Searching for Answers

Libby threaded her way through the crowded halls. She whirled about from the jab to her elbow, falling as a foot snagged out to trip her. Bewildered, she looked up at the mass of blurred faces. One separated from the rest. She flicked her hair back with a regal toss of her head. She leaned down. Pointed a finger.

"Freak!" she said. "Just like them!"

"Wait!" Libby called, but the faces were gone. She was isolated in the maze of hallways. Everywhere she turned, she only found backs, or elbows or feet aimed in her direction. When at last Libby saw an opening, she took it, finding herself in a class.

"Hi," said one of the girls.

"Don't talk to her!" one of the others whispered loudly. "She's one of those freaks!"

"No, wait!" Libby called after them, but the girls and the class faded away around her. She sat down at the one empty table in the lunchroom amidst the others where kids waited in line to sit down. She looked down at her food and it, too, despised her, crawling off the tray, sneering hateful remarks. Libby stabbed at the slimy stuff, jabbing at it with her fork.

"No, no," the girl reached over to take Libby's pencil. She directed Libby to draw in another direction. "See? Like this." She leaned over, conspiratorially, "I have to warn you. You're new, so you might not know. There's a group of kids, the freaks. Stay away from them."

"Too late!" Cassandra snatched the pencil away. She crossed out the map, scrawling, "FREAK" across the paper. Laughing, she turned away.
Libby looked up at the other girl, but her friendly smile was now a scowl. "Freak!" Around her, all the other students had turned her way. "Freak!" they chanted. "Freak!" The room spun around Libby and she covered her ears with her hands. "Freak!" The word echoed around and around and around.

Gasping, Libby pulled herself awake. She took several deep breaths, wiping her tear-stained face on her blanket. She sat up, shaking. She glanced at her clock. Two-fourteen. For comfort, Libby fetched her father's teddy bear from where the animal had fallen onto the floor. She hugged the bear, wishing -- for what she didn't know, but for something, anything. Someone she could call, perhaps. She sighed, giving up on sleep for the moment. Libby turned on her light, opening her diary.

"Today was horrible," she wrote. "And now I can't sleep. I wish Mom were here, but she's off, still out looking for Nik. I have school, so I had to come home. I hope they find him. Nik's too little to be out on--" Libby scratched out the last sentence. "I hope he's okay. His mom was frantic when we got there tonight. Officer Tanya said the police knew about Nik's disappearance. Ace," Libby paused. "Ace and I got in a fight today. I shouldn't have said what I did, and I don't know what to do about it. But Ace is so touchy. I can never be sure I'm not upsetting her somehow or other. But to tell the cops Nik was missing? She would have known better, wouldn't she? She's known Nik for so much longer than me, but it's like, I don't know, like they don't want to know each other, but they're friends aren't they? Aren't we, I mean? If something happened to one of us, it's like we're no longer friends. 'Fend for yourself,' is what Ace said. Is that right? I thought we were supposed to stick up for each other. That's what Terry said.

"I wish I'd never met Terry. If I hadn't, then maybe I wouldn't have met Ace or Nik. Then I might have some real friends." Libby stared at her cramped handwriting. She scratched out the last paragraph. "I don't mean that. No, I don't. Cassandra already hated me. She would've made my life hell no matter what. I don't know what I ever did. Now that I finally do have some friends, I'm not going to let some bitch take them away!"

Libby closed the book with a solid thump, tossing it back on her desk. Turning off the light, she tried to get back to sleep. Snuggling up with the bear, Libby stared at the ceiling. She was too tense to sleep. She dreaded school in the morning. Nik's disappearance would be all over school. She didn't want to go to first period and face Mrs. Nielsen's wrath without Nik's mischievous self sitting next to her.

Oh, Dad, she thought, if only you were here.

Libby glanced across the room to her poster of Jupiter and its moons. Somewhere out there, her dad fought with thousands of other people, defending the colonies there against the Riez. Fighting for his life. Libby couldn't bear to think of losing her father, but they'd had no word from him in months. He used to write every other week or so, but in the past year as the fighting worsened, his letters came infrequently. His last letter was very brief, said he was shipping out to attack the alien's base on the moon Io. He had not written in a long time. Letters might be slow in tracking them down, but three, almost four months? Where was her father?

The clock in the hall struck the hour. Three. Only three more hours until she had to get up. Libby tried not to wonder where her father was, tried to think of something else. Her mind latched on to Nik again. Where was he?


Weaving through the halls that morning was too much like her nightmare for Libby's comfort. She hugged her bag to her, walking as fast as she could to her first period class. Libby stifled her tears as she landed in a heap from a well-timed kick. She rubbed her shin, gritted her teeth and smiled, as if sitting on the floor in the middle of the hall was her idea.

"Libby?"

She looked up. Bob towered over her.

"Can I give you a hand?"

She shook her head. "No, thanks, I'm fine." With an effort, she pulled herself together, smiling when she stood at last back on her feet.

"Well, if you need someone to talk to, my door is always open."

Libby nodded automatically, continuing down the hall. So mired was she in her own melancholy, Libby missed the look on her counselor's face. She slid into her seat without a glance at the other students. They continued talking excitedly about their unexpected holiday, ignoring Libby, but speaking loud enough to ensure she heard. Libby looked up at the clock. Twenty-five minutes. Twenty to First Bell. She sighed, pulling up her assignment and trying to work.

