Rise of the Elgen (12 page)

“Yeah,” Wade said, looking pale. “That wouldn’t be good.”

“You’re right,” Ostin said. “It wouldn’t be efficient. You’d crush bones long before it damaged the chip.”

“Can we cut it out?” Jack asked.

Wade’s eyes widened. “What?”

“You could do that,” Ostin said. “If you could find it.”

“What?” Wade said again. “You want to cut it out of my arm, like with a
knife
?”

Jack walked to the kitchen and returned with a steak knife. He handed it to me. “Cut it out.”

Wade stared, his eyes wide with fear. “Please don’t.”

“Is there any other way to break them?” I asked.

“You can microwave them,” Ostin said. “But even if Wade fit in a microwave, he’d probably explode.”

Wade was speechless.

“What about an EMP?” Zeus said. “Quentin used to blow out RFID readers at toll booths just to cause traffic jams.”

“What’s an EMP? Taylor asked.

“Electromagnetic pulse,” Ostin said. “A high-frequency electromagnetic burst could overload the RFID’s antenna and blow out the
chip.” He thought for a moment. “A quick electric surge could knock it out. But you’d have to be right above the RFID. And we don’t know where it is.”

“Ian can find it,” I said, looking at him. “Can’t you?”

“If I knew what I was looking for. What does it look like?”

“I’ve never seen one that small, but it would look like a tiny piece of metal,” Ostin said. “Like a sliver. Embedded in flesh it shouldn’t be that hard to find.”

“What about the EMP?” Taylor asked. “Where do you get one of those?”

“A big blast from Michael,” Ostin said.

“Why do all these solutions have to involve some form of torture?” Wade said. “Michael’s done that to me before.”

“He’s shocked you before,” Ostin said. “This would have to be much more powerful.”

“I really don’t mind the foil that much.”

“Quit being such a wimp,” Jack said.

“It’s that or the knife,” Ostin said.

“Enough of this,” Jack said. “Let’s get it over with. I’ll go first.”

“Ian?” I said.

Ian walked up to Jack. “Point to where they gave you that shot.”

Jack peeled back the foil and rolled up his sleeve. He pointed to a spot a few inches down from his shoulder.

We were all quiet as Ian looked at Jack’s arm. “I think I see it. It’s about the size of a sesame seed.”

“What does it look like?” Ostin asked.

He focused his eyes. “It has markings. Almost like . . . fingerprints.”

“That’s it,” Ostin said. “We should mark where it is. Anyone got a pen?”

Mitchell retrieved a fine-tipped marker from a drawer next to the phone. “Here.”

Ostin handed the marker to Ian, who drew a small dot on Jack’s skin. “It’s right there, about a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch in.”

“The subcutaneous level,” Ostin said.

I looked at Jack. “You sure about this?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really,” I said.

“Then I’m sure.”

“You should sit down,” Ostin said. “The shock might knock you out.”

“Right.” Jack walked over to the couch and sat back, his arm on the armrest.

I put my hand on his arm. “Ready?”

“I feel like I’m in the electric chair waiting for them to flip the switch. Don’t count or anything. Just do it.”

“Wait!” Abigail said. “I can help.” She walked over to Jack’s side and put one hand on his shoulder, the other on his neck. “Okay,” she said.

Jack smiled. “Thanks.”

I put my index finger on Ian’s ink dot and closed my eyes. Then I pulsed.

Jack’s body heaved and Abigail jumped back with a scream. The spot on Jack’s arm was bright red and there was a blister where my finger had touched him.

“Sorry,” I said.

It took him a moment to speak. “It was nothing,” he said, still looking a little dazed. “I think Abi took most of it.” He looked at her. “Are you all right?”

Her eyes were moist with tears, but she nodded.

“Thank you,” he said. “I owe you one.”

She forced a smile. “You’re welcome.”

Jack turned to me. “So, did it work?”

“Ian, what do you see?”

Ian looked at Jack’s arm. “The thing looks . . . smaller than it was, kind of wrinkled, like it’s melted.”

