Cragbridge Hall, Volume 2: The Avatar Battle (33 page)

The guard was on her immediately. “You get back up.” He pointed his gun at her forehead.

“I will,” Abby said, trying to shift back to her position on the ground. While the guard wasn’t looking at Carol, she made eye contact with Abby, asking with her eyes if she needed to continue. “Just stop it, Carol,” Abby said. “No more freaking out.”

Carol calmed, though she had a very confused expression on her face.

Abby looked at the
Hindenburg
, then back to the guard. “But I’m serious. I’ll go back in time.” Sweat now trickled down her brow. “I’ll stop the
Hindenburg
. We don’t need her,” Abby gestured with her head toward Carol. “We can turn the keys. And I can go in.”

A gust of wind blew the large blimp and it had to change its course toward the landing. She didn’t have long until it burst into flames.

“I don’t have much time,” Abby shouted.

The guard moved to Abby’s side and began to untie her. The two approached the console of the Bridge. “Let’s turn the keys on three,” Abby said. “One, two . . .” and she stabbed the guard in the hand with the dart.

In one movement, the guard pushed Abby down and pointed his gun. Abby rolled just as he fired, the bullet barely missing her and ricocheting through the basement. Abby looked up to see the barrel of the gun pointed at her chest.

And then the soldier fell over.

Abby panted for only a second before running to untie Carol. “Help me turn the keys, then find your rings. Tell Derick they’re coming. I need to save my family.”

33

Crash and Burn

Derick snapped his mighty jaws, barely missing a soldier’s leg. He loved this crocodile. Not only was it powerful, but its realistic hard scales added an extra layer of protection against the bullets. He quickly switched to the tiger and caught a man from behind, knocking him to the jungle floor. In his peripheral vision, he could see Rafa whirling and kicking in the unfinished human avatar. He grunted and panted as he fought. “Where’s my mom?” he screamed. The avatar prodigy was one of the best in the world. He was also hopelessly outnumbered, but he was fighting with passion.

Back in the lab, Derick’s rings vibrated. He couldn’t check messages now.

Still a tiger, he leapt from the ground at another man, who swung his gun and caught Derick in the gut. He could feel the air rush out of him.

He rolled, trying to recover his breath. Then he caught a glimpse of another trailer, further in the jungle with two more men standing guard.

“I think your mom is in a trailer, about a hundred yards in front of you,” Derick yelled to Rafa. “The men who are guarding it aren’t coming to help.”

“Thanks,” Rafa said, panting. “This avatar is almost out. Stall them just long enough for me to get another.”

“Feel free to use my croc,” Derick said. “He’s already the closest.”

“No,” Rafa said. “I think it’s time to go sneaky.”

Derick leapt out from behind the trees and raced his tiger toward the guarded trailer. He hoped this would get their attention.

Shots rang out. He tried to gain more speed. He felt bullets sear through him. He leapt in the air toward the guards.

He shrieked in pain, and then he was back in the lab.

“Thanks, Derick,” Rafa said. “I’m out of the trailer and sneaking around them.”

Derick exhaled. “Don’t mention it. No, wait. Actually do. Mention it to everyone, especially the Crash. I want in.” He took in one more breath of air, feeling his sweat dripping from his face and running into his mouth. “All right, croc. I’m coming back.” He looked through his lenses for his crocodile’s name—
Maxilas
—but saw a message waiting. His instincts were not to open it, but when he saw it was from Carol, he quickly clicked.

Mackleprank was coming. And he had full access to the lab. The locks and security measures would not stop him. If Mackleprank and his goons came while both he and Rafa were in the avatars, they were easy prey.

“We have company coming after us in the lab, Rafa,” Derick explained. “And more are going after teachers with keys.” Rafa continued to creep. “I’m going to try to go in,” he said. “I’ve got to save her.” The determination in Rafa’s voice was unmistakable. “Just give me some time.”

