Thunder

Chapter 21

I speed home to retrieve my Thunder outfit, sneaking in through the window so my family doesn't know I stopped at home. There's no time to sew the hood back on, so I find several safety pins and secure the hood on as best as I can. I stuff the suit in my backpack and rush back to Caitlyn's place to rejoin the others.

Kathryn jumps in surprise at my sudden return. "Wow, I'm still trying to believe that you have super powers."

"You get used to it eventually," Caitlyn assures her.

"What's the plan?" I ask.

"Split up and find Andrew?" Ryan suggests.

"Should we go in groups of two?" Kathryn suggests.

"I call Kyleigh!" Caitlyn declares immediately.

"I don't know if you guys should get involved..." I say, unsure. "What if something happens to you two?"

"Kyleigh, we are in this together," Caitlyn says.

"And besides," Kathryn adds, "I kind of owe you one for saving my life back in May."

"Okay, fine," I give in. "Caitlyn and I will scope out this side of town, Kathryn and Ryan get the other side."

I just hope putting my trust in Ryan isn't the wrong thing. He has been completely honest today, right?

"If we find anything, tell the other group," Ryan says.

"Wait, neither of us have a phone," I remind Caitlyn as I remember my broken phone and the fact that Caitlyn's mom took hers.

"Just a second," Caitlyn says, suddenly running back into the house. She returns a moment later, waving her phone in our faces. "I know where my mom hides it."

"Your mom is going to kill you if she finds out," Kathryn laughs.

Caitlyn shrugs. "Probably, but we have more important matters to deal with."

"Alright," I say. "Let's go."

We split up; Ryan and Kathryn take the road toward the park, while Caitlyn and I walk in the direction toward my house.

I stop at home, wanting to check on my family. Going in through the front door, I walk to the kitchen to fill my water bottle, trying to make the stop at my house seem casual and non-suspicious. My mom is watching something on the FOOD Network in the living room.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hey, sweetie. What are you up to?" She asks.

"Just getting some water," I answer, screwing the top back onto the bottle. "Where's Dad and Kenzie?"

"I think Dad is taking a nap and Kenzie is uptown at the park. Why?"

"Just curious," I reply. "I'm going back out." I rejoin Caitlyn outside. "My parents are home, but tell Kathryn to make sure Kenzie is safe at the park."

Caitlyn shoots a text to the other group, something I'd do myself if I didn't accidentally murder my phone earlier...

Note to self: Don't go near electronics when I'm angry.

"So, what exactly should we be looking for?" Caitlyn asks as we walk quickly down the street, glancing in all directions.

I shrug. "A crazy guy searching for me, causing trouble. I don't know. He might not even be out here anywhere. All I know is that as long as I have an enemy somewhere who knows my identity, nothing in my life is safe. I'm not going to be able to relax until I find him." I sigh. "How did my life go so wrong in so many ways in just 24 hours?"