Power (Book 1)

Chapter 31

I pointed at the schematic. "Okay, you guys. My plan depends heavily on two main things: the fact that the chances of Metagor and Sage being there is almost 100 percent and that this schematic is accurate." I looked at Jake, who nodded his head in confirmation. 

"First thing- stealth is not an option. We're going into unknown territory. The Master's mansion is probably loaded with cameras, traps, and other things that would keep any unwanted visitors off his property. When we go in, we go in hard and fast-" I put my fist in my hand for emphasis "-and hope that we can disable him long enough to transport this city back to where it belongs. We arrest him, and Jake can handle it from there. Got it?"

Cassie raised her hand. "Jay, I have one question. Why am I here? I mean, you could have picked any other super-powered person, but why me?"

"I'm glad you asked," I said. "I wanted you to be here because you're the only person I know who can read minds."

"How does reading minds help us?" Jake asked.

I sighed. They really needed to think. "Okay, think about it. If Cassie reads minds, and the Master controls minds, then what better way to get a leg up on what's coming than to have Cassie there? She can tell us who the Master is bringing for us."

"Oh," Blink said. "So she's like an early warning system."

"Exactly," I said.

"That's smart," Jake said. "But that still doesn't help us with the predicament of actually getting in."

"Who said it'll be difficult?" I said.

"It probably will be. If he's been controlling the entire city since before we were born, then he's got to be pretty powerful. And that means getting in will have to be hard. Defeating him will be, too."

"Don't worry about getting to him," I said. "Leave that to me. Besides, that will be the least of our problems. The more pressing matter will be the people he summons to fight for him."

"Yeah, we definitely need to get a handle on that. Just Sage and Metagor are going to be tough, but with other people we have to fight too? That will be hard," Cassie said.

"Here's what I've got on that," I said. "I think Metagor's tail is his weak point. Whenever he's not using it to shoot spikes at you- which, by the way, is an ability I just found out he had- it just flops on the ground, useless. If we could get a hold of that, then we would have the upper hand."

"And Sage?" Cassie said.

I puffed air out of my mouth. "I'm working on it. I think I have another way of beating her. Because obviously, hitting her with a sonic clap isn't enough."

"What?" Cassie said. Jake and Blink had equally confused looks on their faces.

"Nothing," I said. "Anyway, we need to attack at night. I won't tell you when. We need to have no plan of action other than what I just told you."

"Why?" Blink asked.

"Because the Master can take over you at any moment, at any time. We can't have him knowing the plan."

"I noticed you said 'you'," Blink said. "Does that mean that you can't be controlled?"

"Yes, it does," I said.