The door at the end of the hall opened and Katie entered, carrying a tray.
“Oh, good, you’re both up!” she said, shutting the door behind her with a kick. “I brought food!”
“Perfect,” Rocky said, grinning. “I’m starving.”
“Of course you are.” Katie seemed more like herself now, less timid. Hopefully she knew they didn’t hold any grudges against her for leaving. She put the tray down on the end table between their beds. Two steaming bowls of soup and a plate of sandwiches sat atop it. The smell made James’s stomach growl painfully. When had he last eaten?
“How do they get fresh food to a secret base in the Himalayas?” James asked as he bit into a sandwich.
“Myrcellus does most of that sort of thing, since she can disguise herself, you know. They have contacts everywhere, but the only people who know the location of this base are the Supers.”
“And us,” Rocky said through a mouthful of food.
“Sort of.” Katie frowned. “The Himalayas are huge. We could be anywhere, really.”
The thought was disconcerting. James imagined the mountains surrounding them, spreading countless miles toward the horizon. An unforgiving, barren land of snow and ice. You wouldn’t want to get lost out there alone.
Luckily, they weren’t alone any longer. They had half of the Supers on their side, ready to help.
Chapter 21
The next morning, James and Rocky were awoken by Katie, who carried another tray of food. She was accompanied by Auri, who set to checking over James and Rocky as they ate breakfast. When they were done, she stood back and said, “You two should be fully healed, but it may take time to feel one hundred percent again. Just take it slow and stop at any sign of lightheadedness or excessive fatigue.”
“Thank you, Auri,” James said as she gathered her supplies. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
She straightened and gave him a knowing look, expecting the question.
“When was the last time you saw Derek?”
Auri sighed and favored him with a small, thin smile. “It was weeks ago, at our monthly meeting. A few days before you were kidnapped from school, I think. I promise he didn’t mention anything. I know just as much as you.”
She touched him lightly on the shoulder, glanced at her feet, and turned and left the room.
“Well,” Katie said, “Calico asked me to bring you to the meeting room once you’re feeling up to it.”
James glanced at Rocky, who nodded. “No point in waiting, I guess,” James said.
He swung his legs off the bed, his muscles still groaning in protest. His head swam a little when he stood up and he swayed unsteadily on his feet, but otherwise, he felt good. Better than he should, considering. Rocky, though, stumbled as soon as he stood. He caught himself on the wall, breathing heavily.
Katie rushed over to him. “You should stay here. You’re not ready for this.”
“No,” Rocky grunted, pushing himself off the wall. He wobbled for a moment, then steadied himself. “I’m not missing this.”
“At least let me help you.” Katie grabbed Rocky’s arm and put it over her shoulder.
“Won’t complain about that,” Rocky said with a grin.
Katie led them from the room, walking slowly as she supported Rocky. The halls outside were bare white, with fluorescent lights running in strips along the ceiling. There were no windows in sight. It made the place feel depressing, isolated. But, James supposed, a secret base in the mountains wasn’t supposed to feel welcoming.
They turned a corner and passed a few rooms with beds, most of them empty, unmade. It was eerie, each empty bed representing a fallen Super. James shook his head. Not fallen. Just lost.
Finally, they came to a set of double doors, the dark oak and silver handles out of place compared to the clinical feel of the rest of the base. Katie knocked once, then pushed the doors open.
The first thing James thought was, Sunlight! It streamed into the room from a large set of nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, amazing and rejuvenating. James could see a line of trees and, above them, a mountain that towered like a colossus. He was surprised to see such a ground-level view. He’d figured they were high up in the clouds, near the peak. This made more practical sense, he supposed.
They stood in a large room, spacious by the cramped standards of the hallways. A large, round table sat in the middle, with eleven seats, one for each Super. Only two were taken. Directly across from them, framed by the large windows, sat Calico. Next to him sat Tonitrus, a tall, hulking Super with blond hair and muscles that strained against his shirt. Derek always complained that the man used his powers like a bull, with no finesse or restraint. James flashed back to the tumbling, crumpled-up van. He had an idea of whom to thank for that one.
“Ah, James and Rocky! Great to see you up and standing,” Calico said, looking up from a stack of papers laid out on the table. He indicated to the three seats closest to him. As James, Rocky, and Katie rounded the table and took their seats, he said, “This is Tonitrus, though I believe you’ve met.”
“A few times.” James nodded to the man. Tonitrus nodded back.
“I hope the accommodations have been good. We didn’t have much time to prepare,” Calico said.
“They’re great, thanks,” Rocky said.
“Good, good. I’m excited to welcome you to our temporary home—”
“Do you know where the other Supers are?” James blurted before Calico could finish.
Calico gave him a warm smile, ignoring the rude interruption. “Right to business. I understand it is difficult right now. To have your brother disappear so suddenly isn’t easy.”
James realized the Super was talking about himself, too. He hadn’t considered that he and Calico were in a similar position—both were searching for their older brothers. But the idea that Calico missed Lychnus as strongly as James missed Derek
