Storm of Lightning (14 page)

I was glad to hear they were safe. “How long will it take to get there?”

“Las Vegas is about six hours from here. From Vegas it's about a two-and-a-half-hour drive north.”

“I've always wanted to see Las Vegas,” Abigail said.

“I've seen it,” Nichelle said. “That's where I got my nose and ear pierced. The first time.”

“We're not going to have time to play,” Gervaso said. “We're just driving through. If we leave early and don't make too many stops, we should reach the ranch by early afternoon.”

“What time do we need to leave?” I asked.

“We should leave here by six thirty. We'll stop in Phoenix for breakfast. Everyone good with that?”

“We're good,” I said.

“All right. Get some sleep. You all look like you're sleep deprived.”

“Yeah, I wonder why,” Jack said.

Gervaso walked back up to his room. After he was gone, I asked Taylor, “Do you want to swim?”

“No,” she said. “I don't have anything to swim in.”

Neither did I for that matter. I turned back to Jack and Abigail. “Where did you guys get your swimsuits?”

“The hotel lost and found,” Abigail said. “They let me take one.”

“That's resourceful,” Nichelle said. “Kind of gross, but resourceful.”

“What about you?” I asked Jack.

“I'm just wearing my boxers.”

“You're in your underwear?” Taylor asked.

Jack smiled. “It's all cloth, man.”

“All right,” I said. “Good night. See you bright and early.”

We went back to our rooms and slept.

Lido Deck of the ES
Faraday
Kaohsiung Port, Taiwan

“Y
ou're killing me,” Tara said.

“No I'm not,” Quentin said, looking over the chessboard between them. He had already captured more than half of Tara's pieces. “I'm just slowly torturing you.”

For the last half hour they had been playing chess in the game room of the
Faraday
's Lido Deck. The remaining three of Hatch's Glows were also in the room. Kylee was reading a Hollywood gossip magazine, Torstyn was practicing throwing some Chinese stars he had just purchased at a night market in Kaohsiung, and Bryan, as usual, was playing a video game.

They had been back on the ship for only a few hours after spending the day cruising the malls in Kaohsiung. Admiral-General Hatch had informed them that later that night they were setting sail to Tuvalu and it would be a while before they saw civilization or any of its comforts. They did their best to stock up.

Tara groaned as Quentin took her second rook. “This is hopeless. I always lose.”

“Life is a game of chess,” Quentin said. “The pieces are always in motion. If you don't plan three to five moves ahead, you lose to the one who does.”

“That's profound,” Torstyn said.

“Dr. Hatch taught me that. Did you know that there are more than a trillion possible play options in the first ten moves of chess?”

“No wonder I suck,” Tara said. “I can barely handle one move at a time.”

“You should make yourself look like Bobby Fischer,” Quentin said. “At least you'll look like you know what you're doing.”

“Who's Bobby Fischer?” she asked.

“Don't worry about it,” he said.

“I don't get why we had to be on the boat so early,” Bryan said. “We don't leave until ten.”

“It's wartime procedures. They can't be holding up an invasion because Kylee couldn't decide what color nail polish she wants on her toes.”

“Thanks for making me the failure in your story,” Kylee said.

“If the shoe fits,” Bryan said.

“My shoe will fit up your butt,” Kylee said. She set down her magazine. “I wish we didn't have to travel in this piece of crap. I miss the
Ampere
. If Vey were here, I'd slap him. Twice.”

“If Vey were here, I'd
kill
him,” Torstyn said.

“Good luck with that,” Bryan said.

“Dr. Hatch told me that our new yacht is almost complete,” Quentin said. “Then we'll finally be able to move out of this pigsty.”

“They can build boats that fast?” Torstyn asked.

“No, fortunately, Schema had ordered it three years ago. Probably the only smart thing he's ever done.”

“What's it going to be called?” Kylee asked.

“The
Westinghouse
,” Quentin said.

Tara said, “I heard it's even nicer than the
Ampere
.”

“Nicer. Faster. Stronger,” Quentin said. “It has two heliports, double
the surface-to-air missiles, a surround sound theater. It even has a climbing wall and skateboard park.”

“And it's not sitting at the bottom of the ocean,” Bryan said without looking up from his video game. “That's a plus.”

“I wish you were sitting at the bottom of the ocean,” Kylee said.

“Is that where Dr. Hatch went?” Tara asked. “To pick it up?”

Quentin was still studying the board as he shook his head. “No. He flew to Jakarta to pick up a different boat. It's our new warship, the
Edison
. He'll meet us in Tuvalu.” Quentin eyed Bryan severely. “Keep that to yourself; that's confidential information.”

“Why did you only say that to me?” Bryan asked, raising his palms. “Besides, who would I tell? It's not like I know anyone besides you guys anyway.”

