Page 20 of All My Witches
“Meaning I issue orders when our leader isn’tavailable.”
“That seems a little too on the nose,” Landon said. “Still, he looks like Teddy for a reason. We might as well see if he can helpus.”
“I guess.” Thistle tried again. “So … um, Flynn … do you know where we can find a diamond that’s big enough to fuel a device that will freeze the world?” Thistle barely got out the question before she snorted. “There’s something I never thought I’d hear myselfsay.”
“We’ve all been there,” Landonmuttered.
“You’re looking for a diamond?” The look on Teddy’s face was hard toread.
“We are,” Thistle confirmed. “We needit.”
“I see.” Teddy linked his fingers in front of him. “Why do you think we have diamondshere?”
“Because it says so on yoursign.”
“I don’t believe that’strue.”
“Well, it is.” Thistle’s agitation was beginning to show. “I don’t have time to mess around with you, Dad. I mean … Flynn. Flynn is a stupid name, by the way. All I can hear playing through my head is ‘in like Flynn,’ and it makes me want to punchsomebody.”
“I recommend punching him,” Clove suggested, pointing atTeddy.
“I’m not ruling itout.”
Teddy watched with dispassionate eyes. “I don’t believe we have what you need here. You’ll have to lookelsewhere.”
“Well, we’re not looking elsewhere,” Thistle said. “We need a diamond. You’re advertising them on your sign. That means you’re going to give us adiamond.”
Teddy’s expression turned territorial. “And what makes you believethat?”
“Let’s just call it ahunch.”
“I can’t help you.” Teddy was firm. “The only diamond we have that size fuels our oxygenator. We’ll die withoutit.”
“Or you could just move to the surface and stop living like mole people,” Landonsuggested.
Teddy ignored the suggestion. “I can’t helpyou.”
“You have to help us,” Thistle pressed. “We need that diamond, and … you’re not evenreal!”
Teddy balked. “What is that supposed tomean?”
“Forget it.” Thistle waved off the question. “We need that diamond. Don’t make us search forit.”
“You can’t have free rein over this facility,” Teddy argued. “I won’t allow it. In fact … .” He snapped his head toward the gymnasium, where every occupant was now staring in our direction like a scene from theStepford Wives. It was altogether eerie that they’d simply stopped doing their yoga poses and were now focused on us. “We will work together to thwartyou.”
“Thwart?” Landon shook his head. “Yeah, I should’ve seen this coming. You listen here, Teddy Flynn, we don’t have time to mess around. We need that diamond and we’re not going to stop until we getit.”
“We can stop you.” Teddy was firm. “Don’t make us killyou.”
The last sentence was uttered in a whisper, but it was one everyone in the gymnasium joined in saying together, so a creepy hiss wafted through the room, causing my blood to runcold.
“Oh, well, that’s not freaky or anything,” Landon said, sliding his arm around mywaist.
“I already hate this place,” Clove announced. “Screw the diamond. Let’s get out ofhere.”
I opened my mouth to agree, but was distracted when another figure hopped on the stage at the end of the room, his red jumpsuit standing out in a sea of pastels. The expression on the man’s face was one of uttercontempt.
“Oh, no,” Imuttered.
