“No way could I blend this with two stamps. It is very potent magic, premium work. I could, however, modify the gum so it would harmonize with a single stamp.”
Nate nodded. “Okay. Then I want flight and this gum. I have two other sticks. The effect doesn’t last very long. Could you set up all three to work with a jet stamp?”
“I believe I could,” Tallah said. “You’d want to use the gum one stick at a time, of course. Are we all resolved? Should I get to work?” She looked to Cleon.
“Why the gum, Nate?” Cleon asked. “You sure it beats tank strength and racer speed?”
“I’m not sure,” Nate said. “But you saw it in action in the arcade. We already have a flying racer and two flying tanks. This gives us a different weapon. You suggested variety.”
Cleon shrugged. “Fair enough. It’s your hide. I won’t object.”
Tallah set about her work. She applied dual stamps to Chris, Risa, and Lindy. After some time fussing with Nate’s three sticks of Peak Performance, she mixed a new solution, then applied a jet stamp to Nate and sealed it with her new concoction.
“There we go,” Tallah pronounced. “All four of your little soldiers are geared up as requested.”
“Pleasure as always,” Cleon said.
“If you say so, Mr. Cleon,” Tallah replied. Her expression sobered. “You kids take care what you bring out of the Devil’s Mountain.”
“And you be careful what spews from that mouth of yours,” Cleon cautioned. “Come on, Jets. You have appointments to keep.”
While Tallah looked on, Cleon ushered the kids into the hall. Nate watched Tallah as he walked out. She appeared worried. She looked like she wanted to cry out a warning. But she didn’t, and the door closed.
“Are we out of here?” Chris asked.
“Not so fast,” Cleon said. “Three of you had the opportunity to meet with Mr. White. But not Nate. The boss wants to have words with him before you all depart.”
“Okay,” Nate said, hoping he sounded casual. “No problem.”
“I’m relieved to have your permission,” Cleon drawled. “Come on, Mr. Gum Jet. The boss is this way.”
Cleon led the four Jets down a hall and around a corner. They found the muscular guy with black spiky hair coming toward them.
“Hey there, Conner,” Cleon said.
“I’ll take Nate from here,” Conner said stonily. “You get the others to the vehicle.”
“Sure thing,” Cleon said. “Come on, you three.”
Cleon did an about-face and led the others back the way they had come. Without acknowledging Nate, Conner reversed his direction as well. Nate followed.
Nate had seen Conner before but had never spoken to him. “You guys have a lovely underground base here,” he tried.
Conner said nothing.
“I love what you’ve done with the concrete. Very parking garage.”
Conner kept strutting down the hall without a backward glance. They passed an intersection. Nate felt tempted to take a side hall, just to make Conner react. But he didn’t want to stir things up too much. If he got dropped from the mission to recover Uweya, his last chance to stop Jonas White would be gone. He had reason to hope he would be included. Tallah had stamped him. They wouldn’t restamp him just to drop him from the mission, right?
“Have you worked here long?” Nate asked.
Again Conner neglected to respond. Nate decided not to press him further.
After more walking, Conner stopped to open a sturdy door. He motioned for Nate to go through, then followed, pushing the door closed.
They had entered a rather bare room divided by a thick, clear wall with small clusters of holes in it. On the far side of the wall, Jonas White sat in a high-backed armchair. Conner took up a position behind Nate.
“Kind of you to join us,” Jonas said silkily. “We missed you last night. You had other engagements, I take it?”
“I was tired,” Nate said. “It was a long day.”
“Too long to join your fellow Jets when they returned the Protector? Too long to confirm your victory?”
“It was already confirmed,” Nate said. “Chris and Risa went ahead with the Protector. We left the Tanks treading water. It was a rough day. People almost died.”
“I noticed that you removed your tracking bracelet,” Jonas said.
“The task was finished,” Nate replied. “It was uncomfortable.”
“I don’t like children, Nate. I never have.”
“I can tell,” Nate said. “Hole eight on your western course is practically impossible. I was putting on it with Chris and Risa the other day, and—”
Jonas held up a weary hand, motioning for him to stop. “Children have underdeveloped judgment. They say foolish things. They do foolish things. They bore me. They disappoint me.”
“If it’s any consolation, I sometimes feel the same way about adults.”
“I expect you do,” Jonas said. He gestured at the clear wall. “Please forgive the inconvenience of this barrier. Recent events have inspired me to take additional precautions. What little faith I had in you is fading.”
“I keep delivering what you want.”
“You have a vital task ahead of you. A hazardous task. Dangerous for you, dangerous for the other Jets. This task means a lot to me, Nate. It means everything. And I don’t trust you.”
“Then why send me?”
“For the assignment to recover the Protector, the Tanks had the advantage. If I were to have gambled on the outcome, I would have bet on them. Given the variables involved, their speed and strength should have outclassed your aeronautic and aquatic abilities. You had the means to raise the trunk from the tower, but they had the means to extract the Protector and keep it from you. I need capable people, Nate, and you have proven yourself the most capable.”
“We almost killed Roman taking the Protector from him,” Nate said. “It was a close one.”
“I may not like children,” Jonas said, “but I can admire ruthless dedication to victory. You will open the way to Uweya for me.”
“Count on it.”
“I know that you are not my ally. But you should be. Do not tangle with a man who has a simulacrum of you. Foolish child or not, you ought to learn that lesson before it is too late.”
“Fighting you would be crazy,” Nate said.
“It would be futile,” Jonas assured him. “The other Jets look to you for leadership. They expect you to join them on this mission. I want you to join them as well. But I want you to understand what will happen should you attempt to cross me.”