Free The Power Within by H. K. Varian Page B

out the wristband. When we see it in person, it will probably be completely different from the one Jai had.”
    â€œI hope so,” Fiona said, but she didn’t sound convinced. And she couldn’t seem to stop pacing, even after she and Mack went inside to start their homework. Her phone was sitting right there on the table, but the text she was waiting for never arrived.
    â€œIt’s been a half hour!” she exclaimed impatiently. “Why hasn’t he texted?”
    Mack shrugged. “Maybe practice ran long,” he replied. “Maybe he’s still changing out of his gear. Maybe he forgot.”
    Fiona shook her head. “I have a bad feeling,” she said. “I’m going to text him.” She typed as fast as she could:
    Darren—All done?
    Then they waited. And waited. An agonizing ten minutes passed before Fiona finally grabbed her coat.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” asked Mack.
    â€œI’m going over to Darren’s house,” she replied. “Either he’ll be there, or we’ll be waiting for him when he finally gets home. I can’t just sit around here worrying like this.”
    â€œOkay,” Mack replied. “Let’s go.”
    Fiona told her father that she and Mack were going for a quick ride and then grabbed her bike from the shed. Mack borrowed her father’s bike. Then they rode through Willow Cove as the sun began to set and one by one, the streetlights flickered on. The unsteady buzz as they first illuminated reminded Fiona of the trouble Darren experienced with his powers—until he’d suddenly shown up with that unusual wristband.
    She pedaled faster.
    As Fiona and Mack turned the corner on to Darren’s street, they saw even more lights. But these lights were not the steady, golden glow of the streetlights; they were red and blue, flashing in a rapid pattern. They were warning lights.
    Police lights.
    â€œOh no,” Fiona said breathlessly as she saw the police car parked in Darren’s driveway. “No, no, no.”
    â€œCome on,” Mack urged her, a frightened look in his eyes.
    They dropped the bikes onto the sidewalk and ran up the driveway, past the patrol car where one of the officers was on the radio. “Yeah, probably a runaway. Problems at home. You know the type,” he was saying.
    â€œA runaway”? “Problems at home”? Fiona wondered. There was no way the officer could be talking about Darren—he didn’t even know him. But before she could interrupt, another officer approached them.
    â€œHey, kids,” she began.
    Just then, Darren’s mom ran out of the house. “Fiona! Mack!” she cried. “Have you seen Darren? Is he with you?”
    â€œNo, he isn’t,” Fiona replied. “He— We were supposed to meet him here. Like an hour ago. You mean he’s not here?”
    Mrs. Smith’s whole face crumpled up as she shook her head. “No,” she said, choking on a sob. “He never made it home.”

Chapter 8
The Missing Changers
    Darren wasn’t sure where he was. He wasn’t even sure whether or not he was awake. It was like a third state, somewhere in−between, where everything was filtered through a hazy glow: sound and sight; touch, even. A sludgy weakness oozed through his body, making him feel heavy and dull. Darren was aware of all this, but the funny thing was that he didn’t really care. Everything was fine. It was all fine. Maybe he should sleep a little longer. That would be fine too.
    But something inside him—some small, ferocious spark—didn’t want to do that.
    Open your eyes, it hissed. Open your eyes.
    Darren didn’t see the point. Besides, his eyelids felt as scratchy as sandpaper. That small, insistent voice wouldn’t quit, however; not until he forced his eyes open, blinked a few times, and waited for everything to come into focus. He was in a strange room, a library of