The SVE Club

8. Theoretical Fire

    Midas didn't see Sam for the rest of the day. He did see evidence of her, though. The SVE club posters were turning up in the most uncanny places. Taped on lockers, hidden inside desks, even in the bathrooms. And they had all been copied on hot pink or neon green paper. Everyone was chattering about the posters, but nobody had asked Midas anything about the club, which both relieved and mortified him.

    One thing was for sure, Sam was getting help. There was no way she'd be able to distribute all of those fliers herself. But she didn't seem to have any friends. So who was helping her?

    Suddenly, Midas felt a slight stab at his ankle. He looked down to find a bright pink, paper airplane stuck in his shoe. He picked it up, unfolded it, and read the first line.

Have a strange or unique talent?

    Midas looked around for the source of the paper airplane. Several other students in the hallway were bending down to find green and pink airplanes in their own shoes as well. Midas watched as one of the posters flew from around the hall corner and fell perfectly in someone's open backpack. Whoever was throwing these had terrific aim.

    Eager to see who was helping Sam out, Midas followed the planes' flight path around the corner and found a boy with glasses sitting on a chair by the wall. He had a stack of fliers at his feet and was folding them into airplanes quicker than anyone Midas had ever seen. He saw Midas out of the corner of his eye.

    "One sec," the boy said, taking aim with another plane. He waited for a moment.

    "Gotcha," he said, throwing the plane. They watched the plane soar until it landed in another person's shoe. The boy finally looked over at Midas.

    "So. You're Dynamidas, huh?" he asked. "I'm Evan. I'm helping Sam out. She told me about your little bet."

    Midas nodded. "You're her friend?"

    Evan pushed his glasses up before folding another plane. "I don't know about friend. I do owe her a favor, though, that is true." He flung the plane, this time sticking it in a girl's earring.

    "You have great aim," Midas told Evan. "Have you thought about joining the Super- I mean, the SVE club?"

    Evan paused his folding. "You would consider origami a unique super hero talent?"

    "Maybe not a super hero talent," Midas said. "But the SVE club isn't for heroes, despite what Sam might have told you. You would be a valuable member."

    Evan snorted. "What am I gonna do, poke someone to death?"

    "No, but if you lit the end of one of your planes on fire you could definitely do some damage," Midas mused.

    Evan gave Midas a strange look.

    "Theoretically, of course," Midas said quickly.

    "Speaking of theoretical fire," Evan said, "There's something I've been wanting to know about Dynamopsychs. Maybe you can help me out? You see, it was never really clear to me whether or not they can rupture moving targets. There's a myth going around that if you run fast enough, a Dynamopsych wouldn't be able to channel their power towards you. What do you say?"

    "It doesn't matter how fast you run," Midas said confidently. "As long as I can see you, I can get you."

    "Really?" Evan asked, looking like he didn't believe him. Midas didn't like not being believed.

    "Here, why don't you throw a plane, your fastest one, and I'll blow it up," Midas suggested.

    Evan nodded vigorously. "Perfect. An experiment will prove the theory once and for all." He busily began folding another flier, but this one didn't have the look of a normal paper airplane. It looked somewhat like a dart, with a broad tail and a narrow tip.

    "This one will make it across the hall in about five seconds," Evan said, examining the plane. He looked up at Midas. "You ready?"

    "Yeah."

   "Okay. In three, two... one!" Evan threw the plane.

    Midas was astonished by the plane's speed. For a moment he wasn't sure he could hit it. He took a deep breath. He just needed to concentrate.

    Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate...

    SHOOM!

    Too much concentration.

    The plane erupted into a ginormous fireball that disappeared as quickly as it had been created. The fire alarm went off and the sprinklers began dousing the hallway. The nearby lockers were sooty.

    Evan and Midas watched the scene in alarm as panicked students and faculty raced through the hall, trying to make sense of what was going on. One woman knew exactly what had happened.

    "Alllllldriiiiidge!?"

    Midas cringed as a soggy, soot-faced Miss O'Brian marched up to him.

    "Principal's office. Now," she ordered.

    "What else is new?" Midas sighed as once again he was grabbed by the arm and marched to the office.

    Evan saluted as Midas left. "Sorry about that! Thanks for letting me test the theory, though. I'll try to join your club if I have time."

    Midas allowed himself a small, triumphant smile.

    Two members down, three to go.