Will McIntosh has become one of our best-loved new writer , thanks to books likeDefendersandLove Minus Eighty . Now he ’s written a young - adult novel calledBurning Midnight , and we ’ve go the exclusive first aspect !
In Burning Midnight , cryptic spheres have show up all over the world , and they have providential power . cauterise two spheres together , and you’re able to get an column inch tall , or a bit smarter , or best calculate . Sully support himself and his mom by selling sphere at a flea market , even though the wealthy Alex Holliday has cornered the sphere market and is trying to repel all the small autonomous sphere of influence sellers out of commercial enterprise . ( And nobody know where the spheres come from , who made them , or what their goal game is . )
Then Sully see Hunter , a fille who has a natural talent for finding the spheres — and together they find a gold firmament in a Brooklyn weewee tower . Nobody ’s ever seen a golden one before , and nobody knows what this sphere can do . Alex Holliday will stop at nothing to get the sphere for himself — and it turns out the fate of the world depends on it .
So here ’s the full cover , in all its excellent glory :
And here ’s an excerption from the playscript — look out out , it does contain freebooter …
“ What is it ? ” Dom asked , stare up at the tower .
Hunter depend around , approached a woman carry a shopping bag . “ Perdóneme . ¿ Qué es eso ? ”
The woman answered at length . When she finished , Hunter give thanks her and become back to them . “ It ’s called The Angel of Independence . There ’s a spiraling staircase in the newspaper column that takes you to the observation deck of cards . The angel on top is Nike , a Greek goddess , and she ’s holding a coronal now over the spot where a dude named Hidalgo is buried . He ’s the father of Mexican independence . ”
Sully had no idea whom Mexico had push to profit independence . He could n’t remember being taught much of anything about Mexico in schoolhouse . He shaded his eyes with his hand and looked up . A man and a woman were on the watching deck , which was a little , fenced domain . The Angel of Independence was perch on one foot atop the steeple , her arms and other ramification outstretched . Now that there were people on the watching deck of cards for comparison Sully could see the statue was huge — four or five times as tall as the people . Unlike much of the city , she was bright and clean . She looked like she was made of gold .
“ How are we gon na seek a public repository ? ” Dom asked . “ I doubt they ’re start to let us stop every couple of steps to experience around in the fling . ”
“ Maybe it ’s hidden around the base , in a hollow part of one of those statue , or a drain , ” Hunter enjoin .
There were six statues echo the understructure : four women sit on what looked like throne , each clutching a blade and a al-Qur’an , and two Leo being go by boys . The statue were disastrous , maybe two - one-third the size of the saint at the top , and set about ten feet off the ground . Sully and his friends would have to scale the monument to get to those statues . There was no room they could do that in the midriff of the day ; they ’d have to wait until wickedness .
“ We ’re gon na expect like terrorist , pry around that matter , ” Dom articulate , shaking his head word . He was right . It was a internal monument ; four teenagers were n’t go to spend minute combing it without get out attention from the police , day or night .
They ’d amount all this mode , and now it was start out to look like they ’d be stopped a hundred feet from their end .
Sully ’s regard rose and fall down as he scanned the monument from top to bottom , trying to imagine where the sphere might be . Maybe one of the Harlan F. Stone steps leading up to the monument was loose , and the Gold was wedged beneath it ?
The Gold . It was interesting that the statue at the top was gold - color . From this aloofness Sully could n’t make out many detail , but there did n’t appear to be any nooks or crack on the Angel Falls where a sphere could hide . It looked to be all one piece .
Mandy had pulled a camera from her traveling bag , was snapping photograph of the monument , fiddle with the focal point . It was a nice camera , and she seemed to know how to use it .
“ Can I see that ? ” Sully asked her .
She pass on him the television camera .
At full rapid growth , the statue just about satisfy the viewfinder . The angel was gorgeous . Sully could see the individual feathering on her wings ; each had a wispy texture . Her dame was creased a thousand sentence , making it face like she was walk into a stiff wind . She was holding the diadem high gear , her subdivision in full hold out . The crown was slightly skew-whiff .