Libby stared at her laptop screen hopelessly. Not a word came to mind. She couldn't think. She could certainly hear what was being said behind her. How she longed to be a part of that group! She'd tried, but after her second day of school, no one would even talk to her. Just like her dream. Raquel in her history class had almost become her friend, but someone had passed on the word. Libby buried her head in her arms. She felt lousy and on edge and irritable. She was alternately sad and angry and frustrated. What had she ever done at this school but try to make friends? Were all American schools like this, or just this one?

First Bell rang and the class quieted at once, the students taking their seats. Mrs. Nielsen entered, right on time, writing the day's assignments under the weekly essay topic. For once, her eagle eyes and sharp words passed over Libby. The older woman said nothing, not throughout the entire class. Instead, the day was given over to a work-period. Libby tried to work on her assignment, but she couldn't. She finally erased everything she'd done that morning, frustrated and despairing of ever getting it done. As she tried to start over, a note flashed across her screen. TRANSFER COMPLETE.

Libby opened the message, to see the word, "Freak" flow across her screen from each corner, colliding and exploding into a larger representation of the word before fading. Silently, Libby erased the message, noting that the sender was Mark, the cutest guy in the class, but also the second-most outspoken in his comments about the Freaks Club. He was second only to Samantha Richards, a junior and the homecoming queen for three years running. She was also student body president. She dated the senior class president, a guy in one of Terry's classes. Nik had said, one of the few he'd ever said about Ace or Terry, that Libby should never, ever, be caught by that guy and his gang of friends. Earlier that year, they beat up Terry in the middle of lunch in front of the whole school and no one had ever been punished.

To Libby, that sort of thing made no sense. Why do such a thing? Terry was a nice guy. He didn't get nearly half the scorn and derision as Ace or Nik. Even Libby didn't think she was hated or even disliked even half as much as Nik and Ace.

With a sigh, Libby gathered up her things as the bell rang. She ducked through the hall to her next class, absorbing the knocks and jostles and remarks numbly. Only Cassandra's arm made Libby pause. She took a step back, giving the girl a cold, patient gaze.

"Well, look who's here," Cassandra said, looking over to her friends. She stared back at Libby. "Don't you think you should be, ah 'missing' too? Huh?" She laughed, as if this was the funniest thing ever said. Nearby, the others laughed.

Seeing she hadn't gotten the response she expected, Cassandra scowled. "Why don't you go join that other freak?" she demanded. She shoved Libby backwards, knocking her down. "Go on!" she shouted. "Can't you see you're not wanted here?"
Again, just like her dream, the word rained down on Libby. She stared up at Cassandra, feeling her anger swell. In response, Libby scowled, glaring with such ferocity that the taunting girl actually looked at Libby. She stopped laughing mid-cackle, staring back.

"What, Libby?" she drew the words out. "Are you angry. Gee, guys," she addressed her friends, "I think we made her mad. Oh, dear, whatever are we going to do?" She laughed. "Come on, guys, let's go."

Libby drew herself up slowly, brushing herself off. She watched the group disappear down the hall, drifting apart into different classes. Unaccountably ashamed, Libby entered her class. She endured the class in silence, wishing she could hear Nik singing along with the rest of the class. She wished she could send him a message or that he could only send one to her. She didn't even read most of her messages, deleting the hate-mail as soon as it arrived. In this class Libby didn't receive many, but this day, almost a dozen arrived on her screen. At last class was over and Libby went on.

Somehow she made it through chemistry, hurrying to history and Terry. But Terry wasn't in class. Neither was Ace, apparently. Libby ate lunch alone. She sat by herself through study hall and sat on the sidelines for most of the softball game her class played against the other gym class. She sat alone on the steps of school waiting for her mother. She waited until after Final Bell. She sat, the only student left on the school grounds who was not there for an after-school program, waiting, watching as the work-detail took attendance and began scouring the grounds for trash and emptying the waste-cans and washing windows.

Bob came outside, on his way home, to see her sitting there, head in hands. He settled himself on the steps next to her. "I heard your friend Nik is missing."

Libby didn't answer.

"Pretty strange behavior for Nik," Bob tried again. "Usually he's home by now."

Libby kept quiet, hoping he would go away.

"It's odd that he should run now," Bob said. "He doesn't often miss school." He sighed. "I'm trying to make conversation here."

"Go try somewhere else," Libby muttered.

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No, I heard what you said and I must say I'm surprised at you, Libby. You seemed a nice girl, sensible, responsible. You've surprised me, and it's not often that happens."

"What do you want?" Libby demanded. "Are you going to make fun of me too?" She shrugged. "Why not? Give it your best shot. No one's standing in your way. There's even no witnesses. Go on, like anyone will believe me anyway."

Bob's mouth dropped open in surprise. Was this the same girl he'd assigned classes only a week ago? Had he made an error in his assessment of her? No, obviously he had. Was this the girl? When he'd heard her name he'd thought he was so sure, but he'd been undercover so long maybe it was only wishful thinking. He shook his head. Well, the damage was done. Disappointment made him feel suddenly old, tired, and heavy. "Well," he said, forcibly cheerful, "I'd stick around for more of this stimulating conversation, but I dislike being around grumpy people. See you tomorrow, Libby."

She watched him go, relieved, but disappointed. Couldn't he see she needed help? Was asking for help? Didn't he care? "I hate this place," she grumbled softly. "I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!"



Ace drummed her fingers impatiently on the armrest of the bench she sat on. If not for the camera she was sure was watching her every move, she would have slipped out of her handcuffs hours ago. Damn that Tanya anyway! What right had she to actually follow her? She must be new around here. No one could follow Ace. She had successfully ditched each and every tale she'd had in the last five years. Who did this cop think she was, anyway?

"You're awfully young to be in here, aren't you?"

