The man in the coffee shop stood up. “Come on,” he said.
“Here we go,” said Sam.
The man walked out of the restaurant. Nemo and Rena followed. Nemo turned to look at Rena, and for a moment Rena’s face was looking out at Six and Sam. She looked exhausted.
The man walked to a pickup truck. “Get in,” he ordered.
Nemo went in first, with Rena following. The man got in on the other side and started the truck.
“Where are we going this time?” Rena asked.
“Find out soon enough,” the man said as he pulled out of the parking lot.
“Should we follow them?” Sam asked Six.
Six shook her head. “I think this is it,” she said. “Besides, these roads are so deserted, it would be hard to stay out of sight. Let’s wait and see where they end up. Then we can go in.”
The truck wound its way up into the mountains, turning off the highway onto less-traveled roads until finally it was on what wasn’t much more than a dirt lane twisting through the forest. Eventually, after almost two hours of driving, even this ended, and the man pulled the truck over.
“Get out,” he said.
The two girls got out. Because of the darkness in the woods, it was difficult to make out much more than shadows. Nemo and Rena stood together. “Now what?” Rena asked.
“Now, we walk,” the man told her.
“Into the woods?” Nemo objected.
“Into the woods,” said the man.
“I’ve seen this movie,” Nemo said. “We’ll get ten yards in there, and you’ll shoot us or something.”
The man laughed gruffly. “You think we’d waste all this time just to kill you?” he said. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pistol, waving it at them. “But don’t try anything stupid.”
He disappeared into the trees. Rena and Nemo followed. The snowfall wasn’t deep this far into the forest, but it was thick enough to make walking difficult, especially as they were going uphill. For the next ninety minutes, they hiked farther and farther into the wilderness. The sound of their labored breathing filled the motel room.
“I feel guilty sitting here in a warm room while they’re out there,” Sam said, turning the sound down. “It’s like watching a horror movie.”
Six, who was testing the small receiver on which the girls’ transmitters could be followed, set the device down. “There are all kinds of hunting cabins in those mountains,” she said. “It’s easy to disappear in there. My guess is that Dennings has found something like that. What we don’t know—yet—is whether he’s moved the whole operation here or just part of it.”
“I don’t think even he is stupid enough to risk having us catch him with all those kids again,” said Sam.
“Agreed,” Six said. “And that’s what worries me. Why is he so willing to take these two in after what happened? And if Kirk is really here, what’s he doing with him? I don’t feel good about any of this.”
On the television, the hikers stepped out of the trees. They were standing at the bottom of yet another mountain. Snow fell lightly but steadily. Halfway up the mountain, lights burned in the darkness.
Nemo groaned. “More walking?”
“Relax, princess,” their guide said. “Your chariot is here.”
He pointed to an ATV parked at the edge of the trees. “Get on,” he said.
“You’re only supposed to put one person on the back of those,” Nemo objected as the man straddled the front seat and started up the four-wheeler.
“Then you’d better not fall off,” the man said. “I ain’t a taxi service, so if you don’t come now, you walk the rest of the way.”
“Come on,” Rena said to Nemo. “We’ll be all right.”
The two girls climbed onto the ATV. Reluctantly, Rena put her arms around the man in front, while Nemo squeezed in behind her and slipped her arms around Rena.
“Hang on tight,” the man said, laughing, as he gunned the engine.
Viewed through Nemo’s camera, the landscape bounced and shook as the ATV moved up the mountain. Its tires threw snow and dirt up in the air, and the girls grunted every time the vehicle leaped over a bump or slid sideways.
“I think I’m getting motion sickness,” Sam said, watching their progress.
Nemo closed her eyes, and for a few minutes the screen was black, and all they heard was the sound of the ATV’s engine. Then that came to an end. Nemo opened her eyes. They were parked next to a lodge. The three riders got off the four-wheeler, and the man led Nemo and Rena to a set of wooden stairs.
