The Rebel

SIX

"I got the most brilliant idea last night!" Stacey Scheinin cried. "At halftime we should spell out our team's name with our bodies! Can I hear a yeah?"

All the Stacey wanna-bes immediately screamed, "Yeah."

"Sounds fabulous," Isabel added.

Everyone on the cheerleading squad stared at her. It took Isabel a moment to figure out why. Oh, she realized. It's the first time I ever agreed with Stacey about anything.

That just showed what an incredible mood she was in. She had fuzzy-wuzzy feelings toward everyone in the whole world, even look-at-how-cute-I-am aren't-I-the-best-little-head-cheerleader-ever Stacey.

"Are you feeling okay? Because I'm suddenly in need of a barf bag," Isabel's friend Tish Okabe whispered in Isabel's ear.

"I'm feeling spectacular," Isabel answered.

Alex was back! Michael had a brother! And Sheriff Valenti was still dead!

Yeah, Elsevan DuPris was out there somewhere, but she wasn't going to ruin one of her best days ever thinking about that.

"You're awfully happy today," Stacey said, sounding suspicious, or at least as suspicious as someone with a Minnie Mouse voice could sound. She shot a sly look over at the bleachers. "The new boy must be good for you."

Isabel followed Stacey's gaze and saw Kyle Valenti staring at her. As she watched, he pulled out a lighter and flicked it on and off, on and off.

What a loser, Isabel thought. Does he think he's at a concert or something? She felt a tiny bit of her joy drain away. Little Kyle clearly had something on his mind. Something vicious.

Deliberately she turned her back on him. Kyle was an insect. When he became annoying enough, she would deal with him. "Some of my fans do get a little overadoring," Isabel told Stacey.

"I bet you're sorry you jettisoned Alex," Lucinda Baker called out. "I saw him bending over the drinking fountain. He's been doing his butt-building exercises, that's all I can say."

"Uh-huh," one of the Stacey wanna-bes added. "I can't believe I never noticed how yummy he is."

Alex had definitely come back home with something different about him. He'd been weak and scared, yeah. But when Isabel finally got used to the fact that he was really and truly home, she couldn't help notice that he'd undergone some kind of transformation. It was like he had a glow about him. But she wasn't going to stand around and discuss that with the squad.

"So do you want to practice the letter thing now?" Isabel asked Stacey.

"It's getting late. We'll do it next time. That's it for today," Stacey answered. She sounded sort of confused.

I have to remember this, Isabel thought. If I want to mess with Stacey's head, all I have to do is be nice to her.

"You don't actually have something going with Kyle, do you?" Tish asked as she and Isabel headed for the locker room.

"Did I just hear you ask me if I had something going with Kyle?" Isabel asked with mock horror.

Tish grinned. "Okay, but you do have something going with somebody. I can see it on your face. So come on. Confess. Did you get back with Alex? Because he is looking extra crispy." She held the locker-room door open for Isabel, then led the way over to their lockers.

"Tish, come back from the fifties, okay?" Isabel sat down on one of the peeling wooden benches and kicked off her shoes. "A guy is not the only reason for a girl to be happy."

Although she had to admit that Trevor had… possibilities.

"Don't even try giving me that superior attitude," Tish answered. "I know exactly how many times you saw the last Julia Roberts movie, okay?"

"I'm not saying I don't like guys," Isabel answered. "Guys can be very entertaining. I'm just saying there are other things in life."

She opened her locker and reached for her towel. She always brought her own. The ones at school were way too thin. Plus other people used them.

When she pulled the towel free, a doll fell to the floor with a soft plop.

"What a cute little cheerleader outfit it has on," Tish cooed. She picked it up, and Isabel saw the doll's face for the first time.

Make that the glob of charred plastic where the doll's face used to be.

Kyle and his lighter have been busy, Isabel thought. She took the doll from Tish and used the very tips of her fingers to deposit it in the trash. Now she really couldn't wait to get into the shower.

I suppose I should deal with that boy sooner rather than later, she thought.

"You're in trouble," Kevin said with a smirk.

Maria shut the door behind her. "Don't sound so happy about it," she answered. "Remember how many things I know about you-things that Mom would be very interested in, things that could put you in your room for life."

"I'm so scared." Kevin gave an exaggerated shiver that made his arms flop around like overcooked spaghetti.

"Maria, is that you?" her mother called from the kitchen.

"Yeah," she called back.

"Come in here for a minute," her mom answered.

"See?" Kevin mouthed.

Maria ignored her little brother and headed toward the kitchen. At least there is no way this will even get close to the meltdown between Liz and her dad, she thought. She took a deep breath and stepped through the door.

Her eyes immediately went to the mosaic of miniature candy bars laid out on the table in front of her mom. Uh-oh. Bad sign. Marias mom stayed away from candy except when she was in major stress mode.

"I heard from Mr. Ortecho that your trip to the caverns was unchaperoned," her mother said.

Unchaperoned. What a weird, old-fashioned word. Like they should have taken a prim governess in a long black dress with them. The thought brought a giggle bubbling up Marias throat. She covered it with a cough. Laughing right now would not help the situation.

"Yeah," Maria admitted. "But I didn't really soy Mr. Ortecho would be with us. You just interpreted-"

"Maria."