A new cop, and a young one, looked down at Ace. She smiled sweetly. "Let me tell you know more about this office than you do."

He smiled back. "You're right. Mind if I sit?"

"Of course I mind, but I don't see how I could stop you, now do I?" She shook her wrist, rattling the handcuffs.

"You're telling me those things are actually stopping you?"

Ace took a closer look at this man. He was baiting her; that was obvious. He was too clean, too polished. And he smelled of expensive cologne. "Are you," she asked leaning a little closer, "telling me to escape?"

"Have they booked you yet?"

Ace laughed. "What could they book me for? They have nothing on me. Except that I tried to sneak out without my faithful bodyguard."

"Tried?"

"Gee, and I thought you talked between departments." She enjoyed his discomfort. “You're really not too good at this, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"What did they do, throw you in to see how you would float?" Ace leaned back, appraising the now-sweating young man. He was cute, too. Too bad. "There's no way I'm going to let you stick that tag on me."

He gulped over her sudden change in mannerisms. "I don't have a tag," he protested weakly.

Ace raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You don't lie very well, either. Look, what do you want?"

"To be your friend?"

Ace laughed. "Well, this is most enjoyable, but I think your company would wear itself out in rather short order." She watched him out of half-veiled eyes. A motion behind her caught her attention. Tanya. Spying on her! And that other man, the chief, Whatshisname, that talked with such a whiny voice. What game were they trying to play here?

"Look," she cut him off, "if you want to get in my good graces, take off that bug you're wearing."
Now he really floundered. "What bug?" he finally gasped.

Ace shrugged. She caught his gaze. "Go look at my file again. Then come talk to me." She turned away, speaking over her shoulder. "And if you touch me, I'll break your arm."

He rose quickly, walking down the hall, back to where Tanya and the chief waited. "You're right," he said, "she is a smart one. Read me right off. I think she knew."

Tanya scowled. “That little bitch damn near lost me last night."

"I still think this will work."

The chief was not convinced. "You really think you can get her to work for you?"

"Given time. Let her go. I've got my best men on this case. We'll watch her for you."

"Then I can get back to real work."

"Actually, Tanya, I want you to stay close to her. She thinks I'm too young and inexperienced to be much of a threat. Let's try to keep her thinking that."

Tanya smirked. "Your men won't be able to keep up with that one."

"But somehow you did, Tanya." He caught her eyes, a warning. "I was sent out here to do a job. I'm not about to give up this easily."

"Why don't you take her home now," the chief suggested. "Legally, we can't keep her here."

Grumbling under her breath, Tanya nodded. She had been assigned to the girl, but that didn't mean she had to like it. "Let's go," she told her charge.

Ace tossed her head. "Told you so. You don't have anything on me."

"Just get in the car." Tanya drove in silence. In her opinion, they didn't arrive at the Easton home near fast enough.

Ace stepped out of the car, with one last parting shot. "What? Not spending the night, Officer?"

Tanya managed a civil goodnight and pulled away. Sensors in the house, put there while Ace sat downtown, would keep better track of the teenager than an officer could.

Ace scowled as the police officer drove away. Looking at her watch, she knew she was late. Tommy had such a big mouth for such a little kid. With a sigh, she went inside.

"Ace, Ace!" Tommy rocketed around a corner, his hands cupped protectively in front. "Look what I found!"

She knelt down to his level. "What is it, Tommy?"

He carefully opened his hands, revealing a squirming, wriggling, brownish rodent. Ace smiled, concealing the disgust she felt. "It's pretty. What have you named it?"

"His name is Raisin. That's where I found him. He likes raisins, too."

Ace held her hands out. "Well, why don't you give Raisin to me and I'll put him outside where he belongs. Okay?"

"Aww, Ace, can't I take care of him for a little while longer?"

"Remember your turtle? Besides, you know how Aunt Meg hates mice."

"But, Ace, why can't I have a pet?"

Ace rubbed her brother's hair. "Tommy, you know we can't afford a pet. They're expensive."

"Steven has a dog. His dad gave him one for his birthday."

Ace gave her brother a hug. "I know you miss your dad, kiddo. I miss him, too."

"You do?"

"Of course I do. But think, he's out there battling the aliens. With Victor and Aunt Clara and Uncle Richard."

"Will they ever come home, Ace?"

"Of course they will. Come on, let me have Raisin. You go wash your hands and then you can help me with the laundry."

"All right," Tommy said, reluctantly handing over the mouse. "Can I do the socks?"

Ace smiled. "Sure. I'll definitely let you fold the socks." She watched him go into another room, then went back outside. She went around to the side of the house, grabbing a loose board from the ragged fence. A quick blow and it was over and she dumped the body in the garbage on her way back inside.

The first load was in the laundry when Jackie, Jessica, and Jeremy arrived home from school. Soon after that, while they did their homework around the table, the middle school bus dropped off Will.

"Will!" Tommy yelled, dropping the odd socks he sat in the middle of. He launched himself at his brother.

"Not now, Tommy," Will replied, dropping his books on the worn couch.

"But, Will . . . "

"I said, not now!"

Ace went to the young boy, asking her brother, "Where's Jimmy and Patti?"

"Aunt Meg picked them up. She won't be coming home."

"Why, Will?"

"I don't know, I don't know!" he snapped. "Why do you think I know everything? I just know they're not coming back."

So that's why you're in such a bad mood, Ace thought. With Aunt Meg gone, it would fall to her and Will to provide for the family. She knew how important school was to her brother. He saw it as his only way out. Ace looked at her watch. Where was her mother?

