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Back Unleashed Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Part One
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. Part Two
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. Part Three
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. Part Four
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. Part Five
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. Epilogue
  54. Acknowledgments
  55. About the Author
  56. Back Cover

I pause for a moment, picturing his face—his shining dark eyes and pointed ears. But then I remember the flick of his tail as he ran to join the other cats. And I nod. “I’m okay. But Z, I’m going to need your help if this plan is to work.”

Zora grins. “I’ve tweaked Slick’s code once before, so I have no problem with doing it one more time. And if this doesn’t prove that you belong at your school, then nothing will.”

“I think it proves that you belong at Profectus too.”

Zora puts her hand on my arm. “That’s not what I want, and you know it. I’m happy here.”

I stare down at Slick, ideas already crowding my mind for how to change him to bring him up to a level three. My brain itches to research, my fingers twitching as if they have little minds of their own.

It’s not Profectus, it’s not Jinx, but it’s something.

I can’t wait to get started.

8

For the first time since waking up in my hospital bed—maybe even for the first time since entering Moncha HQ for the final round of the baku battles—I feel back in control. I have a plan to get back into Profectus, Mom is going to talk to Eric Smith about finally leaving me alone, Zora and my Profectus friends are on my side, and I think Jinx is safe.

While I can’t seem to control my memory, the fact that the Profectus plan includes companioneering makes me feel the most at ease.

Confronting authority figures with fierce security panther bakus? Not my style.

But building new features for a baku to take it from a basic level one to an incredible level three? Now that’s a project I can really dig my teeth into. I already feel the adrenaline coursing around my system, and I spend the rest of my class time at St. Agnes daydreaming about exactly how I’m going to turn Slick into a level three baku. My mind is running through all the spare parts I have collected from my time clearing up the stadium and salvaging for Jinx. There’s plenty I can use.

As soon as classes end, I meet Zora, and we race out of the school gates together and jump on the bus that takes us home.

Slick buzzes with incoming messages so fiercely I worry he’s going to shake loose some of his connections.

I’m flooded with voice recordings and emojis and texts from Team Tobias. Ashley’s are filled with urgency, starting from the moment that Dr. Grant pulled me away.

ASHLEY at 8:28: What did Dr. Grant want?

ASHLEY at 8:35: When are you coming to Gathering?

ASHLEY at 8:41: I’m really worried about you.

TOBIAS at 8:42: Just spoke with Ashley, said you didn’t sign in. Hoping everything’s okay.