The Prisoner of Cell 25 (21 page)

“I guess.”

“You don’t sound excited.”

“I’m still homesick.”

Tara walked over next to her. “I know. But once you get to know everyone, you’ll feel a little better.”

Taylor sat on her bed. “I don’t know about that. I really just want to go home. Don’t you miss your family?”

“What do you mean?”

“The family who adopted you.”

“Oh. They’re gone.”

“Gone?”

Tara sat on the bed next to her. “Well, I started coming to the academy when I was six. I’d stay here all week then sleep at home on the weekends. It was a good arrangement. Then one day there was an accident. My parent’s house caught fire and they didn’t get out. Fortunately I wasn’t there, or I probably would have died too.”

Taylor was stunned. “That’s horrible. Do they know what caused the fire?”

“The fire department said it was an electrical fire. Ironic, huh?”

Taylor had a sick feeling about it. All the fun of the day drained away. She thought about the man visiting her house and talking to her parents. She hoped one day her house wouldn’t catch fire too.

“What if it wasn’t an accident?”

Tara squinted. “What do you mean?”

Taylor saw the look on Tara’s face and decided against pursuing it.

“Nothing,” she said. “So the state let you to stay here?”

“Fortunately, in the school contract, there was a clause that in case something happened, Hatch received guardianship. I was so young at the time I don’t remember much. I’ve lived here most of my life. This is my family. That’s why I am so excited for you to join us.”

“How many live here?”

“Nine, counting you.”

“Will Nichelle be there?”

“Yeah. But just ignore her. That’s what we all do.” Tara started counting on her fingers. “There’s Quentin, he’s the cute blond, you’ll like him. And he’s a flirt. There’s Bryan, he’s Puerto Rican, big muscles, but he’s really immature. Kylee, who I love, she was my best friend until you came along. I think she might be a little jealous of you, so I’ll give her some special attention tonight. Zeus. He’s kind of cute, but I need to warn you that he kind of smells. But don’t say anything to him about it.”

“I don’t usually tell people they stink when I first meet them,” Taylor said.

Tara grinned. “It’s not really his fault. Because of his electric makeup, he can’t bathe without shocking himself. Anyway, he’s really sensitive about it.”

Taylor nodded.

“There’s Grace. She’s really shy, so it will take a while before you get to know her. And there’s Tanner. He’s out of the country right now on an assignment.”

“How many of us are there?”

“There were seventeen of us in the beginning, but there’s only thirteen of us left. And some of them aren’t in the family.”

“What do you mean, ‘left’?”

Tara frowned. “Don’t worry about it.”

Taylor looked down. Hearing that four of them had disappeared scared her as much as anything else that had happened to her. “Do they all have powers?” she asked.

“Every one of them.”

“What kind?”

“All sorts. We don’t really talk about that. I mean, of course we know. Like Zeus can shoot electricity like lightning, Bryan can burn through things, and Kylee’s like a magnet, which means you don’t ever give her your credit card because she ruins them, and everyone knows what Nichelle can do. But it’s more of a gossip thing. Dr. Hatch says we don’t talk about it because it’s like in the business world, employees don’t talk about each other’s paychecks because it causes problems.” Tara glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Is that really the time?”

“I think so.”

She grabbed Taylor’s hand. “Come on. We can’t be late.”

The girls hurried downstairs to the main floor. The other youths had already arrived and the dining room was loud with chatter. The dining room tables had been brought together to form one long rectangle, large enough to seat the whole family. Taylor and Tara were the last to arrive and every eye followed them in.

A handsome blond boy stood as they entered and smiled at them. “Wow, I’m seeing double.”

“I’m Tara,” Tara said, bowing a little.

“And that makes you Taylor,” he said, slightly bowing. “I’m Quentin. I’m the student body president. Welcome to Elgen Academy.”

“Hi,” Taylor replied shyly. “I mean, thank you.”

“Welcome to the family.” He took her arm. “Let me introduce you to the rest of the gang. That’s Bryan.”

“Woo hoo,” Bryan said, pumping his fist in the air. “I’m number one.” He punctuated his claim with a loud belch.

“Number-one dork,” Quentin said.

“I told you,” Tara whispered to Taylor. “Immature.”

“And that’s Zeus.”

Zeus bobbed his head. Taylor noticed that he was seated with spaces between him and the others and she remembered what Tara had said about his smell.

