Michael Vey: Rise Of The Elgen Part 14

Ian walked up to Jack. "Point to where they gave you that shot."

Jack peeled back the foil and rolled up his sleeve. He pointed to a spot a few inches down from his shoulder.

We were all quiet as Ian looked at Jack's arm. "I think I see it. It's about the size of a sesame seed."

"What does it look like?" Ostin asked.

He focused his eyes. "It has markings. Almost like . . . fingerprints."

"That's it," Ostin said. "We should mark where it is. Anyone got a pen?"

Mitch.e.l.l retrieved a fine-tipped marker from a drawer next to the phone. "Here."

Ostin handed the marker to Ian, who drew a small dot on Jack's skin. "It's right there, about a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch in."

"The subcutaneous level," Ostin said.

I looked at Jack. "You sure about this?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," I said.

"Then I'm sure."

"You should sit down," Ostin said. "The shock might knock you out."

"Right." Jack walked over to the couch and sat back, his arm on the armrest.

I put my hand on his arm. "Ready?"

"I feel like I'm in the electric chair waiting for them to flip the switch. Don't count or anything. Just do it."

"Wait!" Abigail said. "I can help." She walked over to Jack's side and put one hand on his shoulder, the other on his neck. "Okay," she said.

Jack smiled. "Thanks."

I put my index finger on Ian's ink dot and closed my eyes. Then I pulsed.

Jack's body heaved and Abigail jumped back with a scream. The spot on Jack's arm was bright red and there was a blister where my finger had touched him.

"Sorry," I said.

It took him a moment to speak. "It was nothing," he said, still looking a little dazed. "I think Abi took most of it." He looked at her. "Are you all right?"

Her eyes were moist with tears, but she nodded.

"Thank you," he said. "I owe you one."

She forced a smile. "You're welcome."

Jack turned to me. "So, did it work?"

"Ian, what do you see?"

Ian looked at Jack's arm. "The thing looks . . . smaller than it was, kind of wrinkled, like it's melted."

"Perfect," Ostin said.

Wade stepped forward. "Guess it's my turn." He pulled the foil back from his arm.

Ian had to look a little longer for his. "What's up with this? You've got a bunch of metal in there."

Wade looked stumped for a moment, then said, "Oh. It's probably buckshot. I got in the way of a shotgun when I was little."

"His dad was drunk and took him duck hunting," Jack said.

"There it is." Ian marked the place with the pen.

Abigail put her hand on Wade's shoulder.

"You don't have to do this," Jack said to her.

"I know."

This time I didn't hesitate. I put my finger on the spot and immediately pulsed. The shock wasn't as strong as the first one, but it was strong enough. Abigail cried out as she pulled away, shaking her hand in pain. Tears were rolling down her face. McKenna and Taylor both put their arms around her to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"It's not your fault," she replied.

Ian examined Wade's arm. "It looks shriveled too."

Jack wadded up a piece of foil from Wade's arm and threw it at Mitch.e.l.l. Then he grabbed Wade by the hand and pulled him up. "You're the man."

"That wasn't so bad," he said.

"Yeah, because Abi took it," Taylor said. "How about a thank-you."

"Sorry," Wade said. "Thanks."

"That's okay," Abigail said.

"Now that that's done," Ostin said, "how about some pizza?"

"I could go for that action myself," Zeus said.

"Looks like there's a little of everything," Grace said, opening the boxes.

"Pineapple and Canadian bacon," Ostin said. "Score."

I took a couple of pieces of sausage and pepperoni pizza for Taylor and me, then we sat on the floor in the corner of the room. After we'd taken a few bites she asked, "Now what do we do?"

"We get the information out of Grace." I looked over at Mitch.e.l.l. "Hey, Mitch.e.l.l. Do you have a computer?"

"Like six of them," he said, his mouth full.

"We need your most powerful one. We've got to upload Grace."

"What's grace?"

Grace was sitting on the arm of the couch next to him. "I'm Grace," she said.

Mitch.e.l.l looked at her. "I don't get it."

"They're uploading me," she said.

"I'm so confused," Mitch.e.l.l said. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

"I'll tell you," I said. "Remember when I shocked you?"

"Yeah, like I'd forget that."

"There are other kids like me with electric powers. Thirteen of them. The people who made us this way, the Elgen, are trying to get us back. That's why they kidnapped my mother and Taylor."

"You?" Mitch.e.l.l said, looking at Taylor.

Taylor nodded.

"She's electric too," I said.

"You can shock too?" Mitch.e.l.l asked.

"Kind of," she said. "Just your brain."

"Might be hard with Mitch," Jack said. "Small target."

Mitch.e.l.l made a face.

I continued. "Jack and Wade drove Ostin and me to California to rescue my mother and Taylor."

"Where we were captured and put in cells and tortured," Wade said. "Still wish you had come?"

Mitch.e.l.l looked at Jack. "The Elgen dudes captured you?"

Jack nodded. "They put these electric collars on us that would shock you if you even talked. But Michael escaped and freed us."

"And the Elgen dudes are the ones looking for you now," Mitch.e.l.l said.

I nodded. "Yes."

Jack said, "We came back to Idaho to regroup. But the Elgen were waiting for us. They burned down my house."

"Then they recaptured us," Wade said. "But we got away."

"That's where you come in," I said. "The truck you saw us climb out of, that was what they were holding us in."

"You're really not making this up?"

Jack scowled. "Don't be an idiot. You saw the truck, dude. You saw the bullet holes."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"We're hoping Grace has information about my mother," I said. "That's why we need a computer."

Mitch.e.l.l just stared at me for a moment. "But what if these Elgen guys find us?"

"That's why we had to get rid of the RFIDs," Jack said. "So they won't."

"There's no way they'll find us now," Ostin said.

Just then my phone rang. Everyone turned to look at me as I answered. "h.e.l.lo."

"Get ready, Michael," the voice said. "The Elgen are here."

"Where are they?" I asked.

Taylor grabbed my arm. At first I thought she was frightened, then I realized she was just listening in.

"They're one street east of you. There are about a dozen guards in three vehicles. Did you get rid of the GPs?"

"No, but we destroyed the RFIDs," I said. "At least we think we did."

"You must have succeeded or else they would have already surrounded the house. They were probably closing in on you, then lost the signal. They've got a helicopter and listening devices, so stay inside and no loud talking. Turn up the radio or TV. They're also going door to door with remote el-readers. They're sensitive up to thirty feet, so stay away from the front door and outer walls."

"What are el-readers?" I asked.

"They pick up erratic electrical signals like yours."

Taylor looked up at the ceiling. "I hear a helicopter."

"What should we do?" I asked.

"Prepare yourself for battle. Is there someone they won't recognize who can answer the door when they arrive?"

"Mitch.e.l.l can," I said. "It's his house."

"What are you volunteering me for?" Mitch.e.l.l asked.