Sully lour the camera . “ look , did n’t you say she was holding a wreath ? Did you mean a crown ? ”
Hunter stir her head . “ The woman said a wreath . ”
Sully moved a few steps to the right , squinted , and extend to make out the thing in the angel ’s hand . It did take care like a garland ; he could see leafy edge , which gave it a jagged expression . He could just make out something smooth and round partially blocking the hole in the center . . . .
Sully about dropped the photographic camera . “ Holy shit . Oh , my God . ” It was properly there , in plain sight . Thousands of people insure it every day .
Hunter ’s face was suddenly two inches from his . “ You found it . Tell me you found it . ”
He held out the camera , his hand trembling . “ Look at the wreath . ”
Dom took a few steps back , blockade at the kerb , squint up . “ The wreath ? You signify way up there ? ”
Hunter lowered the camera , her gaze still set up toward the holy person . “ We institute it . ”
“ How are we going to get it , though ? ” Mandy ask as she strike the camera from Hunter .
“ I ’ll get it , ” Hunter said . “ Or die seek ”
Sully study the photo of Nike , Greek goddess of triumph , aka The Angel of Independence , in the glossy token booklet . Among the many other thing Sully had pick up in the past minute , he now knew where a skid fellowship had set out its name . Outside the hotel room window vehicles chuck and engines rumbled .
When anyone stepped out onto the tower ’s observation deck , The Angel was straight above , strain out , perched on one animal foot atop the vaulted ceiling of the tower . The notice deck was maybe a dozen metrical foot below that domed ceiling .
“ How far do you think it is from the observation deck to the coronal ? ” Sully asked . “ Can we buy an extension celestial pole , like the kind painters use , and poke the atomic number 79 right out of it ? ”
Mandy analyze the pic over his berm . “ The statue is twenty - two feet tall . Plus you have the top section of the tug she ’s standing on . That ’s at least another ten foot . I doubt they make prolongation poles that long . ”
No , probably not .
“ There ’s no other way , ” Hunter said . “ I have to go up up . ”
“ But everyone will see you , ” Sully say . They sustain circling around the same problem . “ You ’ll get arrested and they ’ll take aside the sphere . ”
In the United States there were laws that said if you find a sphere it was your property , unless you did something illegal to get it . They were assuming the laws were the same in Mexico , and by climbing the statue — which was illegal — they’d risk having the Gold impound . They did n’t defy activate their headphone to check that . If Holliday located them , he could derail in his private super C and be in Mexico City in a few hours .
“ As soon as I get the sphere , I chuck it down , ” Hunter enunciate . “ Somebody catches it and runs like infernal region before anyone know what ’s pass . ”
“ You drop it a hundred and eighteen feet — ” Dom began .
“ A hundred and forty , ” Mandy correct . “ The tower is a hundred and eighteen foot . The statue is another twenty - two . ”
“ A hundred and forty feet , ” Dom went on , “ and one of us catches it ? That ’s become to be quite a whoremaster . And if we omit , it ’s going to murder the steps”—Dom ran a finger down the twenty - five or thirty steps that ring the base of the monument—“and bounce out into traffic . ”
Hunter took a breathing time , locked her hand behind her neck . “ Then I stash the marble in my multitude . I let them arrest me , and hand off the pack to one of you as they ’re taking me out . ”
“ Will they permit you do that ? ” Mandy asked .
No one answer . They get laid a great wad about El Ángel de la Independencia now , but not much about Mexico City law procedures .
“ There ’s no other style , ” Hunter said . “ The tower ’s locked at night . We have to do it during the day . ”
“ You ca n’t mount up there . You ’ll kill yourself , ” Sully order , still eyeing the photograph of the statue .
“ I ’m a ninja , think of ? I ’ll tie off on the statue ’s embed foot , so if I fall , I wo n’t hang far . ”
take on the air mile held .
“ I ’ll do it , ” Mandy said . “ I mess around on the mounting rampart at the gymnasium all the time . ”
“ No , I ’ll go , ” Sully say .
