Coyote's Howl (Cape High Series Book 17), page 15
She’s lying on the ground. I drop down next to her, pressing her watch to turn the illusion off. The girl lying in front of me looks almost completely normal. “Sandra—” I say, crouching over her. “Sandra, are you—”
Slowly she lifts a hand, looking at it with a mixed expression. “It’s… it’s so small,” she says shakily.
“Yeah, but your powers are going to come back soon,” I say, reaching up and grabbing the hand. For the first time in a long while her hand is smaller than mine. It’s not right.
“I wanted it to look like this,” she says. “But now I HATE it. I’m keeping you from saving your grandpa. I’m a risk to this entire thing, and—and—and a VILLAIN is fighting my battle for me! How pathetic is that?” she asks, tears streaming down her pretty face. She reaches up, but her arm falls away before her hand reaches her face. “I can’t even sit up, Lance,” she whispers.
“Just wait,” I say, seeing the rockiness coming back over her hand. “It’s coming back. You’re getting your powers back now, Sandra.”
“I don’t… I can’t believe I actually want them back,” she whispers, closing her eyes. I reach up, wiping the tears away for her.
“Sandra… you know…” I say, trying to come up with the words. “You don’t like the whole sibling thing, I know, but… but you’re the closest I come to a sister in the world. Rocky or not, I love you, y’know?”
She lets out a little laugh before opening her eyes again. They gleam like gemstones. Her face hardens in front of my very eyes, and her rocky form is completely back. “Thanks. Now go catch up with them, I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure. Don’t make me threaten you with mooning.”
I laugh and shift, since my coyote form is faster than my two-legged. ‘Then I’ll go on ahead,’ I tell her before racing after Badmoon and Jack. Jack is faster on his board, but in wolf form, it’s possible that Badmoon could lose him once he reaches some cover. I sniff the air, veering my course. Badmoon is ahead. If I catch up to him before Jack does, I can… what? I’m almost positive that by now he’s already healed. If he can almost go toe to toe with Jack in brute strength, I’ve got no chance.
I shouldn’t be chasing Badmoon, I realize, pulling to a stop. I need to find Coyote. There’s a chance that Badmoon didn’t just stop at the collar. With Coyote’s powers taken, he’s too big of a target for Badmoon just to ignore. I sniff the air. The first scent I pick up is the blood in Badmoon’s fur. Blood seems to carry much farther than other scents for me. The next scent I pick up is farther. I turn, almost eighty degrees from the direction that Badmoon had been leading us, and run.
The stench of blood is filling my nostrils. I shift, still running as I touch my com-bracelet. “Aubrey, I’m going to need you.”
“Is that Lance?” I hear Skye shout from the com-link. “Tell him I’m coming too—he can’t keep abandoning me like this!”
“Just as long as you bring a healer, I don’t care who comes!” I say before I shift back to my faster form.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“It’s a little better than the black uniform,” Nico says grudgingly as he walks into Cape Cells. He’s wearing his official uniform—the one that actually enhances his abilities. It’s still too skin-tight for his tastes. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt is far more comfortable.
“We would have put you in the black suit, but somehow it was destroyed quite maliciously, wasn’t it?” Mastermental says, not showing his amusement, except in his eyes.
“No, I would never do that. I re-purposed it. It’s much more eco-friendly. The kids use the rags whenever they’re building micro E.M.P.s, it keeps the school from going down if they mess up,” Nico says. “But I did turn off my com-links for this.”
“Did you, truly?” Mastermental asks.
“I sent it over to the new system I set up,” Nico says. “I don’t want the distraction right now. Besides, if Pan and Taurus find out that I’m bringing her early, I’m going to get yelled at.”
“Well, we will bring her to the Hall and then let her grow adjusted. That should take a few days, I’m sure.”
“Probably not,” Nico says.
“Give them to her, anyway.”
Nico frowns. “He’s lost all of his forms except for a coyote. It’s basically a glorified dog, right? He’s barely thirty pounds in his shifted form. There’s no chance he’ll be much of an offensive player with that form, and it’s not quite small enough for the more delicate work.”