At the top, they entered through a doorway and went into a large, open room. The building was a cabin, and the walls were bare logs. Timbers crossed overhead, supporting the ceiling. Everywhere Nemo looked, her camera sent back images of animal heads mounted on the walls: bears, elk, deer, and mountain lions stared back with glassy eyes. There were birds, too, and fish, along with hunting rifles and traps. At one end of the room, a huge stone fireplace blazed with a crackling fire. The room was also lit by a huge chandelier made from deer antlers. Large windows provided a view of the woods below, which now were silvered with moonlight.
“Somebody likes shooting things,” Six remarked.
As Rena and Nemo looked around, Jagger Dennings came walking into the room. He strode over to the girls and stopped.
“Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon,” he said to Rena.
Rena shrugged. “Me either,” she said. “But you know how it is. Things change.”
“Yeah,” Dennings said. “They do.” He gestured around the room. “Although I guess I should thank you and your Garde friends. Because of them, I got to move into this place. A little nicer than the other one, don’t you think?”
Rena shrugged. “It’s pretty sweet. Smaller, though. Doesn’t look like there’s room enough for everybody.”
“Ah,” Dennings said. “Smart girl. You’re right about that. Not everybody made the move with me.”
“Why’s that?” Rena asked.
“Let’s just say we’ve refocused our business model,” Dennings replied. “Nothing to worry about, though. We can still use someone like you.” He turned his attention to Nemo. “And I see you’ve brought along a friend. You didn’t like what the HGA was offering either?”
“Not much,” Nemo said.
Dennings continued to look at her without saying anything. Nemo stared back. Finally, Dennings said, “Well, I’m sure we’ll find something to do with you.” Turning his attention to Rena, he said, “That reminds me. I’ve got somebody who’s been waiting to see you.” He turned and called over his shoulder, “Sparky! Come on out. Your friend is here.”
A young man appeared in the doorway. Tall and thin, with dark skin and close-cropped hair, he seemed nervous. He hesitated before running into the room and heading for Rena.
“Yo-Yo!” Rena shouted, and opened her arms. She hugged her friend for a long time. As she did, Six and Sam saw his mouth moving.
“Switch over to Rena’s feed,” Six said.
Sam did. By then, Rena and Yo-Yo had parted.
“I’ll back it up a little,” Sam said.
They watched Yo-Yo’s mouth moving again. This time they heard him speak.
“You shouldn’t have come back,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
Sam switched back to the live feed. Now Yo-Yo was standing silently, looking at the floor.
“I love a reunion,” Dennings said, clapping Yo-Yo on the back. “You and your friend have a lot of catching up to do, eh, Sparky?” To Rena he said, “Sparky here has some big news. Really exciting news.”
“Yeah?” Rena said. “What’s that?”
Dennings beamed. “He got his Legacy back. Well, Drac gave it back to him, after he showed us he deserved it.”
Rena looked at her friend. Yo-Yo was still looking down at the floor.
“Come on, Sparky,” Dennings said. “Show her.”
Yo-Yo lifted his hands and cupped them
in front of his body. He stared at the space between them. A few seconds later, a spark appeared, and a small flame burst to life. Yo-Yo held it in his hands as it burned.
“Look at that!” Dennings said. “Good as new!”
“What’s this about?” Sam said to Six. “Why does Yo-Yo look so scared?”
“I don’t know,” Six said. “But I don’t like it.”
Back in the lodge, Yo-Yo pulled his hands apart, and the flame disappeared. He put his hands at his sides and hung his head again, as if using his power was somehow embarrassing or shameful. Dennings put an arm around the boy’s shoulders, making Yo-Yo flinch.
“Pretty great, huh?” he said to Rena and Nemo.
“How’d you do it?” Rena asked.
Dennings held up a finger and wagged it. “That’s a secret,” he said. “The important thing is that Sparky here is back in business. And just in time.”
“In time for what?” Nemo asked.
Dennings took his arm from around Yo-Yo’s shoulders. “To play a game,” he answered. “You two like games, right?”
