Wheels (37 page)

“But I thought you didn’t know where to go.”

“Soliis, an old associate of mine, once described the location of a Tsendi prison. According to him, it’s built around an inlet, in a C-shape to be precise, surrounded by a moat. Ingenious; for the Tsendi fear water. Moreover, while there are many inlets on Circanthos, I believe there is only one Tsendi prison.”

“What about the earthquake? Won’t there be aftershocks?”

“Not on Circanthos.” Provost frowned. Though there shouldn’t have been a tremos now, either. Shortly before he’d left for Earth, he’d begun to notice that tremos, usually so predictable, were occurring at odd times. On Earth, he’d researched earthquakes. They were, indeed, much like tremos. Perhaps, exactly alike. However, while Earth rotated around only one sun, Circanthos was pulled between two. He was beginning to wonder how his tiny planet held together at all.

“Are we going?” asked James.

B.R. Provost closed his eyes. Particle-weaving the planet back to calm after a tremos was second nature to a Circanthian. But what if there were no more Circanthians? Was it purely coincidental that as there were less and less of his people, tremos began to increase in frequency and size? He sighed. “Yes, we’re going. Be aware, I have no idea what awaits us. There may be two dozen Tsendi at the end of the portal.”

“Or McKenzie,” said James.

Principal Provost took a deep breath and began to particle-weave a portal to a place he’d never been, a Tsendi prison. A place, he dearly hoped, they would
not
find McKenzie.

Chapter 45

FBI TRANSCRIPT 21205

Agent Wink Krumm and James Wu
Tuesday, June 9th

KRUMM
: What do you know of Principal Provost’s disappearance?

J. WU
: I barely knew the man.

KRUMM
: And yet…
never mind
, you’ll simply deny it. I’m warning you, don’t leave town. That means you or any of your family.

J. WU
: We’ll see what my lawyer says about that. From what I’ve discovered—and by the way, we also have our sources—your record isn’t exactly spotless. Seems your little vacation wasn’t exactly…
voluntary.

KRUMM
: I’d like my personal log returned.

J. WU
: You would think someone in your position would be more careful. You keep misplacing things.

KRUMM
: Stay out of my business.

WU
: How about this, I’ll stay out of your business, if you stay out of mine. Mine—
and
McKenzie’s!

***

STUBBORN, FRUSTRATING, PIG-HEADED…!

Thursday, March 19th
Tsoot Pit on the Tsendi Compound

T
ake it easy. Everything’s gonna be fine. Think back, when did I first notice this-this—this feeling?

Hayes closed his eyes. He needed a moment to step away, if only mentally, from the adventure/nightmare that had recently become his life. Something even more dramatic had happened.

Abacis was lying on the sidelines, knees drawn up to his bulbous Tsendi eyeballs. That’s right! And his team—Wait! How did Abacis get hurt? Weird? Okay, whatever, I have no idea. Anyway, his team was down by a lot. It was the end of the first half—NO—it was the second half, ‘cuz the tremos was over and that Tsendi sitting in front of McKenzie had fallen again—although this time it looked more like he jumped. Weird. Then Wells called a timeout. Right. That’s right! And while he was busy fixing his hair for like the hundredth time, I was tapping my leg, staring at Mac and thinking, LOOK at me! LOOK at—

Why was I doing that?

Oh right! ‘Cuz I couldn’t risk shouting across the pit, “Hey look at me. I’ve got a cortext in my pocket!” If Mac can imagine her way across the universe, I should at least be able to send my thoughts across the tsoot pit.

I’m an idiot!

Of course, she didn’t look. Well…she looked, but then she headed into the tsoot pit and then she wouldn’t look at me at all. Like she was angry or something.

Then the timeout was over and McKenzie still had no clue I had the cortext.

Ohhhhh, man!

That’s when it happened! That’s when I remember thinking; McKenzie Wu is the most stubborn, frustrating, pig-headed female alive. But man—is she hot!

********

They were now down by exactly three players and five points. Not good. Not good at all!

“Nooooo!” McKenzie covered her eyes. Make that six points.

