The Rebel

He clicked on the overhead light and grabbed the peanut butter jar filled with marbles off his dresser. He dumped the marbles onto his bed, cursing as a bunch of them hit the floor.

Was it there? Was it? His fingers flew over the marbles, sorting, sorting.

Got it. Thank you, Edgar Allan Poe, he thought. When he was eleven, he'd read all the guy's stories about twenty times each. The Purloined Letter had given him the idea for hiding the Stone pretty much in plain sight.

But a good hiding place wouldn't stop Trevor next time. Alex was sure he'd come after the Stone again. And the Louisville wouldn't have much of a chance against Trevor's powers.

SEVEN

'This is the first party I've ever thrown,' Michael told Adam and Trevor. 'The place is getting trashed again.' But he smiled. The museum was the perfect party space, and everyone from school was taking full advantage.

Half of Isabel's cheerleading squad was holding court in the coffee shop in the back. Over by the Elvis on Mars display there was already some dancing going on that was a lot more like making out.

'Why the first?' Trevor asked. He took a swig of his Lime Warp, grimaced, and set the can on the floor.

'Michael and I haven't lived here that long,' Adam answered quickly. Michael got the feeling he was a little jealous of Trevor. He could understand that. Michael was sort of like Adam's big brother/roommate. And now Michael's real brother had shown up-and moved in.

'And before I lived here, it was all foster homes-which are never exactly party central,' Michael said. 'But anyway, this is the optimum night for a party. No one's sick. No one's locked in the compound.' He slapped Adam on the shoulder, and Adam flashed his eager puppy-dog smile. 'No one's on another planet. No one's trying to kill us, at least not right this second. And-'

'Oh no, no, no,' Maria cried as she squeezed her way between Michael and Trevor. 'There's going to be no talk about killing tonight. It's Alex and Trevor's welcome-home slash welcome-to-earth party.'

'So what should we talk about?' Michael asked her.

'Little fuzzy bunnies with little pink noses,' Maria answered immediately 'Little fuzzy bunny slippers with little pink noses would also be acceptable.'

Michael cracked up. He never knew what was going to come spilling out of Maria's raspberry-colored mouth. 'How about the fact that your little brother is attempting to see up Kieran Scott's dress as we speak?'

Maria let out a yelp. She started toward Kevin, but Michael blocked her way.

'I think Max has it covered,' he told her. He glanced over his shoulder just to make sure and saw Max leading Kevin over to the office, where Ray had set up an assortment of old pinball machines.

'Sorry I had to bring him,' Maria said. 'Mom couldn't find a babysitter. She's going to pick him up in about half an hour.'

'Not a problem,' Michael answered.

'So if we'd grown up here together, is that what I'd have had to do with you?' Trevor asked. He raised an eyebrow at Michael. 'Take you to parties that I didn't want you at in the first place?'

Michael could hardly imagine what his life would have been like if Trevor had been around. Everything would have been radically different. Even if they'd been in foster homes, at least they would have had each other.

'You're not that much older than me,' Michael reminded him, clamping down on the sentimental trash in his head. 'I probably would have gotten invited to all the cool parties and had to take you along.'

'Would not,' Trevor countered.

'Would too,' Michael joked.

Maria laughed. 'You really are brothers, aren't you?'

'Definitely,' Trevor answered. 'I paid special attention to all the materials the Kindred gave me on sibling relationships. I wanted to make sure I treated Michael right.' He reached over and socked Michael on the arm. 'Is that right? Or should I be giving you a wedgie?'

Michael felt himself starting to grin like an idiot and tried to get a grip.

'What I studied didn't mention that friends take responsibility for their friends' siblings,' Trevor added.

'You lost me,' Michael admitted. He drained his soda in a long gulp.

'The way that Max took charge of Kevin just now,' Trevor explained, jerking his chin toward the office.

'That's not so usual,' Maria told him. 'It's just that in our group, we're almost more like family than friends. I guess that makes Kevin kind of an honorary little brother to Max.'

'I definitely think of him as my little brother,' Adam volunteered.

As far as Michael knew, this party was only the second time Adam had ever seen Kevin. But Michael wasn't about to bring that up. Not when Adam was trying so hard to prove he was one of them.

'So, okay, you guys. Back to the important topic of bunny's noses. Adam, what color pink would you say they are?' Maria joked.

'You have to tell me what you're on,' Michael teased. 'I want to be sure to avoid it.'

Maria tilted back her head and stared him in the eye. 'Just a little tangerine oil, which is very invigorating,' she answered, all serious.

'Can I have some?' Trevor asked.

'Of course.' Maria opened her ridiculously small purse and pulled out a vial of oil. She took out the stopper, dabbed some of the oil on her fingers, and then rubbed it into the base of Trevor's throat.

'You could have just given him the vial,' Michael muttered. He wanted Trevor to experience pretty much all the cool things earth had to offer-but not getting touched by Maria.

'It's better if it's on a pulse point,' Maria explained, still smoothing the oil into Trevor's skin.

'Feels good to me,' Trevor answered. He pressed her fingers back to his throat when she started to pull them away.

Michael felt his face start to flush. Was Trevor hitting on Maria? Exactly what 'local behavioral norms' had he learned before he showed up here?

'Feels good to me, too,' Maria told him. 'Did you know fat-free cookies can taste amazingly like the fat-full ones?'

Was she hitting on Trevor? That oil was long gone, and she still hadn't taken her hand away. Michael narrowed his eyes, studying her. Maria's aura was sparkling, little silver flecks scattered through the silky blue.

Michael shoved his hands through his hair. Yeah, there was a very real possibility that she was flirting. He shot another glance at her. Make that she was definitely flirting.

'I've never had a fat-free cookie,' Trevor answered, smiling down at Maria.

'Don't listen to her. She doesn't know anything about cookies. She doesn't even eat cookies,' Michael informed him.

'I might start,' Maria said, still looking at Trevor. Although Michael thought he caught her giving him a lightning-fast glance out of the corner of her eye.

Is she trying to make me crazy?

'So, Trevor, what do you-' Maria began.

Then the lights flickered and the crowd gave an oooh of anticipation. 'Get ready to bop!' someone shouted.

'Give me a friggin' break,' Michael muttered. He took a step toward the guy manning the big boom box, but Maria snagged him by the elbow.

'Come on, Michael. We have to give Trevor and Adam the chance to experience the bop,' she said.

Michael groaned. But he knew Maria well enough to know that she'd be relentless until she got what she wanted.

'There wasn't anything about the bunny hop in the material you studied, was there?' he asked Trevor as the bop music started to blare.