• Chapter One: A New York Minute
    Anthony James Mitchell
    I ran down the street, headphones in hand, back to the abandoned church I called home. I had to live there ever since my parents ditched me for my "bad behavior." Which is how I got the headphones. I stole to get just about everything I had. The steeple i lived in was filled with everything from wallets to skateboards.
    I didn't worry about someone on the street stopping me. To them, I was just a black-haired blur. I was as quick and agile as the Olympic runners I saw on the TVs in the houses I snuck into while the owners were away. I didn't get to do that much now that the cops knew about me. Which was who I was running from.
    I just had to get back to my "home." No one knew I lived there. I had some close calls, but it remained a secret. I made a turn into an alley, the church now in sight on the other side of a metal fence. Not a problem. I jumped onto a Dumpster, hopped off, ran a short distance across one of the walls, and landed on the other side of the fence. Told you I was agile.
    I ran to the church, rounded a corner, and hopped in a side window. Then I made my way up to the steeple. I made it to the top and grabbed a CD player out of a nearby pile of stolen junk. I pulled a Three Days Grace CD out from between a magazine and a skateboard.
    Suddenly, I heard footsteps heading up the steeple. Aw Man! Cops! Quickly, I shoved the CD, CD player, and headphones into my pants. Unless they strip searched me, I was going to have something to listen to if they locked me up. I'd always planned for something like this, which is why I wore briefs. Nothing would fall out. I know, I know. TMI Alert!
    A cop burst into the room, gun already out. He quickly looked around the room, making a mental note of all of my loot. Then, he opened his mouth to give the whole "right to remain silent" speech. I chucked a baseball right at his donut-sucking face. I dived out of the way as his gun blasted a hole in an electric guitar, the gunshot censoring his profanity.
    I flung a Game Boy at his hand, causing the gun to hit the ground. He scooped it up and looked up just in time to see my foot hit face. He stumbled back and shot again. I was already on the move. I clamped my hands on my ears and dived across the room. He shot a third time.
    Bullseye! He hit the bell, just as I planned. The sound knocked him to his knees. I ran up, snatched up his gun, and hit the ground. He had grabbed my hood. The gun flew out of my grasp, right out the window.
    I ducked out of my hoodie. I elbowed the dude in the stomach and he stumbled back onto a skateboard.
    Next thing you know, he's on the floor, and I'm heading back down to the sanctuary.
    Halfway across the room, two guys stood up from behind the pews. How many cops do they send after a sixteen-year-old kid?
    I started to run, and one cop kicked my legs out from under me.
    The other guy walked up looking all impressed and said "For your first day, you're doing pretty good."
    The rookie said thanks and patted him on the back. Suddenly, the cop looked like he was having a seizure. He hit the ground and the rookie stood there with a stun gun in his hand.
    "What's going on here?!"
    Great, the world's twitchiest trigger finger was back. So I guess the "skating accident" wasn't enough for him.
    "Freeze!"
    The "rookie" slung the stun gun at him. One seizure later, we were back outside.
    "So who are you?"
    He motioned to a parked car.
    "Come on and I'll explain everything."
    We got in and he started driving.
    He tossed a newspaper at me. One section was circled.
    "The horoscope?"
    Then he looked at me all serious and started explaining.
    "I'm Dr. Columba. I'm part of a group called ORION. It's made up of scientists, professors, and astronomers. We had twenty-three members, until six went off on their own.
    "We study various astrological phenomena. We think that the constellations in the zodiac may be embodied as actual people. And if we're right, then we think you may be Scorpio."
    This dude is nuts!
    "If that's true, then how do you explain why they suddenly have physical forms? I haven't lived for thousands of years."
    "We think that whenever a zodiac dies, it is reborn as a new person, over and over again."
    "If I'm Scorpio, then prove it!"
    He grabbed my hand and pulled it palm-side-up.
    It was the mark I had always had. Fifteen dots in the shape of a hook, with three lines branching off the top.
    "That's the constellation Scorpius. Do you have any strange abilities?"
    "I'm faster than anyone I've ever seen. I've always been like that."
    He sat there, deep in thought. I got out my headphones and stared out the window, my thoughtful brown eyes reflecting back at me. Then, my mind started to wander.
    "Who are the other members?"
    "Doctors Norma, Mensa, Musca, and I . Astronomers Dorado, Crux, Apas, Ara and Lyra. Professors Pavo, Carina, Aquila, and Bootes. Ex-FBI Agent Cetus. Engineers Puppis and Lynx. Our Founder, Mr. Tucana."
    "Why did the other six quit?"
    "They wanted to use the zodiacs as soldiers. We wouldn't allow it, so they left."
    "Where are we going now?"
    "The airport. We're headed to Britain."
    "Why?"
    "Do you like tennis?"
    Huh. Weird day.