VLADJI and the Avatars: Family Matters

Chapter 9 - The Chase Is Afoot! (Hey, It Felt Cool to Say)

He could not have said better words to trigger my big-sister instincts.

I wasn't about to let my brother get harassed like that. Someone he didn't want around trying to talk to him – aside from wrestling, I usually trusted Achmed would figure things out. I wanted him to trust his own instincts, as well. Besides, after the close call at the library and his father's warning, I wagered Achmed wasn't going to be hanging around anything to do with a drag queen anytime soon.

We headed out on the street toward another big meeting place of ours – Aramingo Square. It was a decent-sized park – a lot of green space with a sizable baseball diamond, followed by the Cione Playground, where we often hung out. It wasn't as covert as the Hangar, but it was a good place to exercise when we needed it – and outside, no less, even with the smog of Philadelphia. Besides, other avatars liked to hang out there.

No sooner had we reached the tennis court than we were greeted by Carrie Keehan, another of our avatar friends.

"Hey, guys!" she yelled at us, her light Boston accent showing – she'd spawned in that city – as it tended to when she was upset. Her spiky posy-pink hair and same-color dress starkly contrasted with her dark complexion, making her look perpetually in shock. Her mismatched gloves – silver and extending to her elbow on her right, gold and wrist-length on her left – further accentuated the funky vibe she regularly gave off. "I heard some rumors about a kid being led away from a drag story hour! Please tell me he's alright!"

"I would hope, since I'd say he was targeted again," DJ said.

Carrie gaped. "Are you kidding?"

"Unfortunately, not," I said. "If I'm right about Achmed's stalker."

"Achmed?" Carrie possessed telekinesis as Tails did, but her form of it was quite a bit stronger. Had there been any inanimate objects in Aramingo or Cione, they would have levitated. "Someone was after your own – Oh, this is not good."

Vinny Lee frowned. "Cuéntame, Achmed. Tell me. Who was it?"

Achmed took a deep breath. "It was this man in a dress. I already said that."

"Any other deets?" Amos pressed. "Not that I'm dying to know myself."

"The dress was short and skimpy. I'm almost certain Mom would've fainted at the sight. Cream-colored, with pink bows. And a pink wig."

Carrie muttered some words Mom and Pop wouldn't have approved of. "That was Creamer, the drag queen at the story hour. He must've really wanted you to be there. But how did he find you?"

"Rocky's House," Achmed muttered. "He followed me to the Rocky's House!"

I bit back a curse. Now it was personal. Hosting a drag story hour was one thing, but someone stalking my little brother – I couldn't let that happen. I could imagine that scorpio's tail looming over me again.

Knuckles' hands were starting to steam, as was wont to happen when he was disturbed or angry. "I can't believe this," he muttered. "What was his deal? Can't he leave well enough alone? And did he rig all that up just to get his hands on Achmed?"

"You know, I'm really not sure," DJ said. "For all we know, there was someone getting the scoop on that fact. I mean, Amos shooed Achmed away from outside the door. If Creamer was in there telling stories –"

"He wouldn't have an easy way to know who was out of the building and who was in," I said. "I know the library's layout. The story nook isn't within easy sight of the door."

"Unless..." Tails growled. "No way. He can't have had info on that."

"¿Qué quieres decir?" Vinny Lee asked. At this point, I could gauge Vinny Lee's purely Spanish questions, but I still have a bit of trouble when she mishmashes the two languages she knew. I could tell what she was asking Tails – what are you talking about?