“That’s Kylee and Grace.”

“Hi,” Kylee said tersely.

Grace looked at her but said nothing.

Quentin said to Taylor, “Don’t take it personally, Grace is a little shy. She’s that way to everyone at first.” He looked at Nichelle, who was sitting alone at the far end of the table. “You’ve already met

Nichelle,” he said. Nichelle glared at Taylor.

“There’s also Tanner but he’s out of the country. You’ll meet him in a couple of weeks. Since you are the guest of honor, Dr. Hatch asked me to seat you at the head of the table. He will sit to your right. And Tara,” Quentin said, “Dr. Hatch requested that you sit on Taylor’s left side.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” Tara said.

Tara led her to the front of the table and Taylor sat down. Bryan said, “Hey, you guys look alike.”

“We’re twins, idiot,” Tara said.

“You’re such a dork,” Kylee said to Bryan, rolling her eyes.

Taylor looked around. She caught Zeus staring at her. He looked away. She thought he was cute. A moment later Dr. Hatch walked into the room.

“Sorry I’m late, everyone. I was just finishing up a call.” He sat down at the head of the table. “You’ve all met Taylor?”

“I introduced her around,” Quentin said.

“Thank you, Quentin. Now I expect you all to make her feel right at home.”

“Where are you from?” Kylee asked.

“Idaho.”

“Where’s that?”

“Kylee, don’t embarrass yourself with your ignorance,” Dr. Hatch  said flatly.

Taylor said, “Idaho’s on the other side of Washington, above Utah,  west of Montana.”

“Thank you, Taylor,” Hatch said. “I guess I’ll have to talk to Miss Marsden about her geography lessons.” Hatch lifted a small brass bell next to his plate and shook it. Waiters immediately appeared with  platters of food.

The chef had prepared a remarkable feast, though Taylor wasn’t very hungry after the lunch they’d had. The servers brought in trays full of beef Wellington, Yorkshire pudding, and roasted lamb with veg-etables and potatoes. Taylor filled her plate, but mostly just picked at it as she glanced back and forth at each of the others. Quentin was definitely in charge, and the most popular of them all. She guessed that Kylee and Tara had a crush on him and Zeus seemed jealous of him.

“Do you find the cuisine agreeable?” Hatch asked her.

“Yes, sir. It’s very good.”

“It’s not pizza, but hopefully it’s easier on your stomach than the sushi.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I think you’ll like the dessert as well. We’re celebrating some favorable news we got out of the U.K. today, so everything is English. In keeping with the theme, dessert is an English trifle.”

“Yum,” Kylee said. “Yum, yum, yum.”

“You’re such an idiot,” Nichelle said.

“And you’re an ugly, psycho freak,” Kylee said.

“Ladies,” Hatch said. “Enough.”

“Sorry,” they both said to Hatch, but not to each other.

When they had finished their meals the waiters brought out the trifles, as well as cake, fruit, and pudding served in tall crystal chalices that looked like parfait glasses.

“This is delicious,” Taylor said.

“Overall I’m not a huge fan of English cuisine,” Hatch said, “but they do some things right.”

As everyone was finishing their desserts, Hatch looked at his watch, then rang the bell. The head server came walking out. “Yes, sir.”

“Pour the wine, please.”

“Right away, sir.”

Two other servers came out with bottles of wine and moved around the table, filling the glasses with Chianti wine.

Taylor had never tasted wine. “You drink wine?” she asked Tara.

Tara smiled. “Of course. We’re treated like adults here. How many fifteen-year-olds do you know with a black credit card?”

Hatch lifted his glass. “I’d like to raise a toast to the newest, reunited member of our family, Taylor.”

Everyone lifted their glasses, including Kylee, who hadn’t said anything since Hatch’s reprimand.

“To Taylor. May our dreams be her dreams, and may all her dreams come true.”

“Here, here,” said Quentin.

Everyone began tapping glasses, except Nichelle, who just took a long drink.

“In honor of this special occasion, and other good news, I have a very special treat. I have secured front-row tickets for tonight’s Colby Cross concert at the Staples Center.”

Everyone cheered.

“Colby Cross?” Taylor said, genuinely excited. “She’s my favorite singer.”

“I know,” Hatch said as he stood. “So we’d better be on our way. The limos await.”

At Hatch’s lead everyone stood and followed him out of the room, Zeus and Nichelle leaving last.

