by Lee Bacon
Okay, so maybe Daisy wasn’t such a bad weapon after all.
You’d think meeting a huge robotic duck would be the highlight of my day, but the excitement was just beginning.
That evening, Milton and I were on our way to dinner when we saw Sophie and Miranda waiting for us in the rec room.
“We need to talk,” Miranda said.
“Now,” Sophie added.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Sophie cast a glance across the room. Kids lounging around, watching TV or working on assignments for tomorrow. “Not here. Let’s find someplace more private.”
It wasn’t so easy to find a spot where we wouldn’t be overheard. We attempted to sneak Sophie and Miranda into our room, but it turned out Cassie wasn’t kidding about the robotic hall monitors—they really weren’t cool about girls in the boys’ dorms. When Bob the RHM spotted us, the robot’s eyes flashed red and it chased us down the hallway, shrieking, “FEMALE INTRUDER ALERT!”
“Okay, then,” Miranda said, once we’d bolted from the boys’ dorm. “Maybe we should try someplace else.”
We headed up a spiral staircase to the third floor. On the way, we passed a purple rabbit hopping from one step to another. Milton bent down to pet it, then lurched away when the rabbit transformed into a teenage girl with purple hair.
“Back off, buddy,” the girl said in an annoyed voice.
“Sorry!” Milton jogged the rest of the way up, taking the stairs two at a time.
At the top of the stairwell, we saw the tall wooden door marked ALUMNI HALL.
Sophie pulled the heavy door open and we all stepped inside. The Alumni Hall was empty. It looked like the kind of place to hold parties or dances: a vast room with high ceilings and dark mahogany walls lined with paintings of adults who must’ve been former students. Portraits of scientists, politicians, superheroes, and villains, all gazing down gloomily from their ornate frames.
“Hey, Sophie, there’s your dad!” Milton pointed.
Sure enough, one of the largest paintings showed Captain Justice, muscular arms crossed. His shining blue cape perfectly matched his shining blue eyes. The superhero peered into the distance as if he’d just spotted a wounded puppy in need of rescuing.
Next to that was a painting of a gorgeous woman with fiery red hair and a golden one-piece uniform. Scarlett Flame.
Not surprisingly, Sophie insisted that we sit in a corner as far from the two portraits as possible.
“Okay, so what’s going on?” I asked as we settled into four comfy leather chairs. “Why the secret meeting?”
“There’s been another burglary.” Sophie reached into her pocket and removed her phone. Handing it to me, she said, “Grifter and Lunk broke into a lab in Boston. They stole an Oscillating Particle Immobilizer.”
I looked down at the phone. Sophie had pulled up the mobile website for Super Scoop. A headline filled the screen in big, bold letters:
BRAZEN BADDIES PULL OFF ANOTHER HEIST—MOTIVE REMAINS A MYSTERY
Beneath the headline was a grainy security shot of the evil pixie teenager and her gigantic concrete friend.
A dark shadow rolled over my thoughts. I didn’t need to read any more. I passed the phone to Milton and unzipped my backpack to remove a slip of paper. nFinity’s list. I’d crossed off the first two stolen items. Now I pulled out a pen and drew a line through the most recent object to go missing.
PLATINUM-SEALED ALPHA CAPACITOR
NEUTRON FLOW REVERSAL CHAMBER
OSCILLATING PARTICLE IMMOBILIZER
THE DOMINION KEY
“There’s only one left,” I said.
“The Dominion Key.” Miranda shivered, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. “And I know exactly where Grifter and Lunk are planning to steal it from.”
Milton glanced up from the phone. “What? How?”
“When we were on the roof this morning with Daisy, I felt something—”
“Heavy winds?” Milton guessed. “Torrential rainfall? Fear of death?”
“Intuition,” Miranda said. “Like a spark in my brain. At first, I wasn’t sure what it meant. But then Sophie showed me the article from Super Scoop and it got stronger. I knew where I needed to look.”
