Keeping his eyes on the boy, Jon started to get up, but Karyn stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Jen, uh, Jon, be careful. If he's really the one doing all this, how are we going to get close to him?"
Jon frowned. "Good point. But I can't just sit here and do nothing. Those changes he's making to those families are probably permanent. He's ruining lives."
"Well, I wouldn't say the Berg triplets' lives are ruined, exactly, but you have a point. What are you planning to do?"
"I figured that once I get close enough, I can see where he's keeping the stone. Ideally, I'd like to think I can snatch it from him, but if I can't, I'll settle for more information about who we're dealing with here. Are you ready?"
Karyn nodded.
Slowly, they exited their seats and descended the bleachers. They tried to keep their movements casual, knowing that catching the culprit's eye would not be good.
As he took the last step onto the gym floor, Jon saw a well-dressed woman on the opposite bleachers vanish along with her two daughters. At the same time, a snack counter materialized in the wall nearby, staffed by three teenage girls in short-skirted uniforms and matching aprons.
Before Jon could say anything, the few remaining families on the other side left their seats and lined up in front of the window. Then, in a blur, the group of twenty fathers, mothers, and siblings had been replaced by a line of young waitresses. Each waitress wore a uniform of low-cut blouse, cute pinafore, and heels. The line moved forward as each waitress accepted a tray full of snacks and began winding her way through the bleachers, passing out food to the spectators.
Jon gritted his teeth. "He's getting more daring. We'd better hurry. I don't think he plans on leaving anyone unchanged."
Karyn looked at Jon's expression and guessed that he had witnessed another wish. She resisted the urge to ask about it, knowing she would be unaware of the old reality anyway.
As they moved away from the bleachers, Jon stumbled, his face turning white.
Grabbing her friend's arm to steady him, Karyn asked, "What happened?"
"Looks like we got out of there just in time. He just transformed everyone on our side, too."
Turning to scan the crowd behind them, Karyn did not see anything strange. She only experienced a mild sense of embarrassment. After all, this game had been announced as a beach-themed event. Thus, the bleachers were filled with girls in bikinis. She and Jen must have stuck out like sore thumbs.
"It's a good thing he seems to be keeping his transformations limited to certain locations," remarked Jon. "Otherwise, we probably would've changed, too." He surveyed the gym with a grimace. "That settles it. He's definitely the one we're looking for. He's the only boy left in this room."
Karyn eyed the teen, now lounging on his own padded bench and enjoying the attentions of the triplets while a waitress handed him a drink. She had to admit, he was quite a hunk, but she kept that observation to herself.
With renewed urgency, Jon crossed over to the other side of the court. Instantly, another problem presented itself.
