12:45 a.m.
The Power Battle was over.
A few other battles followed, but only one was epic.
Mine.
Eventually the rest of the kids went back to the school, leaving me, Penny and Noah alone in the abandoned factory.
I stood in the centre of the cavernous space, imagining how awesome I must’ve looked to everyone else.
‘All right, dude, it’s, like, one in the morning. Time to make like a baby and head out.’ Penny yawned, pushing her phone into her pocket. She’d snuck it out of Dexter’s bag during my match with him.
Noah struggled to stay awake, bobbing his head every few seconds. ‘Pillows … blankets … please …’
‘Hang on,’ I said. ‘Still basking.’
Penny rolled her eyes. ‘Fine, then we’re leaving without you.’
Noah trailed behind Penny as they walked into the alley back to the portal in the Kepler garage, leaving me by myself in the dark.
‘No, wait up, guys! I’m done basking!’ I shouted, running to catch up.
I got outside just in time to see the door to the Kepler garage slam shut.
I dashed towards the door handle, but my fingers barely grazed it before I was yanked into the air.
Dexter and Vic stepped out from the shadows.
‘All this trouble for an autograph?’ I said. ‘All you had to do was ask, but it’ll cost you five bucks.’
Vic pinched the air in front of her.
The skin around my neck tightened, and my throat closed as she lifted me higher off the ground.
I think she was still upset at the whole thinking-she-was-a-boy-for-a-year thing.
‘Wait, wait, stop!’ I wheezed.
Vic let up a little. ‘What?’
‘You can have my autograph for free!’
‘You’re a poser!’ Dexter said. ‘I don’t have proof, but I know you cheated. Something pushed me around in there. Someone pushed me. Having an invisible buddy is pretty convenient, ain’t it?’
Vic scowled as she spread her fingers open.
My arms stretched out as I dangled helplessly. The skin on my shoulders burned, and my bones felt like they were gonna snap at any second.
‘Stop!’ I said.
At that moment, a Vespa engine revved, and a headlight flipped on from the street behind Dexter and Vic.
Vic’s grip loosened. ‘What the …’
The rider stepped off the scooter, black leather pants and jacket shining, her face hidden by her helmet.
It was the same woman I’d seen outside the academy on the first night. The Vespa ninja!
The air around Dexter sizzled as he powered up, looking even stronger than he did in the Power Battle. His skin became jagged shards of ice. Even his face changed into something monstrous.
Dexter’s voice sounded cold. ‘You should get back on your bike and get outta here, lady.’
The biker walked slowly towards us, unfazed by Dexter’s transformation into an ice monster.
‘Did you hear me?’ Dexter’s voice cracked.
‘Dude, she’s not stopping,’ Vic said nervously.
‘Fine. Then she asked for it.’
The air swirled around Dexter’s forearm as he aimed at the biker. Several chunks of ice launched towards her like torpedoes.
The icicles cracked the woman’s visor. She fell back, landing on her butt.
‘Throw him,’ Dexter commanded.
‘What?’ Vic said.
‘Throw Ben at her!’
FYI: I was against that idea.
Vic flicked her fingers, and I went flying through the alley.
The woman jumped to her feet just in time for me to crash into her, and we both rolled on the dirty, wet road.
It hurt.
Like, a lot.
I tried to stand, but my head spun in circles. The alley tipped sideways as I swayed back and forth with my hands out like an old man wearing a blindfold.
What?
Dexter and Vic were gone.
They would’ve closed Joel’s portal behind them, for sure.
I was alone and stranded in Lost Nation, trying to get away from a Vespa ninja, who was back on her feet and reaching for me.
I swatted her hand away. ‘Don’t touch me!’ I shouted, stumbling back towards the Kepler garage.
A muffled voice came from under her cracked helmet. I couldn’t tell exactly what she said, but it sounded like …
‘Did you just …’ I said, confused. ‘Did you just say my name?’
She pried the helmet off her head.
Blonde hair fell over her face as she shook it loose. She swung her head back, flipping the hair over her shoulder.
