Code(106)

“Take it easy!” Ben’s yellow eyes shone from the gloomy recess.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Shh. He’s just ahead.” Ben slipped from the alcove and crept to the corner of the building, forcing us to follow at his heels.

“He’s waiting for us.” Ben peeked around at the open expanse of Marion Square. “I saw him cut across the plaza.”

“Then let’s get him.” Angry. At Ben. At the Gamemaster. At myself for not confronting Ben then and there. “He could escape while we stand here talking.”

“The scumbag we’re chasing is a master marksman.” Ben kept his eyes on the plaza. “What do you think is in that duffel?”

“That field is a perfect ambush site.” Hi was also peering ahead. “And the wind just died.”

Shelton pointed a finger at Ben. “The Gamemaster called you—”

“Not now!” Ben snapped. “He’s a liar and a killer! We have to catch him first.”

Shelton crossed his arms, clearly dissatisfied with Ben’s response.

I wavered, unsure. Ben was hiding something.

But he was right. We had a job to do. A murderer to stop.

Answers would have to wait.

“Please.” Ben’s eyes practically begged. “I’ll explain everything later.”

“Okay,” I said coolly. “But you will explain.”

Ben nodded, then snuck another look at the square. “We need a plan.”

I cleared my mind to focus on the problem. “What are our assumptions?”

“There’s a sniper in the park,” Ben said.

“He’s heavily armed and highly skilled,” Shelton said.

“He’s had time to find an effective field of fire,” Hi said. “Create an ambush.”

I nodded. “And he’ll want to settle this while the eye is overhead and the wind isn’t a factor.”

“Options?” Shelton asked.

Ben’s hand slashed the air. “We flush him out, then take him down.”

“Great work,” Hi deadpanned. “Any idea how to do it?”

Ben shook his head. They all looked at me.

What did I know? Flush out a sniper? The only military strategy I’d ever learned was from watching Band of Brothers.

“I should’ve bought Call of Duty,” Hi moaned. “But my stupid mother doesn’t let me play first-person shooter games.”

Coop brushed my leg. As I reached to rub his ears, the answer hit me.

“We use our edge. Stalk him like a wolf pack.”

Hi took a deep breath. “Okay, but if you scan my brain’s hard drive, stay away from the Internet search history. You won’t like what you find.”

Ignoring that, I shut my eyes and dove into my subconscious.

On impulse I held out both hands. Hi took one, Shelton the other. I felt Ben join the circle. And there was Coop, standing in the middle.

Focusing our strength.

The cords appeared, pulsing with energy.

Five sparking lines connected us together.

With our pack huddled so close, the lines rippled and thrummed with power.

I pushed.

The lines suddenly expanded, hollowed, and became tunnels.

That’s never happened before.

Sweat joined the rain drenching my brow.

Acting on reflex, I forced my thoughts into the nearest tunnel.

Hiram.

There was a floating sensation, then I felt something click.

Eyes snapped open. A head turned.

I stared at a rain-soaked redhead standing to my right. A girl.

Me. I’m looking at me.

Hi gasped. Startled, I retreated from his mind.

Opening another pair of eyes, I found myself back in familiar skin.

“Wow,” Hi breathed. “Oh wow.”

“Amazing,” I said. “But that’s not what we need.”

Concentrate. You’ve done this before.

I visualized the glowing cords. This time, I grabbed one but did not enter it.

Light pulsed its length. Fragments of thought assaulted me. Images. Emotions.

Shelton.

I reached for another line, forcing the power outward. More fragments appeared.

Hi.

Another. The neural chaos grew as Ben joined the circle.

I was bombarded by their feelings and impressions. By their fears. But I felt in control. I could touch their minds. Send thoughts or images to all of them.

Then I noticed a void, like a missing limb. The circle was incomplete.

Cooper’s silhouette materialized in my mind. Every cord ran through him.

Coop’s the key. Center of the pack.

Reaching out, I drew the wolfdog into the mix.

Flash of light. Fusion. Five minds melded into one.

Coop howled with canine delight.

Our pack was finally whole.

I felt a telepathic link to each of the Virals.

The missing level. This is it.

The boys grasped it, too. They sent and exchanged thoughts, blown away by this new level of connection. By our effortless communication. It was the rush of a lifetime.

Without thinking, I narrowed my focus to Ben. Peeked behind his shield.

My brain captured a single image: Ben, aboard Sewee, deep in conversation.

Noooooooooooooo!