Ostin came to my apartment directly from school. I was on my knees filling my backpack with clothes.
“What are you doing?”
“Packing. They’re in Pasadena.”
“Clyde told you that?”
“Sort of. The man in the sunglasses is named Hatch.”
“Hatch?”
“And you were right. There are more of us electric children.”
“Did the police hear all that?”
“Yeah. But they just think Clyde’s crazy.”
Ostin sat on my bed. “So now what?”
“I’m going to Pasadena.”
“How do we do that?”
“What do you mean, ‘we’?” I said.
“You can’t go alone. What if you need help?”
“This isn’t a video game, Ostin. It’s real danger. If something goes wrong, we can’t just push a reset button.”
“Which is precisely why I need to go. What good is being here without my best friend?”
I looked at him. “Thanks.”
“So how do we get there?”
“Jack.”
Ostin’s eyes widened. “Jack the bully?”
“Yeah, he’s perfect. He’s got his own car.”
“There’s no way my mom will let me go with him driving.”
“Your mom can’t know.”
“You’re right. She’d freak no matter what.” He looked down. “What makes you think Jack will drive us?”
“He owes me.” I rubbed my hands together and they made the crackling sound of electricity. “I think I can persuade him.”