Including Abacis, who was still lying on the sidelines moaning in pain, they’d lost more than half their team.
We’re never gonna win at this rate.
It wasn’t fair. It totally wasn’t fair! Mallos was injuring players right and left and the refs weren’t calling any of it. It wasn’t even a game anymore. More like a World Wide Wrestling competition. A joke. One that was gonna get them all killed.

McKenzie shook her head and looked across at Hayes. He was staring at her, tapping his leg again. What was wrong with him? Did he really expect her to feel bad about his sore leg at a time like this?

I have to do something!

McKenzie tapped Mana on the shoulder. He turned around, a growl already in place, but she quickly leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.

Mana shook his head.

“PLEASE,” said McKenzie, not bothering to whisper this time. “It may be our only chance.”

Mana growled at her and turned around.

McKenzie sighed. If Mana refused to help, she’d have to do something else, even if that meant escaping with Hayes and leaving Abacis and his followers to die at the hands of her great-great-great uncle.

Could I do that?

Suddenly Mana stood up. He glanced back at McKenzie—

Did he just wink at me?

And jumped into the tsoot pit.

Wells jumped to his feet and yelled, “Moocroken!” Which meant, not only were they down another point, but there would now be a timeout while Mana returned to his seat. Only Mana didn’t return to his seat, he walked over to Abacis.

Please, oh please, oh please, let Abacis agree to this!
McKenzie could hardly keep herself from racing down there.

Abacis shook his head.

NO!

He looked at her. He looked angry. He shook his head again. He—
Yes!
—motioned McKenzie into the pit.

McKenzie could feel all eyes on her as she made her way down. Especially Wells…and Hayes, whom she refused to look at, fearing all she would see was disappointment. It wasn’t like she was trying to take over the game.
It isn’t like back home.

She stopped. Why had she thought that?
…like back home?
Was it true what her coach had said? Was she really a ball hog?
Oh, my God, I am! I’m a horrible team player. No wonder Joanne hates me.

If only she could talk to Hayes, promise him that once they got back home things would be different. Which was silly because he probably didn’t care. He wasn’t even on the team and yet…for some reason she wanted him to know.

McKenzie glanced at Hayes. He was looking at something else, but he still had his hand on his leg.
It must really—Oh God!
Suddenly it dawned on her.
Oh, oh—oh snaps!
Hayes was wearing the pants with all those crazy zipper pockets. His leg didn’t hurt. He was trying to tell her something. Something was in his pocket. He’d been in Wells’ bedroom. Could it be? Did Hayes have the cortext?

McKenzie took a deep breath.
Don’t look at him. Don’t give it away.
Then rolled into the pit and up the ramp to where Abacis was waiting just beyond the drummers.

“You are no match for Mallos,” he said, still looking very much in pain.

“I don’t have to be. I run him down. I take him out of play, and we’ve got a chance.”

Abacis cocked his head as if examining her wheelchair. He muttered something about Wells making it impossible for them to win.

“If it’s impossible,” said McKenzie, “then you’ve got nothing to lose by letting me try.” What she didn’t say was that when it came to basketball—or in this case, tsoot—she didn’t believe in impossible.

For one brief second, Abacis’ big Tsendi eyes locked on hers, and McKenzie had the strangest sense he approved.

“Thank you,” she said, and before he could disagree, she turned and rolled into the pit.

As Mana walked back to his seat, McKenzie rolled over by the rest of her teammates—all three of them. If they were going to win they would need more than Mallos out of the pit, they would need strategy. “Gather round,” she said, “I have an idea.”

********

Boom daga-bagadaga,
Boom daga-bagadaga,
Boom-daga, Boom-daga, BOOMBOOMBOOM!

The moment the drummers began to play, McKenzie took off, barreling around the court and straight towards Mallos. Mallos didn’t even know what hit him. He went limping out of the pit and was now brooding on the other side of Wells.

