Victors

Chapter 8

Leo's POV

The four of us approached the Radish Festival. People were everywhere in Victor Square and its surroundings. Todd and Rebel weren't on stage anymore, but I wasn't sure where they went.

"Okay. What's the plan again?" Glitch asked.

Choco sighed. "Get in, get Cook and Rebel, get out."

"Okay, but what's the plan?" Glitch repeated. "We can't just expect to stroll out with them with no difficulties."

"It's probably best if we split up," I spoke up.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Naomi replied. "What if one of us gets caught?"

"If the bots see four suspicious people walking around together they'll know it's us for sure," I argued.

"How about we do two and two, then?" Glitch suggested. "I'll go with Choco and find Cook, and you two go find Rebel."

"Works for me," Choco replied. She and Glitch slid into the crowd.

"Where do you think Rebel is?" Naomi asked as we entered the throngs of people.

One of the people nearby spoke up. "You want an autograph too? We're in line to see Rebel now!"

Naomi and I looked at each other. "How long's the wait?" Naomi asked.

The guy who spoke to us looked behind him. "About an hour, I think."

I groaned. "We don't have time for this."

"It's the only way we're gonna be able to get to her. Come on," Naomi said softly. She walked over to the back of the line. I groaned again and joined her.

***

Choco's POV

I shoved through people as fast as I could. There was loud music playing and everyone was dancing, so nobody really cared much. I didn't look back, so I had no idea if Glitch was still behind me. But I didn't care. I had one goal in mind. To find my brother.

"Slow down!" I heard Glitch whisper behind me. "Do you even know where you're going?"

I stopped abruptly, and Glitch crashed into me. I looked at him. "No. But he's not just gonna come to us. We have to find him."

"Choco?"

I turned around to see my brother staring at me from a couple feet away, being jostled by the crowd.

"Cook!" I exclaimed happily. I started to run to him, but then stopped. He looked at me, confused.

"We can't be seen together. The Radish bots are searching for me," I explained. "Pretend you don't see me and start dancing."

Cook reluctantly started to dance with the crowd. I did the same. Glitch looked back and forth between the two of us. I glared at him. He sighed and started awkwardly shuffling back and forth.

"Let's dance our way out of this crowd and get out of here," I said.

"I can't," my brother replied. "They put an ankle monitor on me. If I leave Victor Square, I'll get shocked and the bots will come for me. What do they even want with me? Nobody will tell me."