I was about to point out that forty people had already failed in that task, but stopped. I'd heard something outside the trailer. Min's feet hit the floor. She'd caught it, too. Bringing a finger to my lips, I slowly began to rise. The door crashed open. Toby's shaved head popped inside.
He had a Band-Aid across his scalp, one eye purpling on its way to black. "In here!" he called over his shoulder, then smiled as we scrambled to our feet. "Hey, Min. Hey, Noah." He winked at me, like he'd just won a friendly game of hide-and-seek. "Helluva takedown back at the jail, bro. Hat tip."
I blinked, unable to respond. There was no other way out of the trailer.
"What do you want?" Min spat through clenched teeth. "Haven't you done enough? Just leave us alone!"
Toby shook his round head. "Not how it works, Melinda. You guys come on out. It'll be pretty embarrassing for everyone if we have to drag you."
I glanced at Min. We had no choice. Bristling like a cat, Min stormed past Toby, shouldering him aside as she exited. He giggled, then swept his hand grandly, allowing me to pass as well. I stepped outside, the hairs on my neck standing at attention.
There were six of them. Ethan. The Nolan twins. Toby and Charlie Bell. Tucker Brincefield. More than enough to handle the job. Ethan was staring at me with cold eyes, arms across his chest. He pointed at Min without looking.
"Her I get. She's always been trash. It's no surprise she can't follow directions. But you, Noah?" Ethan shook his head in disbelief. "We were friends. You could've stuck with your own and run things, but instead you ran and hid behind a skank's skirt."
My eyes flashed. "Watch your mouth, Ethan."
"Or what?"
Min took a step toward Ethan, but Tucker grabbed her arm from behind. She stopped, but didn't turn, eyes blazing. "You murdered Tack. I won't let you get away with it. Ever."
"Tack had a choice. He got what he deserved."
"Says who? You?"
Ethan's face reddened. "That's right, me. I'm in charge, whether you like it or not. That's how it's supposed to be!"
Min glared at the other boys. "Are you listening to him? He's insane!"
Charlie's head dropped, but no one else moved. Ethan waved a dismissive hand, spinning to face me. "You were warned, Noah. Now you're all out of strikes." He turned and barked orders. "Throw them in the van and let's get out of here. We'll settle this back at the church."
Chris took Min's other arm, and they marched her down the lane.
I hadn't moved. My legs wouldn't respond. Four sets of unfriendly eyes watched me.
"Let's go, Noah." Toby shoved me in the back. "Or I can repay you now for this shiner."
I went quietly.
• • •
Chris parked near the square. Most of our classmates were hanging around outside-apparently no work had been assigned while the search for us was active. Ethan and Mike led us toward the church, with Tucker, Toby, and Charlie boxing us in from behind. Kids I'd known for years cast sidelong glances, but no one made a move to help, or spoke out in our defense. Not that I expected anyone to.
Ethan halted on the steps to address the group. But before he could begin, a shout caused everyone to turn. Chris Nolan was streaking down the sidewalk, his long red hair flapping behind him as he pointed back down the block. "Ethan! Guys! Look!"
Squinting, I could just make out someone walking down the center of Main Street. The person was moving slowly, head down, hands by his sides. He had dark hair and wore a bright orange shirt.
My eyes popped. "Oh my God."
Min's gaze shot to me, no less shocked. "How?"
I shook my head, mind-blown.
Hector Quino stumbled along the pavement in a daze. As silence filled the square, he turned the corner and began walking toward the church.
"Impossible," Charlie breathed. "I watched him jump."
Ethan began nervously scratching his neck. "Toby. Charlie. Bring him over here."
Toby glanced at Ethan, eyes fearful. "Dude, he's dead. I looked into the gorge. Hector hit the bottom. I saw his body!"
"Go get him and we'll find out what's going on," Ethan growled. The church door opened. Sarah and Jessica rushed outside. One glance at Hector slogging up the block and they both turned white.
Min grabbed my arm. "Noah!" she whispered urgently. "Hector is alive!"
My hands started to shake. "He fell the whole way, Min. I looked, too."
She gripped harder, a wild light in her eyes. "Hector fell. But now he's alive."
