Bowling Ball
"The man dropped to the ground like a bowling ball." - Ch. 3
This scene occurs when the protagonists arrive back in Idaho and are investigating the man scoping out Ostin's apartment. They are about to break into the man's apartment when the old man across the hall opens his door and discovers them; Zeus has to quickly knock him out with a lightning bolt so he won't make any noise. This simile is emphasizing the man's quick descent to the ground, highlighting Zeus's quick and efficient strike.
Sitting Ducks
"You're sitting ducks," says the voice on the phone to Michael in Chapter 6. Clearly this is a metaphor; sitting ducks are easy targets for a practiced hunter. Since Michael and his friends are simply hanging around town, unaware that they are being traced, staying at Jack's sister's tanning salon is equivalent to sitting in the water, waiting for the Elgen to start firing. The man on the phone suggests ditching their vehicles and leaving, which they do to avoid becoming easy targets.
Nichelle 2.0
"The experience was similar to what we felt when Nichelle, one of Hatch's electric kids, would use her powers to drain the electricity out of us. Except this new machine was even worse." - Ch. 10
When the "safehouse" is invaded by the Elgen, they bring a powerful device that subdues the main characters' electricity and zaps away their vitality, bringing on a painful headache. This effect, in this analogy, is being compared to that of Nichelle, the anti-electric girl from the first novel. By drawing the parallel and emphasizing the increased effect of this new machine, the author succeeds in raising the stakes from the first book.
Ostin the Maestro
"He lifted his hands above the keyboard as if he were a pianist about to start a performance." (Ch. 8)
Ostin is about to dive into the data, digging through it to attempt to discover any useful secrets about the Elgen, especially the location of Michael's mother. The simile comparing him to a pianist underscores his virtuosity at the keyboard; he's a genius, but computer use isn't just a science to him: it's an art.
A Veil of Hair
"...her coffee-brown hair falling in front of her like a veil" - ch. 8
Taylor is an incredibly kind, outgoing, tender-hearted person, and she's constantly encouraging all the other members of the Electroclan, reassuring them in any way she can. With Michael, though, she reveals her own anxiety; the face she wears in front of the others is little more than a comforting veil that hides her own fears. When she talks to Michael, she shows a bit of her anxiety, but she's still hiding some away for his sake, hence the veil still remaining on her face.
