“Oh yeah,” Devin said, appearing behind her. “Camilla is going to hate you. Here. Put these on.” He handed her a pair of leather boots.
Six pulled the boots on. They came up almost to the knee, sliding over the legs of the pants. With the costume on, she felt oddly powerful. Almost like her old self. Maybe it was worth taking this little detour, she thought.
“We just have to do something about that hair,” Devin said. “The color is a little boring. Why don’t you take that stuff off and then head down to hair and makeup. Tell Selena I said to make your hair Firefox.”
“Firefox,” Six said. “Got it.”
“You can hang your costume on the rack,” Devin said, leaving her alone.
“Or I could just wear it,” Six said under her breath, making sure he was out of sight before leaving the room still in her outfit.
She strode down the hall feeling more confident than she had fifteen minutes earlier. Sure, her Legacies continued to be on the fritz and there was a parasite in her head that wanted to eat her alive, but she did manage to get some information. Now she just had to figure out exactly where she was, find Sam, take care of the Mogs and get the hell out of there.
“First things first,” she said as she came to an elevator and hit the button.
As she waited, she half expected Eleni or Magdalena to show up. But there was no sign of the Mogs anywhere, nor of anyone else who had been in the bunker with them. Wherever they were now, it obviously wasn’t a Mog stronghold like the last place. They had to have some connection to it, but what? Six added that to the list of questions she had.
When the elevator arrived, Six got in. The rear of the car had another poster like the one she’d seen in the hallway. This one had an additional line of text, though: EXCLUSIVE TO THE SATURN HOTEL. Six noticed the same name etched into the metal panel above the buttons on the elevator wall. Well, now at least I know where I am, she thought as she hit the button marked L and the doors closed.
When they opened again, she stepped into the lobby. She paused a moment and looked around. The place was gorgeous. The ceiling soared thirty feet overhead, and was painted to look like outer space. Stars literally twinkled with tiny lights, forming recognizable constellations. Models of planets were suspended on invisible wires, seeming to float in the air. The floor of the lobby was made from black marble shot through with milky streaks of white, and as Six walked across it to the reception desk, she felt like she was walking across the sky.
“Welcome to the Saturn,” a smiling young man said when she reached the desk. “I’m Mike. How can I be of service?”
“I need a phone,” Six replied.
“Certainly,” Mike said. “There’s a courtesy phone right through there.” He indicated a doorway to the right of the reception area.
Six thanked him and walked over to the alcove where a phone was attached to the wall. Picking it up, she dialed. Lexa picked up on the second ring.
“Hey, you’ll never guess where I am.”
CHAPTER TWO
MAX
POINT REYES, CALIFORNIA
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE it out?”
Max stared at Nine. They were in the infirmary at the Human Garde Academy, where they had returned the previous night after escaping from the bunker in Utah using the bathysphere Nine had found. Ever since getting back, Max had been the focus of tests to figure out what was in his head. Scientists at the school had also been studying the creature that Nemo had brought in a jar. Max hadn’t slept at all, and was exhausted. Now, finding out that they weren’t going to remove the parasite that was inside him, he got even more frightened.
“Am I going to die?”
“No!” Nine said, coming and sitting on the edge of Max’s bed. “In fact, that’s why they want to leave it in you. At least for now.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your body seems to be forming antibodies to the parasite,” Nine explained. “It’s fighting back on its own.”
“Is that why I’ve been feeling better?” Max asked.
“Do something for me,” Nine said. “Try to move the glass on your tray using your telekinesis.”
Max looked at the tray sitting on the table beside his bed. It held the dishes left over from his breakfast. He focused his attention on the cup that a short time ago had been filled with orange juice. He pictured it flying across the room. Nothing happened. He lifted his hands and, feeling a little silly, pretended to push the glass while simultaneously trying to shove it with his mind. The glass moved a few inches, then toppled over.
“Well, that sucked,” Max said glumly.
“Not at all,” said Nine. “Last night, you couldn’t do anything.”
Max grinned. “True,” he said. “So, they think I’m getting better?”
Nine nodded. “They think you’re going to be fine. Even better, they think they can use your blood to make an antiserum that will help Six and Sam.”
“Really?” Max said. “I guess that makes me a kind of superhero, huh?”
“You already were, bud,” said Nine.
“Do we know where Six and Sam are?” Max asked.
“Not yet,” said Nine. “But we’re working on it.”
“Actually, we do,” said Lexa, walking in.
Nine and Max looked at her.
“Six called me,” Lexa explained. “A couple of minutes ago.”
“Where is she?” said Nine.
“Las Vegas,” Lexa answered. “A place called the Saturn Hotel.”
“Is she okay?” Max asked anxiously.
Lexa nodded. “She’s fine. For now, anyway. But the Mogs took Sam somewhere else, and she doesn’t know where yet. She’s working on it.”
“The Saturn Hotel,” Nine said. “Why does that name sound familiar? Wait. Isn’t that the place where they’re doing that circus thing based on us?”
“Cirque des Étoiles,” Lexa said. “Battle for Earth.”
“That’s it,” said Nine. “They contacted me a while ago and asked if I wanted to be a special guest on opening night. Even offered me a free suite. I said no.”
“Afraid they’re going to get it all wrong?” said Lexa.
“Holding out for the penthouse,” said Nine.
“Can we get back to Six and Sam?” Max said impatiently. “We’re going to go help them, right?”
“Of course we are,” said Nine.
Max started to get out of bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Nine said, stopping him.
“You just said, we’re going to go help them,” said Max.
“Not so fast,” Nine said. “First, Six is okay for now. Second, I told you, we need you to create an antiserum to that thing. That’s going to take time.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know,” said Nine. “But right now you need to stay here. Lexa and I have some planning to do.”
“But—”
“I’ll be back in a little while,” Nine promised. “In the meantime, keep practicing your telekinesis. When I come back, I want to see you throw that thing across the room.”