Nemo looked over at Rena. “Depends on the game,” Rena said.
Dennings nodded. “Sure,” he said. “I get it. I promise you, this game is a good one. It’s kind of like hide-and-seek. You’ve played that one, right, when you were kids? It’s easy. Somebody hides, and somebody else tries to find them. You don’t get found, then you win. In this case, if you don’t get caught, I let you back in.”
“And if we do get found?” Rena said.
Dennings frowned. “Well, then, I’m afraid you’re out of the game.”
“What’s he setting them up for?” Sam said. “I don’t like this. At all.”
“Why does Yo-Yo need his Legacy back to play?” asked Rena.
“Let’s just say it could come in handy,” said Dennings. He looked at his watch. “The seekers should be here in a couple of hours. Then we can start.”
“Who are these seekers?” Rena asked. “Other kids with Legacies?”
“No,” Dennings answered. “No Legacies to worry about.” He smiled, but there was nothing friendly about it. “But you’ll want to make sure they don’t catch you. Now, let’s go over the rules. You’ll get a fifteen-minute head start. Then the seekers will come after you. They’ll have twelve hours to find you.”
“Twelve hours?” said Nemo. “You expect us to hide out there in the cold woods all night?”
Dennings nodded. “You can always use Sparky’s Legacy to start a fire to keep warm,” he said. “Of course, that would probably give your location away. It’s up to you. The game ends at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. Like I said, if you haven’t been caught, you’re in.”
“How many seekers are there?” Rena asked.
“Good question,” said Dennings. “Two. And to make things a little fairer for you, I’m adding one more person to your team. Cutter, bring their other teammate out.”
The man standing behind the girls left the room. He returned pushing someone in front of him. The man’s hands were tied behind his back, and he stumbled as Dennings’s henchman shoved him to his knees.
When he looked up, Sam and Six were looking at the face of James Kirk.
CHAPTER SIX
RENA
THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHWEST MONTANA
“I’VE GOT TO GET THESE CUFFS OFF,” JAMES Kirk said.
They were running through the snow, or trying to, but Kirk kept tripping and falling. Already, five of their fifteen minutes had been used up. Soon, the seekers would be after them.
“Let’s keep moving,” Nemo said. “If we just keep going, we can get out of here and back to the highway.”
“It’s too far,” Kirk said. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. That’s the whole point. This isn’t about hiding. This is about fighting back. But I need my hands free.” He nodded at Yo-Yo. “See if you can melt them.”
He turned around so that the plastic zip tie securing his wrists together was facing Yo-Yo. The boy reached out and placed his fingertips on it. “This might be a little warm,” he warned.
A spark appeared, turning into a small flame. Kirk gritted his teeth as the plastic heated up. As soon as it was soft, he pulled his wrists apart. He scooped up some snow and rubbed it on the burns. “Thanks,” he said.
“Now what?” Rena asked.
Kirk looked around. “We go farther up,” he said. “It’s harder for us, but it’s also harder for someone chasing us to have to climb.”
They started to move. Dennings had sent them out without anything but what they had on them, which wasn’t much. Rena and Nemo hadn’t been planning to hike around in the woods and were trying to sell their runaway story, so they had dressed regularly and didn’t really bring anything with them. Rena’s sneakers were already soaked through.
“Do you two have any way of communicating with Six and Sam?” Kirk asked as they made their way through the forest.
“Yeah,” Rena said. “We’ve got mikes and cameras.”
“And tracking devices,” Nemo added.
“Can they talk to us?” asked Kirk.
“No,” Rena said. “But they can hear everything we say.”
“Okay,” said Kirk. “Sam and Six, I don’t know our exact location, but I’m guessing you can follow our tracking devices. I’ll try to keep us away from whoever is following us long enough for you to get here. Dennings kept me in solitary, so I don’t know how many people are up here. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.”
“Why’d he take you, anyway?” Nemo asked. “And how?”
