The Search for Artemis - By P. D. Griffith Page 0,47

Maybe she stole a file or something from the labs.

Also, she was psychokinetic, like him, and a powerful one at that. But she left. Did that mean that there was somewhere else for people like them? Landon was under the impression that all the people with abilities like theirs were brought to the Gymnasium, so . . . where was she going?

And the most looming question of all, the one that weighed most heavily on him: Who was the mysterious night bandit?

• • • • •

Professor Tzu, a short, middle-aged Asian man with greying hair and a round face, informed the students that their practice time would be spent outside in the valley, rather than the usual classroom.

The weather was quite amenable. The sun shined brightly over the Eastern ridge and felt warm on the skin, but the valley was cool and breezy, making it comfortable.

“All right, everyone,” Professor Tzu said, “I want you all to spread out. I’ve hidden a set of items on the grounds and hope you can find them before the day is up. This will require more than just sensing. As I have told you before, your abilities will develop a sort of haptic perception, which will allow you to discern objects based on how they feel, like when you hold something in your hands and can figure out what it is just by touching it.”

Landon wasn’t paying much attention. His mind still lingered on the events of the night before. As thoughts of the shadowed girl, the helicopter and the mysterious items hidden within the messenger bag swirled through his head, he gazed at the two small divots in the gravel where she had stood.

“You seem distracted.”

Landon jumped out of his head to find Celia standing beside him. Looking around, he noticed that the entire class had dispersed and was excitedly moving about the valley.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just trying to figure some things out.”

“Well, Tzu wants us to pair up and find everything on this list.” Celia held up a small sheet of paper with a list of miscellaneous items printed on it. “It’s kind of like a scavenger hunt.”

Landon looked at her.

“Come on then. We have to get going if we want to win this thing.” Celia grabbed hold of Landon’s hand and dragged him along as she made her way toward the lake.

Just as they reached the shore, Celia pulled Landon around so that he was standing in front of her, and she shoved the sheet of paper into his hand.

“Memorize the list.”

“Memorize it?” he asked. Celia was alarmingly forceful.

“Yeah.” Celia looked very serious when she said it.

Landon took the list and read over it a few times.

1. #2 wooden pencil

2. Screw

3. Earphones

4. Shoe lace

5. Blue marker

6. Paper clip

7. Penny

8. ½ inch marble

9. Thimble

10. 2” match

11. Wire clipping

12. Green Army Man

13. Key

14. Jingle bell

15. Rubber band

16. Glass lens

17. Pocket watch

18. Contact lens

19. Zipper

20. Steel Ring

“Ugh, what is it with people and rings around here?” Landon mumbled to himself.

“So you ready?” Celia asked.

“Uh,” Landon replied. “I think so, but I have one question: How are we supposed to find all of this stuff in just one session if we have to search the entire valley?”

“Wow, you weren’t paying attention at all, were you? We all have a different sector of the valley and a different list of stuff to find. Our area is from that tree over there due north into the woods and due east until it hits the lake.” Celia pointed to a solitary pine tree growing between the Gymnasium and where they stood. “So we need to find all of our stuff before anyone else gets theirs for us to win.”

“What do we win?” Landon asked.

“Uh . . . being the winner,” she replied as if it was obvious. “And I don’t lose.”

“Well, you’re off to a bad start having me as your partner.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re better than you give yourself credit.” Celia and Landon stared at one another for a minute until Celia awkwardly patted Landon on the shoulder and then sprinted off toward the woods. As she got farther and farther away, she turned her head and yelled over her shoulder, “You start here and I’ll look in the woods!”

Landon continued to watch her until she disappeared behind the thick line of trees. Since their orientation, Celia excelled at everything she attempted. She was a star pupil in Telekinetics and had no issues in Tactometry or Thought Reception. If there was really an award for “Most