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had been replaced by focus and anger.  
    Another balloon flew through the air toward them. Ted crushed it from afar before it could get half way to him. A half-dozen people were drenched with the paint and flaps of balloon. Ted zeroed in on the source of the projectiles and was about to float the thrower up into the air when a voice burst through the shopping center on a bullhorn.
    "This is the Department of Homeland Security." Agent Vott's voice rang loud and clear through the shopping center. "You are in violation of your permit and all of you are subject to arrest. Disburse immediately… or else."
    If the mob had been in a city, the participants might not have listened, but the suburbanites quickly walked in the direction of their cars and vans. Ted recognized Agents Vott and Harding in the front seat of the black SUV. Vott stowed his bullhorn and motioned for the three of them to approach. Ted looked back at the two green paint stains in the middle of the lot. His pulse continued to race.
    "Get in." Black sunglasses covered up Vott's eyes. "Stay on the towels."
    Ted glanced at Erica for approval. When she nodded, he wiped his hand on the clean side of his shirt and opened the door. As soon as Dhiraj secured the gear in the back, the SUV pulled around the dissipating crowd and out of the lot. Ted watched as Erica attempted to assert her popular airhead persona.
    "I'm like, literally overjoyed you came to get us." Erica twirled a strand of hair. "Green paint is so tacky."
    Agent Harding looked at the three of them through matching shades. "Save it, LaPlante." He removed the glasses. "We know you're the brains of this operation. You can stop playing dumb."
    Erica let out a gasp of air. "Good. That made me feel like taking a hammer to my skull."
    Agent Harding smiled before his partner hit him with a sharp slap in the shoulder. The grin faded. He threw them a couple more DHS-embroidered towels.
    "If she's the brains..." Dhiraj leaned forward in his seat. "What does that make me?"
    Harding looked at his partner and then back at Dhiraj.
    "It makes you the capital." Vott dismissed the question with his hand and looked back at Ted. "You did good work at the jewelry store. The three of you should be proud of yourselves."
    The SUV had gotten far enough away from the lot to resume normal suburban driving speeds.
    "Thanks." Ted wiped the side of his face with the towel. "But it sounds like you're trying to butter us up."
    Vott and Harding exchanged another glance.
    "Ted, we've been monitoring you for the last few months. Originally, we were sent to make sure that you weren't a threat to homeland security."
    "And what was your assessment?" Erica crossed her legs and glared at the agents.
    "We determined that you could do more good than harm." Vott ignored Erica's body language. "We can make this GHA problem go away pretty quickly for you."
    Dhiraj cleared his throat. "All of a sudden, this is sounding a lot like a negotiation." Dhiraj turned on one of the cameras. "Don't mind me. Just recording this to make sure you don't kill us if we refuse."
    "This isn't a movie." Harding's face tightened. "It's business. Ted, we want your help in the fight against terrorism."
    Ted scratched his head. "I'm 17 years old, guys. I still haven't finished high school."
    "We've had operatives younger than you, but none of them had the promise that you have," Vott said. "You could easily blow up a cruise missile before it kills innocent people, float a suicide bomber up into the air or disarm an entire militia before they can fire a single shot."
    "Plus, we'd get a bonus for recruiting you." Harding grinned. "And I've got this eye on a great condo in the city."
    Vott slapped Harding again.
    "At least you're being honest." Erica focused her attention on Vott. "Ted can't really make that kind of commitment. He needs to be ready to save the world."
    Erica looked at Ted to indicate that he was supposed to agree with her. He'd never thought that he could save