Free The Impossible Race: Cragbridge Hall, Volume 3 by Chad Morris Page B

screamed. “You’re invincible. In-vinc-i-ble !”
    Derick fell faster.
    “Okay, now!” Rafa called out. “Open up your wings and plane out, but be ready, because it’s going to be fast.”
    Derick could do this. He kept his dive.
    “Derick,” Rafa said.
    “Now, Derick,” Piper commanded.
    The ground grew closer, larger. It was only seconds away.
    Just a little more . . .
    Now!
    Derick opened his wings and felt the wind catch them. It jolted him more than he had expected. He’d thought it would be like brakes, slowing him down; instead, it just redirected him, still traveling at full speed. He veered left and then right, trying at speed to figure out how to dodge the Hall, the main building on campus. Right, right was the right direction. He wheeled and began to climb, skimming an exterior wall and feeling his speed taper off just enough to regain control. It’s one thing to dive at great speed; it’s another thing entirely to try to navigate. He turned in a large curve, still gliding, gradually slowing down, then rose toward the others who were perched on top of the building. Of course, when Derick tried to land, he toppled over, frantically catching the beam below him with one talon and scrambling to remain upright.
    “The kid can stoop,” Maria said. “But the flying after was a little crazy—and he can’t land.”
    Derick was glad robot falcons couldn’t show a red face.
    “Hey, I remember that you couldn’t turn right for a while, only left,” Malcom said, pointing at another falcon with one of his wings.
    “That’s not true,” Maria countered.
    “I know,” Malcolm said. “But I thought it would be funny.” He let out a rumbling chuckle, his deep voice laughing at his own joke. “And it was.”
    “All right,” Nia said, her dark-tipped beak pointing at Derick, “You impressed me enough. What did you want to ask?”
    “Let’s talk face to face,” Derick said.
    The group flew their birds into an opening in the roof of the avatar lab building, turned them in to be logged and stored with the other avatars, and then they unhooked their harnesses and gathered in an avatar lab classroom. It was designed for instruction, surrounded with harness stalls and large screens at the front where those in the room could watch what the animal avatars were doing.
    Derick looked at his friends. Malcolm was the largest of the bunch, standing at least four inches taller than Rafa. He was also sixteen and had black skin, broad shoulders, and short dreadlocks hanging down onto his forehead. He had played a lot of football in Oklahoma and looked it.
    Maria was shorter, seventeen, with long black hair she wore almost to her waist. Her face was round and she had big brown eyes. She wore a dress, which seemed a bit formal, but it was her usual attire.
    Piper and Nia both were about average height, but Piper had red hair and wore a bright blue T-shirt. Nia had blonde hair and wore a black warm-up suit that had flames on the sleeves and legs. Piper was sixteen and Nia fifteen.
    “Okay,” Derick said. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to tell you much, but you need to understand that Rafa and I know something that—” he chose his words carefully, “is powerful, but potentially dangerous. And it can only be shared with those that can be trusted.”
    “Um,” Nia said, “I think the fact that we saved your life tells you that we can be trusted.”
    “Yes,” Derick said, “I trust you.”
    “ Eu tambem. So do I,” Rafa added. “But we need you to be patient.”
    “Yeah, that’s easy for you to say,” Maria piped in, pointing at Rafa. “You know just as much as Derick.” She shifted, cocking one hip.
    “Finding out a secret,” Rafa said, “can be quite a burden.”
    “And like I’ve told you over and over,” Derick said, “it’s my grandfather’s secret, so under normal circumstances, he should decide who knows and when.”
    “And your point is?” Piper asked.
    “We think someone else