Miranda reached into her backpack and pulled out our textbook for Introduction to High-Grade Weaponry. She set it down on the table with a heavy thud.
“Okay, we get it,” Milton said. “You’re doing better in class than us. No need to brag about it.”
Miranda ignored the comment. “Did you ever notice who wrote the book?”
I realized I hadn’t. Not only that, I’d never noticed the author of any of my textbooks—ever. It wasn’t the kind of thing that showed up on the test, so I never bothered to pay attention.
But now my eyes moved to the bottom of the thick book. And in a small font was a name.
DR. NIGEL FLEMING, PHD.
I pointed at the name. “The Dr. Fleming?”
Miranda nodded.
“The teacher of our first-period class?”
“Yep,” Miranda said.
“The guy with the British accent and the gigantic duck?”
“That’s the one.”
It seemed strange that a teacher could assign his own book to his students. I guess if he was an expert, then why not? But the more important question was, “What does this have to do with the Dominion Key?”
Miranda flipped the book open to one of the last pages. “Take a look.”
My eyes landed on a block of text in the middle of the page. With the steady rhythm of rain washing down the window outside, I began to read.…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
NIGEL FLEMING received a PhD in Physics at the University of Cambridge and has since gained a reputation as one of the world’s foremost experts in—
I skimmed the next couple of lines, stumbling over words like “experimental atomic fusion” and “particle beam neutralization.” Looking up from the page, I said, “I’m sure this is fascinating for nerds like you. But I still don’t get what this has to do with anything.”
Sophie sighed. “Just read the last sentence.”
Taking Sophie’s advice, I skipped to the end.
Before taking a teaching position at the prestigious Alabaster Academy, Fleming became known for his work in developing the Dominion Key.
I gripped the edges of my chair. The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, rattling the windows.
“Dr. Fleming created the Dominion Key,” I said.
Miranda nodded. “And I have a hunch Phineas Vex is sending his goons here to steal it.”
I glanced out the rain-smudged window as a blade of nerves twisted my insides. Miranda’s hunches had a nasty habit of coming true.
“We have to find Dr. Fleming!” I stood from my chair. “We have to warn him!”
The four of us bolted out of Alumni Hall and down the stairs. Most of the school was at dinner and the hallways were nearly empty. On the second floor, we ran past the portrait of Herman Alabaster. His eyes seemed to follow us. His expression was grim, as if he already knew something bad was headed our way.
I remembered the last time I’d been this close to Herman Alabaster’s painting. The shuffling in the stone walls. The rattling frame. But this was no time to think about ghosts. We had other things to worry about.
“Fleming might be in his classroom,” Milton suggested.
“It’s worth a shot,” Sophie said.
But when we got there, the door to Fleming’s classroom was locked. A sign on the door read:
DO NOT ENTER!!!
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THIS ROOM MAY RESULT IN:
-PROPERTY DAMAGE-
-INJURY-
-DISMEMBERMENT-
-DEATH-
-ALL OF THE ABOVE-
Milton gulped. “Maybe we should try somewhere else.”
Peering through the slim window in the door, Miranda said, “He’s not there anyway.”
Over the sound of my fr
iends’ voices, I heard footsteps. I turned, hoping to see Dr. Fleming. Instead, Principal Alabaster was walking our way. He tugged at his bow tie, considering us with a kindly smile.
“Looking for someone?” he said.
“Do you know where we can find Dr. Fleming?” I asked.
“What’s this about?”
I hesitated, trying to think of an explanation that wouldn’t risk revealing our true identities or the real reason why we’d come to the school.
I was still struggling to come up with something when Milton spoke. “Extra credit,” he blurted out. “Dr. Fleming assigned us extra credit and it’s … uh … due tomorrow. We had a couple of questions. Do you know where he is?”
“You might want to check his office,” the principal said. “It’s on the fourth floor. Take a right at the top of the staircase. Past the hologram chamber. Through the tropical greenhouse. When you see a stuffed Siberian tiger, take a left. Or is it a right?” Principal Alabaster stroked his silver beard. “Now that I think about it, the tiger might not even be Siberian. Perhaps it’s albino?”
