Shinji gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain control over the swirling winds. It was like trying to hold on to a flailing octopus, with the tentacles going everywhere at once. The whirlwind picked up more pieces of debris and flung them here and there, but it also caught the pile of cables and computer wires from the broken crate. The tangle rose into the air and began swirling around the robot dogs. It wrapped around their legs and bodies, entangling them in a net of wire and rope. They snarled and snapped at the cables, tearing through them with metal fangs, but for the moment, they were distracted.

  “Roux,” Shinji said through clenched teeth, “now!”

  Roux sprang forward. The dogs spotted him and immediately began snarling and trying to attack. But the knot of wires slowed them down. Roux dodged out of the way of one lunging dog, spun around its haunches, and stuck Tinker to the middle of its back. He quickly leaped back to avoid the snapping jaws as the dog whirled around and bit at him.

  “Yes!” Shinji cheered just as the power rushing through him sputtered out. The winds died and the whirlwind vanished, sending cables and broken pieces of wood clattering to the floor. Shinji swayed on his feet, then collapsed to the cement. For a few seconds, he knelt on his hands and knees as he waited for the dizziness to fade and for the room to stop spinning.

  A growl echoed above him. Panting, Shinji raised his head…and came face-to-face with one of the robot dogs. Coils of wire and cables were still wrapped around it, dragging along the floor, but it didn’t seem slowed by them any longer. The canine stared down at Shinji with baleful red eyes. Its metal jaws opened, showing rows of glittering steel fangs. It tensed to lunge, and Shinji braced himself for the attack.

  Something slammed into the dog from the side, knocking it away. It tumbled over the concrete in a cloud of sparks before smashing into a pile of crates. Wide-eyed, Shinji looked up as the second robot dog stepped between him and the first. Tinker crouched on its back, his eyes flickering a neon green, and Shinji noticed that the dog’s glowing red eyes had turned green as well.

  With a snarl, the red-eyed dog leaped to its feet and lunged, and the dog Tinker was controlling sprang forward to stop it. The two metal creatures slammed into each other in the center of the room, and it sounded like a pair of cars colliding on the highway. Metal screeched, iron crumpled,

  and fangs clanked harmlessly off steel hide as the robot dogs began fighting.

  “Shinji.” Oliver was suddenly beside him, dragging him to his feet. “Whatever that was, it was crazy,” he said as Shinji stumbled, leaning on his arm for balance. “I don’t know why I expected the three of you to do what you were supposed to do, which was to find the idol and get out. Are you all right?”

  “You’re welcome,” Shinji rasped sarcastically, earning a snort from Oliver. The robot dogs were still fighting, but it was impossible to see if they were doing any damage to each other. He just heard metal teeth scraping off metal bodies, but at least the dogs weren’t coming after him and the others anymore.

  With a squeak, Tinker scampered across the floor. Lucy bent down to help him, and he leaped into her palms. “Come on,” she said as she rose. “Tinker was able to reprogram the first dog. It’ll keep fighting the other one until they’re deactivated. That should give us enough time to find the statue and get out.”

  “Well, I must say I am impressed,” Phoebe said as they jogged away from the dogs, heading farther into the warehouse. “The three of you make quite the team. And, Shinji, that was you calling on the Coatl’s powers, wasn’t it? How exciting! It seems my meditation techniques are working.”

  “Yeah,” Shinji replied, and shrugged. “Breathe in, breathe out. Easy.”

  Of course, it wasn’t that easy, but Shinji understood his magic a lot more now than he did before. And it was only possible through the help of his friends. Once he stopped trying to do everything himself, things made a lot more sense.

  “That’s great and all,” Roux said, “but we still have to find that idol. If you haven’t noticed by now, this place is huge. It’ll take forever to find it.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Phoebe told him, and tapped her finger to the side of her head. “Remember when I said I had a photographic memory? All we have to do is go to the end of this aisle, turn left, follow that aisle, turn right, turn right again, walk three aisles over, turn left, duck under the stairs to the upper level, walk four more aisles, turn down the aisle marked ‘underwater accoutrements,’ turn left at the split, and then go all the way to the end. The lockbox will be on a shelf at the end of the aisle. See? Easy-peasy, right? Anyone could find it.”

