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Back The Copycat Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Chapter One
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Chapter Two
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Chapter Three
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Chapter Four
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Chapter Five
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Chapter Six
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Chapter Seven
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Chapter Eight
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Twenty-Five
  37. Chapter Nine
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Chapter Ten
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Chapter Eleven
  46. Thirty-Two
  47. Thirty-Three
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Chapter Twelve
  51. Thirty-Six
  52. Thirty-Seven
  53. Thirty-Eight
  54. Chapter Thirteen
  55. Thirty-Nine
  56. Forty
  57. Forty-One
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Chapter Fourteen
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifteen
  66. The Following Summer
  67. About the Author
  68. About the Publisher

“I think that when Ali changes into something else, she is somehow able to manipulate the genes within her chromosomes, keeping the genes that make her like what she’s trying to change into and suppressing the ones she doesn’t need.” He gave them a triumphant smile.

“I still don’t get it,” Ali said.

“Maybe I do,” Cassie said. She stared at Murray, like she was studying what was inside his brain, and then turned to Ali. “The genetic differences between people are very small—”

“Point one percent,” Murray offered, trying to be helpful.

Cassie rolled her eyes. “The differences between humans and chimps is around four to five percent,” she said. “But when you examine those differences, you see that a lot of human DNA is deleted in chimps, and a lot of other genetic codes are duplicated over and over. Somehow, you’re able to sense someone else’s genetic code and alter your own!”

Murray gave a vigorous nod. “Exactly!”

It kind of made sense to Ali. “But why would my body do that?”

“Remember what Mr. Corby said about rapid evolution?” said Cassie. “One of your ancestors had to change for some reason. Maybe your body makes a special protein that triggers the change.”

“I’m like a new species?”

Murray’s head bobbed like one of the buoys in the bay. “Yes! Now all we need to do is take some of your blood to a geneticist and prove the theory!”

Ali shook her head. “No way! I’m not a lab rat!”

“But that’s how we’ll know for sure!” protested Murray.

“No way.”

Cassie clipped the straps of her bike helmet together under her chin. “Leave her be, Murray. You can’t just throw this stuff at her and then be shocked when she doesn’t want the world to know. Think about it: does Spider-Man tell people about his abilities? Batgirl?”

“Batgirl doesn’t have any abilities, she’s just in really good shape,” said Murray.

“Besides, your theory doesn’t explain how Ali is able to change her clothes, too. There’s no DNA in clothing.”

“I think I know,” said Ali. “I think I can somehow manipulate atoms.” She concentrated on the gray hoodie and black jeans Murray was wearing for a few seconds, and the others watched in amazement as her old blue jeans and windbreaker morphed into an exact replica of Murray’s outfit.

“Wow” was all Murray could muster.

Ali changed back and climbed onto her bike. “Can we please stop talking about me and my weird powers and just go visit the seals?”