“I will,” Derick promised, hoping he could. But even if he could stop Mackleprank, how was he going to stop the other soldiers from getting members of the other Council if they hadn’t already? He couldn’t be everywhere at once, not even with the avatars. He needed more people.

Oh, yeah.

“Wait, Rafa,” Derick said. “Before you go in, could you send a message?”

“To who?” Rafa asked.

“The Crash,” Derick answered. “We’re going to need backup.”

• • •

Abby jumped from the basement onto a large blimp in the 1930s. She grabbed her unconscious mother under the arms and pulled, dragging her a few inches. She pulled again—a few more inches.

“That felt so trippy,” Carol said, entering behind her. “I’ve never crossed into the past before—awesome!” She ran to Abby’s side and grabbed Abby’s mother’s feet. “Let me help.” With the two of them working together, they succeeded in pulling her back into the basement of Cragbridge Hall. As they gently set her down, Abby heard a loud boom.

“Oh, no,” Abby said.

“Flaming explosion time.”

They both jumped back into the past and grabbed hold of Abby’s father. The blimp lurched downward. Fire crept up the wall to their side. A package beside them ignited.

“Look out,” Carol yelled, but Abby’s pant leg caught the flames.

“Keep going,” Abby shouted. She could feel the fire creeping up her.

The two lunged back into the basement of Cragbridge Hall, pulling Abby’s dad with them.

Abby rolled across the hard ground several times before the flames were out. She glanced back at the baggage hold of the
Hindenburg
. Fire engulfed it.

Grandpa was still in there.

• • •

Derick waited behind the door to the avatar lab. He hoped he was in the right avatar for the situation. From Carol’s message, Mackleprank and several men were coming all at once. And they would probably all arrive before the Crash. He had to defend the lab by himself.

He heard movement and the beeps and clicks of someone entering. At any moment Mackleprank and armed soldiers would burst in, ready to capture them. Or worse, maybe they were ready to kill. Derick tried to slow his breathing. He tried to remember the rushing Civil War army. Their greatest weapons were their courage, their determination, and surprise. He would need all three if he was going to beat whoever had been impersonating the avatar teacher.

Derick tried to time it just right. He heard the large doors sliding open. Four men raced in.

Now!

Derick took one awkward step and swung his head like a wrecking ball with his long neck. His hundreds of pounds of force collided with all four men before they could get off a shot. All four flew into the wall.

The momentum nearly sent Derick’s giraffe to the ground, but he managed to prop himself back up against the wall. “Thanks for making me practice,” Derick said, looking down at Dr. Mackleprank. He knew the teacher couldn’t hear him—the giraffe itself couldn’t speak—but he had to say it anyway.

Mackleprank rolled and lunged at Derick. The others were out, but Mackleprank was a robot.

“I think I’ve got it now.” Derick flung his giraffe neck, catching Mackleprank midair and throttling him to the ground. He didn’t get up as quickly this time. Derick heard metal bending and snapping. “That’s for Entrese.” Derick slammed his giraffe head into Mackleprank again. “And Adonavich.” Again. “And Horne.” The robot lay with one arm broken off, its chest open, exposing torn metal and broken electronics.

For the very first time, Derick loved giraffes. He had done it. He had used a giraffe to conquer Mackleprank himself. Well, kind of Mackleprank. He felt adrenaline coursing through him.

Then he heard it—movement from inside the avatar lab, deeper than where his body was hooked up to sensors and a suspension system. The sound came from the back of Dr. Mackleprank’s office.

Derick realized suddenly that Mackleprank had access to it all. He was coming back in another avatar.

• • •

Abby leapt into the flaming room, her arm over her face. The heat pressed against her skin and smoke curled up into her nostrils. She choked several times, but moved to her grandfather’s side. The fire had caught about half of the cases and bags, but Grandpa was still okay. At least for now. She remembered seeing how quickly the flames engulfed the entire zeppelin.

Abby hacked again and grabbed hold of her grandfather. She pulled, heaving him further than she had been able to pull either of her parents. Either he was lighter, or adrenaline had made her stronger.