  “Um. Sure.” Oliver winced. “We’ll just follow you.”

  A few minutes later, they stood in a narrow aisle, staring at the shelf at the end. A single lockbox sat in the center of the metal frame, nestled between rusty tubes and a box filled with copper buttons. The lockbox blended perfectly with the other items on the shelf. If they hadn’t been following Phoebe, they would have walked right past it. A bulky iron padlock hung from the door, covered in dirt and rust.

  “Huh,” Oliver commented, looking skeptical as they stared at the tiny safe. “You know, considering this is holding a sacred idol for the possession of which a mythological creature is going to flatten a city, I was expecting something a little…grander. So, who’s going to open it?”

  “It’s not electronic,” Lucy said. “Tinker won’t be able to unlock it.”

  Roux chuckled. “Good thing you guys have me, then.”

  Digging into his pocket, he pulled out an ordinary-looking wire that had been twisted around into a bent pick.

  “Padlocks are easy,” he muttered, sticking the pick into the keyhole. “I used to practice on the bikes chained up around town. Combination locks are a little harder, but you just gotta get the feel for them.” He grunted, frowning as he fiddled with the padlock. “Problem is, this thing is so rusty, finding the right angle is…Ha. Got it. As Phoebe would say, easy-peasy.”

  With a faint click, the lock opened. Shinji held his breath as the door swung back. Inside, the safe was empty, except for a small, stone statue, carved in the likeness of a boar. An odd thrill went through him. It was definitely the idol he’d seen in his vision—the one the soldiers had stolen.

  Roux wrinkled his nose.

  “That’s it? That’s what the Storm Boar is throwing a temper tantrum about? A hunk of rock shaped like a pig?”

  “It’s not the size,” Phoebe said. “It’s what it represents. Clearly, that idol is the physical representation of the connection between the people of the island and the Storm Boar. Obviously, it is very important to him.”

  “Well.” Oliver sighed. “We’d better get it back to him, then. Shinji, why don’t you grab the idol so we can get out of here?”

  Shinji hesitated, remembering a tiny novelty shop in Africa, and the statue of a winged snake on a dusty shelf. “The last time I grabbed an idol, I got stuck with a magic tattoo,” he said. “I don’t know if I can deal with two guardians.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Phoebe assured him. “This is a completely different situation. Back then, the Coatl wanted you to return his stolen idol to the temple. Now the Storm Boar wants you to return his stolen idol to the heart of the storm.”

  “How is that a different situation?” Lucy asked. “It’s almost exactly the same!”

  “Oh.” Phoebe paused, thinking about that. “You’re right! Well…” She glanced at Shinji and smiled. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

  Shinji grimaced. “Okay, fine.” Looking at the idol, he started to reach for it, but before he could grab it, Roux’s hand shot out, quicker than he could respond, and snatched the figurine from the safe.

  “There,” Roux said triumphantly, holding it up. “I’ve got it. Now can we… ?” He stiffened, eyes going wide, before he started jerking and spasming wildly. “Aaagh!”

  “Roux!” Phoebe cried as Lucy screamed. Shinji’s stomach twisted hard, and he started to reach for the statue, to snatch it out of Roux’s grip. Maybe if he grabbed it instead of Roux, the power of the Storm Boar wouldn’t affect him as much.

  But then Roux abruptly stopped shaking. Raising his head, he gave them all a mischievous grin. “Got ya.”

  Lucy punched Roux in the shoulder. Shinji would’ve done the same, but he knew how much Lucy’s punches hurt. “Don’t do that!” Lucy scolded, though she seemed to be holding back a smile.

  Oliver actually snorted a laugh, shaking his head. “Hilarious,” he said begrudgingly. “Shaved a few years off my life, but nicely done. Now, can we get out of here, please? Before we get attacked by any more drones, cameras, robot dogs, or security guards shooting lasers from their eyeballs?”

  Before Shinji could answer, the lights overhead flickered. A moment later, a growl of thunder shook the very walls around them, making Shinji’s skin prickle.

  “Storm’s coming,” Oliver muttered, sounding much graver now. “All right, everyone, let’s get serious. We really are nearly out of time.”

