LITMIR.BIZ

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her tingling fingers as fast as she could. “It’s good to see you, ma’am.”

      Christine snorted. “Ma’am. The next thing you know, you’ll be saluting, Katie. How have you been?”

      “Fine.” She had no idea how to make small talk with someone who loomed as large in her personal cosmology as Christine Evans.

      “As I recall,” Christine said, “you always were a private person. I hope you’ve worked through that somewhat—I hear you are exceptional at your job, of course. But I know all too well that the type of work you’ve chosen isolates you. You’re happy?”

      “Very.” She wasn’t about to talk about her personal life—or lack of one, more accurately—with her old headmistress. “I heard that your great-nephew, William, was injured…?”

      Nothing like turning the focus on the other person to cover your own inadequacies, Katie thought wryly. But she also knew that Christine worried about her family, and it was probably a justified sort of worry.

      “I just heard from him,” Christine said. “He’s recovering well, and I expect they’ll have him back in uniform soon. Not soon enough, most likely—he’s bored, and that’s never a good sign for someone like William. Or us, for that matter.”

      “I’m glad he’s all right,” Katie said. “If I could see Teal and Lena’s parents—”

      “Together or separately?”

      “Separately, please, if it’s no bother.”

      “None at all.” Christine’s one bright eye fixed on her. “I’ve been thinking that this doesn’t look like a random snatch-and-grab kidnapping. It appears more planned than impulsive. That implies that someone must have provided information about where the girls were going—if not students, then staff or employees. I’ve taken the liberty of retrieving personnel files for you.”

      It never failed to surprise Katie just how ahead of the game Christine was, although she supposed she should have gotten used to it by now. “Thank you,” she said. “I was wondering how to bring that up. I know that you feel very loyal to everyone here, but—”

      “But it’s possible for anyone to be deceived,” Christine said briskly. “Yes. I have no illusions about such things, Katie. However, if one of my people betrayed these girls, I promise you, hell hath no fury to match Christine Evans.”

      That, Katie could fully believe. She grinned slightly and said, “Could I look over the files after I speak with the parents and the other girls?”

      “They’ll be ready.” Christine met her eyes. “I know that you can’t keep me fully informed, but I’d like to have what information you can provide without violating your oaths.”

      “You’ll have it.” She hesitated for a second and then said, “These girls. You know I need to ask…. Can you tell me something about them? About what kind of unusual traits they have, specifically? Things that I’m guessing might not be in the files.”

      For a second, she wasn’t sure Christine was going to cooperate, but then the woman nodded slightly. “It might be important,” she agreed. “If Teal and Lena were specifically targeted, then it might have been because of what they could do, that’s certainly a possibility. Lena’s very fast and very strong—in fact, she’s one of the only girls in school capable of keeping up with Teal’s physical abilities. Lena’s certainly outgoing, and she’s also civic-minded—she likes entertaining children, the elderly, anyone in need of a little miracle.”

      That, more than anything else, made Katie feel a stab of true fear for Lena. She’s in need of her own miracle, she thought. “And Teal?”

      “Teal’s a different case,” Christine said. “Fast and strong, as I mentioned, but there’s more to her. We haven’t been able to determine the exact nature of it, because her abilities seem to be developing, but she’s certainly capable of some telepathic contact, though thus far only with those who have similar abilities. You understand, none of this is in the standard files.”

      “Of course,” Katie said. “And it won’t go in my files, either. But it could help.”

      Christine smiled. It transformed her from severe to glowing, and Katie found herself smiling back, despite the situation, despite the dire danger that two girls faced somewhere out in the night. “It’s really good to have you on our side, Katie,” Christine said. “Really good. The resources of the Academy and Athena Force are at your disposal.”

      No small promise there.

      The worst part of any case like this was facing the parents, Katie had always found, and this was no different. Teal’s mother was composed, pale and tense, and she answered questions in a flat monotone while her husband sat staring at his hands. He was angry, Katie sensed, but he wasn’t going to let it out. Teal’s mother, on the other hand, was almost completely consumed with fear.

      It wasn’t a productive interview.

      It wasn’t until Katie was getting ready to leave that Mrs. Arnett suddenly stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and whispered, “You have to find her. She’s special.”

      Katie knew that, all too well. She nodded, but Mrs. Arnett kept talking. There was a feverish light in her eyes.

      “Teal—you have to understand, we tried and tried to have children, nothing worked, it was really a miracle. If it hadn’t been for the fertility clinic she wouldn’t be here at all. She’s a miracle baby. Please. Help her.”

      Katie covered Mrs. Arnett’s trembling hand with her own. “I will.” Out of some obscure impulse, almost as an afterthought, she asked, “Which clinic?”

      “What?” Mrs. Arnett blinked. “Oh. The Women’s Fertility Center in Zuni, New Mexico. Is that important?”

      “Probably not. I promise you, ma’am, I’m going to do everything I can. You should rest. We’ll keep you informed when we have any information.”

      Katie walked from that room—a study room, warm and cozy, lined with reference books—to the empty classroom next door, where Lena Poole’s mother waited. No father in evidence—traveling, Katie learned, in Asia. Mrs. Poole didn’t know when he’d get back. Unlike Mrs. Arnett, this mother was angry—white-hot with it. Almost vibrating. It didn’t matter to Katie; she’d dealt with every kind of reaction, and she knew when to use strength, when to use persuasion, when to use sympathy. Mrs. Poole responded to sympathy. Ultimately, beyond providing a good photograph of Lena, she had nothing to add—but Katie, on that same obscure impulse from before, asked about medical history. Not just Lena’s— Lena had been exceptionally healthy, which wasn’t unusual for the enhanced girls who attended the Athena Academy—but Mrs. Poole’s, as well.

      Lena, it appeared, was also a product of fertility treatments.

      And Mrs. Poole had received her treatments at the same clinic as Mrs. Arnett.

      Katie left Mrs. Poole weeping quietly, comforted by another of the Athena Academy staff members, and stepped into the hall to make a phone call, this time to Kayla Ryan. “Quick question,” she said when Kayla answered. “What do you know about the Women’s Fertility Clinic in Zuni, New Mexico?”

      “Nothing. Doesn’t ring any bells. Why?”

      “Look into it, would you? Let me know.” She flipped the phone shut, tried to put that strange puzzle out of her mind, and moved on to the next challenge.

      The girls.

      Although the students were understandably upset and anxious—as was the staff—the mass interview was brief, as Katie’s well-honed instincts dismissed girl after girl from consideration. She pared down the numbers to just two after half an hour: Melissa Princeman and Gabriella Sanchez. They were as different as could be. Melissa was small, delicate, almost elfin, and every emotion showed on her heart-shaped face. Gabriella was large, solid and muscular.

      Melissa

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