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Chapters (52)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter Two
  5. Chapter Three
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Chapter Eleven
  14. Chapter Twelve
  15. Chapter Thirteen
  16. Chapter Fourteen
  17. Chapter Fifteen
  18. Chapter Sixteen
  19. Chapter Seventeen
  20. Chapter Eighteen
  21. Chapter Nineteen
  22. Chapter Twenty
  23. Chapter Twenty-One
  24. Chapter Twenty-Two
  25. Chapter Twenty-Three
  26. Chapter Twenty-Four
  27. Chapter Twenty-Five
  28. Chapter Twenty-Six
  29. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  30. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  31. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  32. Chapter Thirty
  33. Chapter Thirty-One
  34. Chapter Thirty-Two
  35. Chapter Thirty-Three
  36. Chapter Thirty-Four
  37. Chapter Thirty-Five
  38. Chapter Thirty-Six
  39. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  40. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  41. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  42. Chapter Forty
  43. Chapter Forty-One
  44. Chapter Forty-Two
  45. Chapter Forty-Three
  46. Chapter Forty-Four
  47. Chapter Forty-Five
  48. Chapter Forty-Six
  49. Epilogue
  50. Acknowledgments
  51. About the Author
  52. About the Publisher

He opened the door to the Room.

An expansive darkness greeted him.

He took a step forward, and he found himself laughing.

Backstage.

He was backstage.

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Chapter Forty-Five

Héctor had very little time to appreciate this turn of events before Juliana appeared from the shadows to his left. “It’s so dark back here!” she whispered. “Are you sure we can’t turn on some lights?”

“Not yet,” said Héctor. “We don’t want anyone to suspect there’s someone back here. Just turn on the single spotlight once they’re here.”

Sal sidled up to Héctor on his right side. “Well, at least I figured out how to open the curtain,” they said.

“What about the sound system?” Héctor asked Juliana. “Is it like the one at your school?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Same brand and everything.”

“Then you know when to turn it on, right?”

“Most def,” she said. “This is gonna work, Héctor. I know it.”

I hope so, he thought.

They each crept to their places: Juliana went back into the shadows to the control panel for the microphones. Sal crossed the stage and stood in the wings, waiting for their cue.

And Héctor stood in the middle of the stage.

Waiting.

A door inched open on the same side of the stage as Sal.

Héctor held his breath.

Aishah snuck in, followed by Jackson. Héctor wasn’t sure they could see him, so he cupped his hands around his mouth. “Pssst!” he whispered, then waved them over. Once they found him, he asked, “Where are they?”

Jackson was out of breath for a moment. “We lost them,” he wheezed out.

“What?” Héctor said.

“Frank started chasing us,” he explained, “and Mike went after the others. But we should be fine. Taylor . . . he . . .”

“Oh no,” said Héctor, hitting his forehead with an open palm. “What did he do?”

“Oh, it was amazing,” said Aishah. “He did this flying leap off a corner and collided with Frank, and he got Mike and Frank to chase him.”

“I respect his energy,” said Héctor, trying not to laugh. “Even if I don’t understand it.”

“Don’t worry,” said Aishah. “They’ll be here.”

Aishah and Jackson snuck back out of the stage doors. Héctor’s heart was racing, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when those same doors burst open. Carlos and Taylor stumbled through.

“Go!” hissed Héctor. “Get out of here!”

They could all hear footsteps in the hallway, so Carlos and Taylor took a risk and snuck out from behind the curtain to get to their seats. Please don’t let them get caught, he begged. He couldn’t have this fall apart now.

The doors opened one more time.

Héctor’s targets arrived.

And immediately froze.