Operation Tenley (6 page)

“It’s the only access point, my dear.”

“To where?”

Tink stepped inside the door. “Earth.”

Pennie froze. Earth was the last place a Fair One wanted to go.

Hadley Beach

Mrs. Tylwyth stepped out the door. Tenley’s backpack was slung over one arm. She juggled a poster board, Scotch tape, two bags of confetti, and a stack of streamers with the other.

“Mom, I need dry erase markers, too!” Tenley yelled from the upstairs window. “Can we go get some?”

“I’m sorry, honey. I have to get the store open early today for a delivery. Mrs. Frontalbagger died last week and her son is bringing me all her furniture.”

Tenley closed the window. Mrs. Tylwyth balanced her piles carefully and opened the back door of their car. A roll of pink streamers dropped to the ground and began unraveling down the driveway. She leaned over to grab it and another roll dropped.

Tenley walked outside brushing her hair, leaving the front door wide open as usual. She headed for the driver’s side. “I’m driving, Mom. K?”

Mrs. Tylwyth threw the rest of the pile into the car.

“I don’t think today is the best day for you to start driving,” she said. “It looks like it might rain and there was a report on the news this morning about a sudden flash flood that flipped a car right over onto its side. A flash flood! Out of nowhere! Besides, it’s Waffle Day. You don’t want to be late for that.”

“Please, Mom? How can I pass the test if I’ve never even practiced? I only have three years until I take it. All the contestants on ANMIT are expected to pass on their first try.”

“Such crazy weather lately,” Mrs. Tylwyth mumbled to herself. “It’s like Mother Nature’s out to get us. Plus, Tenley, it’s illegal for you to drive.” She gathered up the streamers and threw this mess into the car, too.

“Just to the end of the driveway?” Tenley smiled sweetly.

Mrs. Tylwyth folded. She looked at her watch, sighed heavily, and walked around to the passenger door where she slid into their small, practical car. Tenley hurried to the driver’s side and climbed in.

Tenley moved the rearview mirror around to frame her face. She smoothed down her hair and puckered her lips to check on her lip liner. Then she opened her window and closed it again. She took off her shoes and threw them into the backseat. She fiddled with the radio, which wasn’t even on.

“You could be there by now,” Mrs. Tylwyth said.

Tenley started the car. Mrs. Tylwyth cringed. Tenley gave her a quick smile, turned her head to back out, and drove straight into the garage.

The door dented like a piece of toast.

“Tenley!” Mrs. Tylwyth threw her arms up. “I just had that fixed again.”

Tenley stepped out of the car, walked to the passenger side, and opened the door. “I’m sorry, Mom. I did really well until the door part, though.”

A few minutes later, Mrs. Tylwyth stopped in front of the school and scribbled on Tenley’s outstretched palm. Tenley stepped out, opened the back door, and grabbed her backpack. Then she took her sash, slung it over her head, and secured it at her hip. She thanked her mom, slammed the door, and turned for school.

Just inside the building, Mr. Frimpy’s figure loomed large, as usual. But today there was somebody next to him. Somebody tall, dark, and hot.

“Thanks for coming, son,” Mr. Frimpy, substantially smaller than the hot guy standing next to him, said. “The gym is all set for the auditions right after third period.”

“I sure appreciate it, Principal Frimpy.”

The hottie shook the principal’s hand and spun around directly into Tenley. “Oops. Sorry.”

“Cheer auditions?” Tenley asked with a bright smile. “Omigod wait!” She grabbed Mr. Frimpy’s arm. “Is Hadley Middle School holding an
America’s Next Most Inspirational Teen
nomination audition?” She bounced on her toes. “That’s so much better than the Community Center. You won’t be sorry, Mr. Frimpy. I’ll make you proud. I’ll make the whole school proud!”

“No, Ms. Tylwyth.” Mr. Frimpy pulled his arm out of Tenley’s clutch. “We’re not holding ANMIT auditions.”

She stopped bouncing. “Oh. Well for the record, I think we should.” She shifted her body so the hot guy could read her sash. “Are you an ANMIT scout?”

Mr. Frimpy sighed. He’d have to introduce them now. “This is Dan Ringer. He’s a new senior over at Hadley High School and he’s volunteered to run the auditions here. Lucky for all of us, his father was asked to relocate.” Big smile.