“ No ! ” Hunter ’s yell startle them . She looked from face to side , her nostrils flared . “ This is what I do . You all go to school , you have jobs , you wager sports . I hunt marbles . I ’ve been in tunnel six stories under New York City . I ’ve climbed the rafters over mill floors . I dove into six hundred water tug in the middle of winter . ” She chopped her palm with the edge of her other paw . “ This is what I do . ”
Sully hated the musical theme , absolutely hat it , but he have it off Hunter was move to do it whether or not he supported her . Plus , she was right . He ’d check her go down into that mine in Doodletown like it was nothing , and jump from one eight - history - building ceiling to the next . She had the good hazard of pull this off . He attempt to convince himself that if she was tied off , the bad that could hap was the police confiscated the Gold , and he and the others would have to bail her out of jailhouse . But he ’d learned things rarely went the way you planned .
The metal stairs inside the steeple were narrow , pie - shaped wedges , the outer space dim and claustrophobic . Their guide was a close humans in his sixties with loggerheaded greyish eyebrows . Two middle - aged womanhood , both Mexican , were the only other people taking the first run of the day up to the balcony that stood in the shadow of El Ángel de la Independencia .
Sully felt abstemious - headed with worry . He and Hunter had made some harrowing mount up to the water towers of Manhattan , but they were always on ladders . Climbing El Ángel would be different .
As if reading his thoughts , Hunter reached back and took his manus .
They were still holding hand when they reached the top and stepped out the room access to the balcony that circled the pillar . El Ángel loomed above them .
The view was dizzying ; the vehicles surge around the rotary face like toys . building and trees and glimpse of broad avenues stretched out below , the visible horizon framed by mountains .
Sully spotted Mandy look up at him from the steps of the repository . He desire if it came down to it she ’d gravel with the plan : if he and Hunter were halt , she was suppose to run back to the hotel , where Dom was hold off with the Gold .
Hunter squeezed his hand . “ Okay . Here we go . ”
Sully kissed her impetuously , hitting the side of her oral cavity . “ Be careful . ”
Since the balcony circle the top of the spire , wherever the guide was , if Hunter was on the opposite side , he could n’t see her .
When Hunter entered the template ’s unreasoning spot she reached up without hesitation , gripped the decorative grillwork set into the steeple , and pulled herself three or four foot off the balcony . Sully had vex about how Hunter would sail the mouth on the steeple ’s roof , which jutted out three or four inches , but it scarcely slow down her . With the toe of her shoes wedged into the grillwork , she reached up and around , gripped El Ángel ’s articulatio talocruralis , and wind herself onto the tug ceiling .
Sully ’s heart was galloping as Hunter pulled the corduroy out of her pack , connect one end around the statue ’s ankle , and cinch Sully ’s belt around her waist . The other end of the cord was already tied firmly to the belted ammunition .
She reached into a bend in the statue ’s billow skirt and begin to climb .
There were no safe footholds low on the statue ; Hunter ’s ft slipped twice before she gave up and pulled herself up with her arms , like she was doing a Kuki-Chin - up . She manage to lift her head even with her hands , but there was still nowhere to wedge her feet . Her legs flailed around until she lastly drop her left one up so it was unwavering with her hand , and hooked the same crevice .
Hunter lunged for a billow curve in the skirt three feet higher . She make her fingertips around it . A growl of fear and elbow grease bunk her as she pull herself up , finally managing to get her veracious foot into a chap .
There was a cry of surprise . One of their fellow holidaymaker , a small Mexican woman , was starting at Hunter , one hand covering her mouth .
“ ¡ Baja ¡ ” the cleaning woman shrieked at Hunter . “ Senorita , baja . ”
Hunter was clinging to the side of El Ángel ’s skirt from narrow pleats , fifteen feet above Sully ’s head . She ignored the adult female ’s shouts as she shimmied up El Ángel ’s spare waist , her trunk pressed tightly against the knavish gold .
“ No ! ” This meter the shout came from their scout . “ No ! ¡ Baja ya ! ”
Hunter reached out and snap up El Ángel ’s bare titty . At another time it might have been a comical sight , but under the circumstances Sully was just thankful the breast was there . The guidebook go on scream as Hunter find oneself footholds on the statue ’s waistline , then reach and becharm its outstretched arm with her left-hand hand . She allow go of the breast and gripped the arm with her right hand as well , then push off with both feet and swung her branch up so she was sitting on El Ángel ’s arm .
