I made my way to my room and plopped down on the thick bed. I glanced at the alarm clock. A little after ten. I closed my eyes, then opened them. I sat up. I got off the bed and paced around the room. I stared at the clock. Exactly two minutes had passed.
I couldn’t sit still until it was time to meet Lulu without going crazy. So, I took a quick shower to kill some time. I turned the water up as hot as I could stand it and let it soak into my body, as if it would linger there and drive away the cold of the factory. Once I’d dried off, I put on my favorite pair of faded jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt with Pow! and Bif! and Bam! and other cartoon words on it.
I took extra care with my makeup. I was going to war, so I put on all my paint. Foundation, powder, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick. After all, a girl should look her best when she was about to meet her inevitable doom and death. A leather jacket completed the look. It wasn’t Bulluci’s fall collection, but it would have to do.
I grabbed a couple of Carly Simon CDs out of the cardboard boxes that littered the floor and tossed them into a bag with the swords and scabbard. I needed to psych myself up a little bit for the mission at hand. Okay, a lot. A whole hell of a lot.
I took a long, last look at myself in the mirror. Fear, panic, worry. All those emotions and more swirled in my troubled blue eyes. Tension tightened my face underneath all the makeup. I blew out a long, long breath. My emotions, my fears, my concerns didn’t matter anymore. All that was important now was saving Striker and the rest of the Fearless Five.
It was time to go to work.
Chapter Twenty-Six
I walked to the garage attached to the far side of the manor and flipped a switch. The bright lights illuminated row after row of cars, motorcycles, and vans. I randomly picked a set of keys off a pegboard near the door and hit the alarm button. The lights on a silver Aston Martin lit up. Not a bad ride. Not a bad ride at all.
I opened the driver’s side door, slid inside, and put my bag of swords in the passenger seat. I adjusted the mirrors, fastened my seat belt, and popped in a CD. Carly Simon’s deep, husky, angry voice blared out. She sang about people being vain, among other things.
My spirits lifted just a bit. “Ready or not, here I come. Carmen Cole, reporter extraordinaire, to the rescue.”
I stomped down on the gas.
*
Thirty minutes later, I tapped my fingers on the side of my parfait glass. The dark dregs of a triple-chocolate milkshake clung to the bottom of the container. I glanced at my watch. Eleven-fifteen. Lulu was late. My inner voice chattered. I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to go. Now. I put a ten-dollar bill on the table and stood.
The door chimed open. A motor sounded, and Lulu zoomed into the diner. She zipped over to me. The cobalt streaks in her black hair gleamed under the bright lights. I sank back down into my cherry-colored vinyl booth.
“Sorry. Traffic was terrible,” Lulu said. “Yeti Girl was throwing cars around the freeway. Swifte showed up and helped the cops tranq her, but it took them forever to get the debris off the road.”
“I was about to give up on you.”
“Now, you should know better than that, Sister Carmen. I always deliver. I’m better than the post office. If you’ll step outside with me, I have the items you requested.”
I followed Lulu out to the parking lot. A black van not unlike the one the Fearless Five used sat in the shadows. Lulu knocked once on the door. It slid open, revealing Jasper. He smiled at me.
“Step into my parlor,” Lulu said.
A hydraulic lift hissed to life. Lulu strapped her chair to the device, which picked her up and deposited her inside the van. Once Lulu was settled, I climbed inside and shut the door behind me.
“You remember Jasper.”
I nodded at the bomb expert.
“He has the items you wanted.”
Jasper opened a black duffel bag at his feet. He pulled out a device shaped like a cherry with the stem attached. “These contain a very concentrated form of explodium. Think of them as mini-grenades that pack a hell of a punch. I’ve made ten of them for you.”
“How big a punch?” I asked.
“Let’s just say you wouldn’t want to be anywhere within fifty feet of them when they go off. You can throw them, and they’ll explode on impact, or you can set them on a timer to detonate when you choose. I would suggest the latter method, unless you’re the Baseballer. I’ve included a remote trigger for you, or you can set the time on the bomb itself and watch it count down, just like in the movies.”
