shot, but we have to take whatever shots we can.”
Inspector Connor was shaking his head and smiling. “When all this is over, Miss Ash, I’m going to have to thank our Superman for our finding you. Colonel Ortiz, have the test administrator give Miss Barber another test immediately. Better do it quickly; I understand it takes a long time. Miss Ash, keep up the good work,” he said. Then the screen went dark.
Colonel Ortiz was on his communicator setting up the test while Danielle sat in a chair and thought about how Superman must feel about Leila Barber to have done what he did. She felt pretty certain that Superman and his feelings were unknown to Leila. She remembered back to the ninth level when she loved James Spincer. He was so wonderful, charming, and graceful, and great to look at besides. She never told him how she felt. At that age, she looked like a twig with a big head stuck on top. She knew that he could never be interested in her. So she would just sit in class and dream of what it would be like to be James’s girl. Danielle’s brief contact with Leila made it easy for her to see how someone could be too shy to approach her. She knew that beauty and brains can be intimidating, and she said to herself, “Usually beauty attracts men, but once they discover your brains, they leave skid marks trying to get away. Most women eventually learn to hide their intelligence. I don’t think Leila could do that. Superman is smart. He’s not intimidated by her brilliance, just her beauty.”
Danielle said, “Colonel Ortiz, excuse me. Eddie, could you get the quantitative point average list of all the boys within three levels of Leila?”
“You have an idea?”
“Yes. I think our Superman has to be intelligent. He would have to be in the top 10 percent of his class.”
“How do you get that?”
“Simple. He didn’t leave skid marks, and since you’re supposed to be interrogating me in here, we might as well make the time useful familiarizing ourselves with our list of possible suspects.”
“Skid marks?” Colonel Ortiz thought. Then he lifted his communicator and began talking.
Chapter 12
T ag was really worried as he approached the security portal in front of the school. He saw one of the security officers detain a pretty girl that he didn’t remember having ever seen. Then Leila went through the portal and she was taken with the other girl. His mind was racing trying to remember if there was any possibility that they could have seen him last night. He slowed down as he approached the portal and commanded his mind to slow down and think. He then realized that if they had seen him they would not be at school this morning. They would be at his house arresting him. He forced himself to relax and passed through the security portal. He gave a half smile as he passed two men who were standing at each side of the doorway and he entered the school.
Most of his classmates were standing in the hall asking each other questions about what could have possibly caused all the security people to be there. “Hey, Tag,” his good friend Eric said. Eric had been Tag’s friend since before the first level. After Tag’s mother had warned him about telling anyone about his gift, he told Eric that he was just fooling him. He punched him in the ribs lightly and said, “You’re too slow to catch me. I don’t need any special powers,” and ran until they were both out of breath laughing. Tag thought, “I wonder if Eric remembers that. I hope he doesn’t.”
Then Eric came up and said, “Ain’t we got fun?” Then he bent over and whispered, “Think we can get them to play tag?”
“Very punny, Eric,” Tag replied. “These people don’t mess around. Why do you think they’re here?”
“I don’t know. A couple of students saw Mr. Graham and his two associates taken into individual offices. Maybe it has something to do with the test we took yesterday.”
Tag hoped that was all it was about. The number of people investigating seemed way out of line for a simple test booklet that was missing. He was going to have to keep a low profile until they left. “You’re probably right. Let’s go to class; maybe Ms. Knowles will know something.”
For the next two days Tag avoided the security people but did not duck the school cameras. He felt certain that they had tied the fight and the theft together and probably knew about how someone was able to avoid being caught on camera. One good thing that happened was that Leila got to retake her test and made a perfect score. The school administrator said that had never been done before and took every opportunity to brag about her. “I guess that assures her future,” he thought. Of course, she was stunned upon discovering her original test was missing. Or at least the test booklet was missing, and just as he suspected, her interrogation went smoothly. Once they determined she knew nothing, most of the questions were related to her friends and boys she had dated. Tag had also seen her walking around with the new girl. There was something about that girl. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but she was different. After her interrogation Leila was showing the new girl around and introducing her. They had walked up to his table at lunch where he and Eric were sitting and introduced her to them.
Leila said to them, “Eric, Tag, this is Danielle Ashford. She’s just transferred here and I’m introducing her to everyone so we can make her feel at home.” They stood up and she gave them her hand to shake.
Eric immediately took her hand and said, “Nice to meet you. My name is Eric and anytime you need someone to show you around, I’m your man. How about Friday evening? I’m available.”
Leila said, “Obviously, Eric’s the shy one.”
“Okay, okay, if you insist we’ll make it Saturday,” Eric said.
Danielle laughed at Eric and said, “Let me check my calendar and I’ll let you know.”
Then Leila turned to Tag and said, “Danielle, this is Tag.”
Tag stood up and shook the new girl’s hand. “Hello,” he said, “welcome to our school.”
“She has remarkable blue eyes and that blond hair is beautiful. This is one striking girl,” Tag thought, and he sensed every boy in the room was staring at her.
Danielle felt like a moth caught in a flame. It was like something electric ran through her when Tag took her hand. This boy looked into your soul. His green eyes met hers and she could immediately tell he was truly looking at her, not just her looks. All she could think to say was, “Is that your real name, Tag?”
“No,” Leila said. “When we were children, we could never catch him playing tag. Of course as we got older, he got slower and would get caught. But he was Tag in fourth level and he’s still Tag today.”
Danielle noticed that her hand was still in Tag’s and she didn’t want to let go, but she did. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Tag,” she said.
Then Leila said something that caught her attention. “Tag won’t tell you, but he’s also pretty smart. He’s actually better at math than I am, and he’s second in our class.”
Tag’s face turned red and he looked at the floor; he had no idea that Leila knew that. Heck, even Eric didn’t know that. Truth be told, most of his classmates were unaware of how smart he was because he was just so easy-going and funny. His quantitative point average was 99.2 and he didn’t think anyone else knew. He had followed his mother’s advice and had not done anything that would make him stand out, and he kept his good grades to himself. “I wonder how she found out,” he thought.
Danielle looked at Tag and wondered, “Could this be our Superman?” She made a mental note to get Colonel Ortiz to look at his records. They turned to walk away and she couldn’t resist saying, “Perhaps we can play, Tag.”
The young man smiled and responded with, “You’re it first.”
She laughed as she and Leila walked to the next table. She then surprised herself by thinking, “Maybe I am. And maybe you are.”
Tag sat down and listened to Eric say, “Wow! Hubba, hubba, is she beautiful or what? She even gives Leila a run in the beauty contest. What a smile, what pretty eyes, what a nice shape. Did you see that smile? Her blond hair is perfect. I could look at her forever. Did I ask if you saw that smile?”
“Eric,” Tag interrupted, “wake up and try to focus a moment. What are you going to do about your newfound feelings?”
Eric made a long face, put his head on Tag’s shoulder, and said, “Alas, I’ll limp away brokenhearted. She only had eyes for you.”
“You’re crazy, Eric. Why would someone like her be interested in me?”
“You make a very good point, but you have to trust your uncle Eric. I know about these things. She likes you!