“Hello,” Dan said.

“Hello. So, are your auditions open to anyone?” Tenley asked.

Dan nodded. “Sure, yeah. As long as you come prepared, we’re expecting some stiff competition.”

“G.R.E.A.T!” Tenley cheered, kicking her leg, barely missing Mr. Frimpy.

Mr. Frimpy cleared his throat. “Miss Tylwyth, this is your twenty-ninth tardy so far this school year.”

“Yes, Mr. Frimpy,” Tenley said. “My mom is so sorry. She lost her keys and we had to tear apart the house looking for them and then she drove right into the garage door. Again. It’s like the
millionth
time she’s done that. Boy, is my dad gonna be mad. And she told me to tell you to drop by the antique store anytime. New shipment today.”

“Note?”

“Right here.” Tenley held out her palm.
Sorry Tenley is late again car accident my fault, Sylma Tylwyth
was written in
black ink. Mr. Frimpy’d seen enough of the handwriting to know it was, indeed, Mrs. Tylwyth’s. “Please don’t be mad at her, Mr. Frimpy. You know she’s a really bad driver.”

“Next time get it on paper.”

“Sure thing.” Tenley pranced down the empty hallway, certain Dan was watching.

Fair City

“I can’t go to
Earth
.”

Tink smiled at Pennie. “How else do you think you’re going to get your client to give up her element? Certainly not from up here?”

Command Center was dense with Fair Force in compact cubicles. Most of their screens were monitoring important sites: the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Rushmore. A few other screens seemed to be tracking individuals, while a few more were tracking large crowds.

Tink led Pennie through another doorway to a center stage where hundreds of screens floated in and out of each other. These Fair Force sat in front of 3D hologram screens so clear that Pennie stepped over non-existent rocks and shielded her eyes from rainfall.

“Command Center!” Tink shouted over the noise. “Inner sanctum.”

Tink led Pennie toward two empty keyboards in a back corner. There, she sat on what looked to be nothing but air. Pennie hesitated but Tink patted the empty space next to her. “It’s an iWind seat. They’re fabulous.”

Pennie squealed when the invisible force caught her. “I never knew we had these.”

“
You
don’t. Everything in here is classified Fair Force equipment.” Tink slid on a headset. “Now. What did you say the client’s address was?”

“Nineteen Nathan Lane. Hadley Beach.”

“And where’s that?”

“California.”

“California,” Tink repeated, entering the information.

A screen materialized in front of them and an image of Earth began zooming in. Tink placed a flat hand on her stomach. “That gets me every time. You wouldn’t happen to know the zip code?”

“90266.”

Tink entered the numbers and the image zoomed closer, into the United States, to the West Coast, to Los Angeles County, and eventually to Hadley Beach and 19 Nathan Lane.

“That’s a much better image than we get. What are you using?”

“It’s classified Fair Force technology. They’re working on an updated visual for you, I’ve heard.”

“A 3
^rd
i-All?” Pennie asked hopefully.

“I’m afraid not. That’s still only Lieutenant Fair One equipment. Now, let’s see where we are.” Tink studied the screen.

“It’s like I’m actually
standing
in their driveway. There
has
to be a way I can do the Right to Delete from here.”

“There isn’t,” Tinktoria said. “She’ll need to sign this.”

Tink tapped her temple and a hologram form letter materialized in front of them.

“
I hereby agree to cease and desist all use of my personal elemental power until further notice
or forever, whichever comes first.
” Pennie read. “Really? That’s all she needs to do. Sign this?”

“That’s it.” Tink flicked her hand, making the hologram disappear.

Pennie sighed, relieved. “So in general, like in past Right to Deletes, do they just sign it when the Fair One shows up with it?”

“There are a few other stipulations. You’ll have to read the fine print.”

“There’s fine print?”

“There’s always fine print, Fair One. It’s in your Intel. RTD Form 0100.” Tink tapped her temple again.

Another hologram form appeared. Pennie stepped closer to it and squinted. It was very,
very
fine.

“Basically,” Tink said. “It says something along the lines of:
Once the form has been signed, any further use of the four elements—wind, water, lightning, fire—by the client will result in an Immediate Erase of client and Banishment of Fair One. Any injuries caused by such arrest shall be neither the fault nor the responsibility of Fair Force LLC
… and so on.”