“Did he seem bothered by his final form?” Mastermental asks.
“No, which makes even less sense.”
“If you could shift into any animal in the world, what would it be?” Mastermental pauses and signs a few tablets before placing his hand on a print.
“I… honestly, I don’t think I would,” Nico says after thinking about it for a moment. “I mean, what animal can do math?”
“Horses have been known to.”
“What, so I would turn into a horse?” Nico says, giving Mastermental a strange look. “Nah, I prefer my own powers. That doesn’t change the fact that not many kids are going to want a stuffed coyote doll.”
“You might be surprised,” Mastermental says, stepping aside so Nico can go through the system that he developed. “Also, why on earth would you train your students to build micro E.M.P’s?”
“When battling mad scientist villains, it’s the easiest way to take them down.”
They nod to the guards, and Nico breaks into a grin as a very familiar face steps into sight. “Harry!” he says. “Good to see you back up on your feet!”
“It’s good to see you not wearing a collar,” Harry says, shaking hands with him. “How are the wife and kids?”
“Well, she’s not my wife yet, but you’re invited to the wedding,” Nico says to the bald guard.
“It’s good to see that you’re both over the time spent as guard and prisoner,” Mastermental says as they start down the hall towards Star Born’s new wing.
“We always got along pretty well, actually,” Nico says. “He’s part of the reason I didn’t destroy the place while I was here.”
“You flatter me,” Harry jokes. “But I would have liked to have had you here when the breakout occurred.” Nico looks at him, a slight frown on his face.
“So you don’t think I would have joined them?” he asks.
“I know you wouldn’t have,” Harry says. “You would have stopped them… like I tried to. We were caught off guard.” He’s quiet for a moment, and they can tell he’s debating over what he’s going to say next. “I think it’s about time I hung up my keys, honestly.”
Mastermental looks a bit surprised. “Why do you think that?”
“Because you need to bring in new blood for this, sir. We’ve already seen what happens with the guards we have.”
“I think that you’re partially correct,” Mastermental says slowly, “but rather than hanging up your keys, I would have you lead the new blood. Your experience will be crucial to keep what happened from happening again. Nico, I expect you to start looking for the fresh blood.”
Nico raises an eyebrow slightly. “I don’t have anyone that would work, off the top of my head. What I would suggest, instead, is we add the Cape Cells to the patrol routes. An S-class cape stopping by on a daily basis might be enough to help.”
“I suggest both,” Harry says.
“Has Kaden decided where he’s going?” Mastermental asks.
“Not yet, but he’s probably going to want to be near water.”
“I see.”
They stop outside of Star Born’s wing, turning and pressing their hands to the wall next to the door. A light flickers over them all, including Harry. “Clearance granted,” Nico’s voice says from the hidden speakers. “Mastermental, Technico, and Harry, entering Star Born’s wing. Time granted: ten minutes.”
“Override,” Nico says. “We’re moving Star Born to Central Hall, time allotted thirty minutes.”
“Did you really have to say that out loud?” Harry asks him suspiciously.
“Of course I didn’t,” Nico says. “I just thought it’d make you both feel more confident if I made a show of it.”
There’s the tiniest of snorts that comes from Mastermental, leaving the other two looking at him in surprise. “He just laughed,” Harry says in wonder.
“He just laughed,” Nico agrees. The door swings open and he walks in, looking a bit smug. The smug look quickly turns professional as he reaches the room where Star Born is sitting, watching a movie on television. She’s lounging over the couch he bribed her with, and munching on popcorn. This hardly looks like a prison sentence.
“And what do we need today, oh fearless Hall members?” she asks, a bit sarcastically. “If it’s another bribe, I could use a larger variety of drinks. I would kill for a hot chocolate.”
“We’ve come to offer you a deal,” Mastermental says. “We’ve arranged a special cell at the Hall for you, where you can get hot chocolate whenever you want—in exchange for… some modest scientific favors.”