"Jackie, Jessica, will you start dinner?" Ace called out to the girls. "Jeremy, I need you to set the table. Tommy, will you finish the socks? Go on, it's okay, Will's not mad at you." She went over to her brother where he sat on the arm of the couch. "Will? It's going to be all right. We'll figure it out."

He looked up at her, fighting against tears. "How, Ace? I can't work and go to school." He took a deep breath and looked away.

"Well, maybe, maybe Grandpa would --"

"Yeah, right, Ace. I didn't tell you, but I don't have his address any more. He moved again."

"I'll find him. I will. We've got some time yet. Maybe Aunt Meg will come back before then."

"You think so?"

"Sure. Where else would they go? In with that slimy boss of hers? They'll come back. They always do. I know, why don't you take my shower tonight? That always makes you feel better."

"But, Ace, it's your turn."

"It doesn't matter what I smell like, Will. Nobody likes me anyway." Ace gave her brother a hug, squeezing him tight.

"I wish Dad were here."

"So do I," Ace lied. "Will you help Tommy with the laundry, I need to check on the girls."
Dinner that night was a mixture of things. Ace promised them to go shopping, but the night was a quiet one. Jeremy did the dishes, Will put Tommy to bed, and Ace helped the girls with their math. She sat up long into the night, worrying. She hadn't managed to swipe enough to pay the rent. Her only hope, now that Aunt Meg was gone, was that her mother would still have enough left when she came home. Finally, too worried and tense to sleep, Ace flicked on her hard-won computer and ran her scan for bugs in her drive. The search kept her occupied for several hours, the light not disturbing the two girls on the cots nearby. With a pang, Ace wished that Patti was there, to complain about the light.

Ace surfed the web, searching for a trace of Nik. She worried about her friend. He hadn't called, which meant he wasn't home yet. That was not like him. He never stayed out overnight, but this was the fourth day and still no word. Ace opened her link to the dispatch, but her net hadn't caught anything -- Wait! What was that? The typed words, heard from a police car's radio, made Ace's eyes narrow in anger.

"So," she murmured, "they've tagged the house. That's rather illegal." She logged onto the database, searching for the authorization. What she found had her wide awake and very, very nervous. She drummed her hands on the edge of the old, three-legged table. She glanced at the door-less doorway and towards the dim light from Tommy's night-light. She could hear Will, tossing in his sleep. She stared back at the screen, her lips pursed together in thought. Writing down the phone number, Ace turned off her computer, tip-toeing down the hall. In the kitchen, she stared for long moments at the phone. She glanced down at the phone number in her hand.

CRASH!

Ace started, turning toward the door, swinging back on its hinges. A group of people swarmed inside and at the front . . !

"Mom!" Ace screamed.

The man holding her mother threw the woman onto the floor in front of Ace. "Where's the money, kid?" he snarled.

"W - what money?" Ace stammered, scared to death, but even more afraid of showing it.

In the dark, Ace missed the man's movement. She stumbled into the counter, her cheek on fire.

"The money, you whelp!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He grabbed her wrist, batting aside her efforts with ease. Ace strained away from his alcohol-laced breath, gagging on the stench from his heavy coat.

"I want the money your mother owes me." He squinted at her, amused by her struggles. He kicked the prone woman on the floor.

"Leave them alone!"

"No, Will!" Ace shouted. She flinched at the sounds that she heard from that direction.

The man threw Ace to his cohorts. "Take the girl. Leave the brat, he's no use to me." He picked up the woman, shaking her conscious. "Get me the money, Marsh, or I'll get my money's worth out of what’s left of your hide." He dropped her, stamping from the run-down house. "Let's go."

"Will," Ace cried, struggling. "Will!"



Captain Daniel Maguire, Federal Bureau of Investigations, sat upright in his chair as the alarms began ringing. That troublesome, but intriguing teenager was leaving the house. He reached for his phone. "Alpha Team, this is home base, what's your status?"
Static.

"Alpha Team, come in . . . Watson, Jenkins, report . . . "

Static.

"Shit." He cursed again, dropping the phone as he stood. "Paul!" He shouted again. "Paul, get off the john. Let's go."

Paul Cooke zipped up his pants. "Something going on, Dan?"

"Sure as shooting. That little minx is gone and Alpha Team isn't responding. Send Bravo over there to find out what's going on."

"And where are you going?"

"To the house. See if I can pick up her trail."

"Fat chance of that."

"And call Officer Briggs."

"Tanya?"

"Yeah, her. Tell her to get over there as in yesterday."

"Right."

Daniel sped down the streets, slowing down by Alpha Team's position. He got out, slipped the safety from his gun. He slipped inside the building, up the stairs, and stopped. Alert for any sound, he pushed open the forced-open door, looking inside. The place was a shambles. All the equipment was gone, the two officers' bodies the only evidence anyone had been there at all. He flicked on the light. The floor was covered in pools of blood. Daniel slid his gun back in its holster, putting his mobile phone to his ear.

"Paul, Daniel here. Alpha is code red. I need a team down here right now."

"Bravo is not responding either. Charlie is on its way out. ETA twelve minutes."

"I'll leave this to them, then. I'm going across the street."

"Roger. Be careful, Dan."

He slipped the phone back in his pocket, leaving the room quickly. He approached the house cautiously. He paused at the door, giving only a cursory glance at the damage. This doesn't look like the work of a sixteen-year-old girl . . .
In the combination dining room and kitchen, he saw two bodies. Kneeling by the first, a young boy, perhaps twelve years old, Daniel checked to see that he was alive. He was breathing, shallowly, but alive. The woman was dead.
The lights turned on. Jackie screamed.

