Page 118 of Magical Academy for Delinquents
"Dad,"I called.
Dad appeared, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. "Hayley!" He glanced around. "Wow, this is some crew. You did it, kiddo." He smiled at me, but then I saw his expression start to fall.
Shit. My heart stuttered as I ran up to him. "Dad, remember that clay wolf Mathew painted for you? The red one with the blue spots?"
Dad's eyes lit up at the memory. "Yeah. He gave it to me. But then he carried it around himself for three days cause he was so proud of it."
I grinned. "Dad, can you go check this floor and find out where the guard on patrol is for me?"
"Sure, sweet pea." Dad sauntered off.
Andros stared down at me, brows raised. "What the hell?" He turned to Zavier. "You brought me in on a job with a crazy?"
Z waved his hand casually. "No. Hottie's dad's a ghost, that's all."
Andros' nostrils flared. "This isn't what I signed up for?"
I turned to him and snarled. "Well, you're welcome to walk down the stairs and let yourself out then."
He reached for me, but Evan stepped between us. Then Malcolm. And Z. Even Gray. My crew lined up in front of me, arms crossed, staring at him.
The testosterone built to intolerable levels.
I cut through it with a terse, "Look, how do you think I got all my intel?"
Andros opened his mouth to argue but Dad popped up next to me a second later. "Incoming. He's talking on his walkie."
I nodded and smiled. "I can work with that."
"How? You're a Darklight," Andros protested.
Malcolm leaned against his desk with a smile. "Yeah, but radios are part of the electromagnetic spectrum."
I looked at Dad. "What direction is he in?"
Dad pointed right. "Badge says Melvin."
I turned that direction and extended my hand toward where I imagined Melvin was striding through the hall. My light waves couldn't go through walls. But radio waves were larger. I shoved hard--radio control was something I'd only developed since my first time with Evan. But I closed my eyes to focus, trying to feel if my beams were going in the right direction. It felt like a tiny tingle when my power connected. I shuffled the station, just like I had with Evan.
Behind me, the guys tensed.
"I hear footsteps," Andros whispered.
I heard them too. Thetapof a boot coming closer. Shit. I didn't want any confrontations. Not this soon. Not until we were down below. Preferably none at all. I moved my fingers, fluctuating the radio signal.
"Hello, hello?" the guard's husky voice traveled around the corner.
He was close.
Too close.
Fuck.
I had to do more.
I touched my finger to my earpiece and kept my other hand extended, flicking the station for both my system and the guards until our radios were synced. "Melvin," I let out a pained whisper.
"Hello? Hello? Trina? You okay down there?" Melvin's voice echoed in my ear. But more importantly, his footsteps paused.
