Power Play

before but couldn’t name.

He slipped back next to Amanda, breathing hard. “This is it,” he said, winded by nerves. “Their hideout.”

“What now?”

“If the Queen and Cruella are asleep, there’s a good chance they’re in there,” he said.

“We’re going in there?”

In the distance, across the bridge, the pirate was stirring. He’d be on his feet any minute. He’d sound the alarm. The bridge was the only way off the island.

“We’ve got serious problems,” Finn said. “Follow me.”

He led her around the side of the fort so the waking pirate wouldn’t spot them. “They’re all in there,” he told her. “You can’t believe how many.” Then he said somewhat desperately, “There are only five of us. Seven, counting you and Jess.”

“Ariel told Willa there are many, many more. That they’re waiting for a leader.”

Finn skidded to a stop.

“What?” he gasped. “Why didn’t I hear about this?”

She shrugged. “Girl talk,” she said. “She knows…we all know how hung up you are on living up to Wayne’s expectations.”

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” said Amanda.

“Who said I’m the leader?”

“You see?” she said. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

They continued along the fort wall, sneaking past the door leading to Pappy’s Fishing Pier and kept following the wall as it turned again.

“Don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad,” said Finn.

“You’re stewing.”

“What’s that?”

“That’s what Mrs. Nash calls it when you get so mad you won’t talk. She doesn’t let us stew. Everything gets out in the open.”

“I’m not stewing,” he said.

“If you say so.”

Then he stewed some more, not knowing what to say. They rounded the third corner.

“Are we just going to go around in a full circle, or what?” she asked.

“I remember coming here with my family years ago,” he said. “And maybe I’m mixing it up with the tunnels on the other island, but I’m pretty sure there’s a secret escape tunnel running from the fort.”

“That’s what we’re looking for?”

“That’s what I’m looking for, yes.”

“And if we find it?”

“I’m going in there.”

“No way, Finn.”

“Not you, don’t worry.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about! You can’t go in there with a zillion Overtakers inside.”

He stopped. They pressed their backs to the logs as he said, “Listen…Look…I don’t know exactly how to explain this, but I’m not even sure you’re going to wake up tonight. Okay? I’m freaking out here. These people, these things are ruining everything, and they’re only getting stronger. We…the five of us…the Keepers-and you and Jess, and Wayne and Wanda-we either stop them or…that’s just the thing: I don’t know what. I don’t know if any of us will be around, or if we’ll be lying in bed unable to wake up, like you are right now. I’m not playing hero here. I’m afraid. I’m afraid to go to sleep. Afraid to go to school. I can’t live like this. I’m going to find those two and stop them. Obviously, they’re only the tip of the iceberg,” he said, the voices of Overtakers rising over the wall. “But I’m not losing you. I’m not running away.”

She leaned across and kissed him, and despite him being a DHI, it felt to him as amazing as it had in front of Mrs. Nash’s.

When she pulled her lips off his, he said, “See? There’s still magic in the Parks.”

“Is that it?” she asked, pointing.

At first he thought she was disappointed in the kiss. Then he saw a rock wall coming out from below ground.

“The escape tunnel!” he said, greatly relieved.

* * *

Philby found his loyalties tested. He didn’t want to leave the connection to the server, but Elvis was still out there meowing. Philby had definitely heard his mother open the sliding door to the Florida room. So what was going on? What if it wasn’t his mother? What if Hugo had returned?

Blood overcame photons. He sneaked out into the living room to check it out. The room was dark, as was the outside. It was late. Neighbors’ houses were shuttered for the night.

In the greenish glow of some of the kitchen appliance displays, he spotted Elvis rubbing up against the open sliding glass door and meowing. The fan in the Florida room spun lazily. A breeze blew outside, clattering the palm fronds.

Philby walked on his toes, slinking forward.

“Hey, pal.” A low voice. Not his mother’s.

Philby jumped and banged against the sliding door’s metal doorjamb.

A kid-a giant of a kid-had his hand over Philby’s mother’s mouth and her arm wrenched up behind her back. Her eyes were bulging, pleading to her son through palpable terror.

“You must be Luowski,” Philby said, his voice eerily calm. He’d never truly hated before. He’d never had the urge to hurt someone like he had now. The boy’s size meant nothing; what he’d heard about him meant nothing. He was hurting his mother, and that was all there was in the world-the only thing that existed.

“You will let her go right now,” Philby said.

“Oh, yeah? Or else?”

“I will rain down a world of hurt on you the likes of which you’ve never known.”

Luowski spit out laughter, but Philby sensed concern lingering down under the boy’s calm exterior.

“I don’t think so,” Luowski said. “I think you will do exactly as I say, or the world of hurt will be on your conscious, pal. And it won’t be raining down on me, believe me.” He goosed Mrs. Philby’s arm up more tightly, and Philby watched her strain under the pain.

“It’s ‘conscience,’ nimrod. You’re out of your depths…beyond your pay scale…” Philby said, as he edged closer. “You have stepped so far over the line that I’m not going to let you go back. You can beg, but I won’t hear you.”

“Tough? You, nerd boy? Think so? You’re going to show me your Internet modem, and we’re going to shut that puppy down. Then, we’re going to give it…” he stole a glance at his wristwatch, “…fifteen, twenty minutes, and I’ll be on my way.”

He’d told Philby much more than he’d meant to. Whatever was going down with the Overtakers, it was happening this very minute. Right now! In fifteen minutes it would all be over.

“Got to pick on girls, big guy?” Philby said. “Big Mr. Greg Luowski picks on a mother because he’s too afraid of a Kingdom Keeper.”

“Am not!”

“Have they told you what we can do? What we’re capable of? I’m guessing not. I’m guessing the Queen either put you under a spell or made it sound like a really cool thing to take us on, to join up with her. But she left out a few details, I’m willing to bet. Like the fact that I can walk through a door or a wall when I’m a DHI. Like I can walk into your home and find you, or your mother, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. You might want to think about that before you continue down the road you’re on, Greg. You will never hear the end of this. This will never go away.”