Daniel stood up, facing the four children. "Hi."

Tommy stared up at him. "Did you kill my mommy?"

The girls shushed him, their frightened faces glancing at the strange man. Jeremy stood behind his sisters, uncertain.

"No, kids, I didn't kill your mother. Can you tell me what happened?"

Quickly, they shook their heads, staring at him wide-eyed.

Will moaned.

Daniel pulled out his phone. "Paul, send Medical down. And somebody from CWA."

"CWA? What's going on there, Dan?"

"Hurry, please, Paul."

"Sure, sure thing. Meds’re over with Charlie. I'll send 'em over."

"Thanks, Paul."

Daniel stepped over to the boy. "Don't move, lie still. Can you tell me what happened?"

Will struggled against the hand holding him down. "I'm not telling you anything!"

"Where's Ace?"

Will rolled away from the strange man, blinking to stop the room from spinning. He couldn't focus on the man, something was wrong with his eyes.

"Don't move around too much," Daniel insisted, but he didn't make any moves toward the boy. "Tell me who hurt you?"

Will couldn't think. His head hurt and he couldn't breathe. "They took her. Where's Ace?"

Daniel frowned, glancing up at the other children. "Did you see anyone?"

Jackie started to cry, huddling closer to her siblings.

"Daniel?"

He turned. "In here, Darlyn."

The three medical personnel took over the children, calling an ambulance for the boy. "O-D," they told Daniel when he asked about the woman.

The team of investigators arrived as the ambulance and the meds left. They began their work and Daniel left to stay out of the way. Walking down the hall, he noticed an odd scrap of paper. Picking it up, he was stunned to recognize the phone number for his office. Stepping outside, he took a quick look around. Already federal officers were approaching the neighbors and scouring the apartment complex across the street. His phone rang.

"Daniel here."

"Dan, I can't seem to contact Tanya. Her phone is ringing, but no one is answering."

"Send someone out to her place, Paul. Call up Chief Shafer. This has the looks of a kidnapping."

"You don't think the kid ran?"

"No. Paul, I think she was about to call me."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I told you I thought she was a lot smarter than the police around here give her credit for. There's a lot more going on here than it looks."

"Right. Get back here before you buy yourself more trouble."




After a week without seeing either Ace or Terry, Libby decided to find out why neither of them were returning her calls. After her mother left for work, Libby set out to Ace's house. The activity there made her pause. She stared at the police and FBI as they swarmed around the tiny house. Making up her mind, she ducked into the street, racing across during the break in traffic. Slowly, hesitantly, she approached one of the men, talking into a mobile phone.

"Excuse me," she said. "Excuse me?"

Daniel paused in his report. He looked at this girl, the only one to actually approach any of the men. "Yes?"

"Is Ace in some kind of trouble?"

He quickly reeled in his astonishment. "Are you a friend of Ace?"

Libby bit her lip. "Well, I guess. We had a fight. I haven't seen her in days. Not since," she shut her mouth, staring at her toes.

"I'm glad you came by. You see, I think Ace is in trouble. Someone broke into her house last night. Do you know anything about that?"

Libby shook her head, her eyes wide. "What about her brothers and sisters?"

Daniel's surprise increased another notch. "They're okay. How close are you to them?"

Libby shrugged. "Ace and I had a fight."

"How long ago did you fight?"

"Almost a week."

"When?"

"Last Wednesday."

"Don't you have school?"

Libby blushed. "I told my mom I was sick. Is Ace gonna be okay?"

"What's your name?"

"Libby."

"Well, Libby, why don't you go on home? I'll have Ace call you when she gets back."

"But . . . "

"We'll find your friend. Not to worry."

Libby let herself be shooed away, watching over her shoulder. She took off running. She had to find Terry!

Daniel motioned over one of the operatives. "Follow her," he told the man. "Don't let her out of your sight."

"Paul."

"Where'd you go to, Dan? I need that report."

"I just met a girl who says she's a friend of Ace's. Check her name against the phone records."

"What is it," Paul grumbled.

"Libby. How's the boy?"

"Mild concussion. He's not talking. Haven't gotten anything out of the others, either. What about the prints you found?"

Daniel sighed, "Nothing. Not a single print, other than the kids. What about the blood-testing?"

"Checks out . . . "



Not getting Terry on the phone, Libby paced back and forth across the kitchen, listening with half and ear to the news. There was still no news of Nik, except that he was missing. The police were still looking, yeah, yeah, it was the same old report. She stopped pacing. She ran into her room, changed into her pink clothes, and left. Libby ran most of the way to the witch's house. Breathless, she banged on the door.

When no one answered, Libby went around the back, to the barn. In her haste, she nearly ran Mack down.

"Libby?" he asked. "Come inside, quickly."

She hurried after him, pulling off her mask and the goggles as soon as they entered the elevator. "Mack," she started.

"Wait," he told her. Stepping out at the bottom, he said, "Now, what are you doing here?"

"I need to find Ace and Terry and Nik. They're missing."

Terry swiveled around in his chair. "I beg to differ, Libby. I'm not missing."

"Terry!" Libby gasped. "Where have you been? I've been trying to contact you for days."

"Sorry, Libby, but I've been busy. Mack and I have been scanning the city."

"You've been doing what?"

"Terry came to me because he came to the same conclusion you have, Libby. But my equipment is hardly that advanced. I can only transport to and from places that I have thoroughly scanned."

Terry yawned and stretched. "Yeah, and it takes forever. Take a look. We can now see almost the entire city."

"What's this part?" Libby asked, touching the large, dark spot on the map.

