Glow by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

covers. I’m chilly.” We snuggled in and then she continued. “You have to stop the motorcycle. Everyone’s going to be looking at Dory driving away and Mrs. Knapp in the street, but no one’s expecting or going to be focusing on the motorcycle.” She yawned. “At least that’s what I would do. Aunt Hazel always says to choose a plan and stick with it. I think that’s our best bet. Rewind the motorcycle.”
    I brushed back some of her hair that had fallen in her eyes. “You’re getting really good at this whole Lookout thing, you know that?”
    She stuck her tongue out at me. “I’ll try not to let it go to my head.”
    “Good. That sounds like something the new you would say.” I honked her nose. “Now get out, we’re both way too Amazonian to be sharing a twin bed.”

 
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
    Christopher stopped the car at a vista point overlooking the Pacific Ocean so they could all talk to Aunt Hazel on speakerphone.
    Ben scooted forward in his seat. “So, there’re the three couples we’ve--”
    “Three in San Diego, three in Little Rock. Terrible mess...”
    Not that Frank and Hazel were letting Ben or Christopher get a word in edgewise.
    Lookouts.
    “...Obviously, if it is Mildred, she can’t be in two places at once. She has to have other Retroacts or spirits working with her, which is positively disgusting if you ask me. I think we should suspend all further recruitment for the time being. Perhaps that will stop the killing. Mildred’s visions and glimpses are weak, so if we don’t lead her to further potential Retros, hopefully she can’t do any more harm that way. Now, I phoned the two other girls we’d checked up on earlier in the day and both assured me that they were fine. Of course, neither of them have developed powers yet. They’re eleven and thirteen.”
    Ben opened his mouth to speak again.
    “Did they have any idea who their triggers might be?” Frank interrupted, asking the question Ben was going to ask.
    “No, and an unnecessary amount of giggling ensued when I inquired about that.”
    Christopher caught Ben’s eye and they both grinned at the comment. Then Ben’s expression fell. He needed to call Antoine.
    Ben stepped out of the car and dialed Antoine’s cell. It rang six times and just when he thought he was going to have to leave a voicemail, someone answered.
    “Hello,” a male voice whispered. It wasn’t Antoine.
    “Hi, this is Ben, is this Marcus?”
    “Yes,” the boy gave a sigh of relief and then started crying. “Antoine’s gone.”
    Shit. “Were you guys attacked?”
    Christopher got out of the car and gave Ben a questioning look, mouthing, “Antoine?”
    Ben nodded curtly and began to pace.
    “He...Antoine’s gone. He just...his body is here but...”
    “Where are you, Marcus? We’ll come and get you.”
    Christopher made the slitting his throat gesture and Ben glared at him hard. Christopher got back in the car.
    “I’m,” he sniffed, “we’re, on the top level of the parking garage by the aquarium in Long Beach.”
    “Good, okay, I’ll get there as soon as I can. Are you near your car?”
    “Yes.”
    “Can you get Ant inside the car with you? I’m bringing my Lookout. He’ll know what to do.”
    “I...I’ll try.” He broke down in sobs again. “Please hurry.”
    Ben opened the driver’s side door and yanked Christopher out by the arm. “I’ll be there in no time, buddy. Just hang on.” He ended the call.

    They reached the parking garage an hour later. Ben drove directly to the top, not bothering to follow the arrows painted on the floor meant to guide them in some logical circuitous route. There were half a dozen seemingly empty cars parked on the top floor. Ben went by them slowly.
    “There,” Christopher said from the backseat. “You just passed it. I saw the top of someone’s head in the back window.”
    Ben stopped the car in the middle of the lane and they all got out. He approached the other car and looked in