“Uh, Principal Alabaster …,” Sophie began.
The principal’s gray eyes flashed. “On second thought, I have another solution.”
He brought his hands together, concentrating. And when he pulled them apart, a portal appeared. IGF—that was the name for his power to unzip the universe. Interspatial gateway something-that-starts-with-F. Fluctuation? Fabrication? It didn’t matter at the moment. Because now there was a shimmering opening in front of us.
What I saw on the other side of the portal made me stagger back a step. A snarling white tiger with massive teeth and ultrasharp claws.
“Not to worry.” Principal Alabaster reached through the portal and tapped the perfectly still tiger on its nose. “Like I said, it’s a stuffed Siberian tiger. Or is it an albino?”
The principal was still puzzling over this when the four of us stepped cautiously through the IGF opening. Just like the last time, it felt like nothing at all. Like walking through a door.
“Say hello to Nigel for me!” Principal Alabaster cheerily called. He pulled his hands together and the portal closed.
And just like that—we were in the hallway, on the fourth floor, standing next to a huge stuffed tiger.
“That way!” Miranda pointed.
We followed her past a few other rooms before reaching a door with Dr. Fleming’s name on it. Miranda was about to knock when something made her pause.
An explosion.
The sudden boom came from inside the office, a rumble that shook the door.
“What was that?” Sophie turned my way. Worry strained her expression. A faint glow radiated at the edge of her eyes. “What if we’re too late? What if Vex got to him first?”
She gasped when the door swung open. On the other side was Dr. Fleming. He didn’t look hurt. Although he was covered in brown and purple globs of something that looked like …
Peanut butter and jelly?
Running a finger along his forehead, he wiped off a smudge of the gooey substance, then stuck his finger in his mouth. He seemed to notice us for the first time. “Ah, hello, kids. Glad you’re here. Allow me to pose a question—”
“Actually,” Miranda began, “we came to talk to you about something. Something important.”
Dr. Fleming ignored her urgent tone. “What do you think of when you see a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?”
“Uh … lunch?” Milton said.
“Precisely! An innocuous meal to satisfy your cravings!”
“Dr. Fleming!” Miranda said in a louder voice. “We just heard something explode inside your office. What was that?”
“I’ll show you,” Dr. Fleming replied. “Come inside! Quickly!”
He spun around and rushed back into his office. The four of us stood at the edge of his door, trying to make sense of what we’d just witnessed. Finally, Milton shrugged and stumbled inside. Miranda, Sophie, and I followed.
Dr. Fleming’s office would’ve been a mess even if it weren’t covered in sticky globs of peanut butter and jelly. Bookshelves were overflowing. The floor was crammed with boxes of materials that looked highly dangerous. His desk was covered with discarded circuit boards, tangles of wire, and scraps of paper.
And on top of everything, a fresh layer of peanut butter and jelly. Yum.
Dr. Fleming grabbed a wet rag from a rusted sink and wiped down four chairs.
“Have a seat,” he said.
I cautiously stepped over a crate that was filled with dynamite and PB&J. My friends and I settled into our chairs as Dr. Fleming began to explain.
“I wanted to devise an explosive apparatus that wouldn’t raise suspicions. Something ordinary, plain, unthreatening. And what’s more ordinary, plain, and unthreatening than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” He opened a drawer in his desk and removed a sealed plastic bag. Inside was a PB&J sandwich. “As you see, this object has the look, weight, and texture of a common sandwich. However, unsealing the plastic bag activates a timed detonation. It’s much like a grenade. Except … well, much more delicious.”
He scooped a glob of peanut butter off his elbow and licked it. With a nod of approval, Dr. Fleming grabbed three more sandwich bags and handed one to each of us.
“Here. Take these. Try them out. Let me know what you think.”