"That's where the aliens are," Terry explained. "We can't penetrate the fog."

"I've been trying to figure out how since they first showed up."

"Have you found Nik?"

Terry shook his head. "No, but that could mean he left the city. It has been a week. He could be anywhere."

"No, I think he's in trouble, Terry. Like Ace, now."

"What's wrong with Ace?"

"I don't know, Terry, but there were police all over her house this morning."

"They're probably searching for something she stole."

"How can you say that, Terry? The guy said she was in trouble."

"If they find whatever it is, she will be. Why don't you go home, Libby, I'll let you know what we find."

Libby stared at him. "Are you serious? I skipped school today, lied to my mother, and now you're telling me I'm imagining things? Those weren't ordinary police, Terry, they were FBI! And if all they're doing is looking for stolen stuff, why were they taking fingerprints and pictures?"

"FBI? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"And they were at Ace's house?"

"What's the matter, Terry?"

He turned to Mack. "Can we change this to scan for Ace?"

"Of course." His hands flashed across the keypad. "There."

"No indication she's still in the city, either. Can we get the news, Mack?"

"Push that switch."

"If they find Nik, it'll be all over the news," Terry explained. "And there should be something about Ace in here if the feds are involved."

"Terry, what's going on?"

"Last year, the FBI had to be called in to deal with Ace. But they could find no proof in the accusations and they left without doing anything. If they're back, they've found something on her. We have to tell her, warn her."
Libby sighed, slumping into another chair. "You'll have to tell her, Terry. She won't believe me."

Terry paused in his typing. "Why? Libby, what happened?"

Libby looked down at the floor, avoiding Terry's piercing gaze. "I, we had an argument, Terry. I didn't mean what I said, honest."

He frowned. "Ace can be unpredictable, but she doesn't hold a grudge." He shrugged. "Probably, by the time we find her, she'll have forgotten all about it."

"I don't think so. You weren't there. She was furious with me."

"What did you say?"

"Well," Libby squirmed. "I said . . that she was a thief and a liar. And that she only cared about herself, not Nik at all." The words came out in a rush.

Now Terry stared. "You said that? To her face? You're right, she would be furious." He smiled. "But to see her face! You actually said that?"

"Yeah," Libby said, unable to understand why Terry found that so funny.

"No one's had the guts to tell her that straight. Oh, everyone talks about it to everyone else, but to Ace?" he shook his head, smiling.

"Why? Is she really a thief?"

"I don't know, Libby. The police found some stuff with her fingerprints, but they've never charged her for anything, except the hacking she got caught for. And for that fight she was in last year. His parents pressed charges."

"I was right," Libby groaned. "She hates me."

"Well, let's find Nik first. He can always talk her out of her bad moods."

"Hey, look, Terry," Ace pointed to the map. The dark was breaking apart as the scans penetrated the fog.

"I know where Nik is," Mack said, tapping the screen. "Right there."

"How do you know that?"

Mack flipped the screen back to the news. A large fire burned behind the newswoman. A minute later, the picture switched to a view from a helicopter.

"What's going on?" Libby asked.

"Look!" Terry yelped. "Is that who I think it is?"

Mack enlarged the view. "I believe so."

A sudden explosion caused all three to look away, blinking teary eyes. When Libby could look back at the screen, the fire was gone, and so was the crater! "Terry! It is Nik! He started that fire."

Terry's hands flew over the keys. "Yeah, but where are they taking him?" He switched the map back on. A blinking red dot moved slowly along the streets.

"What's that?" Libby asked, pointing to where the dot stopped.

"County General Hospital," Mack said, reading the output. "He must be hurt."

Terry frowned. "Nik used to go there a lot. He never said what for. Why would they take him there? Valley is much closer."

"Can you transport him out of there?" Libby asked.

Mack shook his head. "There's too much inside the building I can't see. We've only been scanning for Nik. Didn't think to look any closer."

"That would have taken too long," Terry said, tapping out an inquiry. He sighed. "I wish Ace was here. She would have had this figured out long ago."

"Why didn't you call her? To help you, I mean?"

"Ace has her own way of doing things. Besides, I did. She didn't answer."

Libby rolled her eyes. "For friends, you guys sure don't talk a lot."

"Mack, can we get in there somehow?"

"Probably. Let's scan the building. See where exactly Nik is."

"Libby, this'll take a while. Why don't you see if you and your mom can get in there, look around."

"Why my mom?"

"You'll need an adult. They won't let you wander around there without one."

"My mom won't get back until late tonight. I do have this," she held up her pink mask.

Terry grinned. "Good point. Think you can snoop around without being found out?"

"Of course."

Mack went to a shelf, taking down a metal box. Reaching inside, he handed Libby what looked like an ice-crystal charm hanging from a silver chain. "Here, take this. This will allow you to call on your medium if you get in trouble."

Libby slipped the chain over her head. "Thanks, Mack. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

She was true to her word as she walked along the crowded streets. She clutched a printout of the map, checking at intervals to make sure she went the right way. The hospital had her momentarily stumped. The automatic doors wouldn't open and she had to wait until someone came out and triggered the doors. She wandered around the immense floor for most of an hour before finding someone she recognized. Mr. and Mrs. Wilks sat in the waiting room of the Emergency Room, quiet, nervous, and frightened. Libby perched on one of the tables, scowling at the security guard. He couldn't see her, but Libby wished for a minute he did.