  Shockingly, they made it outside and back over the fence without any further problems, though Tinker did have to warn them about the drones still flying around the yard. Outside, the wind had picked up, smelling of rain and the coming storm. Above them, the sky was pitch-black, but over the ocean, lightning flickered ominously against the horizon. As Oliver had said, the storm was on its way.

  “So, the Coatl told us that we have to deliver the statue into the heart of the storm,” Phoebe said, gazing out toward the ocean. “But we don’t have a ship anymore, and I don’t think there’s time to procure a new one. Not to mention, I can’t think of any ship captain who would be willing to sail their vessel in a hurricane. Well, except for Oliver.”

  “A ship is too slow,” Oliver said. “By the time we could get close enough, the storm would already be here. We’re going to have to fly.…” He grimaced, his face going slightly pale. “And there’s only one person I know who’s crazy enough to fly right into the heart of a hurricane.”

  “Oh no,” Lucy said, her eyes widening. “Please say you’re not talking about…”

  “Afraid so,” Oliver went on. “And I’ve already called her, so we need to get going. There’s a private airfield a couple miles up the coast. She and Rhett are waiting for us there.”

  “Hello, everyone!” Scarlett greeted, waving enthusiastically as they approached. Her bright red hair snapped, the ends of her scarf whipping about in the gale. Behind her, the rusty, hulking form of Rhett sat on the runway, propellers moving very slightly in the wind.

  “So, Shinji, Oliver tells me you need someone to fly into a hurricane,” Scarlett said as they all crowded in front of the plane. “I thought he was joking at first, but apparently there was this angry guardian that was freed and now it’s

  going to destroy the city unless a special statue is returned, or something?”

  “Pretty much,” Shinji said, and held up the idol. “I have to take this thing into the heart of the storm and…give it back there, I suppose.”

  “You?” Scarlett blinked at that and shot Oliver a look that was suddenly alarmed. “You didn’t mention Shinji was coming along for this ride, Ocean,” she said. “Granted, I have no problems flying into a hurricane myself, even if Rhett has never done it before. But if Priya knew you were taking kids into this storm, she would absolutely kill you.”

  “I know,” Oliver groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

  “Shinji must come,” Phoebe said. “This is not an ordinary storm. It’s likely we’ll need his guardian powers to get the idol where it needs to go.”

  Shinji met Scarlett’s gaze. “I have to do this, Scarlett,” he said firmly. “I caused this storm. I have to be the one to fix it. But…” He glanced at the others, at Lucy and Phoebe, Oliver and Roux, and took a breath. “I’ll need everyone’s help to get me there.”

  “And if Shinji’s going, I’m going.” Lucy lifted her chin in her don’t-mess-with-me stance. “I’m a member of SEA. If this doesn’t show everyone that I’m not with Hightower anymore, I don’t know what will.”

  Everyone looked at Roux. “What about you, kiddo?” Oliver asked. “We’re about to fly right into a hurricane. If you want to sit this one out, no one will blame you.”

  “Yeah.” Roux sighed. “That would be the smart thing to do.” He glanced at Shinji with a wry grin. “But you don’t bail on your team in the last five minutes of the game.”

  “I see. Well, if everyone is decided, then I guess we’re going to be flying into a hurricane,” Scarlett said, returning to her frenetic cheerfulness. “I’ve never flown directly into a hurricane before, but Rhett and I are up for a challenge, isn’t that right, big guy?” She patted the side of the plane affectionately, and Shinji heard a clunk inside, as if something had fallen off. “He’s ready if you guys are. I’m going to guess time is of the essence?”

  “When is it not?” Oliver sighed as Scarlett wrenched back the plane door with a rusty screech, making everyone except Phoebe cringe. “Here we go again,” Oliver muttered as they all climbed aboard the plane. “Should I go ahead and strap that parachute on right now?”

  “Oh, I got rid of that,” Scarlett told him with a casual wave. “I didn’t see the need for just the one; there’s no way I’d abandon Rhett like that. Besides, you’re not going to need a parachute, Ocean. It’s far more likely the entire plane will plummet into the water.”

  “Scarlett.” Oliver grimaced. “Did you really need to mention that last part?”

  “Probably not. But it’s worth it to see your expression.” Scarlett grinned and shut the door with another grinding screech.