Her breathing time amount in a nasty squeal that Sully could hear from thirty pes below , Hunter shimmied out onto the limb , tilt as it grew ever thinner , until she could n’t go any far . The sphere was three foot away . Hunter leaned forth until she was hugging the statue ’s forearm with one hand , then reached with the other .
Her fingertips brushed the welkin .
She stretch , stretch , leaning forward .
She thrust . As one hand closed around the amber , she lost her balance and flip , dangle underneath the subdivision . She was hang upside down , her legs still wrapped around the arm , one hired man scrabbling for leverage while she get hold of the Gold welkin in the other .
“ Hunter ! ” Sully screamed . “ Just drop it ! Hang on ! ”
Hunter lose her handgrip and flow . She plummeted past Sully , past the edge of the balcony .
The Mexican valium went taut . He hear her slam into the side of the column .
Sully sprint to the rope , grabbed it with both hands , strained to pull her up .
hand grip the rope behind him . The guidebook and the other tourist help Sully take out until Hunter ’s outstretched hand rise into view . puff , she grab the balcony ’s steel rail . They kept pulling until Hunter came over the top of the railing and dropped to the floor .
Sully knelt beside her . “ Are you hurt ? ”
“ I guess my arm is broken . ” She was cradle her left subdivision against her body .
The guide said something in Spanish . He was fierce .
Hunter answered , then say to Sully , “ He wants to know why I was vandalise their statue . ”
Sully nod . The firmament matched the gold of the statue so utterly , the scout still did n’t actualise what Hunter had been after . The field was nowhere in sight . Either she ’d dropped it or stashed it in her pack . “ Let ’s get you to the hospital . ” He looked up at the scout . “ Hospital ? Ambulance ? ”
Two police officeholder appeared in the room access to the steps , breathless from the upgrade . The guide went to them , speak chop-chop , motion at Hunter .
“ Can you stand ? ”
“ Yeah , ” Hunter said . “ Help me up , and forthwith take my pack from me , like you ’re doing it because of my subdivision . ”
Sully did as she said , gently slip the pack off her shoulder joint and draping it over his own as the ship’s officer came over . One of them , a stout woman , asked Hunter something .
“ Come on , ” Hunter said . “ She desire us to go down . ”
“ Are they permit us go ? ”
“ I ’m being arrested , but first they ’re taking me to the infirmary . ”
There was only room for one person at a metre on the step , so a police officer break down first , then Sully , in case Hunter fell . Hunter walked gingerly , and seemed woozy , but she made it down on her own .
A gang had gathered at the bottom . Sully wrap up a deal around Hunter ’s waist and help her toward a police cable car . He ’d been await an ambulance , but maybe she did n’t seem suffer enough for an ambulance .
“ Perdóname , Señora Agente . ”
The police officer who was walk beside Hunter turn toward the vox . Sully glance over his shoulder .
His knees almost buckled .
Alex Holliday was set about the officer , accompany by two men in sorry suits .
“ Damn it , ” Hunter hiss . “ How the hell did he find us ? ”
Hunter listen carefully as Holliday spoke to the officeholder in speedy Spanish .
“ No , ” Hunter nearly shouted . She step toward Holliday and the officer , shake her principal and protesting .
“ What is it ? ” Sully take , staying close .
Hunter twist to Sully . “ He ’s telling them I ’m want in the United States on felony drug electric charge . That I ’m plausibly high on meth right now . ” She turned and holler something at the police force officer .
Holliday make out to shake the officer ’s bridge player , and slipped something into it as he did . The gesture was subtle , but Sully caught it . The constabulary officer smile as if she and Holliday were old friends . She nodded , said something .
Sully could see this was n’t proceed their direction . “ Run , ” he said to Hunter under his breath .
burn Midnightcomes out on February 2 , 2016 .
Booksya fictionyoung adult novels
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