Ken sighed. 'Charles, if you're going to get into sports, why don't you back winners? Watch the wrestlers or the soccer guys. Our basketball team stinks this year.'
'They won the past two games,' Charles pointed out.
'Yeah, but they lost the ten games before that, and they lost big time,' Ken said. 'And it's only Mike Brady who's scoring.'
Charles stopped smiling. 'That's your opinion. I'll bet they make it to the finals this year.'
Ken shook his head. 'Nah, no way. A team can't get to the finals with only one good forward. Mike can't keep this up-he's not that great a player.'
'So why do you go to all the games?' Charles demanded to know.
Ken shrugged. 'Those guys are my buddies.'
'Yeah, well, they're my buddies, too,' Charles declared.
Ken rolled his eyes in disbelief.
'He was sitting with them at lunch today,' Jenna told him.
Ken grinned, as if he assumed she was joking. 'Yeah, right. Anyway, don't expect much from your buddies today, Charles. Who are we playing? St. Mark's? They've got an amazing team. They haven't lost yet this season. I hate to say it, but our guys are doomed.'
'Don't talk about my friends like that,' Charles yelled.
Suddenly the big fat dictionary on Madame's desk rose and took off in the direction of Ken's head, moving fast.
'Charles!' Madame was in the doorway. 'Stop that at once!'
The book froze in midair. Then, at half the speed, it sailed back to Madame's desk.
'Don't waste your gift on nonsense,' Madame said as she went to her desk. 'That goes for all of you. Your gifts may be needed for more important purposes.'
'Like what?' Charles asked.
'Charles, have you not noticed that half the class is missing?' 'Oh, that.'
Madame glared at Charles and seemed about to lecture him when the door opened. Jenna gasped when she saw Carter Street walk into the room.
'Carter!' Madame exclaimed. 'Where have you been? Are you all right?'
Jenna almost laughed. Did Madame really expect a response? Carter never spoke, and today was no exception. Without making eye contact with anyone in the class, he went to his usual seat and sat down.
Madame studied him for a minute. Then she turned to Jenna.
'Jenna, read his mind. See if you can find out where he's been.'
Jenna now had another reason to gasp. Madame had never asked her to read someone's mind before. In fact, she was always telling Jenna to stay out of other people's heads. She'd been scolded numerous times for invading the private thoughts of classmates.
But there was one student in the class whose mind had always been closed to her. 'I've tried to read his mind before, Madame. I can't get anything.'
'Try again,' Madame ordered.
'Okay.' She looked at the boy and concentrated. It was as she expected-nothing was revealed to her. After a moment, Madame asked, 'Would it help to get closer to him?'
'Maybe,' Jenna said, but without much hope. She got up and took the vacant seat in front of Carter. Moving the chair so she could face him, she stared into his eyes. Carter stared right back. She tried to think of her gift as an x-ray, something that could see through anything. And maybe she really was penetrating Carter's mind. But all she saw was complete darkness, a black void. She didn't know if he was intentionally blocking her gift or if there was just nothing there.
'I'm sorry, Madame.' She started to turn away, but something about Carter's face made her look at him again. 'Madame, his eyes look funny. Like, sort of watery. The way mine get when I have a cold.'
Madame approached and gazed at him thoughtfully. 'Yes, I see what you mean. And he's more pale than usual.' She turned.
'Amanda, would you accompany Carter to the infirmary, please?'
Obviously programmed to behave like Amanda, Other-Amanda let out a heart-rending sigh. Then, with an expression of great reluctance, she got up.
'Carter, go with Amanda,' Madame said. And as always, Carter obeyed a direct command.
They had just left the classroom when Ken uttered a word that was highly frowned upon by Meadowbrook teachers. It wasn't typical of him, and Madame looked more concerned than annoyed.
'Ken? What's wrong?'
He was clutching his head with both hands. Jenna didn't even have to concentrate to read his thoughts. She thought everyone might be able to hear the shouting that was going on in poor Ken's head.
You must talk to my son. It's urgent! My boy is in big trouble, and he needs my advice.
'Leave me alone!' Ken pleaded.
This is important! Listen to me. You have to contact him, now!
'No! Get out of my head!'
Jenna jumped. She'd never heard Ken sound so angry.
Jenna and Madame watched him anxiously. A few seconds passed, and Ken's eyes widened. 'Hey, I think she's gone.'
'See?' Jenna said. 'I told you, you just have to be tough with these dead people.'
Madame, however, still looked worried. 'Ken. . you're sure you haven't heard from, from …' she looked like she was having trouble saying the words'. . from the missing students?'
Ken shook his head. 'No, Madame. I'd listen to one of them. I just hope …' his voice trailed away.
'You hope what?' Madame asked.
'I just hope I won't have to.'
By the end of the school day, Jenna's frustration level had reached an all-time high. It was pathetic- working math problems, conjugating Spanish verbs, and playing volleyball in gym class when her friends were missing and possibly in grave danger. And here she was, doing nothing about it.
Her thoughts went back to Carter. He had to know something. He was their only link to the others. If she couldn't read his mind, maybe she could get some information out of him another way.
Back in the days when she'd run with a pretty rough street crowd, she'd known some scary people. At least, they knew how to act scary. Jenna could recall a few tactics that just might shake up Carter and frighten him out of his usual zombie state. The last bell had rung, and students were leaving the building, but there were a lot of after school activities going on-club meetings, the basketball game-so the infirmary had to stay open. There was a good chance Carter might still be there.
Unfortunately, the school nurse was still there, too. It wasn't going to be easy to threaten Carter with her watching.
'Yes?' the nurse asked. 'Can I help you?'
Jenna thought rapidly. 'There was an explosion in the chemistry lab! A teacher told me to come and get you.'
The nurse rose from her desk and glanced into the little room off the reception area. Whatever she saw must have reassured her because she snatched up a bag and hurried out.
Jenna berated herself--she should have sent the nurse to the gym, which was all the way on the other side of the school. It wouldn't take her long to get up a flight of stairs and see that there was nobody lying on the floor of the lab. Jenna didn't have much time.
In the little room, there were four cots, but only one was occupied. Carter was sleeping.
'Carter!' Jenna said sharply. 'Wake up!'
Carter didn't move. She went over to him and poked his arm. 'Come on, Carter, wake up!'
There was still no response. She put her hands on both his thin arms and shook him. But the guy could really sleep. If she hadn't seen his chest going up and down, she would have thought he was dead.
But Carter was weird in so many ways. When he was awake, he was like a sleepwalker. It made sense that his actual sleep would be something else altogether.
Now what was she going to do? The nurse would be back any minute. Another idea occurred to her. If Carter