Hayes watched in amazement as McKenzie led her team through plays right off the court—the basketball court, that is. Not only did the plays work, they were now only one point behind. What amazed him most, however, was that McKenzie had made not one of the points. Sure, the hoop was clearly too high for her. But this was McKenzie, the obnoxious, aggressive star of the Avondale Warriors. The player who eighty-eight percent of the time had control of the ball. Who made ninety-nine percent of the Warrior’s scoring points. McKenzie Wu, diehard ball hog—not a team player. Until now. Hayes had never seen her play so well.

Beside him, Wells was red-faced and ready to blow. Hayes sighed. There was no way Wells was going to let Mac get away with it.

Sure enough, Wells turned to Mallos and whispered something heatedly in his ear. Mallos’ leg was all red and twisted. Whatever Wells said must have been motivating, for Mallos headed back into the pit.

Wells stood up and yelled “Moocroken!” The drummers paused.

This can’t be good.
Mallos was going to play. Even with his messed up leg he was strong. This time, McKenzie would not have the advantage.

Hayes leaned over the wall. He had to warn her.

“Master Hayes,” Wells was glaring at him. “What are you doing?”

“I’m a…” Hayes leaned back, “just trying to get a better view.”

The Tsendi had already begun shouting, “Mallos, Mallos, Mallos!”

Mallos stood in the center of the pit, facing McKenzie like a bull waiting to charge.

“Shall I give the signal,” said Wells, “or would you like the honor?”

Hayes felt ill. “You can.”

“Thank you,” said Wells, sounding smug.

Suddenly a murmur arose from the fans. Something was happening in the pit. Something amazing. Abacis was on the court. He limped over and stood behind McKenzie. Judging by his limp, he would be of little help. At least now, however, McKenzie might have a chance.

Wells, whose face was as red as a piece of cobaca froot, held up his hand and yelled, “Moocroken!” The drummers began.

Boom daga-bagadaga,
Boom daga-bagadaga,
Boom-daga, Boom-daga, BOOMBOOMBOOM!

Before the first
boom
had finished
piercing the air, Mallos charged. The small ringed area around the hoop was out-of-bounds, so Mallos had to charge around it rather than go straight. Just as Mallos had stood there shocked for a second when McKenzie charged, it looked as if McKenzie and Abacis were frozen by the sight of Mallos. Luckily, the second passed and McKenzie, who still had the ball, tossed it over her head into Abacis’ waiting hands and then took off in the opposite direction.

While Mallos followed McKenzie, Abacis took aim, shot and sent the ball sailing through the hoop, tying the game. The ball whisked through the hoop and McKenzie, rather than continuing her path around the pit, headed straight toward the wall and turning around, reached out and caught the ball as it came down on the other side of the pit.

Mallos was now just seconds away. Hayes held his breath, expecting McKenzie to pass the ball. Expecting Mallos to smash into her before she had the chance. Expecting everything—but what actually happened.

McKenzie threw the ball up, up and through the hoop—then disappeared!

Mallos, expecting to crash into McKenzie, crashed into the wall instead.

Wells jumped up.

The drummers stopped playing.

We won!
Thought Hayes
.

But where was Mac?

Chapter 46

Excerpt from the personal log of Agent Wink Krumm

Thursday, March 19th
Just outside Avondale

Discovered several articles in Professor R.’s suitcase about a girl named McKenzie Wu. He seems to have been keeping tabs on her. The girl’s in a wheelchair but appears to be quite the athlete. Some sort of wheelchair basketball star.

***

REVELATIONS & REALIZATIONS

Thursday, March 19th

M
cKenzie leaned forward and felt something solid. Particles continued to swirl and dance but slowly fell into place revealing a rough dirt wall and a dusty, blue-gray trail left by her fingers. Had she really done it!
Then why is it so quiet?

“GUARDS!”

And all hell broke loose.

Tsendi guards, heavily armed and armored, swarmed into the pit, surrounding Abacis and his team. McKenzie turned just in time to see Mallos struggling to his feet on the other side of the pit.

At least no one had noticed her.

“GUARDS! THE GIRL!”

McKenzie looked up to see Wells red-faced, pointing and screaming—and leaning so far over the wall she was afraid he’d fall on top of her.
Ah well.