Understanding hit me like a hammer. "You think-"
"Shh!" Min slipped past our guards, who were too distracted to notice. Ethan and Sarah were hurrying down to where Charlie and Toby had confronted Hector.
"Hector?" Charlie said tentatively. "You okay, man? What happened?"
"I was a fool," Hector mumbled, staring vacantly at the sidewalk. His eyes were blurry and red, as if he'd cried out all the tears he possessed. "My punishment isn't over."
"What are you talking about?" Ethan crossed his arms, eyeing Hector warily. "I saw you jump, Hector. What happened when you . . . when you hit the rocks?"
Hector shrugged miserably. "Everything went black."
Ethan shifted, rubbing his jaw. Jessica moaned. Sarah was staring at the pavement.
"How'd you get back up here?" Toby asked quietly. "I don't know anyone who can climb the canyon wall. It's practically vertical."
"I didn't wake up in the canyon. I was somewhere else."
"Where?" Ethan blurted. "Tell me."
The group tightened around Hector, mesmerized. No one was paying the slightest attention to Min or me. I tried to catch her eye, but she was watching as intently as the others.
"Somewhere south." Hector absently waved toward the other side of the lake. "A hollow above the tree line." Then he held up his arms and stared at them in wonder. "Like this. I don't have a scratch on me."
Ethan grabbed Hector by the shoulders. Looked directly into his eyes. "You jumped from the bridge into the canyon, but woke up in the woods. Is that what you're saying, Hector?"
Hector nodded, his face a mask of grief. "God isn't done with me. It was stupid for me to think I was in control. I won't defy him again."
Nervous chattering broke out. No one knew how to take the news. One more impossible thing in a week full of them.
But I was ice-cold.
I knew.
Hector had reset, just like I'd done so many times before.
Ethan was forcing him to repeat every detail of his story. I looked over at Min, who nodded. We slipped away from the circle, unnoticed. Then she grabbed me by the shirt. "Did you hear that?" she hissed.
"Yes. It's the exact same. Hector must've-"
Min shushed me. She'd gone rigid, eavesdropping on a conversation behind us.
"I don't know, man, but it's gone! What do we tell Ethan?"
Pivoting slowly, I caught sight of Derrick and Lars huddled on the church steps. "You really think somebody stole a dead body?" Derrick shivered. "Man, I can't handle any more of this crap."
"No idea." Lars began pulling on his beard. "But it's not there. And now Hector comes walking down Main Street like he didn't just swan dive into the gorge. That dude rose from the frickin' dead, bro. I'm bugging out!"
Min tugged my arm. Pointed behind the church. I nodded. We scurried out of sight, then took off running for three blocks. At the post office we ducked behind a mail truck. I was puffing and blowing, but Min looked energized as she gnawed her bottom lip.
"What is it?" I wheezed.
"You heard them! Tack's body is missing!"
A wave of revulsion swept through me. "Oh, God. That's who they were talking about? Who'd steal a corpse?" I immediately regretted the words, but Min was on another trail entirely.
"No! Don't you see!?"
I shook my head, lost. I'm not great under pressure.
"Hector didn't die, Noah!" A frenzied smile appeared on Min's face. "No one can survive that drop-but he woke up in the woods, like we've been doing for years! And Tack's body isn't where they left it."
Comprehension finally dawned. "Oh, damn."
Min nodded fiercely.
"Tack's not dead, either!"
44
MIN
Lightning coursed through my veins.
Tack could be alive!
Impossible, but wasn't all of this, from the very start? I'd never pretended to understand my birthdays, but Hector's revival didn't require my comprehension. It was a real thing. I'd seen it. Tack could've done the same.
So where is he?
Noah watched me pace, his expression dazed. I knew the strain was getting intense, but I needed him with me on this. He was the only one who might get it.
I stopped and took his hand. "Listen! I know it sounds crazy-"
He barked a laugh. "We're way past crazy. I can barely think."
"True. But Hector woke up in the woods alone, without any injuries. That's exactly what happened to me when I was pushed into the canyon. Somehow he reset!"
Noah's eyes widened. "You think Hector is one of the blue dots? A beta?"
I shook my head vigorously. "Did he look like someone who'd been through that before? Plus, today isn't his birthday. And he wasn't killed by Black Suit, he jumped."