“Perfect,” Ostin said.

Wade stepped forward. “Guess it’s my turn.” He pulled the foil back from his arm.

Ian had to look a little longer for his. “What’s up with this? You’ve got a
bunch
of metal in there.”

Wade looked stumped for a moment, then said, “Oh. It’s probably buckshot. I got in the way of a shotgun when I was little.”

“His dad was drunk and took him duck hunting,” Jack said.

“There it is.” Ian marked the place with the pen.

Abigail put her hand on Wade’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to do this,” Jack said to her.

“I know.”

This time I didn’t hesitate. I put my finger on the spot and immediately pulsed. The shock wasn’t as strong as the first one, but it was strong enough. Abigail cried out as she pulled away, shaking her hand in pain. Tears were rolling down her face. McKenna and Taylor both put their arms around her to comfort her.

“I’m so sorry,” I said.

“It’s not your fault,” she replied.

Ian examined Wade’s arm. “It looks shriveled too.”

Jack wadded up a piece of foil from Wade’s arm and threw it at Mitchell. Then he grabbed Wade by the hand and pulled him up. “You’re the man.”

“That wasn’t so bad,” he said.

“Yeah, because Abi took it,” Taylor said. “How about a thank-you.”

“Sorry,” Wade said. “Thanks.”

“That’s okay,” Abigail said.

“Now that that’s done,” Ostin said, “how about some pizza?”

“I could go for that action myself,” Zeus said.

“Looks like there’s a little of everything,” Grace said, opening the boxes.

“Pineapple and Canadian bacon,” Ostin said. “Score.”

I took a couple of pieces of sausage and pepperoni pizza for Taylor and me, then we sat on the floor in the corner of the room. After we’d taken a few bites she asked, “Now what do we do?”

“We get the information out of Grace.” I looked over at Mitchell. “Hey, Mitchell. Do you have a computer?”

“Like six of them,” he said, his mouth full.

“We need your most powerful one. We’ve got to upload Grace.”

“What’s grace?”

Grace was sitting on the arm of the couch next to him. “I’m Grace,” she said.

Mitchell looked at her. “I don’t get it.”

“They’re uploading me,” she said.

“I’m so confused,” Mitchell said. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you,” I said. “Remember when I shocked you?”

“Yeah, like I’d forget that.”

“There are other kids like me with electric powers. Thirteen of them. The people who made us this way, the Elgen, are trying to get us back. That’s why they kidnapped my mother and Taylor.”

“You?” Mitchell said, looking at Taylor.

Taylor nodded.

“She’s electric too,” I said.

“You can shock too?” Mitchell asked.

“Kind of,” she said. “Just your brain.”

“Might be hard with Mitch,” Jack said. “Small target.”

Mitchell made a face.

I continued. “Jack and Wade drove Ostin and me to California to rescue my mother and Taylor.”

“Where we were captured and put in cells and tortured,” Wade said. “Still wish you had come?”

Mitchell looked at Jack. “The Elgen dudes captured you?”

Jack nodded. “They put these electric collars on us that would shock you if you even talked. But Michael escaped and freed us.”

“And the Elgen dudes are the ones looking for you now,” Mitchell said.

I nodded. “Yes.”

Jack said, “We came back to Idaho to regroup. But the Elgen were waiting for us. They burned down my house.”

“Then they recaptured us,” Wade said. “But we got away.”

“That’s where you come in,” I said. “The truck you saw us climb out of, that was what they were holding us in.”

“You’re really not making this up?”

Jack scowled. “Don’t be an idiot. You saw the truck, dude. You saw the bullet holes.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

“We’re hoping Grace has information about my mother,” I said. “That’s why we need a computer.”

Mitchell just stared at me for a moment. “But what if these Elgen guys find us?”

“That’s why we had to get rid of the RFIDs,” Jack said. “So they won’t.”

“There’s no way they’ll find us now,” Ostin said.

Just then my phone rang. Everyone turned to look at me as I answered. “Hello.”

“Get ready, Michael,” the voice said. “The Elgen are here.”