“So I’d be a Hall member?” she asks, finally looking at them.
“Of course not,” Nico says. “You’d still be our prisoner.”
“I rather like this place,” she says. “I’m fine, here.”
“I’ve built in a science lab that will be accessible with someone overseeing you,” Nico says. “We’ve hired a new scientist, she should have a good idea of what you’re doing.”
“So I get to play with a few chemicals in science class, hmm?” she says. “Complete with a science teacher. How attractive,” she says a bit sarcastically. “Will she hold my hand when things blow up?”
“She’s a norm, so she’ll be watching over a screen,” Nico says.
“And what if I’m doing something bad?”
“Then we gas you,” Nico says blandly. “I’ve got several different gasses loaded into the system. If she says it’s only mildly dangerous, I’ll put you to sleep, if she says it might kill everyone on the floor, well, the sleep will last a very, very long time.”
“That’s quite an interesting prospect,” she says, suddenly looking fascinated.
“I thought you might like it,” Nico says. “So what do you say, Star Born? Are you interested in moving?”
“I’ll pack my things.”
***
Skye, Adanna, and Aubrey step out of the school’s security field, looking a bit grim. “I would use the teleportation watch, but Jack stole it,” Aubrey says. “We even have a way to find them, since Skye is right here. You know where to go, right, Skye?”
“Yep!” Skye says. “Second star to the left and straight on ‘til… what time is it, anyway?”
“I… I think we should call my papa,” Adanna says. “He’s been researching Lance’s genetics, right? He might have found something that could help him. Besides—we’re going up against an escaped Cape Cell convict—”
“We should call Nico!” Skye says. “Nico! Hey, NIIICOOO!” she yells, tapping on her hairpiece. “Are you there? We need you!”
“Nico can’t come to the com-link at the moment. He’ll be in touch once he’s finished,” Nico’s voice says.
“Well… darn,” Skye says.
“Then we call Panther,” Aubrey says. “We need a way to get there for all of us. I know you two might be able to go on foot, but I would slow you down. Adanna, does your father have a plane? If he doesn’t, I can call Grandpa Andre.”
“He has a plane. Nico built one a few months ago, and then realized that he didn’t need it, so Papa bought it,” Adanna says. “Papa, hi, we need you and the plane—we have to take Aubrey to Lance,” she says over the phone. “Yeah, we’ll come to you. We need to get there as soon as possible.”
“I’ll carry Aubrey!” Skye says, picking up the girl before Aubrey can protest. “Now let’s run!” They reach the Panterus place just in time to see the small plane start up and jump on.
“When did he make this thing, anyway?” Aubrey asks. “He’s always busy running the school!”
“Nico has the habit of making strange things without realizing it,” Pan says, looking over his shoulder with a slight smile. Taurus is in the co-pilot seat and Lance’s mother is already buckled in. The girls quickly join her. “Is everyone buckled in? We’re ready for take-off.”
“Yes!” they call back.
“Then let’s go.”
***
Jack hovers over the trees for a long moment, looking around almost wildly. He can’t find Badmoon. The man is like a ghost in the woods, and Jack has always known that he’s not very good with this sort of setting, to begin with. He also can’t help but worry about Sandra. She’s just lying there, helpless until her powers come back, right? What’s to stop the guy from backtracking and killing her?
The thought sends a chill down his spine. He feels guilty, sure, but… well, even if he searches this place with a fine-tooth comb, he probably still wouldn’t have a chance of finding the guy. This is Badmoon’s territory, not his.
He turns back and heads for Sandra.
***
Coyote leans limply against a tree, blood trickling down from several wounds. He’s barely breathing, and when he does it’s a rattling sound that shakes his chest. He looks like death warmed over, I think as I shift back to my normal form. He looks at me through blood-shot eyes that seem dull at first. They sharpen as he realizes who I am. “No,” he says, trying to sit up. I go to him, gently pushing him back against the tree.
