Gone (Gone 1)

“That’s a Coates Academy uniform,” Astrid answered. “We’re probably not far from there.”

“Shh,” Lana hissed. “I hear something.”

Everyone instinctively ducked down. In the silence they could clearly hear a car engine. It was being driven erratically, revving one minute, slowing the next.

“Come on, let’s find out who it is,” Sam said.

“How we going to move this girl?” Edilio asked. “I can maybe carry her, but I can’t carry her and that block, man.”

“I’ll grab her, you grab the block,” Sam said.

“This thing is really heavy,” Edilio said. “I better not even meet the pendejo who did this. Do this to a person? What kind of animal does something like that?”

The car turned out to be an SUV. It was driven, as far as Sam could tell, by a lone boy.

“I know him,” Astrid said. She waved. The SUV lurched to a halt. Astrid leaned against the open window. “Computer Jack?”

Sam had seen the techie wizard around town but had never really spoken to him.

“Hi,” the boy said. “Oh, good. You found Taylor. I was looking for her.”

“You were looking for her?”

“Yeah. She’s sick. You know, like in the head. She wandered away from school, and so I was looking for her and—”

Right at that moment, Sam knew it was a trap. A split second too late.

Drake rose up from behind the third row of seats. He had a gun pointed at Astrid’s head, but he was looking straight at Sam. “Don’t even think about it. However fast you think you are, all I have to do is squeeze the trigger.”

“I’m not moving,” Sam said. He raised his hands in surrender.

“Ah ah ah, no no no, Sam boy. I know all about the power. Keep your hands by your side.”

“I have to help carry this gir

l,” Sam said.

“No one’s carrying her anywhere. She’s done for.”

“We’re not leaving her here,” Astrid said.

“The guy holding the gun makes the decisions,” Drake said, and grinned. “And if I were you, Astrid, I wouldn’t push me. Caine wants to try to take you and your little brother alive. But if you two try and do your disappearing act, I’ll shoot Sam.”

“You’re a psychopath, Drake,” Astrid said.

“Wow. Such a big word. I guess that’s why you’re Astrid the Genius, huh? You know what else is a good word? Retard.”

Astrid flinched like he had hit her.

“My brother is a retard,” Drake mimicked. “I wish I had recorded it. Okay. We’re going to climb in the truck here one by one. Nice and slow.”

“Not without the girl,” Sam said flatly.

“That’s right,” Edilio agreed.

Drake sighed theatrically. “Okay. Pick her up. Throw her in the front seat next to Jack.”

Doing that took some effort. The girl was alive, but not really conscious and was too weak to move.