“Same way he got Ghost and disappeared back in New Orleans,” Kirk answered. “Someone with a teleportation Legacy. One second I was sitting in the cockpit, and the next I felt a hand on my shoulder. By the time I turned around, I was in the back of a van and someone was sticking a needle in my arm. I woke up in a cell in the basement of that lodge. The only reason I know where we are is Dennings talked about it. Almost like he wanted to be sure I knew.”
“Was Ghost in there with you?” Nemo asked him.
“I don’t know,” said Kirk. “Like I said, I was kept away from everybody. I don’t think so, though. I get the feeling there aren’t that many people here. Yo-Yo, do you know?”
“They just brought me here yesterday,” Yo-Yo said. “Told me I was getting a second chance to prove I belonged with them. They’ve been doing that—bringing kids here a few at a time.”
Rena, already having a difficult time breathing while moving, asked, “Who are these seekers, anyway? People who work for Dennings?”
“I don’t know,” Kirk said. “This is the first I’ve heard of them.”
“They don’t work for Dennings,” said Yo-Yo. His voice was tight. “They pay him.”
“You mean they’re his bosses?” said Kirk.
“No, his customers.”
Kirk stopped. He looked at Yo-Yo. “What are you saying?”
Yo-Yo checked behind him. “We’ve got to go,” he said. “We’ve got to hide. Quick.”
“I need to know what we’re up against here,” Kirk pressed.
Yo-Yo licked his lips. “I don’t know, exactly,” he said. “But I heard some things. There are people paying to play this game—people who want to see if they’ve got what it takes to catch kids with Legacies.” He hesitated. “And I heard something else. Heard it’s not exactly hide-and-seek. Heard it’s more like hunting.”
“Hunting?” Rena said.
He nodded. “You see all those trophies hanging on the walls in that place? This here’s a place where people come to hunt game. And right now, I think they’re hunting us.”
“And what happens if they catch us?” asked Nemo.
Yo-Yo didn’t say anything.
“Yo-Yo?” said Rena. “What happens?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I heard different things.”
“Like what?” said Nemo.
“Like some of the kids who got sent here didn’t come back,” Yo-Yo told her.
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“All right,” Kirk said. “I think we should keep moving. Who these people are doesn’t really matter at this point. What does is that they don’t catch us, right?”
“And how do we make sure of that?” Nemo asked. “None of us can turn invisible, or teleport, or fly. The only one with a useful Legacy is Yo-Yo, and like Dennings said, we can’t use it without giving our location away.”
“We’ll worry about that when we have to,” said Kirk. “Right now, let’s get some more distance between us and them. Do any of you have a watch?”
“I do,” Rena said. She looked at it. “It’s been ten minutes.”
“We won’t get far in five more minutes,” Kirk said. “So let’s make them count.”
“Maybe we should split up,” Nemo suggested.
“No,” said Kirk. “I take it none of you has wilderness training. But I do. Follow me.”
They pushed on. The ground was getting steeper as they rose up the mountain. Making things worse, the snow had stopped and the clouds had dispersed. The moon, full and silver overhead, illuminated the woods where its light slipped in through the branches of the fir and pine trees. It was beautiful, but it also did very little to hide the four of them as they sought out a place to hide.
They were still climbing when a sound rent the air, a blast from an air horn.
“They’re coming,” Yo-Yo said. “The hunters.” His voice shook with fear.
“What if we climb up in the trees?” Nemo suggested.
“Then there’s nowhere to go if they find us,” Kirk pointed out. “We need to stay on the ground.” He looked around, surveying the forest. “All right. Here’s the plan. We hide. We wait for whoever is coming to move past us up the mountain. Then we head down and figure out what’s next.”
“Maybe we could get back to the lodge and take the ATV,” Rena suggested.
“We don’t have the key,” Nemo countered.
“I can start it without a key if we can get to it,” said Kirk. “But that’s later. Right now, we need to get under cover. We also need to make them think we’re still going up.”