  Shinji sat down on the uncomfortable seat, quickly clicking the seat belt into place. His heart was pounding so hard, it felt like drumbeats in his ears. Lucy wasn’t looking much better, and even Roux, who had never flown with Scarlett, was already slightly green.

  “All right, everyone buckled in?” Scarlett asked as she slipped into the pilot seat and flipped several levers. “I normally don’t say this, but hold on to your hats, pants, lunch, or whatever you don’t want to lose. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

  “So completely normal,” Oliver muttered, jamming his seat belt into place. Shinji curled his fingers tightly around the idol as the plane rumbled to life and began rolling down the runway. As much as Oliver joked about Scarlett’s flying, he knew this particular flight was going to be much, much worse than usual.

  As the plane left the ground and climbed shakily into the air, Shinji gazed out the window, and his stomach twisted so hard he felt sick.

  A massive wall of black clouds hovered on the horizon, blocking out the sky. Lightning flickered in its depths, blue-white strands crawling through the belly of the clouds. A sharp gust of wind tossed the plane, causing it to jerk up, and Shinji clenched his jaw.

  “Yep, that is a hurricane,” Scarlett observed. She didn’t sound afraid. There was an undercurrent of excitement in

  her voice, as if she relished the challenge. “Looks like a nasty one, too. All right, Rhett. This is your moment. Don’t let me down.”

  The plane seemed to surge forward in response, rising into the air toward the looming storm, and Scarlett chuckled. “All right, everyone! This is it. Into the heart of the storm we go!”

  Fighting the gale that shrieked around them, they flew into the hurricane.

  Curtains of water slashed at the windows while pellets of hail beat against the metal walls like tiny hammers. Lightning flashed, and thunder boomed all around them, rattling the glass and making the entire airplane shake. The winds were a constant, howling nightmare, ripping at Rhett’s wings and propellers, and the plane dipped, jerked, and bounced wildly as it fought against the storm.

  Shinji’s jaw hurt from clenching so hard, his knuckles white as they gripped the statue. Beside him, Lucy and Roux were tense, with Lucy trying not to gasp every time the plane fell from the sky. Oliver had both hands on the wall next to his seat, bracing himself, and even Phoebe looked a little green.

  The plane rose sharply into the air, thrown by a gust of wind, and Shinji’s stomach leaped to his throat.

  “Woo-hoo!” Scarlett cheered, as if they were on a roller coaster at a theme park and not fighting a monstrous natural

  disaster. “Is that the best you got, you nasty thing? Come on, why are you holding back?”

  “Scarlett, maybe we shouldn’t taunt the angry, mythological hurricane god,” Oliver said through a clenched jaw. “Call me crazy, but I don’t think attracting the Storm Boar’s attention is the best strategy.…Oh.”

  His voice trailed off, and Lucy let out a gasp. Shinji looked out the window, just as a section of clouds broke away from the rest, swirling into the form of an enormous boar. Not the Storm Boar itself, Shinji realized; this was a cloud shaped like a wild pig, not the massive, intimidating Storm Boar of legend. But it was still huge and powerful-looking, nearly as big as the plane, and clearly not happy.

  With a thunderous roar that caused lightning to erupt around it, the cloud boar charged the plane.

  Scarlett banked hard, barely dodging the boar as it thundered past, and Roux let out a yelp as the plane dropped from the sky. Oliver braced himself against the wall again, squeezing his eyes shut. “Right, I think my point has been made. If we live through this, remind me to tell you I told you so.”

  “Why is the stupid pig attacking us?” Roux wanted to know. “We’re trying to give him back his statue. Stop trying to kill us, pig!”

  “I think he’s just too enraged to see reason,” Phoebe said, grabbing her seat belt as the plane dodged the pig once more.

  “He doesn’t care who we are or what we’re trying to do; he’s just lashing out at everything in his anger.”

  The plane swerved away from the boar’s next attack, but this time, it didn’t move fast enough. A tusk clipped one of the wings, and a vicious blast of wind upended the plane, sending it spiraling away into the clouds. Rhett tumbled through the air, making Shinji feel like he was in the inside of a blender. Both Lucy and Roux screamed, and Shinji closed his eyes, gripping the idol and focusing on not throwing up.