Mayhem by Jeffrey Salane

Author:Jeffrey Salane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2016-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

A low-toned bell rang once from inside the house when M pressed the illuminated button by the front door. The sound echoed peacefully and calmed her down. She didn’t have much experience meeting her friends’ parents. The exception was Calvin Fence — who she supposed was more of an enemy now, actually. Either way, it hadn’t gone well. Cal’s mom, Ms. Watts, had tried to kill her. His dad, Mr. Fence, had been abducted while on a mission with M. Not the best batting average for meeting friends’ families.

But this was a dire situation. Keyshawn needed medical attention, both Lawless and the Fulbrights were after her, and Merlyn was one of the few people on the planet she could trust.

In the window, M could see her disheveled reflection. Her clothes were wrinkled and looked slept in, though still probably a better choice than her battle suit. She tried to tame her hair, but each time she patted it down it sprang back like an umbrella popping open automatically. There were soot smudges on the side of her neck that wouldn’t rub off and a nice-size goose egg above her left eye, probably where Adam or Rex had connected during their fight. But she put on a smile and placed her hands behind her in the most unassuming pose she could muster.

From behind the library shelves, a woman emerged wearing a black dress with three-quarter sleeves. Her blond hair bounced airily with each step and her bright red high-heeled shoes clicked as she approached the door. She looked through the glass and gave M a sideways, curious smile before turning the knob.

“Hello?” Her eyes met with M’s and then moved past her to the black van parked in her driveway.

“Hello, ma’am, I’m friends with your son, Merlyn. Is he home?” M felt silly asking the question. It was an act of courtesy and social politeness, but gosh-darn-it if she didn’t sound like a blast from the past goody-two-shoes.

“He is,” confirmed the woman as she stepped aside and invited M inside with a lithe hand gesture. Everything about her was graceful, as if she were completely unbothered by a strange-looking kid showing up on her doorstep unannounced at nine o’clock at night. “I’m Merlyn’s mother, Mrs. Eaves. May I have your name?”

“Freeman. M Freeman.”

“Of course.” The woman showed a polite flash of white teeth that read as both relaxed and threatening. “We’ve heard so much about you. It’s wonderful to finally meet in person. Will your friends be joining us?”

“Respectfully, ma’am, only if it’s okay with Merlyn, yourself, and Mr. Eaves,” said M.

“Then let’s go ask Merlyn, shall we?” Mrs. Eaves eased the door closed and led M deeper into the house. There was a long zipper running down the back of her dress that made M reimagine the woman as a robot, how the metal teeth flowed along her spine and stood out so drastically against the black fabric. The situation felt suddenly dangerous, but M followed along.

Behind the library shelves

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