Seizure(113)

“Virals,” Ben said, rising beside me. “Freaks.”

“And it’s not just us,” I reminded them. “What about Whisper and her family? What about the monkey colony, or the sea turtles that nest on the Loggerhead beaches? If we don’t come to the rescue, they’re all in danger.”

“We’ve found something worth millions, and you want to just give it up?” Hi still lay on his back. “I hate those endings! We could buy Loggerhead Island with that kind of money!”

“You’re not thinking straight.” I gently poked Hi’s shoulder. “It’s too dangerous to be a Viral alone. Who knows what could happen in the future? With our bodies. Our powers. Anything. All we can really count on is each other.”

“We need to stay low profile,” Ben said. “And together.”

“They’re right.” Shelton breathed the world’s deepest sigh. “I hate it, but it’s true. Our families would scatter. We wouldn’t be neighbors, classmates, maybe not even friends. That money is poison.”

“We have to be smart.” Ben reached across me and tapped Hi’s chest. “Guard our secrets.”

“But I wanna be a big baller!” Hi threw out his arms. “Make it rain up in the club!”


“You’d choose money over the pack?” I asked. “Fine. We can arrange that. Part of the treasure belongs to you, so it’s your choice. No one can force you.”

“Gaaaaaaah!” Hi pistoned his arms and legs in the air. “This blows!”

Ten more pumps, then he sat up. “Fine. Crush my dreams. What’s the plan?”

“We shock the world,” I said, slapping him on the back.

Circling up, we hashed out a plan.

“And Hi, let’s be clear,” I said when we’d finished. “Our priorities are preserving LIRI and protecting the pack.”

Hi started to speak, but I cut him off.

“But that doesn’t mean we have to come out empty-handed.”





“TORY! I’M BACK!”

Kit tossed his keys into the tray.

“What’d you do while I was gone?” Grabbing the remote and flopping onto the couch. “Overthrow the government? Find the Loch Ness Monster?”

“Can you please come over here?” I was sitting at the dining room table. “I’d like to show you something.”

“Sure.” Kit dragged himself to his feet. “What’s up? Need to confess a new crime? Your secret life as a Chinese spy?”

Kit’s eyes landed on the manuscript.

“Wow. That’s beautiful.”

“It’s a very rare document from the ninth century.”

“That explains the metal case.” Kit closed his eyes. “Tell me you didn’t steal this.”

I smiled. “Not this time. The boys and I found it.”

“Found it?”

“You should probably sit. I haven’t told you everything.”

Kit took the chair beside me. “Talk.”

“In the end, we actually did find treasure.” I tapped the document holder. “Anne Bonny left these pages in a box underneath the church on Dewees.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I ignored Kit’s question. “While you were gone, I had the document analyzed by an expert.”

“Of course you did.” Dramatic sigh. “Where?”

“The Karpeles Manuscript Museum. Dr. Andrews helped me this time.”

“Downtown. Where that psychopath Nigel Short worked.” Kit shook his head. “I’m putting a tracking bracelet on you. What did the man say?”

“This folio was originally part of the Irish Book of Kells.”

Kit’s face went pink. I continued before he could interrupt.

“There might be ownership issues, and the Irish government will take a strong position, but Dr. Andrews estimates these pages are worth eight or nine figures. Minimally.”

The pink moved toward plum.

“You found a lost folio from the Book of Kells?” Kit’s voice was unsteady. “You dug it from the ground?”

“It was under a flagstone. In a box.”

“Tory, a father isn’t supposed to fear his fourteen-year-old daughter. That being said, you terrify me.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“Is that everything?” Kit demanded. “Is there anything else you’ve held back?”

“No, sir. You’ve got the full story.”

The lie knotted my gut. I ignored the guilt. Some things I just couldn’t share.

“I do have a plan,” I ventured cautiously.

“Of course you do.” Kit’s eyes rolled to the heavens, then dropped to me. “Let’s hear it.”

“The boys and I have agreed to give up the folio in order to save Loggerhead Island.”

“Give it up?” Kit’s Adam’s apple rose and fell. “You’d do that for the institute?”

“For the animals.” I reached out and cupped his chin with one hand. “But first, you have to make me a promise.”

“Go on.” The corners of Kit’s lips tucked up ever so slightly.