The Library of Powers

Chapter 16 - Part 7

The sun was setting as they finally left the abandoned library. While Jackson wasn't completely satisfied with what he found, he couldn't help but feel more positive than his initial reactions, now that it was over. He made good progress today. Maybe there was something there that could help him. He patted his pocket where the computer he had pilfered hid. Yeah, there was something for sure.

Melanie chatted idly with Chase while Samantha walked lockstep behind them. Ivory had ventured out a ways to the front, arms crossed. Jackson increased his pace to reach her. Once close enough, he patted her reassuringly on the shoulder. "Thanks for helping me out today," He acknowledged.

"I don't know, I don't feel like I contributed much," She admitted.

He shook his head at how ridiculous that was. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"I'm still not comfortable with Sam and Chase. Remember, our original plan was to take them down."

"No, it was to have them lead us to their bosses. They tried to rob from Selina's dad. From his work vault. They could have taken valuables from the house, but no, they went for the safe. They wanted his paperwork. I sincerely doubt they personally care about that, but that means someone put them up to it. That's who we need to bust."

Ivory frowned. "Yeah, but."

"They're just kids, Ivy. So are we. And they're nice to us. How rare is that?" He tried to appeal to Ivory's isolation. Was that scummy? Manipulative? Of course. But he was in much of the same situation, so he knew it would work.

"We'll talk about this later. Melanie is still technically our mole. They're right here, for god's sake."

He looked back at the three of them. They were laughing about something. "Sure."

He put his hands into his jean pockets and remembered he had put Ivory's gift there earlier that day. He pulled it out.

"Happy birthday, by the way," He said, handing it to her. It was a small patch, an eye with a red iris. "It's for your jacket. I figured since you have to hide your eyes, you can at least still wear them. It also could maybe be a cool logo for Urbanity. Simple but expressive, you know?"

She turned it over in her hands, feeling the thread between her fingers. "You made this?" She asked.

He blushed. "I like to sew, sometimes. I've brought a few stashes of needles into The Library, to pass the time."

She pressed it onto her jacket, looking for a place for it to go. She eventually settled on a patch just below the breast pocket, in the space where a nametag would go. Unable to attach it at the moment, she put it away. "Thank you, Jackson. This means a lot to me."

He shrugged. "In the future, just tell me about important days beforehand. I had to rush to get the supplies in time."

"I'm sure it was fine. When you want you can have all the time in the world," She countered.

"Yeah, and I had to! One day! You gave me one day!"

By the time they reached the parking lot in front of the harbor, Jackson was ready to return home and go to bed. There was nothing like a long day of hunting secrets to tire him out if this first time was any indication. As they passed the welcome sign, Melanie got out her keys to unlock the car.

But as she clicked it, there was no sound.

"Hey, where did we park?" She asked them. Chase and Sam had still hung around. Jackson guessed Melanie had agreed to drive them too.

"Spot 37, I think," Ivory answered.

Chase was quick to refute that. "No, there's no car in 37."

They all looked to the spot. True to his word, lot 37 was empty.

"Was this paid parking? Did I get towed?" Melanie wondered, growing more frantic.

"Oh, I think I see it."

The statement did not come from any of the five of them, but from another source. A hand snuck in the corner of their visions. They turned to see the hand's owner. It was Selina Sadie Demarcsson.

She was pointing into the water. And sure enough, there it was. Floating in the saltwater of Bernard Harbour's Harbor was Melanie's Jeep.

"Oh well, that's certainly a shame, isn't it?" Selina mocked, "Well, I better get going. You have no proof I was ever here!" Selina disappeared before any of them could get a word in edgewise.

They stood there, stunned. Selina had somehow teleported an entire car into the ocean. Melanie sat down on the concrete, in the middle of the parking lot.

"She's right, there's nothing we can do," Melanie conceded.

"This is ridiculous! This is an affront to the law! She can't get away with this!" Ivory shouted.

"Yeah, she can. Her family can make it go away. Even if we did have proof."

"So, your family is rich too!"

"Fat lot that'll do me."

Samantha stepped in. "This is bad, yes. But now this just means we can do something mean to her back. She just opened the floodgates."

"No," Jackson said, "We don't have her kind of protection. I'm already on thin enough ice with Principal Gonners. I don't want to be expelled."

"Wow, great job making this about you, Jackson." Sam retorted.

"Sam, stop," Melanie commanded, "Selina is crafty. She'll target the weakest link no matter who is really involved, which means Jackson will take the fall. We'd need something completely unrelated to school."

Ivory looked at Jackson. She hoped he was seeing red. Alas, his pale greens were not sparking, but watery and dull. Well, that was fine. She had enough red for both of them. "Let's take her dad down," Ivory postured, "I know what you three are up to. I want in. This is enough. I want wrongs righted. I want to see Selina hurt."

Sam and Chase conferred with each other. By their expressions, they were in agreement. "I think that would be lovely, Ivory. Welcome to the team."

They looked to Jackson expectantly. "What? I'm not Ivy's lapdog."

"Are you not in then?" Chase asked.

"I, uh," the adrenaline of discovery had finally worn off. Where was the Jackson only five minutes ago, so cool, so confident? He wanted to return home, he wanted to go to bed. He wanted to go back to being alone.

But he couldn't. He might never be able to. In the back of his mind, he knew that was a good thing. "I'm in."

"Well, let me be the first to welcome two new members to Glamour and Trick," Chase announced, "Although the name doesn't work with more people. I'll workshop it. Now as new members you're eligible for certain membership perks, such as our transportation system.

"Is it the bus?"

"It's the bus! Let's get back to civilization."