Carol had his feet in moments. She had jumped in too. Abby would have started to cry at her friend’s courage if she didn’t have flames and all three of their lives to worry about.

They pulled him again, but Grandpa’s leg caught against a case. Carol quickly worked it free, then her eyes went wide.

Abby looked over her shoulder. A wall of flame stood between them and their passage back into their time. Her grandfather felt so much heavier now. Maybe her strength was waning or the smoke was taking its toll.

“Let’s just go through it,” Abby yelled. “Now!” She pulled, her body going into the flames. She screamed, the blaze scorching her. She needed to move more—now! She pulled and pulled again. Finally, Abby, Carol, and Grandpa fell onto the basement floor.

The room was filled with thick black smoke.

“Turn the keys,” Abby shouted.

Carol rushed to the console as Abby stamped out the fire on her arms and smothered the flames on her grandfather.

Carol didn’t turn the keys, but moved the perspective of the Bridge above and far away from the blimp. The smoke filtered out the other side of the room like it was a giant window. Clever.

They did it. Grandpa and her parents were safe. No one changed the past.

Abby looked over at Carol, who had singed hair and a hole burnt in the corner of her shirt. Then she remembered. “The teachers aren’t safe.” She looked at the guard whom she had pricked with the dart. Something rose within her. She crossed the room and picked up the straw and several darts that had fallen to the floor. Someone had been sneaking around in the night with these things. Someone had struck her with terror. Now it was her turn.

• • •

A large bull careened through the back door of the avatar lab. Mackleprank was back.

Derick didn’t have much time. He decided to wait and, at the last second, he swung his long giraffe neck, hitting the bull with his head.

Then his air was gone. It felt like his lungs had completely collapsed. He couldn’t breathe. The bull had hit him at full speed. He had to switch. Derick pushed the back of his neck. Then his eyes opened as a gorilla. “Come on, Kong,” Derick panted, exhausted. How long could he do this? He took a deep breath and ran out of the back hall just as the bull was charging toward the lab, where Rafa’s real body was moving in a flurry; he must be using his avatar to fight again. Derick’s real body was right next to Rafa’s. It felt so strange to look at himself from the avatar eyes.

If he didn’t get over there soon, and the bull hit them, he might not see his real body ever again.

Derick moved quickly over the tables and collided with the bull. It felt like ramming a wall, but it was enough to knock the bull off course.

After passing his targets, the bull regained its footing and veered back toward Rafa’s and Derick’s bodies. Derick used his gorilla to charge after him. He hoped this worked. At the last second, Derick jumped and grabbed onto the bull’s horns. He pulled to one side as hard as he could until the bull veered and crashed into a string of tables and screens.

“What’s going on?” A boy with a Southern drawl asked. Derick whipped his head around to see a tall boy with dark black skin rushing into the room. “I just saw a trashed giraffe, three unconscious guys, and a bashed up robot that looked like Dr. Mackleprank.”

“There isn’t much time to explain,” Derick blurted out. “But right now this bull avatar is trying to kill Rafa and me!” He mounted the bull, who was making his way toward Derick and Rafa.

“Is that you, Tryout?” the boy asked.

“Yeah. Please help me!” Derick pleaded.

“I’m coming,” the boy said. “No one messes with the Crash.”

The bull bucked, trying to throw Derick off. He still held on tight by the horns, but his gorilla body was soon thrown in front of the bull. He shuffled his feet across the ground, trying to avoid being trampled.

The boy must have rushed to grab more sensors and hook up, because right when Derick thought he was about to pass out and have his real body pummeled by the bull, a rhino bounded out of the lab and slammed into his enemy. The bull tried to get up, but was pounded again and again by the gorilla and rhino team.

A girl screamed. “Quit screaming and suit up,” the Southern boy said. “We need to help out Rafa.”

Mackleprank came out again as a lion, but this time a gorilla, a rhino, and another lion were there to meet him. Mackleprank’s odds were not good.