“Wa—wa—wait. No one said anything about the Fair One getting
banished
.”

“Yes they did. Right here. In the fine print.”

“If my client signs the form, but then accidentally conjures up a small breeze—”

“You’re both goners.” Tink nodded. “One way or the other.”

Pennie tried to register this. Banishment was to be sent off into deep space. Alone. Forever. Never to be heard from again.

“You’re looking a little peaked. Still want to go through with it?”

“Of course. Yeah.
Yes
.”

“All right then.” Tink waved the hologram away.

“Just one thing. How exactly do I explain everything to my client, starting with the fact that she’s been born with a weather element and is in constant danger of being discovered by Mother Nature?”

“Reason with her.”

“She’s a
teenager
.”

“I see your point. It’s a tough age for that. I recall a few Fair Ones trying some sort of cattle shocking device. I don’t have one of those to give to you, though. They managed to get hold of them on their own.”

“What happens if I
do
succeed? Do I get reassigned to a new client?”

“Honestly, I’m not quite sure. I don’t remember anyone succeeding before. Of course, I’ve only been in this department for eight decades.”

“No one’s succeeded in
eighty years
?”

“A Right to Delete is extremely difficult to accomplish. It was only created to appease the Unions, which is why it’s in the very, very,
very
fine print of the
Official Manual
. You must have an expert knowledge of the rules to even know about it.”

Laraby.
Pennie groaned. He was right—she shouldn’t have thanked him yet. “If it’s this hard, why am I bothering to try at all?”

“I don’t know, Fair One. Why are you?”

Pennie looked back at the Tylwyth house on the screen. How could she live with herself if she didn’t at least
try
to save Tenley? Besides, being a miserable Administrator was no way to live.

But going to Earth? She couldn’t.

She turned to Tink and shook her head. “I’d do anything to save her except go to Earth.”

“That’s good to know.” Tink stood and started for the exit.

“So what do we do next?” Pennie hurried after her.

“I have my art to get back to. I’m sure you have some things to take care of before you’re sent to Administration.”

Pennie stopped. “Isn’t there a plan B?”

Tink turned around. “My dear Fair One. You have been given this forty-eight hour period to prove
us
wrong, not the other way around. We’ve made our decision.” Tink took her hand. “I know you’re worried for your client, Fair One. I assure you, though, getting erased is painless and a much kinder alternative than getting taken by Mother Nature. You’re doing the right thing. As for Administration, it’s not as terrible as they say. You might even enjoy it.” Tink dropped Pennie’s hand and started for the exit.

“Enjoy it?” Pennie repeated. “Wait. Please!” Pennie grabbed the red cuff on Tink’s long sleeve.

Tink glared at her.

“Sorry,” Pennie dropped it. “I’ll go.”

Tink considered her. “Is this your final answer?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.” Tink reversed toward the monitoring station. Pennie caught a look at one of the screens as she passed it; massive clouds were colliding somewhere and the Fair Force in the room were laser focused on it.

“I’ll be right back,” Tink said before disappearing into the wall.

Pennie walked closer to the monitors. Whatever was brewing in the skies above Earth looked sinister.

Tink reappeared. “The only thing you need to take with you is this time device.”

“A watch?”

“You’re familiar with them?”

“Sure. Is that a dinosaur?”

There was a purple dinosaur in the center.

“We can’t send you down with any of our technology in case it gets into the wrong hands.” Tink handed Pennie the watch. “So we copied some of the watches we’ve seen the clients wear.”

“Really
young
clients, you mean. A toddler maybe?”

Tink brushed away the idea. “It’s programmed on stopwatch mode for forty-eight hours and will begin at eight a.m. Earth time.”

A large clock on the wall displayed: EARTH TIME 7:58 a.m.

“That’s in
two
minutes!”

Tink continued, unfazed. “The Fair Force will arrive at the forty-eight hour mark. If your client has signed the form by then, she will be taken into temporary custody where her element will be properly deleted. After which, she will be returned to her regular,
un-
elemented life on Earth. She’ll be just a regular kid with no recollection of ever being able to create wind.”

Pennie nodded.

“If she has
not
signed the form by then,” Tink eyes softened. “Well, you know.”