Page 64 of Jinxed

‘Just a few moments before the battles began. I sent him away to pack his things and leave. Now, Miss Chu – I’mvery disappointed in...’

‘Sorry, Dr Grant, I have to go. Need to find my baku before tomorrow, you understand.’

Normally I would be cringing inside at being so rude to the Profectus Principal, but I don’t have a moment to waste. I bolt from the competitors’ room.

‘Miss Chu? Miss Chu!’ Her voice calls out to my back, but I don’t stop.

I run up the stairs two at a time, using the momentumof my sprint to swing around the banisters and launch myself forwards even faster. I reach the beautiful atrium again but I can’t even take in what I’m seeing. My thoughts are focused on a single goal. I need to catch up to Mr Baird.

I dash around the outside of the building to the car park. I spot Mr Baird getting into his car and manage to reach him just in time.

‘Where is he?’ I slam my handon the roof of his car, then peer in the back windows, trying to see if Jinx is hidden there. All Mr Baird would need is a black mark and he could smuggle Jinx out of Moncha HQ, no problem.

He certainly looks shifty as he rolls down the window. ‘Where is who? What are you even doing here?’

‘What are you talking about? Where is Jinx? You took him before the battle, I know you did.’

‘Take Jinx?What? He’s missing?’

‘Of course he’s missing, otherwise I’d be battling at Moncha HQ – you know that full well. No one else would steal Jinx. You as good as told me you wanted him. Give him back now, or else...’

‘Or else you’ll do something even worse than get me fired from my job? I was trying to protect you. But you’re too blinded by loyalty to Moncha Corp to understand.’

I take a stepback, panic and anger over Jinx’s disappearance warring with the shock of what Mr Baird is saying. ‘Get you fired? I didn’t do anything! I haven’t told anyone about you. And you repaid me by stealing Jinx. I told you he’s a normal baku.’

He stares at me, his eyes scanning my face. Slowly, the outrage that had been etched on his face drops. ‘You didn’t tell anyone?’

‘No!’ I repeat.

After a moment,he says: ‘I believe you. And I didn’t take Jinx.’

‘Oh.’ I slump down against the car door, tears spilling out on to my cheeks. Anger had been keeping me upright, but now I feel as though I’m going to collapse under the worry. ‘Then – who did?’

He shakes his head. ‘You said he was taken just before the battle?’

I nod. ‘The last time I saw him, I was placing him on the stand. But he never showedup in the arena.’

‘So Moncha have taken him,’ says Mr Baird, his voice tight.

He’s voiced my worst fear out loud, but I still shake my head. ‘You don’t know that. It could have been...’

Mr Baird looks at me with pity in his eyes. ‘It’s a shame. I think he was a marvel. Maybe I should have been stronger with my actions... prevented you from bringing him straight to Moncha HQ. But you convincedme that he was normal. Now you have to accept that he is gone. If Moncha have their hands on him, they will have destroyed him. Here.’ He hands me over an old-fashioned business card, since I don’t have a baku for him to send his contact details directly to. ‘If Moncha isn’t for you... maybe you’ll consider BRIGHTSPRK.’

I take the card with trembling fingers and step back as he rolls up thewindow and the car drives away. My head hangs low.

‘You just have to accept now that he is gone.’Mr Baird’s words ring in my ears.

But I won’t accept it. Not yet. Not until I have proof that Jinx is really gone. I won’t give up on him.

IWANT TO MESSAGE ZORA, BUT WITHOUT A baku I’m cut off from communication. I also have no money on me – no way to pay for public transport up to St Agnes. I’m so reliant on Jinx for practical thingsas well as for companionship.

I’ve never felt so alone. I have no choice but to walk, conscious that every minute that goes by without Jinx is an opportunity for someone to destroy him.

It takes me almost an hour, and when I arrive at St Agnes, I’m red-faced and breathless. I walk straight through the front doors as if I belong, thankful now that I didn’t have to wear my Profectus Academy uniformto Moncha HQ. I have no idea where in the school Zora is, so for a moment, I’m at a loss. But there’s one place inside the school where I know I can at least send her a message.

I make a beeline up to the library, where I know there is a bank of old desktop computers gathering dust. I duck past the librarian – trying to be inconspicuous – and take a seat at the nearest computer. I clear a thicklayer of grime just to be able to see the keys. The machine boots up incredibly slowly, but eventually it sputters to life. I stare at the screen for a few seconds. I’ve almost forgotten how to use an old operating system, but I find my way to an old messaging program.

I type in Zora’s ‘number’ (it’s really Linus’s unique identity code) and start typing.

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