CHAPTER 17

"Got someone else to help!" Bethany shouted from the stacks, and Owen looked up in surprise to find a girl wearing a T-shirt with the Earth on it standing next to Bethany, looking incredibly shocked.

"So many books," said the girl as she ran her hands over the shelves. "I never thought I'd actually see this many! Ooh, look at this one!"

She pulled a book off the shelf and studied the cover, fascinated. "Wow! This doesn't look like a detective novel."

Bethany looked over her shoulder and realized she recognized the book she was holding. The girl looked up at Bethany. "There are more books than just detective novels?"

"A lot more," Bethany told her. "Though, that gives me an idea." Bethany lifted the book from the girl's hands. "Be right back."

The girl turned to face Owen. "Do you think I could borrow some detective novels? It would mean the world to me to read more about detectives solving crimes, and putting things right!"

"Um, take all you want," Owen said trying to decide which story he knew her from, and how he felt about Bethany just pulling random characters out to help her. Hadn't that been against her rules? What rules was she breaking now, anyway? "The fewer mystery books we have here, the safer I feel. I'm Owen, by the way."

The girl turned to stare at him with a huge grin. "So you're from Earth," she said, sounding amazed. "I am too! I don't live there anymore, though. I'm Gwen! Some people call me-"

"EarthGirl?" Owen's mouth dropped open as he finally made the connection with her T-shirt/costume. Bethany had pulled out EarthGirl? Then why exactly couldn't they ask Batman for help?!

Just then, Bethany walked out from behind a bookshelf and toward them, a sheepish grin on her face. Gwen gave Owen a confused look. "You've heard of me?"

"He's from my time," Bethany explained as she quickened her step, her guilty expression disappearing quick enough to give Owen a dirty look. "Everyone in the future knows about EarthGirl. You're famous!"

Gwen began to blush, and Bethany pulled Owen aside. He flashed her a whoops look. "How do you feel about meeting Yana?" she asked sheepishly.

"What? What did you do?!" Owen said as loud as he dared, with EarthGirl standing right there.

"Nothing, yet!" Bethany said, smiling. "Which page?"

Owen's mouth dropped. "This isn't up for debate, is it?"

"Not really. What page?" Bethany asked again.

Owen glared at her. "The second to last chapter, I suppose. That's when she and Conner get teleported to the other planet."

"Perfect, that makes it easy." Bethany told him reading through the page.

"That doesn't mean I encourage this in any way!" Owen yelled, but secretly he was thrilled. Her powers could be perfect for what they were up against, and Yana would be just the kind of person that wouldn't freak out about the situation. And, okay, maybe he really wanted to meet her, just a little bit.

He turned back to Earth Girl and wondered what she made of all this. This was getting really complicated. And another fake story, this time about being from the future? How was he supposed to keep track of all of these?