These Deadly Games(42)

“No way,” said Randall. “Just because she screwed up once doesn’t make her a murderer. I mean, Jesus…” Akira pursed her lips.

“It’s not just how she screwed up…” I trailed off, glancing toward Zoey on Akira’s phone. What if Lucia wanted to make sure we never made good on Zoey’s threat?

“You guys,” said Zoey, her voice wobbling in a telltale way. “What if this has something to do with—”

“No.” I nearly screamed, making everyone jump. Even Sanchez glanced over. But I couldn’t let her say it. I couldn’t let her dredge up the past. Not in front of Dylan. “It has nothing to do with that.”

“But maybe Brady’s—” Zoey started.

“Hang up,” I instructed Akira, my body going rigid, panicked. Randall blanched, too. Dylan furrowed his brow at our reactions. But he couldn’t know about this.

Akira leaned away from me. “What? Why? Zoey, you think this is about Brady?”

My stomach plunged into my uterus. “No.”

“Who’s Brady?” Dylan asked.

I edged forward in my seat, raising my palm. “No one. It’s nothing.”

“Why would they wait five years, though?” Akira asked Zoey. Dylan’s eyes leaped among all of us like a bouncy ball nobody could catch.

I changed tack, laughing, playing it off like it was no big deal, pulling a Randall. “Guys, you’re being ridiculous. Nobody waited for anything, because it obviously has nothing to do with that.”

“Nothing to do with what?” Dylan tried again.

“Honestly, it’s stupid.” I waved him off. “It doesn’t even matter.”

“It’s not stupid—” Zoey insisted.

“Listen, it can’t be that,” I said desperately, “because Dylan wasn’t involved. And he was the first victim.” Akira tilted her head, confused. “You know, the test. The test in Dylan’s locker—”

I cut myself short, realizing what I’d done. I was the only one who knew the test was connected—that it was part of An0nym0us1’s game. Clenching my fists, I braced like my phone might explode in my pocket or something. But nothing happened.

Akira’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit. I forgot about that.”

Dylan scoffed. “Thanks.”

“Well, I mean…” She gestured wildly around the waiting room, implying worse things had happened since. “Wait—you think that’s connected? That someone framed you or something?”

“Well, I sure as hell didn’t steal that test,” said Dylan. Randall quirked his brow. “No, really, man, I didn’t.”

“But Mr. Chen knew it was in your locker, right?” said Zoey excitedly. “Someone must’ve tipped him off. Another fake tip!” Randall’s mouth dropped open. “So it has to be someone from school, right? Someone who knew where Dylan’s locker was. Unless someone like Fishman had help from someone on the inside. I’m sure he has a bunch of fanboys at school.”

I’d taken the focus off Brady, at least, but that niggling in my brain intensified, and I narrowed my eyes at Zoey. She was awfully quick to throw around these theories …

Just then, my mother burst into the room, interrupting my train of thought.

Her baby-blue scrubs were covered in blood.

“Crystal!” She dashed across the waiting room, seemingly oblivious to the gore splatters on her shirt and right pant leg. Her hair was still in its disheveled bun, and the purple shadows under her eyes had darkened since this morning. “Honey, I … I’m so sorry I missed your calls—”

Tears sprang to my eyes at her presence. I wanted nothing more than a hug, but as she reached for me, I cowered away. “Your scrubs, Mom.”

She glanced down at the stains and cursed. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry … I was in a six-hour surgery, and as soon as I got out, Chantel told me you were here, and I … I saw Matty’s parents … and…” Her breath seemed to catch in her throat, and then she croaked, “Oh, honey…”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Randall grip his seat’s armrest, and Akira clasped her mouth. My entire body went frigid, like I’d leaped into the lake. The way Mom’s face screwed up, she didn’t have to say the words for me to know.

Matty didn’t make it.





5 Years Ago


“How do you play Manhunt?” Brady asked as we huddled next to Zoey’s swing set, shining his flashlight into the woods. I could see pinpricks of light glowing from the houses on the other side, but clouds hid the moon and stars tonight, making the dark stretch of trees seem almost infinite.

“It’s like hide-and-seek,” said Akira.

“Yeah, but reversed,” Matty explained. “So, instead of everyone hiding and one person being ‘it,’ in Manhunt only one person hides and the rest of us have to find them.”

“Don’t people usually play in teams?” Zoey asked.

Brady’s shoes squished as he shifted uncomfortably—the last lingering snow from a recent storm had thawed in the unseasonable warmth today, leaving the grass soggy above frozen ground. I glanced at him warily. “Let’s not do teams. I think that’s for bigger groups.”