Nikki Powergloves and the Power Council

Chapter Fifteen: Cragglyville turns to stone

  The villains had a leader. Naomi had beat Jimmy and Peter fair and square. Jimmy knew that. He hoped he could become leader later, but for now he would do what Naomi told him to do. She was telling him something right now, but he wasn’t listening.

  “Are you even listening to me?” Naomi said sternly. Her hands were on her hips again.

  “Uh, yeah,” Jimmy lied.

  “Well then, what do you think of the plan?” Naomi asked.

  Jimmy said, “Sounds great,” although he didn’t even know what the plan was.

  “Okay, then let’s do it.”

  Jimmy looked to Peter, who had changed back from a bull into a boy, for guidance on what they were supposed to do. Peter just stared at him stupidly.

  “What are you waiting for?” Naomi snarled.

  Jimmy was about to admit that he hadn’t heard the plan, when Peter said, “I don’t remember.”

  Naomi stomped her feet in frustration. “Idiot!” she growled. “The plan is simple. Peter will wear his gray hat, the one with the picture of the stones on it. Got it so far, Tweedle-Dumb?”

  Peter shrugged. “I guess so.”

  Naomi rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you just put on your gray hat now so you don’t forget.”

  Jimmy was glad he wasn’t the one looking stupid. He watched as Peter opened his powerchest and donned his gray hat.

  “Good job, Petey!” Naomi said sarcastically. She clapped her hands mockingly. “Now we’re gonna go back to Cragglyville and Peter’s gonna use his powers to turn the whole town to stone, doesn’t that sound like fun?”

  Peter shrugged again. “I guess so,” he repeated.

  “Great, let’s go,” Naomi said.

  Like they had earlier in the day, they held hands and Jimmy used his yellow boots to teleport them behind the dumpster in Cragglyville. They crept to the end of the alley.

  The streets were a flurry of activity. Police officers had blocked off Main Street with yellow emergency tape. The townspeople were crowded against the tape, trying to get a look at the destruction Peter had caused while he was a cannonball. Construction workers were busy trying to repair the damage to the surrounding buildings.

  Naomi grinned at Jimmy. “Perfect,” she said. Jimmy grinned back. At least they agreed on something. Attacking Cragglyville was fun.

  Naomi gave Peter a push in the back. “Showtime,” she said.

  Peter stumbled onto the sidewalk. No one noticed him as he approached the crowds. They were too busy gawking. Jimmy watched as Peter muscled his way between the onlookers, pushing his way to the front. He ducked under the yellow tape. A burly policeman raised a hand and said, “Sorry, kid, no pedestrians past this point.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Peter said. He pointed a finger at the policeman’s feet. Gooey, grayish liquid shot from his fingertip.

  The crowd gasped as the policeman’s feet were covered by the sludge. “What the—” the man said, looking down at his feet. Seconds later, his legs were encased in a solid stone block from the knees down. He tried to move, but couldn’t. Jimmy held a hand over his face to stifle a laugh. Nice one, Peter! he thought.

  Peter sauntered past the policeman. Two policewomen and another policeman moved in front of him, but he quickly covered their feet in stone, too. They were stuck like a truck in the muck. Some people in the crowd started to run away from Main Street, but Peter aimed a finger at each of them and soon they were covered in gray slime. Moments later they were encased in stone!

  Jimmy and Naomi were practically squealing with laughter. Peter was incredible!

  Out of the corner of his eye, Jimmy saw a man striding down the sidewalk toward Peter. Something about the way the man was walking made Jimmy pay attention to him. Peter’s back was to the man. He had to warn his friend!

  Just when Jimmy was about to shout to Peter, he paused, as he recognized the man. It was Nikki Powergloves’s father! He watched as the man reached in his belt and pulled something out: a gun! It didn’t look like the type of gun that a police officer used, but was more futuristic, with a shiny, steel handle and a long barrel. Peter was in big trouble!

  Jimmy yelled, “Peter, behind you!”

  Nikki’s father jerked his head to the side and his eyes locked on Jimmy’s. His stare penetrated Jimmy and made him shiver. The man didn’t look like your average father in a small, farm town. He looked intense, menacing, capable. But capable of what?

  At the same time, Peter turned around sharply and saw Nikki’s dad looking at Jimmy. Without hesitation, Jimmy’s big friend aimed a finger at Mr. Nickerson and splatted gray ooze all over his legs. In less time than it takes to swallow a piece of gum, he was cemented to the ground, like the rest of Cragglyville. He was still holding his gun tightly in his hand, but then he looked at it and tucked it firmly into his pants and covered it with his shirt.

  Peter looked around at what he had done. People were yelling and arguing everywhere. They were all stuck. All angry. Most scared. But not Nikki’s dad. He just continued to stare at Jimmy.

  Peter walked back to the alley and said, “How’d I do?”

  Jimmy was about to say that he had done very well, but then remembered that Naomi was their leader. He looked at her.

  She said, “You did well, Peter. Very well.” She smiled evilly. “If that doesn’t get Nikki’s attention, I don’t know what will.”

  Jimmy said, “What next?”

  “Now we wait,” Naomi said.