Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

'Madame!' Jenna exclaimed. 'How did you know we were here?'

Ken answered for her. 'Cell phones have other functions besides recording gossip, Jenna.'

The trunk of the car opened. Ken helped Charles into the front seat while Jenna folded the chair and put it in the trunk. She got into the back with Ken, and they took off.

Jenna told Madame about the house and how she sensed Emily and the others were inside. 'But I could only feel her mood. I couldn't read her thoughts and find out anything specific, like why they've been taken there.'

'We'll find out soon enough,' Madame said grimly. She followed Jenna's directions to the old abandoned house behind the industrial park.

'Think you can get the door open, Charles?' Ken asked.

'Piece of cake,' Charles replied. As they approached the house, Jenna frowned. 'Something's different.' 'What?' Madame asked.

'I don't know. But I'm not feeling Emily's mood.'

Madame parked the car, and they all got out. Charles rolled himself to the front of the house. He stared at the red door. Nothing happened.

'It's got chains on it,' he said.

'Is that a problem?' Madame asked.

'Nah. I just have to concentrate a little harder.'

His brow furrowed, and seconds later the big red door flew open-Charles had unscrewed the hinges. Ken ran toward it.

'Wait,' Madame cried out. 'Don't go inside. Wait for the police!'

But Ken was already inside the house. Jenna wasn't sure whether to follow him or not. It looked so dark in there.

There was something else, too. She couldn't hear any thoughts at all. With the door open, she should have been able to pick up something. It was as if there were no working brains in there at all.

Ken emerged, shaking his head. 'They're gone.'

'Where?' Jenna cried helplessly. But she knew no one could answer that.

Suddenly Ken put his hands to his head. 'Not now!' he cried out. 'Leave me alone!'

Again Jenna could hear the nagging woman's voice. Please, talk to my son, he's going to get into trouble. You have to tell him I'm very upset with him. That will make him stop.

'I want you to stop!' Ken yelled. 'I don't care about your stupid son!'

He's not stupid. His name is Howard. He's really a good boy-he just got involved with bad people. I've been watching him. They've kidnapped some very strange young people and now they're about to rob a bank.

Ken and Jenna looked at each other. 'Young people with special gifts?' Ken asked.

Yes, there's one girl who predicts the future and another one who disappears-

'Do you know where they are?' Ken asked.

Of course I know where they are. I'm in heaven. I can see my son whenever I want-

Maybe it wasn't very nice to interrupt the deceased, but this woman could have gone on forever. 'Where are they?' Ken and Jenna demanded in unison.

She told them.

Chapter Thirteen

THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO be anything unusual going on at Northwest National Savings and Loan. From the parking lot,

Jenna could make out the shadows of figures inside the bank, not running or moving in any suspicious manner. She couldn't tell if any of them were her classmates. The four of them left Madame's car and started across the street.

Jenna's senses were on high alert, and she knew she'd pick up the thoughts of her classmates as soon as she was close enough. But she didn't expect to hear Emily while she was still in the parking lot.

I wish I could be inside with the rest of them. I can't even see what's going on.

'I hear Emily!' she told the others.

'Is she in the bank?' Madame asked.

'No. The others are inside, and she's thinkingabout how she wishes she could be with them. I'm sure she's in one of these cars.' But there were at least twenty cars in the parking lot, and she couldn't tell where the thoughts were coming from.

I'm scared. Clare looks so calm and confident, like nothing can possibly go wrong. I'll bet she'd use that gun on me, too, if the others tried to get away. And they might try. They've only got Howard and George in the bank with them, and they're not the sharpest crayons in the box. I don't think they're even armed. Clare's the brains.

'Howard. . isn't that the name of the dead woman's son?' Jenna asked Ken. 'He's in the bank with the others. Emily's in a car with someone called Clare, and Clare's got a gun.'

'If I knew which car they were in, I could get the gun away from her,' Charles said.

'Okay, you and Madame find the car,' Jenna said. 'Ken and I will go into the bank.'

'No,' Madame said. 'Wait until we get the gun. I'm not letting my students go into that place when there's someone around here with a firearm.'

Jenna took the handles of Charles's wheelchair.

'Maybe Emily's thoughts will get louder when we get closer,' she said. She began pushing Charles between two rows of cars.

'Don't go so fast, Jenna,' Madame chided her. 'You don't want to attract attention. I think this Clare person just might notice someone running with a wheelchair in a parking lot. Not to mention the fact that she might recognize both of you.'

'How?' Jenna wanted to know. 'She hasn't seen me.

Madame spoke quietly. 'You don't know that, Jenna. I have a very strong feeling that this Clare is no ordinary criminal. And this is no ordinary bank robbery.'

Jenna had no idea what she was talking about, and she couldn't worry about it now. But she slowed her pace, and Ken and Madame followed closely behind. Jenna kept her eyes and ears open and hoped her special ability was in prime working order.

I wish I could see what was happening in the bank. The guard-he wouldn't shoot a kid, would he? Even if the kid was trying to rob the bank?

Emily's thoughts were definitely louder. Despite Madame's warning, Jenna quickened her pace. Was it that truck over there? Or maybe the green car with the dent in the bumper. If only the lights in the parking lot were brighter so she could see people inside the cars. .

'It's the SUV,' Ken whispered.

Jenna stopped. 'How do you know?'

'Howard's mother. She just told me it used to be her car.'

Jenna brought the wheelchair up behind the SUV. She bent down to speak into Charles's ear. 'Can you sense the gun yet?'

'No. I have to get around to the driver's side. Let go of the chair.'

Something told Jenna not to argue. She lifted her hands. Slowly, Charles began pushing himself around to the side of the vehicle. Jenna stayed behind with Madame and Ken. She held her breath, and she couldn't hear any breathing coming from the other two either.

Suddenly the driver's window rolled down. Jenna heard a woman's voice.

'What the-'

And then a gun came flying out of the window. Ken's former life as an athlete came in handy, as he ran and