When the doctor escorted the parents to Nik, Libby was only a step behind. Even as the hours ticked by, she hadn't been able to leave. So she was extremely frustrated when the security guard stopped in the doorway, blocking her view. She couldn't even hear what was said, the machines were so loud. She could see, in a brief moment when the guard shifted position, that neither of Nik's parents were pleases, but the woman in the suit looked very smug. Actually, that suit looked very much like a military uniform! Dropping to her hands and knees, Libby peered around the guard's big feet. What do the military have to do with this?

Libby wasted no time. She raced back to Terry and Mack, telling them what she saw. "Nik's parents weren't happy at all. And why would the military be involved?"

"I don't know, Libby."

"Did you find out anything?"

"The scan is very slow, Libby. We haven't gotten far enough. We do know he's on the fourth floor. Intensive care."

"He's moving again," Mack said, stopping the scan.

"They're taking him to the military base!" Libby exclaimed. "That's why his parents were so upset."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Terry, why else would the military want Nik? Think about it. He's a weapon, Terry, one that can't be controlled like the usual kind of weapon."

"But the military wouldn't stoop to kidnapping, would they?"

"Wouldn't you?" she retorted. "My dad used to complain about the way the military of his country took over anything they thought could be used as a weapon. I'm sure that's what they're after. We have to get him out of there!"

"Where would they take him?" Mack asked.

"He'd be top secret. They would have to keep it quiet. The military base, of course."

Mack pulled up a smaller, more detailed map. "I've spent a great deal of time scanning the base." He scrolled along to one building. "There. It must be that building. There's an incredible amount of shielding around it, always interfering in my scans."

"Can we see inside?"

"I've only got as far as the first level," Mack said with a shake of his head, "and I know there's at least one basement, probably more."

"We'll never be able to get inside," Libby said. "We won't even get past the gate."

"Who says we're going in through the front door?" Terry asked with a grin.




"You've betrayed me to this monster?" Ace demanded, outraged. She stared at her cowering aunt. "How could you?"

Shawn laughed. "How could she not? Meg, here, owes me too much money. Don't you, babe?"

Ace could feel her hopes plummet. Her aunt was a junkie. She sold me out. Ace looked away, knowing that her aunt was lost. Her vacant expression was proof enough that the caring woman Ace knew was gone. She lived only to get more Yark, doubtless the drug Shawn had used on both women. She glanced back at him, considering, stitching together the pieces in her mind.

"You had this in mind all along, didn't you?" she asked him.

He grinned. "Of course, little girl. And you're going to do just as I say, aren't you?"

"And if I don't?"

"Then I guess you don't wish to buy back your cousins' freedom? Their mother sold them to me, you know."

Ace looked back over at her aunt. Was this the same woman who had given Ace that long spiel on drugs not a week ago? Was this the same woman who always paid the rent, that saw to it that her two young children got the education she insisted they needed? Was this the same woman who was more of a mother to Ace than her own? She looked away as tears came to her eyes. They weren't related, Meg was just a friend of Ace's mother's. But Ace couldn't bear to see her staring around so blankly, every bit the Yark junkie.

"How much?"

"What? Did I hear something?" Shawn was enjoying this moment. Soon he would be rich and untouchable.

"How much does she owe you?" Ace said, louder.

He grinned. "I'll tell you when you get close. Now get to work." He turned to one of his men. "Stay here. She's not to go anywhere."




Libby got home to find a police car parked in the driveway. She ran back down the street. In the gathering dusk, she ducked into the park, hiding her pink clothes in one of the bushes, the one next to the pine tree. She hurried home, trying to come up with an excuse. She opened the door slowly, swallowing nervously. She found her mother and the two policemen (one was that FBI guy!) sitting in the living room.

"I'm home," Libby said, shifting feet before the three adults.

"Where did you go after you met with me this morning?" Daniel asked.

"I came home." Libby pleaded silently with her mother, but Sydney wouldn't even look at her daughter.

"Then what did you do?"

"I called Terry. He hasn't been at school lately, and I thought he might be home, too." Libby fidgeted. "Have I done something wrong?"

"Your mother was just worried about you, Libby. You gave her quite a scare."

"I'm sorry," Libby blurted. "Me and Terry thought we might be able to find Nik."

Daniel leaned forward. "How?"

"I, uh, well, we just looked around." Libby found herself unwilling to tell them of Mack.

"That's a pretty necklace, Libby. Did you just happen to find that, too?"

Her hand curled possessively around the charm. "It's a gift," she said slowly.

Daniel held out his hand. "Let me see."

Libby took a half-step backwards. "Why?"

"I just want to make sure of something?"

"What? I didn't steal it!"

"Let me just assure myself of that."

"Don't you believe me?"

"I'm not sure of anything, Libby. Give me the necklace."

She shook her head stubbornly. "No. It's a gift. It's mine."

Daniel dropped the subject, surprised by her vehemence. He settled back against the chair. "You said you went with Terry today? Where did you go?"

"I'm not sure. He knows this place better than I do."

Daniel folded his arms across his chest. "Libby, I hate to tell you, but Terry spent today at the University. He's been working on a research project with one of the graduate students for the last week. That's why he hasn't been at school."

"But," Libby cast about for words, but found none. "He didn't tell me," she protested weakly.

"Where were you today, Libby?"

"I just wanted to help find Nik," Libby said softly, squeezing out a tear. "He's my friend."

"Like Ace is your friend?"

Libby blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

"She's missing, too, is she not?"

"Are you, what are, do you think I did . . . " she trailed off.

"Did you, Libby?"

"No! Didn't you see? They found Nik! There was a fire, they took him to the hospital."

"Were we getting too close, were we, Libby?" he pressed.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Officer!" Sydney protested. "We don't know anything about the missing children. Leave my daughter alone."