“Stay where you are,” I tell him. “You need to conserve your energy until I get this stupid collar off of you.”
“You need to leave,” he says, his voice crackling like a fire on a cold winter night. “This is exactly what he was hoping for.”
“I know,” I say, shifting into my coyote form and sniffing. The collars only work when the controller is nearby. I learned that from listening to the com-link conversations. Badmoon was running around all over the place, which means it could have stopped without him realizing it if he was carrying the controller. So he had to have left it nearby—but hidden.
“I don’t need your help,” he says, “I can deal with this perfectly well on my own.”
“Yeah, like you’re doing such a bang-up job right now,” I say sarcastically. I don’t usually use sarcasm, it’s mean, and I don’t like being mean, but he deserves this sarcasm. I still feel wrong, somehow, talking to my elder like this. I shove that guilt down and look around, sniffing the air.
I smell plastic and electricity, and in an area like this, it’s got to be exactly what I’m looking for. I turn, heading for the controller that’s hidden in the trees. Before I get to it, the ground falls out from under my feet. I plummet down, falling into what seems like a bottomless pit. A trap snaps, and as I hit the ground I look up, seeing a wooden cover over the hole above me. I shift, digging my hands into the dirt wall and climbing.
“Boy, I told you to LEAVE already! Dig your way out and leave!” Coyote snaps angrily.
“I’m not leaving without you,” I say. “You and I have a lot to talk about!” But he’s right, I realize. I can dig myself out far faster than I can climb. I shift and start digging. I tunnel through the ground, coming to the surface and shifting back into my human form. “Did he really think that would hold me?” I ask.
“No,” Coyote says, looking past me with an air of defeat, “he merely thought it would delay you.”
“And I was right,” Badmoon says from behind me. I turn, just in time to get a heavy fist to the face. I feel my nose break, again. I’m really starting to think he has a thing against my nose. It turns my head and I try my best to shake it off. He slams a fist into my gut, and I go flying through the air. “You really thought I couldn’t ditch a chunk of metal in the woods?” he demands, walking over to me as I hit the ground. “You really thought those slow kiddie tanks would be enough to take me down?” He grabs me by the throat, lifting me into the air. “Do you really think I’ll let you live to become the next Coyote?” he roars in my face. I grab his wrist with both hands, lifting myself up slightly so I’m not choking as badly.
“I—” I start out, defiantly. He’s going to kill me, I know, but I’m not going to back down. As long as I have life, I’m going to fight.
The sound of a motor makes us both go still before he turns, looking into the air. There’s a plane of sorts flying over. It’s about the size of a helicopter. The side opens, and I watch in surprise as my mother in hawk form jumps out before it even lands, racing towards Badmoon with a scream of rage. He curses, lifting his free arm to try and block the talons that aim for his eyes. His hold on me loosens and I kick him in the gut with both feet, breaking free and falling on my butt. His attention is fully on my mom, who keeps lashing out, trying to scratch out his eyes.
“You couldn’t beat me last time,” he says. “What makes you think you’ll do better now?”
‘Because I can do this,’ I hear her say, and she shifts, turning into a lioness and dropping on top of him, making him fall to the ground. The look of shock on his face would be funny, if I wasn’t feeling the exact same way.
“Mom? What—” I start out.
“HOW?” Badmoon demands, grabbing her shoulders. “How did you do that?”
She roars in his face and swipes him across the face with her claws, drawing blood. It jerks him back to the danger he’s in and he shoves her off, getting to his feet and looking around. The plane is getting closer. He looks at my mom, and then at me. “This isn’t the end of this,” he says before running away. My mother shifts back to her human form and looks at Coyote.
“What did he do to you?” she asks.
“I’m going after him,” I yell, racing after Badmoon. I can’t let him go free, not after what he’s done. He’s already done enough damage.
“LANCE!” I hear Aubrey shout. “Lance! Are you okay??”
“I’m fine! Heal my grandfather! The controller is in the tree!” I yell over my shoulder before heading into the woods.