Jasper demonstrated how to arm the bomb and made me do the same. When he was convinced I sort of knew what I was doing, he pulled another device out of the bag. This one was shaped like a pineapple.
“And this is the big bang. The boom-boom, if you will. This bomb has enough explodium in it to level a building—something Lulu said you might be interested in.”
“You’ve got that right.” I’d like nothing better than to destroy the Triad’s lair, after I saved Striker and the others.
“Again, it has a remote trigger, or you can set the timer.”
Jasper showed me how to operate the device and made me repeat the steps back to him.
“And that concludes my business here. Enjoy.” He winked at me. “Don’t blow yourself up, Carmen. You’re becoming one of my best clients.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I’d never thought I’d be on a bomber’s preferred client list. Although, if he gave me a discount, it might be worth it.
Lulu handed Jasper a thick, brown envelope. “Thank you for your speedy assistance, Brother Jasper. Have a good evening.”
Jasper pocketed the envelope. “You girls have fun. Try not to destroy too much of the city.”
He opened the van door, got out, and shut it behind him.
“How much money did you give him?” I asked.
“Two hundred fifty thousand dollars. He wanted an even half million, but I talked him down.”
“Lulu!” I closed my eyes. My nest egg looked like a single chicken feather compared to that dollar amount. A moldy, moth-eaten feather. “I don’t have that kind of money. I’ll never be able to pay you back. Not in a million years.”
Lulu waved her hand. “I told you. The next three favors are on me, remember? Besides it’s time somebody taught Malefica and her crew a lesson.”
The hard tone in her voice caught my attention. “What do you mean by that?”
Lulu stared at her legs. And I just knew.
“Malefica’s the reason you’re in that chair,” I whispered.
Lulu nodded. Her black hair bobbed back and forth. “Five years ago, the Triad broke into the Complete Computer Company. They wanted the company’s new microchip. I was there doing an internship. The Fearless Five showed up, and a big battle ensued. In the confusion, Malefica grabbed me. She used me as a human shield so she and the Triad could get away. We went up to the roof, and Malefica forced me into a helicopter. We took off and hovered over the building. The Fearless Five came out on the roof. And—”
“And Malefica dropped you out of the helicopter,” I finished.
“Striker tried to catch me, but he missed. I didn’t fall that far, maybe twenty feet, but I broke my back and messed up my spinal cord. Hence, the wheelchair.”
I put my hand on Lulu’s arm. “I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Lulu shrugged. “It didn’t matter. You can’t change what happened. Nobody can.” Her dark eyes drilled into mine. “But Malefica needs to pay for what she’s done. Not only to me, but to you, to the Fearless Five, to every person she’s ever hurt or used or manipulated. If you’re going to go after her, I’ll help you any way I can.”
Lulu handed me a folder filled with papers. “I got the original blueprints from city hall just like you wanted. You were right. Malefica had tampered with a set I found online. I also found an old-timer who worked at the ice cream factory for more than thirty years. He said the best way in and out of the plant is through
this loading dock here. From your description, he figures Malefica’s office is there, and the computers and the Fearless Five are probably here.” She pointed to the locations on the map. “See these exes? If you place your bombs there, you should be able to bring down the whole building. Jasper was kind enough to mark the structural hot spots for me.”
“Thanks, Lulu.” I stuffed the papers into the bag with the bombs. “Now, I want you to promise me something.”
“What?”
“If I don’t make it back—”
“You will. You’ll be fine,” Lulu protested.
“Be real. I’m going up against three of the world’s most vicious ubervillains. I have a very, very slim chance of survival. I have a better chance of winning the lottery, and I don’t even play. The most I can hope for is to free a member of the Fearless Five and hope he or she can get the others out.”
