Operation Tenley (23 page)

Laraby pulled the
Tornado
bottle out of his pocket.

“You’re not really going to use that,” Pennie said.

Laraby shook the bottle.

“Those things got some serious momentum, bro. Not sure we can survive it.”

“Only one way to find out.” Laraby popped the cork.

A tornado tore out of the bottle. Pennie, Laraby, Gavron, and the three screaming sipLips shot upward inside it.

00:00:07

Adventures, Inc. Again

Six figures spit out of the tornado and onto the ground just in time to see Holden lunge for Tenley’s ankle at the top of the waterfall.

“Get ’em, boys!” Gavron threw the dizzy sipLips toward the Log Ride.

But the tornado got there first.

The tornado ripped through the Log Ride, sucking in first Tenley and then Holden.

The sipLips flew off empty-handed, shaking their heads and shrugging their shoulders.

“No!” Pennie yelled. After everything she’d done, she still couldn’t save Tenley. She and Holden were both going to end up dead.

A lightning bolt shot out of the tornado and across the sky.

On top of it, two figures were wrapped together.

“Is that—”

The lightning bolt headed straight for the roller coaster.

“How could—” Laraby stuttered.

The two figures launched themselves off the lightning bolt and landed directly inside one of the roller coaster cars, still chugging its way up the backside of the rails, out of the tornado’s path.

Before the roller coaster disappeared over the other side, the two figures clambered upright and sank into their seats.

Pennie turned to Laraby. “I think Holden—”

“Just discovered his element,” Laraby finished.

“Well, that’s dandy news for the gravity-gropers, but less dandy for us.” Gavron pointed to the tornado, which had changed course and was heading straight for them now.

Pennie backed up. “Uh, Lar?”

Laraby threw his arms up. “I’ve got nothing.”

Gavron activated his propellers. For a moment, it looked like he was going to abandon the Fair Ones. “I want every last copy of that video, bro. And your promise to never bring it up again. Is that a deal?”

“Deal!” Laraby agreed.

“A hero’s work is never done,” Gavron said, pulling them both into his spinning vortex. “Let’s go, boys!”

The mass of swirling Fair Ones and sipLips lifted away split seconds before the tornado reached them.

Fair City

“Watch where you’re going.” A Fair One glared at Pennie.
Abe’s Tool Shine
was on the back of his robes.

“Sorry.” Pennie stepped around him and resumed her pace up the grand staircase. After acclimating to gravity, she could run circles around the other Fair Ones.

“I’m not even panting!” Pennie called up to Laraby who stood waiting under the entrance of City Hall.

“Let me do the talking,” he said.

Pennie followed Laraby to the Tool Belt Check. The same teen Administrator with the eyebrow piercing chewed loudly her gum.

“Hello. My friend here needs to pick up her tool belt.”

“Ticket?” She held out her hand.

“She lost it.”

“Can’t help you then,” the teen said.

“However.” Laraby rocked back and forth on his toes. “I have remotely programmed the Intel inside one of the Fair One’s devices. So if you’ll stand aside, a locker will open on its own.”

The teen frowned at him. A locker in the top row popped open.

The teen handed Pennie her tool belt, chanking extra loudly on her gum. “That’s pretty cool,” she said. “Never seen no one do that before.”

“Why, thank you.” Laraby bowed.

The alarm sounded.

“No propellers!” Gavron groaned, shaking his head at the three small sipLips, unrecognizable in their crisp white robes and shiny clean faces, huddled in the doorway. “De-activate, boys!” They did. Laraby turned to the teen. “I’m very sorry about that. They are a little rambunctious. It won’t happen again. Will it, boys?”

The sipLips giggled and drooled.

Laraby leaned down to them. “Okay, outside. And remember, stay on the stairs.
No leaving the stairs
. Or there’s no mini moon golf. Do you hear me?”

The sipLips saluted and slurped before spinning out the door.

Pennie buckled her tool belt, which felt a little snugger after all of Mrs. Tylwyth’s cooking. “Three days, Lar? I would have thought Gavron would make you watch them for at least a week in exchange of your tools back.”

Laraby shifted his tool belt and grumbled. “He kept the froyo maker.”

“Maybe that was a good idea.” Pennie nodded at his belly.

