The Pyramid Chronicles: Tyche Point (#1)

Chapter Thirty-One: Plan of Attack

"Well, that doesn't sound dangerous at all," Veronica said. Eric wouldn't have put it so sarcastically, but he couldn't say he disagreed.

"You don't understand. Scorpion's going to attack SCI and take the fragment," Raveena said. "And they're doing it tonight."

Tense silence overtook the hallway. Summer's eyes widened. Eric watched Sam and Veronica exchange nervous glances out of the corner of his eye.

"Okay. They want the fragment," Eric said slowly. "But you were saying something about a secret project—?"

"I have no idea what it is, exactly," Raveena said. "But Claudia said that once they had the fragment, they'd be able to step out of the shadows. She also mentioned being able to recruit more altered."

More kidnapping. Eric's fists tightened. He looked to the others. "We have to stop them."

"What are we supposed to do?" Veronica demanded. "We should just tell the Newmans and let them handle it."

"The Newmans can't do anything either," Summer said. "And even if they can call people capable of stopping Scorpion, we don't have much time."

Eric's mind ran wild. He tried to reign it in, to force his brain to give him something useful. But while they might stand a chance against SCI, based on Adam and Willow's experience, they definitely couldn't fight them and Scorpion to get the fragment—

"Wait." Eric's face lit up. "We don't have to fight Scorpion."

Summer gave him a sideways glance. "Huh?"

"Think about it." Eric paced back and forth in front of the library doors. "Willow and Adam made it to a computer room. And Malcolm got all the way to the basement alone. With all of us, we could totally make it to the fragment. SCI isn't prepared for a bunch of kids with superpowers."

"But Scorpion is," Veronica said. "Willow and Adam and Malcolm didn't have to deal with them when they broke into SCI."

Sam's eyes widened. "And neither do we," he said, catching on to what Eric was suggesting. "Scorpion's not going after the fragment until tonight."

"Exactly," Eric said, gesturing wildly with his hands. "We just have to show up way before they do, grab the fragment, and get out."

"I thought the fragment was stuck," Veronica said.

"Well, Scorpion seems to think they can get it out." Eric looked to Raveena. "Right?"

Raveena nodded. "The Director said there's an energy field holding it in place, but that there's a way to collapse it. And apparently, SCI's already got whatever they need to do it. Something called alterium."

"Great!" Summer clapped her hands together. "It's all coming together."

"This still sounds like a bad idea," Veronica said.

"You don't have to come," Sam told her. "But we can't just let Scorpion take the fragment."

"Yeah, and let you all get yourselves killed?" Veronica shook her head. "I'm coming. I'm just saying that if we die, I told you so."

"That's the spirit!" Summer said, a little too cheerfully.

The bell rang.

"Uh, are we ditching class to do this?" Veronica asked.

"I mean, we have until tonight," Eric said. "And we need to tell Adam and Willow, too."

Sam shrugged. "Should we meet after school?"

"Sounds good to me." Summer stretched out her arms. It scared Eric a little that she was so calm. Was she really that much more confident than him? He'd never thought of her as reckless but stealing from the government wasn't exactly the smartest extracurricular activity.

Eric glanced at Raveena. "Do you think you should come, too?"

Raveena folded her arms and frowned. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I mean, we're fighting government agents," Eric told her. "If you tag along and can't fight—"

He felt bad, seeing Raveena's face fall, but he really was concerned. There was no reason for her to put herself at risk if she couldn't defend herself the way the rest of them could.

"If we get injured down there, she can heal us," Summer pointed out. "It'd be good for her to come."

"To the building, sure," Eric said. "But I'm talking about going inside."

"You want me to wait outside," Raveena said blankly.

"I mean, it's up to you—"

"No, I get it. You're right." Raveena turned around. "I'll meet you all outside after school gets out," she said as she walked away.

"Eric has a point," Veronica said quietly. "I know she's got some backstory with Scorpion and Claudia, but that doesn't mean she should put herself in danger for no reason."

Summer and Sam nodded in agreement, albeit reluctantly. Eric threw one last glance at Raveena before she disappeared around the corner. There was still something about her that bothered him, and he hated that he couldn't figure out what it was.

Maybe it was because she'd yet to tell them about her history with Scorpion and didn't seem interested in sharing any time soon. Eric brushed the thought aside. It was her business, anyway.

They had bigger things to worry about now.