The Dream Stalker

13) "Isn't That a Little Cliché?"

"Renegades" by X Ambassadors

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I had expected to arrive at school and find Boone ready to bombard me with questions and demanding that I not wait to the end of the school to give him the answers, but it was actually the opposite. He appeared to be his usual calm, bored self. He didn't even acknowledge McKenzie or myself. In fact, he seemed to be going out of his way to avoid us.

Boone didn't show up to homeroom until right before the morning announcements. He was absent from the cafeteria during lunch, as usual, and anytime I tried approaching him in the halls or after class, he hurried away.

After the final bell, McKenzie and I tracked him down outside the school. I expected him to motion us over somewhere so that could have our conversation in private, but instead he climbed into a black SUV, where a woman—presumably his mother—was waiting.

"Where's he going?" McKenzie asked.

"I don't know," I replied, "but we're going to find out."

Once McKenzie and Kody were secure in the back of the truck—well, as secure as they could be—I climbed up front and ordered Uncle Kasey to follow the SUV. Never before had I been so glad for my uncle's disinterested nature. Uncle Kasey just nodded his head obediently and the chase was on.

The SUV did not lead us to the neighborhood across from the school or even one of the few houses scattered around the rest of town, but to the last place I expected—the gated community Mayor Galloway had constructed.

Uncle Kasey dropped us off outside the gates, and then drove off without any questions asked. We watched from behind the gate as Boone exited the SUV and went into one of the houses with his mother.

"Wow! Boone's rich? Why didn't I know that?" McKenzie asked.

"Probably because you didn't notice he existed until a few days ago," I replied, while wondering how we would get in to speak with Boone now.

I inspected the metal gates surrounding the community. They were about eight feet tall but definitely climbable.

"You think the guard will let us in if we ask nicely?" McKenzie asked, glancing at the guardhouse near the entrance.

"It doesn't matter, we're climbing over."

"What!" McKenzie looked utterly taken back. "Do you know how much trouble we could get into?"

"No. How much?"

"Actually, I don't know. Let me go check!" McKenzie started off towards the guardhouse.

I grabbed him by the shirt and dragged my cousin back before he got too far. I don't know if he was really that stupid or just trying to weasel his way out of this. Knowing him, it was probably the former. "Weren't you the one who said we had to take risks if we wanted to defeat the Dream Stalker? And didn't you sneak into Principal Peterson's office when I told you it was a bad idea?"

"Yes...but this is where Italia lives. If she finds out about us sneaking in, she'll never date me."

"You're too late for that. Now get climbing!"

The climb over the gates went pretty smoothly, except for the part when McKenzie got to the top and froze. I pretended to spot Italia, which put McKenzie into a panic and prompted him to fall over the gate onto me.

"Oh, man. She didn't see that, did she?" McKenzie asked, his glasses crooked on his face.

"She's not here, you goof. I was lying," I said, pushing McKenzie off of me. McKenzie may not be very big, but it sure hurts when he falls eight feet and lands atop you.