The Great Hall was packed, once again. Grumpy, sweating Fair Ones were squeezed shoulder to shoulder.

“What’s going on in here?” Pennie asked.

“Big announcement,” a scruffy Fair One answered. “Original Eights called us all in.”

Laraby looked down at his tablet. “It’s true. I just got the notice.”

Pennie pulled out her own device.
all fair ones report to city hall immediately
, flashed on the screen.

“Must be big.” Laraby nodded up to a stage floating under the hologram clock.
May His Return be Swift
was still
lit brightly over the hours, minutes and seconds since the Super had been gone.

“If there’s eight of em, why are there only seven chairs?” the scruffy Fair One tsked.

“Because technically—” Laraby started.

“No time, Lar.” Pennie pulled him away and dragged him through the crowd to the back exit, where she led him down the hallway.

“Room Seventy-one is this way.”

No one answered. Pennie knocked on the door again. “Tink? Maybe she’s in Command Center.”

Pennie steered Laraby around the corner and down another hall.

“Look for a break in the wall,” Pennie told him.

“Like this one?” Laraby pointed.

“That’s it.”

Inside, rows of Fairs Force were seated on wind seats monitoring the enormous hologram screens.

Laraby froze. “This. Is. Amazing.”

Pennie yanked him in farther. “Tink and I sat back there.”

A familiar figure walked toward them.

“Lord Fairship.” Pennie stopped.

“Yes, hello,” Lord Fairship smiled. “And how may I be of service?”

“Your Fairship. My name’s Fair One
penn 1
. I met you before my travels to Earth for a Right to Delete?”

“Oh yes.” Lord Fairship clasped his hands together.

“
penn 1
, is that you?” Tink slipped around from behind him. “All went well, we heard?”

Pennie noticed Lady Fairship a few steps back, her eyes narrowed tightly.

“We’re just going out for an announcement,” Tink said. “You’ll need to be there as well, I believe.”

“This won’t take long, Tink. I promise. My friend and I—you know Fair One
lara b3
.”

Laraby dipped his head. “Your Fairships.”

Lady Fairship glared at her. Pennie swallowed. “We came to tell you about something that happened during the trip.”

Lady Fairship’s pupils flattened into straight lines. Pennie opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came out.

Laraby saw the look of terror on Pennie’s face and took over. “Right. Something that we don’t think you know about. Something only Lady Fairship knows about, in fact.”

Lord Fairship smiled. “I think Lady Fairship’s told us everything. A few times over.”

“And a few more times after that,” Tink agreed. “A successful Right to Delete we are told!”

Lady Fairship shifted her snake eyes to Laraby.

He cleared his throat. “Did Lady Fairship tell you that she tried to get Fair One
penn 1
to delete her
identity
?”

Lady Fairship’s face hardened. One of her snake eyes twitched.

Lord Fairship shuffled forward. “Whatever are you talking about, Fair One? We don’t allow that. You may want to check it in the Manual.”

“Rule number three, section 5228:
Never shall a Fair One be ordered to delete his or her identity,”
Laraby recited. “
Anyone who tries to do so will be banished.”

Lord Fairship looked impressed with him. “Indeed.”

Lady Fairship only glared harder.

“Is this true, Lady Fairship?” Tinktoria asked.

“Yes.” Lady Fairship cleared her throat. “I’m afraid it is.”

Pennie and Laraby exchanged a quick look. Lord Fairship raised his brow.

“Of course,” Lady Fairship continued, with her eyes trained on Pennie. “This is the necessary order of events when a Fair One is promoted to Lieutenant Fair One.”

Laraby’s jaw dropped. He looked at Pennie.

“A rookie Fair One promoted to a
Lieutenant
Fair One?” Tinktoria asked. “That’s unheard of.”

“Until now,” Lady Fairship said. “You see, what I saw her accomplish on Earth, the way she got her client to agree to the Right to Delete without so much as an argument, well,” she paused, “Fair One
penn 1
is one of the most capable Fair Ones in Fair City.” Lady Fairship attempted a smile.

“Oh well! Very good then.” Lord Fairship clapped. “Congratulations, Fair One
penn 1
.” He shook Pennie’s hand.