As they climbed into the car Taylor said to Tara, “I can’t believe we have front-row seats to Colby Cross!”

“I told you Dr. Hatch would take good care of you. You have nothing to worry about.”

Taylor sighed. “It’s just the way everything started—being kidnapped was really scary.”

“I know. I think he’s trying to make up for that. Just keep an open mind, sis. You’ll be glad you did.”

Taylor sat back into the leather seat and for the first time since her abduction she really smiled. Maybe Tara was right. Maybe what she’d read in Dr. Hatch’s mind was false. After all, he’d been nothing but generous and kind. Maybe if her parents had known how well the students were treated they would have wanted her to come. She didn’t know what to believe any more. “Front-row seats,” she said again. “It’s just so hard to believe.”

“Believe it,” Tara said. “It’s your new life, Taylor. First-class, front-row everything.”

A half hour later the limos pulled up to the front of the Staples Center and everyone got out. Once inside the arena an usher checked their tickets, then escorted them to the front row.

As the group was walking to their seats a large, muscular man, with his arm around a woman, bumped into Zeus.

“Hey, watch it,” Zeus said.

The man looked over his shoulder and grinned. “Dude, you stink.

Take a shower.”

The woman laughed.

Zeus turned red. “Is that your girlfriend or is Farm Town missing a goat?”

The man stopped and turned around. “What did you say?”

“Did I stutter? I called your girlfriend a goat, dork.”

The man flushed with anger. “You’re gonna die, loser.” He came at Zeus, grabbing him by the arm. “I’m gonna—” Bolts of electricity shot out of Zeus’s fingers. The man cried out and dropped to the ground like a bag of concrete. His girlfriend screamed.

Zeus kicked the man in the side. “Like that, loser?” Suddenly Zeus bent over in pain. “Aargh . . .”

Hatch stood above him with Nichelle at his side. Hatch’s face was red with fury. “Thank you, Nichelle.”

“Glad to help, sir.”

Just then two security officers arrived on the scene. The larger of the two asked, “What’s going on?”

The man’s girlfriend pointed at Zeus. “Him!” she screamed. “He shot my boyfriend.”

Hatch stepped forward. “Excuse me, officers, but I witnessed the entire exchange. The man was acting peculiar, then he just collapsed.”

Hatch looked at Tara and slightly nodded.

Suddenly the girlfriend began screaming at the top of her lungs

“Snakes! There are snakes everywhere!” She began flailing wildly.

“Get them off me! Get them off me!”

The guards looked at each other. One pulled out his radio. “Requesting backup near section AA. Also medical assistance, possible drug overdose.” While one of the guards struggled to restrain the woman the other said to Hatch, “Thanks for your help.”

“Don’t mention it.”

When the security guard had turned away Hatch grabbed Zeus by the arm and pulled him aside. “Out to the car. Now.”

“But the concert . . .” He doubled over again. “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“No, it won’t. Now go.”

Zeus staggered toward the exit. Hatch shook his head.

“Totally against family policy,” Tara said. “Boy, he’s gonna get it when we get back.”

“What will Dr. Hatch do to him?” Taylor asked.

“Nichelle will punish him for a while. She just loves doing that. Then he’ll lose privileges for a few weeks and probably be grounded to his room for a few days.”

Hatch walked back to the group, Nichelle at his side. “Sorry about that,” he said to Taylor. “Zeus knows better than to use his gift to hurt others.”

Taylor looked at Nichelle and Nichelle’s eyes narrowed as she glared back at her.

“Let’s not let Zeus’s unfortunate decision put a damper on things. Our seats await.”

Their seats were perfect, front row and center, unlike anything Taylor had ever dreamed she would experience. In spite of everything, she was giddy with excitement. When Colby came onstage the arena erupted in smoke and pyrotechnics and everyone jumped to their feet. Taylor couldn’t believe how close she was to the singer. 

Colby started the concert with one of Taylor’s favorite songs, “
Stay With Me
.” Several times the singer came to the front of the stage and reached out her hand and Taylor actually got to touch her.

After an hour and a half the stage lights darkened for intermission.

“Nichelle,” Hatch said, “go get Taylor and me a couple of Cokes.”

“Okay,” she said, glaring at Taylor. After she left Hatch leaned over to Taylor. She noticed he had put on his dark glasses. “Are you having a good time?”