Libby stared at her mother. What is going on here?

"I apologize, ma'am, but we must be sure. You not knowing where your daughter was today and her refusal to tell us has created an unusual situation. Libby, you are friends with a very unlikely group. A group no one else will have anything to do with around here. Tell me why that is."

"They were nice to me. They're nice. Not freaks like everyone says."

"Libby, do you know the truth about these friends of yours?"

"What do you mean?"

"Take Nik, for example. For the last fifteen years, plus some, your friend has been terrorizing this city by setting the place on fire."

"No, he hasn't. He hasn't hurt anyone. He hasn't!"

"Libby . . . "

"I don't believe you!" She wiped away her tears. "He's been so nice. It's everyone else that's mean. Like you!"

"Where were you today, Libby?"

"Looking for Nik."

"Where, Libby?"

"Just around! He's my friend!" She sniffled, blowing her nose into the handkerchief her mother handed her.

Daniel shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry to say, but I find that very hard to believe." He stood. "I think we've taken enough of your time tonight. We'll see our way out."

Libby watched them leave, scowling. She turned to her mother, but was not prepared for the anger she saw there.

"Go to your room, Libby," Sydney told her daughter coldly. "I'll speak to you about this in the morning."

"But, Mom, I --"

"Not another word. You're grounded until I say otherwise."

Libby went to her room without further argument. She knew her mom would be angry, but she hadn't expected . . . Just what was going on?
Libby watched the time go by and waited. She read for a while and worked on her English assignment, but she couldn't concentrate for long. She did sleep for a while, but she was too tense. When Terry finally tapped on her window, Libby jerked into action. She dressed quickly, peering into the hall. She crept through the house, sneaking out without incident.

"I had to ditch my clothes," she whispered to Terry. "The police were here. And that FBI guy I told you about." She led the way to the park, hurrying into the clothes, glad to have shoes on in the cold.

"What did they want?"

"They think I had something to do with Nik and Ace disappearing."

"They can't find Ace?"

"No. And he seemed surprised I knew Nik had been found. He said, that you were at the University, Terry. What did he mean by that?"

"I'm part of a research project. Come on, we'll talk about it later." He held out his hand, showing her the black-stone and chain he held. "I want to show you something." He squeezed the necklace, willing himself to become stone as well.

Libby stared as Terry seemed to melt. He vanished into the ground silently, like a ghost, reappearing just as quickly.

He grinned at her expression. "Mack gave me this necklace." He dropped it around his neck. "It lets me connect with the earth. I'll bet you can do that, too."

"Is that your plan?"

"Yes, sort of. We were able to pinpoint Nik's location. He's on the bottom floor of that building, surrounded by a heck of a lot of shielding. In other words, we can't transport him out. We have to go get him."

"How?"

"In our robot forms, we wouldn't be recognized. Even better, you, as water, can short out the cameras and security equipment when we rescue Nik. I'll get us there, underground, like I just showed you."

"This will work?"

"Mack thinks so. And it's our only option. We'll only have the one chance at it."

"When?"

"As soon as you're ready. Here, grab my hand. I can get us there much quicker than walking." Terry thought of his necklace, willing himself and Libby to meld with the ground beneath them, speeding them to their destination. He popped out in the control room.

Mack jumped, spinning around, a gun in his hand.

"Sorry, Mack," Terry apologized.

Mack shook his head. "I don't know that I'll ever get used to that. Hi, Libby, are you ready?"

"I guess."

"Just bring Nik back. He'll be safe here."

"Come on, Libby." Terry walked into his cylinder without reservation, welcoming the sturdy, tough, steel encasing him. He leaned into his connection with the earth, listening for Nik. Stepping out, he saw Libby ready.

Terry pushed as fast as he dared through the earth, heading for Nik, whose fears and terror he could hear as plain as if Nik stood next to him. He paused just short of breaking through, making room for Libby to go first.

Libby could feel the chill of her ice-crystal pendant beneath her shirt. She hummed softly, picturing Niagra Falls as she'd seen the place less than a month ago. Keeping that in mind, she nodded to Terry. "Ready."

Terry burst through the floor, shaking the earth with the force of his passage. Around him, a fierce torrent of water shielded him and fried the expensive equipment. He picked up Nik, sinking back into the floor. As he vanished, the water dried, as if it had never been.

The trip back was slower as Terry tired. He pushed himself and the others back by force of mind, willing himself to keep going. When he finally slumped into the control room, he could only gasp in relief.

Libby took Nik from Terry, handing him to Mack. She pulled and pushed Terry into his cylinder, going into her own. She was tired too, but excited. She kept playing the scene over again in her mind. Exiting the cylinder, she found Mack waiting.

"Is he going to be all right?"

"Terry is tired, but he'll be fine. Nik was drugged. He's asleep." Mack patted the 0cylinder protectingly. "I'm sure he'll be okay."

"You really care about us, don't you?"

Mack nodded. "I do. You four kids are amazing. I've waited so long to meet you."

"What aren't you telling us?"

"What?"

Libby scratched her head. "You're hiding something from us, Mack. I don't get the feeling it's bad. And I trust you, but I can't forget that you've got some kind of secret."

"Everyone has secrets, Libby. You will find mine out in good time. My question for you is, will you let your mother know your secret?"

Libby watched him walk away. She leaned against the railing. Mack was right. She couldn't keep lying to her mother. What was she going to do?



WILL LIBBY TELL THE TRUTH?
CATCH THE NEXT EPISODE,
"Little White Lies" ,
TO FIND OUT!