Lady Fairship stepped closer to Pennie. “It is wonderful. But I am still awaiting her response. She has yet to officially accept the honor.” She frowned tightly at Pennie. “So tell us,
penn 1
, have you decided to accept the promotion?”

Pennie opened her mouth and closed it again. She looked at Tink and then Laraby. And finally back to Lady Fairship. “My answer depends on whether or not there are
two
promotions available. You see,
lara b3
is just as deserving as I am. More, in fact.”

Lady Fairship’s face grew dark. Over her shoulder, Lord Fairship’s face brightened. “Well, that sounds reasonable. I have to say I do agree. Lady Fairship?”

Lady Fairship stared deep into Pennie’s eyes. “Yes, he most certainly is. Both of you shall be promoted to Lieutenant Fair One.”

A noise fell out of Laraby. Girl-like. “A 3
^rd
i-All,” he squeaked. “A 3
^rd
i-All.”

“Excellent!” Lord Fairship said, shaking Laraby’s hand this time.

“There is one more thing,” Pennie continued, without breaking eye contact with Lady Fairship. “I haven’t yet been reassigned to a new client, now that my old client’s Right to Delete is complete, and she no longer needs my protection, and all.”

A flicker of worry spread across Lady Fairship’s brow.

“Luckily,” Pennie smiled. “I do happen to know of a client in need of protection. I believe you know of her too, Lady Fairship? She saved a little girl from drowning? Her previous Fair One was told to stay—”

“Yes! I know you who mean. Thank you for reminding me.” She glanced at Dan Ringer standing a few feet behind. “Commander? Can you take care of this right away? Assigning this client to
PENN 1
?”

He entered something into his tablet. “It has been arranged, Your Fairship.”

Pennie’s tool belt pinged. She pulled her tablet out. A picture of Tenley Tylwyth’s face with
New Client
and her critical information below stared back at her.

“Perfect,” Tenley said, slipping the tablet back in her belt. “This is exactly who I was thinking of. Thank you, Lady Fairship.”

“Now if you’ll excuse us,” Lady Fairship pushed forward, taking Lord Fairship’s arm. “We have a very important announcement to get to, and we can’t keep the Fair Ones waiting any longer.”

Laraby and Pennie moved to the side to let the Fairships pass. When Tinktoria reached her, Pennie stepped forward. “Tink, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“I’m afraid it will have to wait, Fair One. I mean future
Lieutenant
Fair One.” Tink gave her a hasty smile and hurried out the door after the other Fairships.

Laraby shook his head. “It worked. You managed to threaten exposing Lady Fairship’s attempt to remove your identity in exchange for getting Tenley back as your client.
And
you got us both promoted to Lieutenant Fair One. Lady Fairship is right, you
are
the most capable Fair One in Fair City.”

“And you’ll make the most capable
Lieutenant
Fair One in Fair City,” Pennie said.

Laraby’s face fell.

“What is it?”

“Your persuasive talents aside, she did cave awfully fast. Do you think Lady Fairship might be hiding something bigger than just trying to get your identity erased?”

“Like what kind of bigger?”

“I’m not sure.” Laraby gave one last glance around Command Center. “We better get out there for the announcement,” he said. “Hopefully Gavron hasn’t done something worth announcing.”

Before they stepped into the Great Hall, Laraby stopped. “What you did for me, Fair One Pennie, I can’t begin to express my gratitude for. Thank you.”

Pennie smirked. “Don’t thank me yet. You might be making the biggest mistake of your life.”

Hadley Beach

Principal Frimpy clapped too hard into the microphone and smiled down at his notes, unaware that most of the students and parents were covering their ears. Behind him, at the back of the stage, a long
Congratulations, Graduates!
sign hung between two bouquets of balloons.

“Congratulations again, eighth-grade graduates,” Principal Frimpy said, placing his hands on either side of the podium. “Now before we let you go, we do have one final order of business. Most of you know that Mr. Mingby and his students were caught in a horrible tornado. Our thoughts are with all the affected families.

One of our own Hadley Middle School students performed a magnificent act of courage that saved a young girl from drowning. This student’s actions were, and why should I be surprised, captured on video and immediately put on social medial.
This time
however, producing a
positive
result for our community. So let’s bring her up as our Hometown Hero. Tenley Tylwyth. You know her as our official nominee for
America’s Next Most Inspirational Teen
!”