The Candy Shop War, Vol. 2: Arcade Catastrophe by Brandon Mull Page A

build—fairly short and quite slender.
    Trevor ignored her until he reached the doors to the outside. As he pushed through, he glanced over and saw her watching him again.
    Only after reaching the Arcadeland parking lot did Trevor realize that he wasn’t sure where the Battiatos could be found. He scanned the lot for a white van, then tried the street, but saw neither a van nor any sign of the husky twins.
    Trevor crossed the mostly vacant parking lot to the street. Gazing up and down the sidewalk, Trevor saw plenty of vehicles, but no van and no twins. He started paying more attention to the surrounding rooftops and businesses. Where were they? Could they see him?
    A plain white van pulled around a corner a couple of blocks down the street. Trevor watched as it pulled over to the side of the road. It was still well over a block away. They were probably worried about being spotted by Arcadeland employees.
    Trevor walked briskly to the van. When he arrived, the side door opened and he climbed inside.
    Ziggy sat at the wheel. Victor had opened the door.
    “Trouble?” Victor asked.
    “Cleon took Nate through a door marked for employees,” Trevor explained.
    “Did Nate go willingly?” Ziggy asked.
    “Seemed like it,” Trevor said. “Summer and Pigeon are still watching the door. Pigeon has a walkie-talkie.” Trevor held up his.
    “I wonder what they’re up to?” Victor mused.
    “They noticed the kids earning tickets too easily,” Ziggy said simply. “These guys are players. No player likes getting played.”
    “This could help us,” Victor replied, his large fist bumping against his forehead. “Nate could learn something.”
    “The kid could be in trouble,” Ziggy said.
    “We need to be ready to act,” Victor said.
    “I’m worried about him,” Trevor said.
    Ziggy and Victor gazed at each other.
    “Should we get ready?” Ziggy asked.
    “Sure, just in case,” Victor replied.
    “My turn, right?”
    “Your turn.”
    Victor bowed his head. He started to sag. His coat was fitting looser. Trevor watched Victor’s hand transform, the fingers getting subtly shorter and slimmer while the back of the hand expanded slightly, swelling with fat.
    When Victor raised his head, Trevor gasped. Victor’s cheeks drooped flabbily. His eyelids seemed heavier, the creases around his mouth more pronounced. Blubbery jowls dangled unhealthily. Despite his looking fatter and older, his clothes seemed baggy, as if he had shrunk. Victor had wilted from robust to sickly in a matter of seconds.
    “That’s the stuff,” Ziggy said from the driver’s seat, his voice heartier. He turned and gave Trevor a cocky smile. His face appeared more chiseled and masculine. Not only did he look younger, but his neck bulged with muscle, new veins suddenly prominent. He loosened his tie, apparently trying to accommodate his thicker build.
    “You good?” Victor asked, his voice a bit wheezy.
    “That’s plenty,” Ziggy answered. “Any more and I’ll pop the seams on this suit.”
    “What just happened?” Trevor asked. He had an idea, but he wanted confirmation.
    “Victor loaned me some of his vitality,” Ziggy said. “I gained a few inches in height, a bunch of muscle, more endurance—the works. Sometimes one really strong guy is preferable to a pair of pretty strong guys.”
    “It leaves me feeling wiped out,” Victor said. “Not completely worthless, but certainly worth less.”
    “We take turns,” Ziggy explained. “He got to be superhuman last time.”
    “It’s the only fair way,” Victor said.
    “This is in case we need to take action?” Trevor asked.
    “You’re catching on,” Ziggy said with a wink. “I kind of hope Pigeon calls.”
    “No you don’t,” Victor said. “It would mean Nate is in trouble.”
    “I don’t mean the kid any harm,” Ziggy apologized. “You know how it is, Vic. I itch to be in motion. I feel like a sports car in the slow lane. I want to run, climb, maybe knock some heads