“I have faith in you, Sister Carmen. You’ve made it this far. You’ll find a way to survive.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. But if I don’t make it out, I want you to expose Morgana Madison. Tell the whole world she’s really Malefica, but do it anonymously. She’s already discredited me, and I don’t want her to come after you too.” I pulled a CD out of my jacket and handed it to Lulu. “All the information you need is on here. Photos, documents, the money trail. Leak it to The Chronicle and SNN first. They’ll eat it up. It’ll go national in five seconds. We can have our revenge, one way or the other.”
“It’ll be my pleasure.” Lulu palmed the disc. “Take care, Sister Carmen. Good luck.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll need it.”
*
I got out of the van and shut the door behind me. Lulu cranked the motor and drove away. I watched the taillights fade into the dark night, carefully picked up the bag of bombs, and walked to the borrowed Aston Martin. The bag went in the back, while I slid into the front seat.
Ten minutes later, I steered the car off the side of the road. The ice cream factory towered in the distance about a quarter mile away. I drove the car into the woods, where it couldn’t be seen, parked, killed the headlights, and got out. The ground felt moist and springy underfoot, and the scent of pine trees and sap tickled my nose. A crescent moon hung like a silver lantern in the sky. It might be the last moon I’d ever see. I shoved that unpleasant thought aside.
I grabbed the swords and scabbard, took off my leather jacket, and tossed it in the car. The night air chilled my skin, but I had no doubt that I’d soon be much, much colder. I strapped on the scabbard and put the two swords into their slots. The weapons felt odd on my back. I picked up the black duffel bag and eased it over my shoulder.
I walked through the woods toward the ice cream factory. A few bugs chirped in the deep shadows. Bullfrogs bellowed, and owls hooted in the treetops. Dry leaves crackled under my sneakers, their earthy aroma mingling with the sticky sap of the pine trees. The sounds and smells of the woods comforted me. I was a country girl at heart, no matter how long I’d been in the big city.
I reached the edge of the woods, crouched down, and peered through the trees. The ice cream factory towered above me. With its shattered windows and graffiti-covered walls, the building looked like it belonged in the middle of a war zone. I stopped where I was, looking, listening. Nothing moved outside the building, and I couldn’t detect any noise or movement inside.
I checked the swords on my back and the bag slung over my shoulder one more time. Everything was in place. It was now or never.
I crept forward.
*
Using the trees for cover, I skirted around the building until I came to the loading dock entrance. I pulled out Lulu’s blueprints and double-checked the location. Right on track. I stuffed the papers into my back pocket, got a firm grip on the duffel bag, and darted across the parking lot as fast as I could. I eased myself up against the building, then stopped and waited, looking, listening. Nothing, except my ragged breaths and the frantic beating of my heart.
I crept over to the door and tried the knob. It turned, and I inched open the door. No alarms sounded, no sirens blared. I snuck inside and closed the door behind me. I stood at the entrance a moment, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light. I was in a large, square room. Empty buckets and barrels littered the floor, and I tiptoed through the debris. Goosebumps covered my arms. It couldn’t be more than thirty degrees inside the factory. Evidently, Frost was up to his usual tricks.
I peeked around the corner. The room opened up into the main factory floor. A catwalk crisscrossed over my head. No one in sight. I turned right and headed for a metal support beam in the center of the wall. According to Jasper’s directions, I should plant the first bomb here. I took one of the cherry-shaped devices out of my bag, flicked a switch to arm it, and nestled it next to the beam. I paused every few seconds to look and listen. Nothing. I grabbed some loose pieces of brick and piled them over the bomb to hide it. It wasn’t much of a disguise, but hopefully it would pass a casual inspection. I let out a breath. One down. Lots more to go.
I repeated the process over and over, making a circle around the inside of the factory, until I’d planted all of my bombs. Luckily, the points Jasper had marked on the map were away from the very center of the factory, where Malefica was holding the Fearless Five.
