56
“THIS IS IT, SIR.” The lead geologist double-checked her GPS and overlaid its image with a satellite-based graph. “Satellite and radar confirm it. This stream leads to the underground source that the subjects get their water from.”
“I hope you’re right,” Dr. Gunther-Hagen said icily. He was irritated at the Cirque du Soleil blunder, tired from the late-hour flight, and altogether eager for some progress in this project. “Your performance up till now has been pathetic. Be glad I’m somewhat more forgiving than Mr. Chu.”
The geologist swallowed and rechecked her instruments with fingers that trembled slightly. “No, this is it,” she said, trying to make her voice strong. “I’m positive.”
“Okay, then,” said Dr. Gunther-Hagen. “Release the reactant.”
Another agent opened a foam cooler. A fog of dry ice swirled around them like early-morning mist. He carefully pulled on heavy gloves that protected him from fingertip to elbow. Following that, a gas mask covered his face. The others moved away to stand upwind. The agent carefully removed a test tube from the dry ice with tongs. He uncapped it, and after a moment’s hesitation, tipped the test tube so its pale pink liquid flowed into the thin mountain stream.
“Of course, this will affect everything it comes into contact with,” he murmured, praying that Dr. GuntherHagen knew what he was doing.
“Not necessarily,” said Dr. Gunther-Hagen. “It’s been specialized to bind only to certain receptors. These mutants have them; not many other species do.”
The team was silent as the reactant blended invisibly with the crystal-clear stream. Within thirty minutes, it would infiltrate the natural water reservoir that served the flock’s house.
Dr. Gunther-Hagen could barely contain his excitement. Now the real experiments would start.
57
ALL EYES WERE ON ANGEL. She was almost vibrating with anticipation. Max would never have been able to do this in a million years. Max never would have wanted to. In fact, she would have threatened to lock them all in their rooms if someone suggested it.
Now she tapped a pencil against the tabletop. “Attention! Everybody, listen up! I’ve called you all here to make my announcement!” she said. “Get ready, because I have a huge surprise!”
“Do we need any more surprises?” Iggy asked.
“I’m the leader of this flock,” she announced, “and I want to announce some improvements we’re going to make.”
“What kind of improvements?” Iggy asked, leaning on his broom.
“Well, first, I’m abolishing bedtime,” Angel said, nodding firmly.
“We didn’t have much of a bedtime before,” Nudge pointed out.
Angel frowned at her. “I mean, if we want to sleep all day and stay up all night, then that’s what we’ll do!”
Gazzy shrugged. “Okay.”
“No more homeschooling!” Angel said. “Hear, hear,” said Iggy, clapping.
“I’m still going to learn stuff,” Nudge said. “I’m halfway through the Rosetta Stone level one for French.”
“If you want to, that’s fine,” said Angel graciously. “But right now, I’m going to announce our best, most exciting project ever!”
“We’re going to buy our own car?” Gazzy asked with raised eyebrows.
“Have parties every week?” Nudge guessed.
“How about a little order, a little taking care of business?” Total muttered as he trotted into the room. “That would be a huge surprise.”
Angel ignored him. Even though she was the one who had rescued him from the lab back in New York, secretly she wondered if he was more on Max’s side now. “Okay, everyone, saddle up!” She beamed at them. “We have a long flight ahead of us!”
“To where?” Nudge asked.
“A concert!” Angel said. “In Hollywood! Where we’ve signed up to appear as special celebrity guests!”
Blank faces looked back at her.
“Is this a joke?” Iggy finally asked.
“No! It’s going to be so fabulous!” Angel said. “The concert is a benefit, for fixing up a section of Santa Monica Boulevard. All kinds of famous people are part of it, and they want us to help. If they advertise that the flock will be there, thousands more people will come!”
“And a percentage of them will be toting semiautomatic handguns, or weird mind-control chips, or heck, even bows and arrows!” said Iggy. “There’s a reason we don’t go out in public much.”
“Is this a CSM benefit?” Nudge asked. “I mean, Santa Monica Boulevard?”
“No,” said Angel. “But it’s totally cool. I’ve talked to our agents -”
“What agents?” Nudge interrupted.
“The ones I’ve been interviewing,” said Angel smugly. “The ones who offered us the best deal. They’re going to pay us a whole bunch of money, and guarantee our safety too. We’re supposed to call them when we get to the Villa d’Arbanville.”
“Villa d’Arbanville? I’ve heard of that place,” said Nudge. “That’s where stars hang out! The lobby was voted ‘the best place to break up’ by Superstar magazine!”
Finally, Dylan spoke up. “Sounds like fun, but… I think I’ll be staying here.”
All eyes turned to him in surprise. “C’mon, man – live a little,” Iggy said. He was just starting to get used to having Dylan around.
“Not sure I have time for partying.” He didn’t look anyone in the eye. “I’ve got to keep working on my flying,” he explained. It wasn’t a very good excuse, but Angel could work with it.
“Well, then you’re coming with us, Dylan,” she announced, feeling decisive and leaderly. “We’re gonna fly eight hundred miles to get there. Practice makes perfect.” Angel tried to zero her powers of influence in on Dylan. She wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“I’ll see if I can hitch a ride on a private jet,” said Jeb. “Total, you and Akila are welcome to come with me. Dylan, you can come with us too,” said Jeb.
Dylan shook his head, making some of his shaggy, sunstreaked hair fall into his turquoise eyes. “No. I’ll fly with the others,” he said determinedly, but he seemed sad.
Angel saw the intent look in his eyes. And for the first time, she picked up on some of his thoughts.
He had been hoping Max would come home.
58
“THIS IS THE COOLEST HOTEL EVER!” squealed Nudge, flopping facedown onto a king-size bed.
Angel was trying to get the snarls out of her blond curls, still wet from her shower. Through the doorway to the room next door, she heard Gazzy ordering room service – again. The kitchen had probably had to send someone out to get more groceries.
Nudge rolled off the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. “I’m twelve now. I don’t look different, but I feel different.” She stretched her wings out slowly, their feathers shades of tan, caramel, and coffee.
“You do look different,” said Angel. “We’re all taller. You don’t look like a little kid anymore – more teenagery. Iggy and… the others have really started looking older.”
“Can I come in?” Dylan leaned in the doorway connecting their two rooms.
“Sure,” said Nudge. “Have you recovered? That was a long flight.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t drop like a rock over the Grand Canyon,” Dylan said, leaning against the dresser. “I bet I won’t be able to move my wings tomorrow.”
“You did great,” said Angel. “Aren’t you glad you came with us?”
Dylan shrugged and brushed some hair out of his face. He already looked like a Hollywood star – some teenage girls had whispered and pointed at him when the flock had been checking in.
Dylan was doing pretty well at fitting in with the rest of the flock. He wasn’t demanding, and he was a good listener and a good fighter. Angel loved Fang a lot, but Dylan was… easier. Warmer. He talked more. It was almost as if he were made to be with them.