Sleight of Hand

Chapter 3

True to their mother's word, Kurtis showed up at their house earlier than Tom and Sierra normally woke up. When the two of them tromped down the stairs, still in their pajamas and hair sticking up in every direction, Kurtis was again sitting at their kitchen table, nursing a steaming cup of black coffee and seeming way too cheerful for a seventy-three-year-old man in the morning.

"Whoa, it's crazy how two people's moods can change the atmosphere of a whole room," their mother joked, sit­ting down to a cup of coffee herself. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air.

Tom and Sierra plunked down at the table, glaring blearily at nothing in particular. Their mom chuckled, and got back up to fix them plates of breakfast.

"Can't handle an early morning?" she asked, setting the plates in front of them. Without speaking, they shoveled food into their mouths.

"So, where are you planning on taking them, Kurtis?" their mom asked.

"Oh, I wanted to show them a favorite hiking and pic­nic spot of mine near the coast, and then we'll head to my house," he said airily. Tom and Sierra groaned in sync.

"Kids," their mother chided. She finished her coffee as they looked up at her painfully. "You all will have fun," she said, checking her watch.

"Well, I'm off to work," she then announced, standing and carrying her empty mug over to the sink. "Have a good day!" she called as she slung her com­puter bag over her shoulder and walked out the door. Tom and Sierra glared at each other, then rolled their eyes.

"If you do that too hard, they'll roll out of your heads," Kurtis said without looking up. Their expressions changed to ones of incredulity.

"Now, hurry and finish your breakfast so we can get going," Kurtis said, standing and picking up a backpack that was hidden behind his chair.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Tom said upon seeing the back­pack. "We're leaving now?!"

Kurtis regarded him with stern eyes.

"Yes, Tom, time is of the essence. I fear the longer we wait, the more trouble they will have in the future. There was also rain in the forecast today, and I don't want to release them in the middle of a monsoon."

A beat of silence.

"Who's 'they'?" Tom asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"The Superhumans, of course," Kurtis informed them matter-of-factly.

"Oh, brother," Tom muttered, taking his empty plate to the sink.

"Hurry and get dressed," Kurtis urged, slinging his pack on. "You might find yourselves more invested than you think."

Tom huffed and started toward the stairs, Sierra in close pursuit.

When they were out of earshot, Tom hissed, "This is ridiculous! This man is crazy! I could be spending my sum­mer vacation playing video games or hanging out with my friends, but no. We have to indulge this loon about some fantasy he's had for twenty-five years!"

Sierra shook her head.

"Calm down, Tom. Let's just go and spend the day with him. If we go along with it, maybe he'll leave us alone afterwards."

Tom scowled, but didn't say anything else as they went up to their rooms to change.

A few minutes later, Tom and Sierra descended the stairs fully clothed in t-shirts and shorts, tennis shoes, and backpacks. If the old man had a backpack, they must need one, too.

"Got the box, Tom?" Kurtis asked as they reached the bottom. Tom jerked a thumb over his shoulder to signify he meant his backpack.

"There in here," he commented dryly. Kurtis nodded in satisfaction and started toward the door. Tom and Sierra followed, Tom grumbling incomprehensibly. Kurtis opened the front door and motioned them out. When they set foot on the small front porch, Kurtis closed the door and locked it with a spare key.