Once the final bomb was in place, I pulled out the remote trigger and programmed it to detonate the bombs in one hour. If we weren’t out in an hour, we weren’t getting out at all. I stuffed the duffel bag and remote trigger down a metal grate about twenty feet from the last bomb. I also ripped up the blueprints and threw the pieces down the grate as well, piling bricks on top of it so it couldn’t be seen. The Terrible Triad might find some of the bombs and disarm them, but it was unlikely they could get to them all without the trigger.
My hands shook. Now came the hard part. I reached over my back and drew the two swords out of the leather scabbard. I twirled them in my hands to get a feel for them. I took a long breath and blew it out to steady my ragged nerves. I could do this. I’d planted the bombs without being detected. All I had to do now was free the Fearless Five. If they were still alive.
I closed my eyes and thought of Sam. His eyes, his smile, the way his lips felt on mine. My heart tightened. He had to be alive. He just had to be. They all had to be alive.
I tiptoed through the factory. I moved slowly, cautiously, and kept to the shadows. I passed the room where I’d been held on my last visit. I went by and ducked under a set of metal stairs. Icicles hung like jagged daggers from the underside. I peeked around a tall canister. Through the maze of pipes, I spotted the cages that contained Frost’s pet projects. The animals must be sleeping because I didn’t hear any moans or growls or howls. I gulped. The cages stood right next to the giant vats of radioactive goo.
Suddenly, a large shadow fell over me. Knuckles cracked together.
Uh-oh.
I turned. Scorpion stood right behind me.
He swatted the swords out of my hand. They hit the icy floor and slid away. I tried to run, but he grabbed me by the back of my shirt. He picked me up like I was a naughty puppy and dangled me in front of him.
“Little girls shouldn’t play with toothpicks,” he said.
Scorpion slung me over his shoulder and scooped up the swords.
“Put me down, you big bully!”
I struggled and tried to slide free, but my strength was no match for the ubervillain’s. An eighteen-wheeler going over a hundred would have had a hard time slowing him down. All I could do was pound my fists against his back like an indignant child.
Scorpion climbed up a set of stairs. Laughter floated down. Scorpion reached the top. I swayed from side to side, catching sight of the vats below. Fog rose up from them. I shivered.
“Malefica, Frost, look what I found creeping around the factory—a little mouse,” Scorpion said.
He dumped me on the floor, and a pair of red boots came into view.
“Well, well, well, wha
t do we have here?” Malefica said, her green eyes lighting up.
Uh-oh.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Carmen!” Sam shouted.
My heart lit up like a firecracker at the sound of Sam’s voice. I looked past Malefica and spotted him standing in one of the glass tubes. I drank in the sight of him. Lines of fatigue etched his handsome face, which was tight with worry. Other than that, Sam looked no worse for wear. My eyes flicked to the others in the tubes next to him. They all looked a little beat-up but not seriously injured. Fiona, Henry, and Chief Newman stared back at me. My heart plummeted. None of them were wearing their masks. Malefica had unmasked them, all of them. She knew who they were.
The ubervillain paced around me. I got to my feet.
“She had these with her.” Scorpion held out the swords.
Malefica waved her hands, and the swords floated toward her. “Running with sharp objects? Tisk, tisk, Miss Cole.”
The swords sailed over and landed in front of Sam’s tube. He eyed them like a starving man staring at a thick, juicy steak.
“What did you think you would accomplish by breaking in here?” Malefica asked.
I didn’t reply.
“Surely you didn’t think you could defeat us,” Frost sneered. “That would go against all the laws of science, logic, and chance.”
I shrugged. “It was a thought. Everybody gets lucky every now and then. I thought tonight might be my night.”
“Well, it was a bad thought. In fact, it’s the last one you’ll ever have,” Malefica said. “You know, I was going to let you live out the rest of your pathetic life, wracked by guilt over your part in the demise of the Fearless Five. I was going to enjoy tormenting you from afar. It would have been a pleasant diversion. Not anymore. You’ve caused far too much trouble, popping up like this just as we were about to get on with things. I hate delays of any sort.”
“I’m sorry, am I keeping you from an important dinner date?”