Page 96 of Static/Cling

“Probably.”

“God damn it!” He headed for the door as he spoke into a walkie-talkie, giving instructions about Leif’s whereabouts.

“You fucker!” Bjorn reached for him, letting the electric charge surge to the surface, seeing red at the betrayal, but Rufus was ready, and stepped out of his reach again.

“They’ll bring him down here, asshole,” Rufus said, glaring at the sparks shooting from Bjorn’s fingertips. “Then we’ll all be onthe same floor at least.” He took another, slower step away from the threat.

“Oh.” Bjorn clenched his fingers and lowered his outstretched arm.

“Yeah. Oh.” He peered out the door again. “Soon as these guys get moving out of the hallway, you go left. The servers are just around the corner in a glassed-in room. You can’t miss them.” He held out a swipe card. “You’ll need this to get in.”

Bjorn eyed it.

“What?”

For answer Bjorn moved. A few small sparks flew off his sweats. He didn’t dare try to release any on purpose. With his luck, he’d dissipate the whole lot and have to start over. “My charge might be enough to demagnetize it.” He shucked his shirt and wrapped it around his lower arm, leaving enough loose to grab the card, holding his breath as he did so.

Nothing happened.

“Maybe it’s good. Worked for the elevator card.”

“If not, maybe use the fire ax in the wall across the hall?”

“Sure. Plan H. Or whatever letter we’re at now. What are you going to do?”

“Be invisible until your friend arrives, then collect him and my brother and meet you there.” The gold band at his wrist was spinning furiously.

“What’s wrong?” Bjorn asked.

“What?”

Bjorn pointed the card at the spinning band. “What’s going on?”

For a moment Rufus watched it, and slowly, it spun down to stillness. He looked back at Bjorn. “This probably isn’t going to work. You realize that, right? It’s a stupid plan.”

“Most of our plans so far have been stupid. So what? The alternative can’t be to do nothing.”

Rufus nodded. “No, I know.”

“Do me a favour?”

“What?”

“If you run into your boss, stay calm. If I noticed that thing spinning when you’re nervous, and I’ve only known you for five minutes, he surely knows to look out for it.”

“Not like I do it on purpose.”

“Maybe the trick is to keep it still on purpose. The focus might also help your nerves.”

Rufus tilted his head. “What are you? Guru of broken powers?”

“I can control mine under two circumstances. When I’m really pissed off at the person I’m using them on, or when I’m fucking them.”

“Seriously?”

Bjorn shrugged. “My control isn’t as good when I’m pissed off, so maybe don’t get me there.”

“Whatever.” He peeked out again. “Coast is clear. Go fast.”

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