“W
here are they?” I asked.

Taylor grabbed my arm. At first I thought she was frightened, then I realized she was just listening in.

“They’re one street east of you. There are about a dozen guards in three vehicles. Did you get rid of the GPs?”

“No, but we destroyed the RFIDs,” I said. “At least we think we did.”

“You must have succeeded or else they would have already surrounded the house. They were probably closing in on you, then lost the signal. They’ve got a helicopter and listening devices, so stay inside and no loud talking. Turn up the radio or TV. They’re also going door to door with remote el-readers. They’re sensitive up to thirty feet, so stay away from the front door and outer walls.”

“What are el-readers?” I asked.

“They pick up erratic electrical signals like yours.”

Taylor looked up at the ceiling. “I hear a helicopter.”

“What should we do?” I asked.

“Prepare yourself for battle. Is there someone they won’t recognize who can answer the door when they arrive?”

“Mitchell can,” I said. “It’s his house.”

“
What
are you volunteering me for?” Mitchell asked.

Taylor shushed him.

“We’re positioned on both ends of the street, but we’re outnumbered. We won’t move in unless we have to. It’s best that we don’t engage them, unless you want to turn the whole area into a war zone. I’m guessing they have enough ammunition that they could level the block if they had to. Or at least the house.” The voice paused. “Did you hear that?”

“No.”

“I need to go before they intercept this signal. I’ll call back when it’s clear. Be strong. Good luck.” The phone went dead.

Taylor looked at me, her eyes dark with fear. Everyone else was staring at me as well.

“What?” Ostin and Zeus asked simultaneously.

I lowered my voice to a whisper. “The Elgen are in the neighborhood.”

“They’re in my
neighborhood
?” Mitchell said.

“Quiet,” Taylor whispered. “They have listening devices.”

“Someone turn the TV on,” I said.

“What channel?” Wade asked.

“A noisy one,” I said. “They don’t know where we are. They lost our signal. So they’re going door to door.” I looked at Mitchell. “If they come here, you’re going to have to answer the door.”

He turned white. “Why me?”

“Because they have machines that can detect us and you’re not one of us.”

“How about we just don’t answer the door?” he said.

“Then they’ll search your place, and if they pick up our el-waves . . .”

“But what’s going to stop them from forcing their way in?”

“Look,” I said. “They have a lot of houses to check. They won’t attack if they don’t think we’re here. So just act normal and nothing will happen.”

Mitchell just stared at me blankly. “Act normal? They’re going to kill us!”

Jack put his arm around him. “Listen, Mitch. It’s cage time in the Octagon. Wipe that fear off your face. You’re a warrior. No fear.”

Mitchell took a deep breath. “Right. No fear.”

“Jack, you’re going to have to be his backup.”

“Wade, Mitch, and I got it,” he said. “And you.” He pointed to Ostin.

Ostin looked around. “Me?”

“Yes, you. We might need your smarts.”

“We’ll need to know what’s going on,” I said.

“I’ll be watching,” Ian said.

“I know. But it would be better if we could hear what they’re saying.” I turned to Mitchell. “Does your house have an intercom system?”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure how to work it.”

“I’ll figure it out,” Ostin said. “Just show me where it is.”

“Set it so we can listen from the loft in the pool house.”

“Done,” Ostin said.

“All right,” I said. “Good luck, everyone.”

*   *   *

Ostin turned the front door’s intercom on so we could listen to what was happening. It was about twenty minutes before the doorbell rang. We heard the door open.

“Whassup, guys?” Mitchell said.

“We’re sorry to disturb you at this hour, but we’re from Homeland Security. There’s no need to panic, but we’ve received a report that there is a radiation leak in the area. For your safety, we need to check the radiation levels of your house.”

“Liars,” Taylor whispered.

Mitchell said, “Radiation? Someone got a bomb around here?”

“No, sir. It’s not a bomb. It may be nothing at all. May we please come in?”

“Uh, my parents are out, and they’d freak if I let strangers in. You got a warrant or something?”