36

The instant the second hand touched the twelve, Aura slid out of her bed. She had not slept at all. Probably just as well. Easier to stay awake. She wasn’t tired, and fitful sleeping would not have left her alert. Right now, she felt as wired as if she’d just downed a triple latte.

She was pleased to see she didn’t have to rouse the other girls. They’d all feigned sleeping, just in case someone was watching. But they were on their feet a second after she was. Dream, Twinge, Harriet, all in dark clothing, ready for a little rock and razor.

She cracked the door open. Down the hall, she saw Tank doing the same from 4B.

All seven girls entered the corridor. Both Gearhead and Tank carried backpacks. They looked heavy.

She whispered her instructions. “We have to assume someone is watching, or recording, or will be soon. So let’s not waste any time. If we move quickly, maybe we can avoid interference.”

Unlikely. But it was best to start the mission on a note of optimism.

And then reality struck. Before they even got outside the building.

“Oh. My. Gandhi. Is this a slumber party? Why wasn’t I invited?”

Judy. Looking just as bouncy as she did every other moment of the day, even though it was after midnight. Was it possible this woman was actually a robot? There was definitely something inhuman about all that perkiness.

“Are you going to play games?” Judy continued. “Do you want to make brownies?”

“Uh…no, thanks. We’re just getting some air.”

“You’re going out? I didn’t get notice of any authorized outings after lights out.”

“We’re not actually going anywhere,” she stammered. “We’re just…”

“Meditating,” Twinge said. “We need some fresh air so we can find our inner purpose.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“It was recommended by Dr. Coutant,” Dream said. “She thought it would be easier for us to forget the outside world when it was too dark to see anything and too quiet to be distracted by ambient noise.”

“I guess I’m always the last to know anything, right?” Judy giggled. “Maybe I should make a thermos of cocoa. After I get this cleared by the front office.”

“But—I thought we were BFFs. Don’t you believe me?”

“Puh-leese! Of course I do, you silly willy. We just have to obey all these goofy rules. Can we play Truth or Dare? I’m dying to know how you got that blue streak in your bangs, Aura. I think it looks awesome.” Judy dug her cell phone out of her jeans pocket.

She had to stop that call before it happened. “I don’t think Coutant will appreciate you interfering with her diagnosis.”

“Oh, I know! She can be such a grump sometimes. But still. Rules.” Judy kept punching buttons.

She tried not to let her desperation show. “Really, Coutant seemed totally pissed today. If you wake her in the middle of the night, don’t blame me for what happens.”

Judy hesitated, a long pink-painted nail poised over the phone. “Good point.”

“Yeah. I’d hate to see that woman when she’s mad. She’s bad enough when she’s happy.”

“True.” Pause. “Still…I’ll take my chances.”

Judy pressed Call on the phone.

And Tank hit that skinny woman like a linebacker, knocking her into the wall. Judy fell hard on her nearly nonexistent butt. She let out something between a cry and a gasp of surprise. “But—I was going to make cocoa.”

Tank dove toward her, fist raised.

And a split second before the fist connected, Judy ducked, whirled around on one foot, and sprung away, tripping Tank in the process.

Tank tumbled down head first. And did not get up.

“Stupid girls.” The pitch of Judy’s voice dropped several octaves. “Did you really think they hired me to be your keeper just because I was outgoing?”

Judy leapt forward, feet first, in what looked like a cross between a jujitsu flying kick and sliding into home plate. She knocked Aura to the floor and sat on her.

“So you’re the leader, huh? The least of them shall lead.”

She did her best to dislodge their once-perky floor supervisor, to no avail.

Gearhead came up behind them and wrapped Judy in a headlock. Judy reached behind and grabbed Gearhead’s left hand. She pressed a thumb down into the soft part of the palm till Gearhead screeched.

“Stop that!’ Mnemo cried. “You’re hurting her.” Mnemo rushed forward and poked Judy hard in the chest.

Judy just smiled. “Nice try. Going for the solar plexus, right? I can tell you’ve read a lot of books about fighting. But you’ve never actually been in a fight, have you?” Judy grabbed Mnemo’s neck and threw her down hard. Mnemo cried out and tumbled to the floor.

Judy stood, kicking her in the process. “Oh, sorry, Aura. Didn’t mean to gut my BFF.” She whirled around again, this time knocking Dream over with a kick so fast the eye could not follow it. Dream fell to the floor.

Harriet crept up on the side.

“Really? Seriously?” Judy grabbed Harriet’s arm and flipped the girl over her back. Harriet hit the floor hard and slid across the room.

I’ve got to stop this. They’re counting on me. But how?

“So,” Judy said, wiping her hands, “can I make my call now, Aura? Or would you like me to embarrass you a little more? Gandhi, the world thinks you Shines are so damn scary. You suck!”

“Suck this,” Twinge murmured.

All at once, Judy doubled over, clutching her lower abdomen. “What—are you doing?”

“Projectile vomiting was out, since you’re apparently too worried about your skinny little ass to eat. So I kicked your stomach’s digestive enzymes into overdrive. And since they have no contents to digest—it hurts.”

Judy whipped back upright. “You. Dirty. Little. Bitch.” She kicked Twinge in the gut. Then again in the chest. Twinge went down.

Aura scrambled to her feet. She had to do something. Even though it looked hopeless. If her powers were going to evolve, this would be a good time.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. “Aura. Let me.”

Tank was back on her feet. She tackled Judy, and the two girls skidded across the floor. They hit the far wall with a thunderous impact.

Tank grabbed Judy by the hair.

“Be careful, you stupid monster. I just got my tips frosted!”

Tank slammed her head back against the door.

Judy slumped flat on the floor, unconscious.

“What the hell was that?” Dream said, brushing off her clothes. “What the flick, Aura? You never said anything about being attacked by a homicidal sorority girl.”

She ran to the wall to make sure Judy still breathed. “I don’t know what that was. But I hope the whole staff here didn’t train at the same dojo.”

“Sorry,” Tank mumbled, her head hanging down. “I know you wanted to keep this on the down low. She took me by surprise.”

“No need to apologize,” Twinge said. “You just saved our collective butts.”

Tank grinned. “What you did was pretty cool, too. You gave me an opening.”

She grabbed Judy’s phone. The call didn’t go through. Good.

Tank dragged Judy back into her office. She hid the woman’s phone in a desk drawer, then closed the office door.

“I don’t think she’ll be unconscious long,” Tank said. “Maybe ten minutes, max.”

“Do we have ten?” Dream asked. “Someone in the main building might’ve heard all the racket.”

“Agreed.” Aura led them toward the door. “If we’re not off the island in ten minutes, we’re dead.”