your vitals are—”
“No,” Baker replied.
“Wow,” Paul said, “he’s way more attentive than my phone.”
“Tell me about it,” Agent Baker said. “Where’re we going, Simone?”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Simone asked.
Even from the back seat, Dane could make out the palpitating red web on her arm. It reflected off the driver side window. If, instead of a lightsaber, Darth Vader had Spider-Man’s web shooting ability, the red vines on Agent Baker’s arm would be what shot out of Vader’s wrist.
“I’ll make it,” Agent Baker said. “Just tell me where to go. I don’t always trust his directions.”
“I disagree, Agent Baker,” the phone said. “Right turn in six, five—”
Simone pointed at the map trying to figure out if it was the best route. The blue arrow that represented their location was the size of a large cockroach.
“—four, three—”
“Simone, sweetie.” Agent Baker gripped the steering wheel.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“One.”
There might’ve been a slight I-told-you-so-edge in the phone’s Scottish voice.
“Hold on!” Agent Baker jerked the steering wheel.
Dane clutched the seat.
Tires screeched. The left half of the van popped up on the curb taking out a cardboard garage sale sign before leveling back to the street.
With the van once again in control, Agent Baker asked, “Paul, why the library?”
Dane unzipped and searched blindly through the backpack’s countless internal pockets. How had the agent known Paul’s name?
“Oh, no,” Collin breathed.
Passing streetlamps revealed the horror. The creature with the hat rose from the VW Bug’s sunroof. It was holding a long rifle-like weapon. The end of the gun barrel blazed red.
Unable to look away, Dane’s fingers blindly searched the backpack’s pockets. He must’ve imagined the weapon’s low hum, some wicked déjà vu dream.
Dane found what he needed. His plan seemed childish, but he couldn’t think of anything else.
25
Dane pulled the miniature helicopter and its remote controller from Simone’s backpack. “Hey, Sims! You got any firecrackers or cherry bombs in here? Never mind, I found some black cats. Any matches?”
“Outer small pocket,” Simone called back from the passenger seat.
Dane unzipped the front pocket. “C-man, you mind opening the back doors for me?”
“Are you insane?” Penny asked. She gnawed on her bottom lip.
Before Dane could reply, Collin shoved his and Penny’s heads down.
A red light filled the back. A deafening explosion. The van’s frame rattled.
Ears ringing, Dane lurched forward, grabbing Alex’s chair to stay upright. His stomach flipped. The van teetered forward.
“The back wheels are off the ground!” Penny screamed.
Dane looked back. The night stars twinkled down at him. Both backdoors had been blown off or disintegrated. Gravity brought the van back down: the stars blurred, a well-lit gas station rose into view, and the van crashed back to the street with teeth chattering velocity.
The weight of Simone’s backpack kept Dane from hitting the van’s roof. How had Agent Baker managed to keep them on the road?
“Is everyone okay?” Agent Baker yelled.
“Paulie, the back of your chair is on fire,” Penny said. “Give me the fire extinguisher.”
Blue fabric rose in orange embers.
Paul unlatched the fire extinguisher from the side panel by his feet and passed it over.
“If it doesn’t work, I’ll get the other one,” Paul said.
Dane pulled out the matches. “Wait, you have a second fire extinguisher?”
“My dad was a Cub Scout,” Penny said, pulling the fire extinguisher’s safety tab.
“Eagle Scout,” Paul corrected.
“Whatever.” Penny fired the extinguisher.
The white chemicals snuffed out the small blaze.
Dane smiled, wind from the open back rustling his hair. Maybe his plan would work.
“They’re g-g-gainnig.” Collin said.
“Thanks for opening the doors for me,” Dane said, watching the street blur by.
“Any-t-t-time,” Collin didn’t take his eyes off the VW’s headlights.
“Turn left!” Alex shouted.
Agent Baker pumped the brakes, screeching tires. The Blue Beast took the turn at a sickening speed.
“We turned early,” Simone said. “Going straight was faster.”
“You’re taking us through the woods?” Dane asked.
“The ole Blue Beast,” Alex said, “has a better chance to make it through than a VW Bug.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Penny said.
“Ye have little faith, Penny.” Dane tied the string of firecrackers to the skid of the toy helicopter. “Take a left at the fork—”
“I know,” Alex said. “The dried-up creek bed.”
“Good idea.” Simone traced the phone’s projected path.
“Vamps missed th-the turn,” Collin said.
“Good,” Agent Baker said, “finally a break in our favor.”
“She sounds like she’s in a lot of pain,” Penny whispered.
The red glowing vines on the window’s reflection had covered the agent’s entire bicep.
“Penny, why the library?” Agent Baker asked. Her blue eyes nothing but gray shadows in the rearview mirror.
Dane leaned forward. “Well, we have these bracelets on—”
“I know,” Agent Baker said, “and you broke into Dr. Muraoka’s house and—”
“Actually, we walked in the front door,” Paul said. “His nephew Tommy—”
The agent’s eyes shifted to Paul. “Nephew? I don’t know anything about that.” Her eyes back on the road, the agent asked again, “Did Dr. Muraoka send you to the library?”
Penny glanced at Dane.
Agent Baker had saved their lives, for now, she was trustworthy. “Mad Murry went through the portal,” Dane said.
“He’s not helping you?” A passing streetlamp highlighted the agent’s wide eyes.
“No,” Penny said, “Simone and I think we’ve figured out how to enter the portal.”
“Good work,” Agent Baker said. “I’m proud of you both.”
“Where does it lead?” Simone asked.
“I don’t know,” Agent Baker said. “You must enter soon. There is no time. The professor must have left you clues.”
“Clues?” Paul said.
“How do you know?” Dane asked.
“Because there is more at work than you could possibly know,” Agent Baker said. “All of humanity is at risk of annihilation.”
Dane nearly dropped the toy helicopter. He forgot he was holding it. Annihilation? He opened his mouth to ask why his bracelet had symbols. But the phone’s screen lit up with a blue waveform.
“A compact car is approaching at a high speed.”
Dane glanced out the open back. The Bug’s headlights grew larger.
“The road is ending,” Agent Baker said.
The van’s headlights spotlighted trees at the end of the alleyway.
“Keep going straight,” Simone said. “Follow the dirt road.”
The van took the curb easily enough, sparks flying from the back bumper.
Dane eyed the matches in his hand. “You think the Blue Beast will hold?”
“Doubtful,” Penny said, the word trembling from the vibrating van.
“Everyone d-down!” Collin yelled.
Dane ducked. A red blaze, an electrical buzz, a hole in the front windshield, and underbrush on fire at the fork in the road.
“You’d never see it coming,” Dane whispered. “Just a