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nd； or maybe something more。 We laughed a lot while we moved through the patches of shade； throwing rocks at each other like they were Chinese stars。 Then the sun set； and suddenly I was stressed。 Would Riley look for us？ Would he assume we were fried？ Did he know better？ We started moving faster。 A lot faster。 We’d already circled all the nearby islands； so now we concentrated on the mainland。 About an hour after sundown； I caught a familiar scent； and within seconds we were on their trail。 Once we found the path of the smell； it was as easy as following a herd of elephants through fresh snow。 We talked about what to do； more serious now as we ran。 “I don’t think we should tell Riley；” I said。 “Let’s say we spent all day in your cave before we went looking for them。” As I spoke； my paranoia started to grow。 “Better yet； let’s tell them
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your cave was filled with water。 We couldn’t even talk。” “You think Riley’s a bad dude； don’t you？” he asked quietly after a minute。 As he spoke； he took my hand。 “I don’t know。 But I’d rather act like he was； just in case。” I hesitated； then said； “You don’t want to think he’s bad。” “No；” Diego admitted。 “He’s kind of my friend。 I mean； not like you’re my friend。” He squeezed my fingers。 “But more than anyone else。 I don’t want to think…” Diego didn’t finish his sentence。 I squeezed his fingers back。 “Maybe he’s totally decent。 Our being careful doesn’t change who he is。” “True。 Okay； the underwater cave story it is。 At least at first… I could talk to him about the sun later。 I’d rather do it during the day； anyway； when I can prove what I’m claiming right away。 And just in case he already knows； but there’s some good reason why he told us something else； I should tell him when we’re alone。 Grab him at dawn； when he’s ing back from wherever it is he goes…。” I noticed a ton of I’s rather than we’s going on in Diego’s little speech； and it bothered me。 But at the same time； I didn’t want much to do with educating Riley。 I didn’t have the same faith in him Diego did。 “Ninja attack at dawn！” I said to make him laugh。 It worked。 We started joking again as we tracked our herd of vampires； but I could tell he was thinking serious stuff under the teasing； just like I was。 And I only got more anxious as we ran。 Because we were running fast； and there was no way we had the wrong trail； but it
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was taking too long。 We were really getting away from the coast； up and over the closest mountains； off into new territory。 This wasn’t the normal pattern。 Every house we’d borrowed； whether it was up a mountain or on an island or hidden on a big farm； had a few things in mon。 The dead owners； the remote locale； and one other thing。 They all were sort of focused on Seattle。 Oriented around the big city like orbiting moons。 Seattle was always the hub； always the target。 We were out of orbit now； and it felt wrong。 Maybe it meant nothing； maybe it was just that so many things were changing today。 All the truths I’d accepted had been turned upside down and I wasn’t in the mood for any other upheavals。 Why couldn’t Riley have just picked someplace normal？ “Funny they’re this far out；” Diego murmured； and I could hear the edge in his voice。 “Or scary；” I muttered。 He squeezed my hand。 “It’s cool。 The ninja club can handle anything。” “You got a secret handshake yet？” “Working on it；” he promised。 Something started to bug me。 It was like I could feel this strange blind spot I knew there was something I wasn’t seeing； but I couldn’t put my finger on it。 Something obvious… And then； about sixty miles farther west than our usual perimeter； we found the house。 It was impossible to mistake the noise。 The boom boom boom of the bass； the videogame soundtrack； the snarling。 Totally our crowd。
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I pulled my hand free； and Diego looked at me。 “Hey； I don’t even know you；” I said in a joking tone。 “I haven’t had one conversation with you； what with all that water we sat in all day。 You could be a ninja or a vampire for all I know。” He grinned。 “Same goes for you； stranger。” Then low and fast； “Just do the same things you did yesterday。 Tomorrow night we’ll get out together。 Maybe do some reconnaissance； figure out more of what’s going on。” “Sounds like a plan。 Mum’s the word。” He ducked close and kissed me just a peck； but right on the lips。 The shock of it zinged through my whole body。 Then he said； “Let’s do this；” and headed down the side of the mountain toward the source of the raucous noise without looking back。 Already playing the part。 A little stunned； I followed from a few yards behind； remembering to put the distance between us that I would put between myself and anyone else。 The house was a big； log cabin–style affair； tucked into a hollow in the pines with no sign of any neighbors for miles around。 All the windows were black； as if the place were empty； but the whole frame was trembling from the heavy bass in the basement。 Diego went in first； and I tried to move behind him like he was Kevin or Raoul。 Hesitant； protecting my space。 He found the stairs and charged down with a confident tread。 “Trying to lose me； losers？” he asked。 “Oh； hey； Diego’s alive；” I heard Kevin answer with a distinct
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lack of enthusiasm。 “No thanks to you；” Diego said as I slipped into the dark basement。 The only light came from the various TV screens； but it was way more than any of us needed。 I hurried back to where Fred had a whole couch to himself； glad that it was right for me to look anxious because there was no way to hide it。 I swallowed hard as the revulsion hit； and curled up in my usual spot on the floor behind the couch。 Once I was down； Fred’s repellent power seemed to ease up。 Or maybe I was just getting used to it。 The basement was more than half empty since it was the middle of the night。 All the kids in here had eyes the same as mine bright； recently fed red。 “Took me a while to clean up your stupid mess；” Diego told Kevin。 “It was almost dawn by the time I got to what was left of the house。 Had to sit in a cave filled with water all day。” “Go tattle to Riley。 Whatever。” “I see the little girl made it； too；” said a new voice； and I shuddered because it was Raoul。 I felt a little bit of relief that he didn’t know my name； but mostly I just felt horrified that he’d noticed me at all。 “Yeah； she followed me。” I couldn’t see Diego； but I knew he was shrugging。 “Aren’t you the savior of the hour？” Raoul said snidely。 “We don’t get extra points for being morons。” I wished Diego wouldn’t taunt Raoul。 I hoped Riley would e back soon。 Only Riley could curb Raoul even the littlest bit。
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But Riley was probably out hunting dregs kids to bring to her。 Or doing whatever else he did while he was away。 “Interesting attitude you got； Diego。 You think that Riley likes you so much he’s gonna care if I kill you。 I think you’re wrong。 But either way； for tonight； he already thinks you’re dead。” I could hear the others moving。 Some probably to back Raoul up； others just getting out of the way。 I hesitated in my hiding spot； knowing I wasn’t going to let Diego fight them alone； but worried about blowing our cover if it didn’t e to that。 I hoped Diego had survived this long because he had some crazy bat skills。 I wasn’t going to have much to offer in that department。 There were three members of Raoul’s gang here； and some others that might help out just to get on his good side。 Would Riley get home before they had time to burn us？ Diego’s voice was calm when he answered。 “You’re really that afraid to take me on alone？ Typical。” Raoul snorted。 “Does that ever work？ I mean； besides in movies。 Why should I take you on alone？ I don’t care about beating you。 I just want to end you。” I rolled into a crouch； tensed to spring。 Raoul kept talking。 He liked the sound of his own voice a lot。 “But it’s not gonna take all of us to deal with you。 These two will take care of the other evidence of your unfortunate survival。 Little what’shername。” My body felt icy； frozen solid。 I tried to shake it off so I could fight my be