Sleight of Hand

Chapter 30

The Superhumans participated in one battle each day after that until a week had passed. Each time, they were in different teams, and each time there were victories and defeats for all of them. Kurtis grew prouder each time he watched them—his students—do so well, but it was pale in comparison to the ever-growing worry that now lived in his chest. He still hadn't heard from Tom and Sierra, and he was almost certain something bad had happened to them at the hands of the Mage.

Kurtis was only vaguely aware as the heat of Althea fell away from his side. She rushed to the aid of one of the Super­humans, who clutched their weirdly-angled arm. After healing them, Althea made her way back to Kurtis's side, and the Superhuman jumped back into the battle.

Something shifted in the air—Kurtis could even feel it, and he was human.

Bacon stopped mid-strike and straightened.

"STOP!" he roared, ceasing the fighting altogether. Everyone looked around confusedly.

"What is it?" Kurtis asked Bacon as he looked around suspiciously with his glowing yellow eyes.

Bacon replied, "The surveillance computer... it's giving off a signal."

The Superhumans were instantly alert, their eyes darting around for any sign of danger. Kurtis rushed back inside and into the living room, where the computer was beeping in warning. He scrutinized the screen with all the different camera angles, finally spotting movement on one of the panels.

Bacon, leaning over Kurtis's shoulder, said, "Is that... Tom and Sierra?"

Indeed, Kurtis's two grandchildren were making their way to his house, their expressions paranoid and their steps hurried. Another figure was with them, and Kurtis did a double take when he recognized Leah Drummond follow-ing closely behind her children, looking bewildered.

"What is she doing here?" Kurtis wondered aloud as more Superhumans piled and pushed into the room.

"What's going on?" someone behind him demanded, and Kurtis replied with, "Keep on your guard. It seems to be Tom and Sierra and their mother, but I don't want us taking any chances."

The Superhumans bristled with wariness. They had never met Leah Drummond... and her memory was wiped of the Superhumans. Kurtis didn't know how this was all going to play out, but he didn't like the feeling it gave him. Kurtis pushed through the crowd, demanding everyone to stay inside for the time being, and made his way outside to greet his family.

"Kurtis!" Tom exclaimed, running the last few steps to him.

"We have a problem," he said, the comment like a stone tossed into the lake of dread in Kurtis's stomach and mak­ing it ripple uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" he asked, surveying them all in turn. They all looked physically unhurt, but Kurtis knew just how deeply pain could go.

"Dad—the Mage—was at our house the night you dropped us off," Sierra said in a hushed voice.

Kurtis felt his spine go taut.

"What did he say? Did he hurt you all?"

All of them shook their heads, but Tom said, "He was demanding that we give him the box back. He's after the cards. He's hunting them."

Kurtis reeled in his nausea. That meant he was coming. Probably as they spoke, he was on his way with the inten­tion of recollecting the Superhumans.

"Kurtis... what's going on?" Leah asked, her face a mask of worry and confusion. Kurtis studied his two grand­children, who looked up at him desperately.