Read Online Spell Robbers by Matthew J. Kirby - Free Book Online

jaw. The pain was still there. He wanted to scream. “Just give me my life back. Please.”
    “Okay.”
    Okay?
    Ben turned to Agent Spear.
    “These are special circumstances,” the man said. “And we need you. You’re the only one who’s used the portable augmenter. You help us recover it, and we’ll restore your life.” He extended a hand. “Deal?”
    “Restore it now, and then I’ll help you.”
    Agent Spear shook his head. “Afraid I can’t do that. This mission might take days or even weeks. We can’t have your mom going stir-crazy missing you and looking for you that whole time.” He still held out his hand. “You don’t want to cause her that pain, do you?”
    Ben thought back to the way his mom had looked at him. No recognition. No familiarity. It had made him feel like he wasn’t himself. But maybe it was better this way for her. “After the mission, you’ll put things back. She’ll know me again.”
    “You’ll have your life back.”
    “You swear?”
    “I swear.”
    “Peter, too?”
    “If that’s what Peter wants. But that’s his decision.”
    Ben eyed the agent’s hand for a long moment. And then he shook it.

    Back at the Quantum League headquarters, Peter greeted Ben with a broad grin. “Glad you came back.”
    Ben couldn’t say the same, but he was at least glad to see Peter again. “You were pretty eager to join up.”
    Peter spread his arms wide. “Why wouldn’t I be? Now my dad won’t have to worry about whether I’m smart enough.”
    “What about your mom and your sister?”
    “They won’t know what they’re missing.”
    “But won’t you?”
    Peter shrugged. “I’ll get over it.”
    “Just like that?”
    “Just like that.”
    Maybe Peter could do that. Ben couldn’t. But then, he didn’t have a home like Peter did. Maybe things would actually be better for his friend here, a fresh start with the Quantum League. Maybe this was where Peter belonged. But what would happen to Peter after the mission was over, and Ben left to go home?
    “Gentlemen,” Agent Taggart said. “It’s time to get you two squared away, and then I’ll introduce you to your trainer.”
    Ben and Peter followed her to a supply room, where she loaded their arms with black uniforms, sheets, and gray wool blankets. After that, she led them downstairs into the basement. It was a large single room with a low ceiling, and it smelled like popcorn. White square columns marched down the basement’s center. There was a sitting area around a large TV, and an old, wrinkled pool table. Ben figured the space had probably been used by the church’s youth program, but now served as the barracks. Metal-framed beds lined the walls on either side. Agent Taggart led them down the rows to two beds at the far end.
    “These will be yours,” she said. “Men are downstairs, women are upstairs.”
    “Okay,” Ben said.
    “Drop your things,” she said. “You can make your beds later.”
    Ben and Peter dumped their stuff on their beds and followed Agent Taggart back upstairs. They went to the training room, and in spite of his resistance to being in the League, Ben took an excited step toward the door as Agent Taggart pressed the buzzer.
    They went inside, and just like before, all the actuation had stopped.
    Agent Taggart checked something on her phone. “I need Agent Lambert, please!”
    The girl Ben had seen earlier, the one with the blue-and-black hair, came toward them, and Agent Taggart ushered the three of them back out into the hall.
    “Yes?” the girl said, eyeing Ben and Peter sideways.
    “Agent Lambert, these are our newest recruits. Just detached today.”
    “Welcome.” She smiled.
    “This is Ben, and this is Peter. They were with Dr. Hughes at the university.”
    “That class we’ve had under surveillance?” Agent Lambert asked.
    “Yes,” Agent Taggart said. “So they’ve had some rudimentary training. I’m entrusting you to pick up where Dr. Hughes left off, and fix any mistakes