Free Challenge by Ridley Pearson Page B

answered, and Steel asked for the front desk. He then dropped his chin and tried to sound older, repeating word for word exactly what she’d told him. This was the way his mind worked: he didn’t need to hear something a second time.
    To his surprise, the woman on the other end said, “We would be happy to accommodate Kaileigh, Mr. Augustine. My name’s Angela and I’m currently on duty, but I’m just making note of it in the computer. She can talk to any of our hotel representatives.”
    “You’ve been most helpful,” Steel croaked out. He hung up the phone and shrugged.
    Kaileigh’s eyes filled with delight and gratitude. For a moment he felt like celebrating with her, but then the worst thing happened.
    He spotted the woman from the train: the woman who had left the briefcase behind. She was casing the lobby, clearly looking for something or someone.
    He pulled Kaileigh with him to get a better look as the woman moved out of view. His mother finished up at the desk and was looking impatient. The woman spun around, still searching— for him, he imagined.
    But then things got even worse: the woman seemed to lock onto his mother. She moved toward her.
    “Your turn to do me a favor,” he said quickly and without reservation. “Stop that woman and turn her around. Ask directions or something. I’ve got to get to my mom before she does.” He didn’t wait for her answer. He bravely charged across the crowded lobby, putting people between him and the woman from the train, making a beeline for his mother.
    Kaileigh came to his rescue, tugging on the woman’s sleeve and turning her around. With the woman’s back turned, Steel reached his mother—who was waiting with a bellman and a trolley filled with the dog carrier and their bags—grabbed her by the arm and moved her toward the elevators.
    “Steel?” she said, surprised by his behavior.
    “I’m kinda in a hurry, Mom.” He couldn’t immediately think of an excuse. “The stalls in the men’s room…they were all occupied.” He made a face of urgency.
    “Oh, I see,” she said, hurrying to keep up with him.
    Steel quickly glanced over his shoulder to see Kaileigh still engaging the woman from the train. Kaileigh met eyes with him and, unseen by the woman, motioned for him to hurry. When the woman turned her head searchingly, Kaileigh tugged once more on her sleeve, winning her attention and buying Steel and his mother just enough time to reach the elevators without being seen.
    The last thing he saw was Kaileigh breaking free of the woman and heading toward registration.

26.
    Natalie Shufman hurried through the lobby for the street and fresh air. She’d been looking for the boy when a young girl had tugged on her sleeve and detained her. In that instant she’d spied a uniformed cop patrolling the lobby and, taking no chances, she’d left immediately.
    She wondered if her own people had ways of tracking her. She hadn’t checked in since the call she’d placed from Chicago’s Union Station. They had to be wondering why. Trying to find the boy was not the smartest thing she’d ever done. But she felt an obligation to alert the boy of the trouble he was in.
    The adrenaline settled out of her as she reached the sidewalk. She knew the boy’s name—Steven Trapp—from studying the science challenge program.
    Now out on the street, she wasn’t sure what to do. She’d broken the rules by coming to Washington. Her disobedience would carry consequences. She had to do this quickly. The group struck fast, and violently. She needed to get back to Chicago as soon as possible. She’d think of some excuse for her absence once she got back.
    She summoned her courage and returned to the hotel. She headed to a house phone and was about to pick up the receiver when she spotted the curved eye of a security camera looking down onto her from the ceiling. Once the mother reported the call—and she was sure to do so—Security could trace it to a particular phone,