“He did. He said, ‘Ol’ S-Dub doesn’t messaround’—S-Dub. That’s gotta be their leader, or at least the onewho assigned them their target. The next guy up on the totempole.”
Jeremy pursed his lips. “Sure, I can seethat, but S-Dub? That’s not much to go on—it could be anyone,anywhere. Sounds like a nickname, maybe like dubstep? Like a deejayor something?”
“Or initials,” Ace cut in. “SW,perhaps?”
“More likely than a deejay.” Jeremyshrugged. “But how are we supposed to find someone with justinitials?”
Ace had already started typing away at hiscomputer, and we all turned to him expectantly.
“There are 32 students at A.G. Bell Academywith the initials SW. Three teachers.”
“Subjects?” Jeremy asked. Of course, I hadthe list of faculty and students memorized, and I pulled it out ofits little folder in my brain, studying its contents for clues.
Ace typed again. “American History, Spanish,and—oh, this one’s a counselor.”
“Hmmm…I mean, it’s possible,” Jeremy said,but he still looked skeptical. Halluis shook his head again, and Icould tell he was gearing up for another go at the argument.
One of the names stood out to me—I could seeit as clearly as if I were reading it off a paper in front of me. Ididn’t want anyone else to know about this uncanny ability ofmine—some things were better kept secret—so I had to bring it up alittle carefully.
“What about the auto engineering teacher? Hewould likely know a little something about cars. If it was going tobe anyone at the school…” I trailed off as Ace pulled up theinformation.
He frowned. “Not likely, first name Robert,last name Shareweather. Not S-Dub.”
“Shareweather!” I exclaimed. “There’s yourS-Dub. Share, weather. Not initials, just a nickname.”
I let the idea sink in for a minute. Halluisstill seemed unconvinced, but Jeremy and Ace started nodding.
“It’s worth investigating anyway,” I said.“I’ll start there on Monday. If Shareweather doesn’t pan out, I’llinvestigate the other SWs. But then…” I didn’t have to say therest. If those leads didn’t pan out, I’d have to go back to Jerichoand Mikado. “Look, I’m not excited about it either, but we have ajob to do.”
Jeremy shook his head. I couldn’t be sure,but I had the uncanny feeling that there was something he wasn’ttelling us. “I don’t want you to get in with those boys if youdon’t have to.” Jeremy stood. “If you can find some of the otherlifters at the school—we know there are more—then I think that’sthe wiser route.”
Halluis sniffed but held his tongue, forwhich I was grateful. I didn’t want to listen to another round oftheir bickering.
“So, it’s a plan then,” I said, forcing asmile. I stood up from the table, hoping that would be enough toquell any further conversation. “It’s getting pretty late. I thinkwe all need some sleep.”
“It is a little late for a child tobe up,” Halluis said, slipping back into his usual teasing tone.“Let’s get you in bed before your parents find out.” He smirked atme, and I shot him a truly grateful smile. It was good of him tolet it go, let things get back to normal. Whatever that meant for abunch of spies.
Chapter 4
I spent the weekend studying everything theteam had collected on Jericho and Mikado, plus just generalinformation about the school and the teachers whose classes I’d bein. For good measure, I studied up on engineering as well. Amber,my alias, would have had to pass tests and qualify to attend theschool, so I couldn’t come in looking completely clueless. Not forthe first time, I had reason to be grateful for my photographicmemory. Even with that skill, after an entire Saturday of crammingmy head full of facts, I was exhausted and ready for a break.
I’d considered going sight-seeing on Sunday,since it was probably the only chance I’d get, but the boys werebusy with mission preparations—conveniently ducking my invitationto visit Chinatown—and Jeremy was nowhere to be found. When Ithought about it, I realized I didn’t want to go sight-seeing on myown. What I really wanted was to go to church. I recognized that itwas pretty weird for a spy to want to attend church, but I found somuch peace there, peace that wasn’t found in my job. I probablywouldn’t get a chance to go once the mission began, so it felt allthe more important to take this opportunity now.
After the service, I was feeling much moreat peace with the task in front of me. If only I could impart alittle of that peace to Jeremy. When I returned to the brownstone,he was back, poring over information in the conference room. Iwatched him from the door. Tension was evident in the way hehunched his strong shoulders and the way he bit down on hisknuckles whenever he wasn’t typing. I wished I could pull him intoa hug, but I wasn’t sure such a gesture would be entirely welcome.Sure, we’d been through so much together, but he was my missionleader—and I’d never seen him hug Halluis or Ace.
“Jeremy,” I said gently, trying not tostartle him. He turned and looked at me, and the circles beneathhis reassuring eyes made it clear that he had hardly slept. Hisstrong jaw sported the perfect five o’clock shadow. I sighed. “It’sgoing to be okay,” I said. “You can trust me. I really can do this.Don’t you know that by now?”
Jeremy opened his mouth, then shook hishead. “It’s not that—I do trust you.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Then, why soworried?”
He just shook his head again. “Forget aboutit. You’re gonna be great. You always are.”
I smiled, but inside I was still perplexed.There was something he wasn’t saying. I wished I knew how to breakpast that stoic barrier. “Thanks, Jeremy. I won’t let you down. Ipromise.”
***
Bright and early Monday morning, I took thecrowded subway to the school and made my way to the autoengineering outbuilding.
It was a single-story building directlybehind the school, sandwiched inside a block of brownstones. Twoadjacent brownstones had been remodeled into the A. G. BellEngineering Academy. A narrow driveway led from the street to asmall parking garage below the outbuilding and to a small, paved,open space where
