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toward the door. “Okay, let’s try them out!”
    â€œWait,” said Lorna as she returned to the computer.
    â€œRemember the instruction mentioned a job board?”
    She scrutinized the screen and immediately identified an icon at the top: a rectangular frame with lots of small squares dotted around inside. Since she knew what she was looking for, the icon seemed obvious: it was supposed to represent a notice board found in schools and offices everywhere. She clicked.
    The screen went blank, and was then replaced by two buttons. One labeled: “SEARCH BY DISTANCE”; the other: “SEARCH BY RISK.”
    The second option alarmed her, and Pete must have thought the same. “Click on the distance one,” he said. “We don’t want to have to go very far.”
    Lorna complied. A list appeared on-screen, and a heading read:
    â€œNEAREST TO FARTHEST—10/134.”
    There was a list of ten jobs, all in a single column. Underneath was another button displaying the next ten, and so on.
    â€œThat’s a lot of crime,” said Pete.
    The first one grabbed their attention:
    â€œCITY CENTER BANK ROBBERY.”
    â€œWhat do you think?” Lorna asked.
    Emily shrugged. “Click it. Must be some kind of game, otherwise we would have heard about it on the news.”
    Lorna clicked before she remembered that none of them had watched TV that day, and so had no idea what was happening beyond the backyard. A single word flickered up:
    â€œACCEPTED!”
    Then, quite suddenly, they knew the location of the bank heist. Pete spoke up first. “The National Bank on Main Street. I have a savings account there!”
    Emily was surprised. “How can we possibly know that?”
    â€œTelepathy?” grinned Pete. “This is getting cooler by the second.”
    Lorna stood up, not thinking about the mission, but burning with curiosity about what power she had downloaded. “Let’s try them out. Come on!”
    * * *
    Outside they stood in a line, all facing the giant oak at the bottom of the backyard that had been struck by lightning. The ground was still soggy underfoot, but at least it was warmer out that day. Toby glanced around to make sure there were no curious neighbors watching.
    â€œCoast’s clear.”
    â€œI’ll go first,” said Lorna. She looked at the tree and squinted, concentrating on making
something
transpire. “Nothing’s happening.”
    â€œGive it a min—” But Toby was cut off as a brilliant flash of light burst like a firework from Lorna’s eyes—followed by an energy blast that struck the side of the tree. It tore a four-inch hole through the solid trunk and sent a shock through the boughs, shaking some of the tree’s remaining brown leaves to the ground. Lorna was rocked backward on her heels, and she fell hard on her butt. Emily and Toby, the two people closest to Lorna, rushed to help her stand.
    â€œLorn, you okay?” asked Toby.
    Lorna rubbed her eyes. She nodded, blinking rapidly. “I’m fine … fine.”
    â€œYou hurt your eyes?” asked Emily.
    â€œDon’t think so. Do they look okay?”
    Emily examined them. “A little bloodshot, but nothing bad.”
    â€œThat was so cool!” screamed Pete, who had beenrooted to the spot the whole time. “You got laser vision! That’s unbelievably awesome!”
    Lorna composed herself, although her thoughts were a combination of terror and exhilaration. She looked at her handiwork. The hole was perfect, with the edges fused. “This is bizarre,” she whispered under her breath.
    Pete was almost bouncing on the spot. “I’ve got to try next!” And without waiting for an answer he spun toward the tree and extended his hands in the best comic-book action stance he could muster.
    A stream of white liquid shot from the pores on his palms and whatever it struck suddenly had a coating of thick