THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

the transender, I looked at Tony. “What now, Jersey?”
    “Oh, uh, put your hands up on the pod.”
    I did, joining my hands with his and Gabby’s and two panels slid open. Tony scrambled in, pulling Gabby in right behind him.
    Turning for a last look, I saw a sad smile on Callan’s face. He didn’t think he’d see me again. I just knew it. Leaving him was killing me, but I would come back. I waved and dove inside as the panels started sliding shut. Then something I needed to know slammed into my brain. 
    I shouted at Callan, “When are you eighteen?”
    For a second I thought he hadn’t heard me.
    He hesitated then called out, “Not soon.”
    The last words I heard as the panels snapped closed.
    My next breath came out harsh and shaky. I couldn’t breathe when I realized Callan had already started fulfilling the role Mathias had just vacated.
    He’d just lied to me.

CHAPTER 33
     
    SEOH looked up from his rare wood desk–real mahogany wood –where he’d been scanning the latest hologram report on production in City Three as Rustaad entered his office. “Your message said there’d been developments in the Sphere.”
    “Odd ones.”
    Pushing back in his chair, SEOH rested his elbows on the chair arms. “Vid report or a Scout report?”
    “Scout. We lost one today. A croggle attack.”
    “How could that happen when they have full control over summoning the beasts?”
    “Phen T-112 said his Scout partner accidentally hit the button while they were in the middle of transender landing space Zulu.” 
    “Accidentally? No TecKnati can be that stupid.”
    “T-112 explained it as the other Scout ‘fooling around’ with the MystiK child they were delivering.”
    Idiot. “In that case, the croggle did us a favor by eliminating a waste product.”  He turned back to his hologram.
    Rustaad gave a mild smile of agreement. “I’ve called for an immediate review of all Scouts being sent into the Sphere to determine future suitability.”
    “How did Phen T-112 stop a croggle with the stun unit?”
    “He didn’t. A foursome of the older MystiKs attacked the croggle and took T-112 captive.”
    SEOH slammed his fist down on the chair arm. “Did they get any information out of him?”
    “No. Fortunately, this worked in our favor. The MystiK we planted in the Sphere freed T-112 and sent information with him.”
    Easing back against the plush leather only the elite TecKnati enjoyed, SEOH chuckled. “They’re too stupid to realize we’d put one loyal to us among them.” 
    “Perhaps, but that’s not the odd part of the report. He claims there are interlopers in the Sphere.”
    Too impossible to consider. “Were there any unauthorized transender trips to Komaen?”
    “Not from here. Our security system released no alert of a transender traveling from here to the Sphere or back without authorized hand recognition. But when I looked closely, our system picked up a transender landing in the Sphere that did not originate here.”
    “What? Did someone hijack one of ours?”
    “I don’t know. Every person is scanned for identification when they leave home base and when they exit a transender upon return to home base. I ran a thorough check on the systems. Nothing shows up.”
    SEOH pounded his desk. “If it’s a closed world–and it damn well better still be–where did interlopers come from...and are they MystiK?”
    “Two questions I can’t answer as yet, but I will very soon. The Scout said one of the strangers that fought the croggle killed it on her own, with nothing more than stabbing a stick into the beast. Next thing the beast exploded into flames. That’s far more powerful than anyone we anticipated having in the Sphere.”
    “Her?”
    “Yes, her.”
    SEOH mulled over everything Rustaad had shared and decided he’d been too lenient with this program. “These brats are more versatile and adaptable than we anticipated. It’s time we changed the plan.”
    “To what?”
    “They’ve had it too easy playing in their village that we set up for them with no real trials. I have something in mind that’ll test the best from their Warrior House.” He paused, then added,  “Mathias should be out of the equation by now, right?”
    “Yes.”
    “Then what I have in mind will be quite entertaining and even more of a challenge. Call a meeting of the Sphere engineers for tonight. I want changes made. Now.” 
    “Is it worth another meeting with the board to approve the expense?”
    SEOH