I took a step toward him. “I think you mightbe in for the shock of your life.” I took advantage of being freeof Viktor’s hold and walked quickly toward Carson. I could see amischievous look in his eye that told me he knew he was saving me,just like a good friend should. I could hear Viktor stalk up behindme and didn’t let him get close enough to grab me. I bounded downthe hall and stairs, the boys following behind. I heard themtalking, and the tone was not nice.
I didn’t even try to make it back to myhiding spot. When I opened the door, I high-tailed it for the can.Carson had been right. Out of nowhere, I saw Wind speeding for thecan. Lucky for me, I was faster. Thank you Division training. Ipicked up my speed a notch, not enough to make me appear weirdlyfast, but fast enough to beat him by a few seconds. He was mad,too. He stomped his feet and glared at me. I turned my attention tothe boys on the steps, who stood there, opened mouthed, staring atme. I grinned a big toothy grin, then bent over and pretended tobreathe hard as Wind marched up the steps and snagged both boys,hustling them into the losers’ section of the yard, which now heldabout twenty kids. I watched as the boys drank their shots. Thelarge group of kids laughed loudly. So much for their squabble. Istood alone in the winner’s section.
The man wrote our scores down on the grid onthe board. I was the only one with a positive number besides Wind.His score was double mine already. I was hoping to be itnext so that it would be easier to win the whole shebang. If Icould win the big prize, it would bring me up close and personalwith Jericho, who would most definitely give out the prize. Thefunny thing was I hadn’t seen him come in this round of play. Bythe time the last flare shot into the air, all but ten had beencaught, and I still stood by myself. Winning was definitely not thereal prize in this game. I looked back at the losers and severalwere taking more shots. Alcohol was the prize for sure. I spent thetime searching for Jericho.
Wind got credit for conquering the ones whodidn’t even try to come in, too. They slowly meandered in, alllooking a bit disheveled and definitely off balance. The crowdcheered, whistled, and catcalled as they came in. While Carsonseemed a bit tipsy, Viktor was full-on drunk already. I woulddefinitely be driving home. In fact, most of the kids couldn’t runa straight line by the end of play. When all was said and done,Wind beat my socks off, but I was the only other person in positivedigits. I made a super sad face while Wind opened the big box afterJericho appeared and gave it to him. It was a laptop, and a niceone at that.
Wind turned to me in a very dramaticfashion, bowed, and handed it over to me. “She beat me. Shewins.”
Lots in the crowd guffawed, and others said,“No way.”
I let myself be as grateful as was humanlypossible, screaming out and jumping up and down. Then I hugged him,hard. Only a slight smell of alcohol was on his breath. His smilewas huge. Now was my moment with Jericho. I turned to him and said,“Thank you, Jericho. There is no way in the world I thought I’dever have something as cool as this.” I moved toward him, cringinginwardly at the thought of having to hug him, but hoping I’d gethis phone in the process. “Thank you so much.” My arms wrappedaround him and he shifted, changing the hug to a grosslyinappropriate one. I wiggled out, just barely refraining fromstomping on his foot and kneeing him in the groin. I am Amber. Iam Amber.
I had the phone.
“I’m not that grateful. Down boy.” I backedup down the stairs, my hands up under my coat working on openingthe battery compartment of his phone. Whatever happened, I couldn’tget caught.
“I was just showing you how grateful I wasthat you were grateful.”
His smile creeped me out. I took anotherstep back, bowing my head down to hide the revulsion I felt. “Pointtaken,” I said.
As I held the open phone in one hand stillunder my coat, I used the other to reach for the bug in my pocket.Someone bumped me from behind, and I lost my balance and control ofthe phone. The battery cover flipped through the air and landed onthe step next to Jericho.
I stifled an anguished cry and as if oninstinct, I flew myself forward, slamming into Jericho and bringinghim down with me. I let his phone fall to the ground and in aflash, let mine drop too, forcing the battery cover off as Igrabbed it from my pocket. The bug remained taped to the interiorof my pants pocket. Useless.
“Oh, my gosh,” I said trying to get up andoff of Jericho. “I’m so sorry. Someone bumped me and—”
He pulled me close. “I know what you weredoing.”
I froze.
“You do?” I blurted.
“I do.” His hot, breathy whisper hit my earlike a muggy night in Memphis.
I’d been compromised, and my phone wasdisabled. By me. I had no way of signaling the guys that I neededan extraction. How had I messed this up so quickly? I readiedmyself to spring up and run for all I was worth. I may have screwedup this mission, but I wasn’t going to give myself to him totorture.
His tongue licked the outer edge of my ear,and he said, “Meet me in the theater later, and we can get thingsgoing. You don’t need to play games to get me. I’m more thanwilling.” Then he licked my ear once more.
“I just might,” I whispered. I pushed offhim, sickened and yet very, very relieved. I stood up, and herolled over to his knees before standing which gave him the perfectview of one of the broken phones.
“Ah, crap. My phone!” He picked