That one word, in that tone of voice, was enough to make Maria give up her feeble attempt at coming up with an excuse.

Her mother unwrapped one of the little candy bars and popped the whole thing in her mouth.

"Maria," she repeated, her voice softer now, more tentative. She peeled another candy bar, popped it. "Maria, have you…? Are you…?"

She reached for another piece of candy. Maria pinned her hand to the table, stopping her.

"I have to say, I have no idea what you're attempting to communicate here," she told her mom.

"I'm so bad at this," her mother burst out. "I've spent half the day trying to figure out how to talk to you about, um, intimacy."

Intimacy, Maria silently repeated.

Oh no. Oh. My. God! Her mother wanted to have a sex talk!

Maria grabbed one of the candy bars, unwrapped it, and shoved it in her mouth. Two refined-sugar intakes in one week. What was wrong with her?

"I'm not happy that you spent the weekend alone with some boys," her mother said. She pulled her hand free of Marias but left the candy on the table. "But I know that-that sex isn't something that can only happen on a weekend away from home."

She had started sounding somewhat robotic. Maria figured this must be the beginning of her prepared speech.

"Mom, you don't have to. I'm not… I haven't. It's not an issue," Maria stammered.

But her mother was unstoppable. "The most important thing to me is that you're safe. Now, we can make you an appointment with my gynecologist and get you a prescription for the pill. But as I hope you know, that won't protect you against AIDS or venere-"

"Mom, believe me, there's no one I'm interested in… being with," Maria insisted.

Except Michael, she added to herself. And there's no possibility of anything intimate happening between us. Not when he's still wrecked by Cameron leaving. Not when I'm going nuts pretending I'm just his buddy.

"All right, I'll only say one more thing." Her mother started to put the remaining candy bars back in the bag. "Wait for someone you really care about, who really cares about you."

Michael. It was him or nobody.

Maria's heart tightened in her chest. She could be facing a very, very long wait. Like forever.

"I promise," Maria told her mother. "But you really don't-"

The phone began to ring, interrupting her. Maria tipped her chair back far enough to grab the receiver. "Hello?"

"I can see you right now," a male voice said. "Sitting at the kitchen table with your mother. Having a little heart-to-heart. It's very sweet."

Maria opened her mouth, but she couldn't get any words out. Her throat was too dry.

"I can see your brother, too," the voice continued. "In the living room, playing some video game. Yes, I can see everybody in the house, every move they make."

There was a click, and the dial tone started to hum in her ear.

"Who was it?" Maria's mother asked.

Maria swallowed hard. "Wrong number," she answered. She stood up and crossed to the kitchen window. The front yard was dark and empty. So were the sidewalk and the street.

But Maria knew someone was close by. Watching. She pulled the curtains closed.

It's just Kyle, she told herself. It has to be just Kyle, right?

But even if it is just Kyle, she thought, a tingle of uneasiness running down her spine, what if he gets tired of just watching?

Alex slid into bed, his own bed, with the dip in the middle that fit his body perfectly. I'm home, he thought for probably the fifty-second time that day.

He didn't expect to be able to sleep-at least not right away. He figured his brain was crammed with way too much info-about his dad and Trevor, mainly. But when Alex's head sank down into his soft, goose-down pillow and he closed his eyes, he immediately felt that slipping-sliding wooziness he always got when he was just about to go under.

The next thing he knew, he was falling. No, not falling, being hurled-down, down, down. His velocity pushed the flesh of his cheeks back toward his ears, curled his top lip toward his nose.

Alex clawed at the air, grasping for something to stop him. But there was nothing but the void all around him as he flew down, faster and faster.

He could feel the pressure building internally. His bladder and stomach felt weighted down. Each beat of his heart seemed to take massive effort, as did each breath he pulled into his burning lungs.

He was in a wormhole.

You're dreaming, Alex told himself. You're home in bed.

But the thought didn't jar him awake.

He felt suction coming from behind him, pulling him backward. But the other force was still hurtling him straight down.

Alex heard his bones creak as his body stretched out, thrown forward and hauled back simultaneously. A gash opened up on his stomach. He felt a rush of hot blood. Then a matching gash opened on his back.

He was being ripped apart. And he was powerless to stop it.

He opened his mouth and screamed. Then his whole body jerked, and he sat up fast-hyperawake.

His heart was pounding so hard, he could feel the beats in his throat and ears and temples. He lowered himself back down. The sheet under his back was damp with sweat.

He hoped he hadn't screamed out loud. His little talk with the Major had been very cool. He didn't want the good feeling between them to evaporate because he'd woken up hollering like a baby.

You're in your room. You're safe. Your body's still in one piece. Just get a grip, he ordered himself. His heartbeat slowed down a little. But when his eyes adjusted to the darkness, it kicked right back into high gear.

He wasn't alone. Someone stood in the shadows near his dresser.

Alex slowly, shakily slipped his hand out of the covers. He reached under the bed, feeling for his Louisville slugger, keeping his eyes locked on the motionless figure. After he wrapped his fingers around the bat's smooth wooden handle, he tensed his muscles, preparing himself to spring.

But suddenly the intruder was gone.

Not out the door. Not out the window. Just gone.

It had to be Trevor, he thought. When he saw that I saw him, he teleported out of here.

Alex jumped out of bed. Did Trevor get the Stone?

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.