“I wish you had another Ironhide,” Pigeon said.
“Sorry,” Nate said.
“I can hide under the Hummer,” Diego offered. “I’ll rush out and distract him, go for his legs, then you guys can move in and deliver the shock.”
“Sounds good,” Nate said.
“What’s the difference between waiting over here and waiting behind the Hummer?” Pigeon asked.
“Nothing, I guess,” Nate said. “Except if we hide at the Hummer, we’ll already be in position, just in case.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Pigeon agreed.
Staying low, they dashed across the parking lot and squatted behind the Hummer. Diego crawled underneath and then crawled back out. “I’ll go back under when the time comes,” Diego said.
Pigeon gave Diego a few more kibbles of Brain Food.
“There are two other versions of me running around town,” Nate said.
“What?” Pigeon asked.
“The yellow sand of the Grains of Time split me into three,” Nate explained. “The other two dropped me off at the back of the school a few minutes before I found you. One of me is staking out the candy shop to help Summer and John, and the other is going to try to help Trevor. In a little while we’ll all get drawn back together at a central location.”
“Are you the real Nate?” Pigeon asked.
“We’re all the real Nate,” Nate said. “It’s complicated.”
They waited in silence. After some time, Pigeon gave Diego more Brain Feed.
“How’s life as a dog?” Nate asked.
“No complaints,” Diego said. “Nice home, good family, plenty to eat, attention when I want it, time to myself when I want it. I’ve always wondered though, Pigeon, why’d you give me a Spanish name?”
“Dad got you in San Diego,” Pigeon said.
“Ah,” Diego said. “I missed that somehow. Makes sense.”
Chanting commenced behind them. They turned in time to see the Fuse approaching, arms spread wide, birthmark blazing. In front of him on the asphalt, three black widow spiders expanded to horrific proportions, each reaching the size of a small car, most of the mass residing in their bulbous abdomens.
While Nate tucked his candy into his pants, and Pigeon fumbled for his Shock Bits, the glossy spiders pounced, adroitly binding them in sticky threads. Diego barked. Once the kids were bound, the gargantuan spiders backed off.
“On your feet,” Wyatt said. “I have total control of these adult female black widow spiders. At this size, I don’t think I need to explain what their venom would do to you.”
Nate and Pigeon shared a terrified glance. This was not supposed to happen.
*****
Nate number three entered his bathroom and found Trevor waiting in the mirror. Trevor looked relieved to see him and waved. Nate waved back and popped in a Mirror Mint.
Nate had considered bringing a pile of comic books into the mirror with him, in case he ended up stranded. Then he had remembered that he would not be able to see anything in the darkness. If he was going to read anything, somebody would have to hold it up to the mirror from the outside.
Climbing onto the counter, Nate tested the mirror. It felt pliable, flexing inward as he pressed his hand against it. Biting down hard on the mint, Nate crossed through into the cold darkness.
“What are you doing?” Trevor asked excitedly. “Did you find extra mints?”
“I still only had two,” Nate said. “I want you to use the last one.”
“But then you’ll be trapped!”
Nate explained about being split into three selves, and his theory that when the selves reunited, he would be pulled out of the mirror realm.
“Sounds risky,” Trevor said.
“At least it gives both of us a chance,” Nate said. “Otherwise you’d be hopeless.”
“What should I do when I get out?” Trevor asked.
“Do you have any candy left?” Nate asked.
“They took it all,” Trevor said.
“Maybe you can go give me a hand at the school or the candy shop.” Nate hastily outlined what had happened to the others and what was going on.
“Sounds like you might need more help at the school,” Trevor said.
“You better hurry,” Nate encouraged, finding Trevor’s hand in the darkness and giving him the mint.
“If you end up trapped, I’ll get you out,” Trevor promised.
“Okay,” Nate said. “I’ll be waiting here.”
Trevor bit down on the final Mirror Mint and crawled through the mirror onto Nate’s bathroom counter. Dropping to the floor, he clutched his side. Wincing into the mirror at Nate, he waved and exited the bathroom.
*****
Pigeon glanced over his shoulder at the eight eyes of the massive spider following him, his view of the black widow blurred by tears. The sleek, silent arachnid followed him dispassionately, legs working in creepy coordination. Webbing bound his arms to his sides.
Pigeon hung his head. Not much had changed from the way Nate had described things going the first time. The only difference was that instead of just Pigeon and Diego getting captured, now there were three prisoners.
Diego padded along beside him. Was his dog going to die again? Pigeon wished he had never given the Labrador Brain Feed. He wished he had not come to know his dog on such a personal level. He wished Diego was still slobbering out in the backyard.
“How did you find us?” Nate asked as Wyatt marched them into the custodial office.
“What’s it to you?” Wyatt asked.
“Weren’t you in the cafeteria?” Nate asked.
The Fuse huffed. “Part of the time. A good sentry stays in motion. I spotted you running over to the Hummer, and moved into position while you were jabbering.”
Two of the three spiders descended through the dark square on the floor of the custodial office, lowering themselves with silky strands of webbing, one of them carrying Diego. Wyatt uttered a few musical words, and the webs binding Nate and Pigeon fell away. The boys descended a rope ladder through the opening. The ladder was longer than Pigeon expected, and it twisted as he climbed down. Wyatt clicked on a large flashlight. Pigeon reached the dirt floor and moved out of Nate’s way. Powdery dust plumed up with each step, making the flashlight beam look almost tangible. The two enormous black widows waited silently as the third lowered herself into the darkness.
Wyatt descended last, the flashlight hanging from a belt loop. When he landed on the ground, he summoned two of the spiders with a gesture. Their spinnerets quivered, and soon Pigeon and Nate had their arms bound to their sides again by sticky webs. The Fuse jerked a thumb to indicate which way they should proceed.