Summertime

Chapter Twelve-SING

I lay in my bed nursing a bruised wrist a week after I had been captured when the door opened. Thinking it was Korse, I shivered but reluctantly rolled over to face him.

Instead of the pale face and beady black eyes, I was greeted by a Draculoid. I started, not expecting this at all.

“Get up,” he said. I struggled out of my bed and he seized me by the wrist. Dazed, I was dragged from my room out into the hall. The Draculoid pulled me along for a minute before stopping and looking around.

“It’s Cherri Cola,” he whispered to me, “And I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me.”

“You saved my life,” I said, “The best I can do is repay the favor.”

He suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. I stood there awkwardly, my arms at my sides, not knowing how to respond.

“The Killjoys are coming to save you and Grace. Korse wants you two to wait out in the control room. C’mon,” he said. This time I followed him willingly.

The control room was a long, rectangular room on the first floor with tall windows. It was lined on the sides with Dracs operating touch screen computers. I had no clue what they were doing, but it looked complicated and dangerous. Grace sat on the floor, playing with a rubber ball. She jumped up when she saw me and threw her arms around me.

“Ghost, what’s happening?” she whimpered, her face pressed into my chest.

“The Killjoys are coming to rescue us,” I whispered. She looked up at me, her brown eyes brighter and sparkling. I put my finger to my lips and she sat back down on the floor, rolling her ball from one hand to the other, but looking relatively happier.

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and glanced over at a woman standing next to Grace. She was a tall Asian woman with short, neat brown hair and a scornful face. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest.

There was a loud screeching sound, and I ran to look out the lobby window. The Trans Am, followed by the Jeep, skidded into the parking lot. I couldn’t keep back the smile on my face when I saw the four Fabulous Killjoys and Vine Spider emerge from the Trans Am. Then Absolute Zero, Danger Fate, Noise Flag, Star Lace, and Atomic Urgency kicked their way out of the Jeep. All of their faces were set in a grim expression, including Star Lace. Seeing Star Lace with a dark expression was like watching Kristen Stewart show emotion—it never happens.

All ten of them walked in a clump towards the door to the control room. Poison had spotted us. I chewed my lip and glanced at Grace. She winked at me, then glanced up at the woman by her side. The woman looked back, expressionless. Grace grinned smugly at her, and the woman responded with a sarcastic smile.

I watched as my friends stalked across the concrete walkway leading to the lobby. It had started to rain, but none of them seemed to notice. When the neared the door, several Exterminators popped out from behind walls and started shooting. The Killjoys were ready; they drew their laser guns and took out the Exterminators without a single thought.

They then kicked open the glass door and stormed in. Chaos quickly ensued; everyone spread out and started taking out the Dracs working at the computers. Grace jumped up and ran right to Party Poison. I shoved my way past the tall Asian woman, who was screaming something in Japanese, and found Kobra Kid.

We threw our arms around each other and kissed like our lives depended on it. For about a minute we just stood there, kissing like it had been five years instead of a week since we saw each other. Finally I had to push him off because I couldn’t breathe.

“Where—the hell—were you?!” I panted, my arms still around his neck. Kobra’s smile slightly wilted.

“Well…Atomic Urgency wouldn’t let us leave without him, and we had to wait for his shoulder to heal. I’m so sorry, we should have come straight away, Urgency or no Urgency,” he said, and kissed me again.