Kingdom Keepers IV(30)

Dillard waved the phone. He shouted the warning again.

Luowski glanced in that direction, unfazed. “You’re pathetic,” he said, turning his back on Finn.

And you’re strong, Finn was thinking. Supernaturally strong.

* * *

Crazy Glaze was a paint-your-own pottery shop owned and operated by Maybeck’s aunt and legal guardian, Bess, or “Jelly,” as everyone called her. They lived in the apartment above the store; he worked afternoons and Saturdays helping out. Sometimes she paid him, sometimes not, depending on how well business was doing.

Finn liked the smell of the glaze and wet clay.

By the time he got there, the other Keepers had already arrived, though not Amanda and Jess. Jelly had given them the back room all to themselves, the door closed to the outside noise and chaos of kids doing after-school art projects.

The collective mood felt highly charged with anticipation.

Finn sat down and caught them up on his encounter with Luowski. Philby related his story about feeling watched. Willa and Maybeck had similar stories to tell, but neither had connected the events at their school with the Overtakers until they heard Finn and Philby voice their suspicions.

“What does it all mean?” Charlene asked.

Philby spoke up. “It means the Evil Queen has found a way to recruit kids in our schools to watch us.”

“It means we’re outnumbered,” Maybeck said, “and outflanked. That we can’t trust anyone.”

“But the contact lenses,” Charlene said. “They give themselves away as OTs in training, or whatever. Right? I mean, why do that?”

“Intimidation,” Maybeck said. “Is there some other explanation?”

“Agreed. It’s the fear factor,” Finn answered. “Maybe they think we can all go all clear, and want us nervous and on guard to keep us from doing that.”

“And it makes them feel special,” Willa said. “It makes them important and part of a bigger group.”

“It is unusual to make your spies known to the enemy,” Professor Philby said. “Let’s assume they’re planning some kind of jailbreak. Remember, the OTs are characters. That means they’re confined to the Parks—and it’s entirely possible Maleficent and Chernabog aren’t being kept locked up in any of the Parks. They could be in jail anywhere! That might make it necessary for the OTs to have field agents—people on the ground to do stuff for them. The Queen puts spells on a few kids—that would explain Luowski’s bizarre strength—and tests them out with some assignments, and then moves them like pawns to do her dirty work.”

Finn spoke first. “I hate to say it, but it makes sense. No one is going to stop Luowski with that kind of strength. If there are five or six of them like that, they could easily overpower a bunch of guards.”

“Or us,” Maybeck said, ominously. “Maybe, when the time comes, their job is to keep us from interfering with the Evil Queen’s plans. We’ve messed things up a lot for them in the past.”

“Good point,” Willa said.

“Oh, my gosh!” Charlene said. “I just got it!” She was fixed on Maybeck. “You were trying to kiss me to bring me out of the spell! In Epcot. At ice cream!”

“Can we stay on topic please?” Philby said.

Maybeck said, “You missed your big chance.”

“How long had you guys known? About the spell, I mean?” Charlene said, ignoring Philby’s request.

“We can do this later,” Philby said. “The point is, you’re back.”

“Jess showed me a sketch today,” Willa said, changing subjects, “at school.”

Finn recalled Jess drawing on a napkin at the ice cream parlor.

“And?” he asked.

“She said it had just come to her when we were in the Parks.”

“AND?” Finn repeated anxiously.

“It was this military guy. Like a general. Or maybe a police officer or something.”

“What kind of officer?” Philby asked.

“How would I know? They all look the same to me. Just a guy, a grown-up, in a uniform.”

“I’d like to see it,” Philby said, wondering if it had something to do with Wanda being locked up. According to Finn’s mother, she was supposed to have been released earlier that day.

Finn nodded.

“So, you can ask Jess,” Willa said.

“What are we supposed to do?” Maybeck asked. “Spy on their spies? That could be awkward.”

“So what can we do about it?” the ever-practical Willa asked.

“Can you stop what happened to me from happening again?” Charlene asked.

“It shouldn’t have happened to you in the first place,” Philby said.