“Don't tell
anyone
,” Quentin said. “We don't need Vey and his terrorists blowing up another of our boats. He's taken out enough of them.”

“Ha!” Tara laughed. “I just took your horse-guy.”

“It's called a knight,” Quentin said, moving his bishop. “And I just took your queen.”

Tara groaned. “Why do I even play this with you?” Suddenly she turned into the president of the United States. “Because it's the prudent thing to do,” she said in the president's voice.

Quentin grinned. “That's so cool.”

“Hey, Tara, why don't you turn into Scarlett Johansson and we'll go out on a date?”

“Hey, Bryan,” Tara said, “why don't I throw up in my mouth?”

“Idiot,” Bryan said.

Torstyn laughed. “You had that coming, dude.”

Bryan went back to his video game. A minute later he said, “Any of you hear about Welch?”

“
EGG
Welch,” Quentin said, without looking up. “Show some respect. And what about him?”

As Hatch had turned over more responsibility to him, Quentin had become more concerned with protocol and order. But this was more than a formality. EGG Welch was one of Quentin's best friends. During Quentin's early years at the academy, Welch had taught him
to golf and ski and oftentimes took him hunting on weekends. Welch was the closest thing Quentin had to a father.

“Well, the
egg
is scrambled now,” Bryan said, grinning.

“What are you talking about?” Quentin said, looking up from the chessboard.

“Dr. Hatch sent him to the brig. When we reach Tuvalu, he's going to be rat feed.”

Quentin suddenly looked panicked. “Who told you that?”

“Everyone's talking about it.”

“Did you hear that?” Quentin asked Torstyn.

“No.”

“I heard it,” Tara said. “So did Kylee.”

“He's down in the brig,” Kylee said. “I passed the guards escorting him.

For a moment Quentin was speechless. “Do you know why Dr. Hatch had him arrested?”

“I heard it was because of Vey's escape,” Tara said. “And the Chinese girl.”

“Glad it's not me,” Bryan said.

Quentin looked even more upset. “Did it occur to any of you geniuses that Jade Dragon was
our
responsibility and that we might be next?”

Everyone stopped what they were doing.

“Dr. Hatch wouldn't do that,” Kylee said, though the way she said it sounded more like a question than a statement.

“Why didn't someone tell me about Welch?” Quentin asked angrily.

“I just did,” Bryan said.

“I'm sorry,” Tara said. “I thought you already knew. You know everything.”

“Apparently not,” Quentin said, standing. “I'm going to my room.” He stormed out.

“You idiot,” Tara said to Bryan.

“Why am I an idiot?” Bryan said. “He said he wanted to know.”

Torstyn stood up and walked out after Quentin, followed by Tara.
Kylee just looked at Bryan and shook her head. “Nicely done, moron.”

“Shut up,” he said.

A few minutes later Tara and Torstyn knocked on Quentin's door. “Q, it's me and Torstyn. Can we come in?”

“It's unlocked,” Quentin said.

They stepped inside. Quentin was lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling.

“What are you thinking?” Tara asked.

Quentin hesitated. He had often suspected that his room was bugged, and now, just to be safe, he pulsed hard before speaking. “I'm thinking Dr. Hatch might be planning on punishing us, too.”

“Won't be the first time,” Torstyn said.

“I mean mortally,” Quentin said. “He might feed one of us to the rats. Just to send a message that no one's immune.”

Torstyn blanched. “Let them try. I'll microwave them like popcorn.”

“You don't think they'll be expecting that?” Quentin said. “They'll attack without warning. They'll shoot us with darts, put RESATs on us to drain our power, and drag us away.”

“All of us?”

“No. Just one of us. To make an example. It's how Hatch works.” He breathed out. “It's probably me. I'm the leader.”

Torstyn looked at Tara, then back at Quentin. “Won't happen, bro. If he comes after you, we'll rescue you.”

Quentin nodded. “Thanks. That's the way it's got to be. For all of us.”

“Except Bryan,” Tara said.

Quentin shook his head. “Even Bryan. If they can take any of us, they can take all of us.”

“What about Welch?” Torstyn asked.

“I'm not going to let it happen to him, either. I need to talk to him.”

“That's impossible,” Tara said. “He's in the brig. You know no one's allowed down there except Dr. Hatch.”

Quentin looked at Tara. “Then Dr. Hatch will need to visit him.”

T
he two Elgen guards stationed outside the brig's entrance stood at attention as Quentin, Torstyn, and Tara approached.

“Admiral-General, sir,” they said in unison, sharply saluting. The guards didn't know it was Quentin they were saluting, as Tara was using her powers to make him appear as Hatch.

“Open the door,” Quentin said.

“Yes, Admiral-General,” the first guard said. He ran an electric key over the pad and the lock clicked. The other guard opened the door.

“Do not let me be disturbed,” Quentin said. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Admiral-General.”