“Uh … thanks?” Sophie was holding the bag as far from her as possible.
“Not to worry. It’s nonlethal. At worst, your victim will need a long shower and a fresh set of clothing. Nevertheless, it can be quite useful if you’re in a jam.” Dr. Fleming chuckled. “Get it? Jam?”
Nobody else laughed.
Cautiously placing the sandwich in my backpack, I said, “Dr. Fleming, there’s something important we need to talk to you about.” I lowered my voice. “The Dominion Key. We think someone’s about to steal it.”
All of a sudden, Dr. Fleming’s carefree smile vanished. He turned in his chair and gazed toward the window. The storm outside had worsened. Rain pounded the glass. I wasn’t sure if it was the gray light streaming through the window or the shift in his mood, but Dr. Fleming’s face looked as pale as ice.
“What do you know about the Dominion Key?” he asked.
Taking a deep breath, I launched into the story. I was careful to avoid the part about my parents being the Dread Duo, how we’d arrived here in Captain Justice’s reality-TV tour bus, and my friends and I being enrolled under fake identities … you know, minor details like that.
I carefully moved the sandwich in my backpack and pulled out the slip of paper that we’d gotten off nFinity. Passing it across the desk I said, “We were hoping maybe you’d know what someone could do with all this stuff.”
Dr. Fleming turned away from the window. When his eyes landed on the list, his expression became even more grave.
“Platinum-Sealed Alpha Capacitor, Neutron Flow Reversal Chamber, Oscillating Particle Immobilizer, the Dominion Key …” Dr. Fleming’s eyes rose until he was staring right at me. “Anyone who brings together these items will be able to rule the earth.”
All of a sudden, my school tie felt like a noose.
“Each of the items on your list is extremely rare,” Dr. Fleming said. “On their own, they pose no threat. But when they’re brought together, they create the most powerful weapon on earth.”
“What kind of weapon?” Sophie asked.
Dr. Fleming glanced back to the window, at the pouring rain and flashes of lightning. “It’s known simply as The Device. When triggered, The Device emits a potent wave of synthetic particulate matter that manipulates human tissue at the cellular level.”
“Uh …” Milton’s eyes looked liked they’d glazed over somewhere in the middle of the last sentence. “What exactly does that mean?”
“The Device brings people under its control,” Miranda said. “It can—”
“Turn all of humanity into slaves,” Dr. Fleming finished. “Brainless d
rones forced to do the bidding of a single master.”
“Let me see if I’ve got this straight. This thing—this … Device—is possible if someone brings together these four items?” Sophie pointed at nFinity’s list.
“I’m afraid so,” Dr. Fleming replied.
“Which means there’s only one thing standing between Phineas Vex and world domination.”
“The Dominion Key,” I whispered.
“I know you’re into cool weapons and exploding sandwiches,” Milton began, “but why would you build the Dominion Key if you knew it could cause so much mayhem?”
“When I learned of The Device, I knew if the Dominion Key fell into the wrong hands, it would spell the end of civilization as we know it. A disaster for humankind. And my invention was essential. The most important piece of the puzzle.”
“Please tell me you destroyed it,” Sophie said.
Dr. Fleming hunched forward, shaking his head slowly. “I knew I should have. And yet … it was my legacy. The product of a decade’s research. Tireless work. The thing I shall be remembered for. I couldn’t bring myself to destroy it. So instead, I hid it.”
“Where?”
“Far from Alabaster. A place only I know about, where it’ll be safe.”
“It won’t be safe for long.” Miranda’s tone was grave. “And neither will you. Not if Phineas Vex and his henchmen come looking for you.”
“There’ve been three robberies in the past three days,” Sophie said. “Always at night.”
I glanced toward the window. The last glimmer of gray light was fading outside.
“In that case, we don’t have much time,” I said. “We’ve gotta warn Principal Alabaster. If Grifter and Lunk show up, they’ll tear this place apart.”
“Very well,” Dr. Fleming said. “But before we go, allow me to grab a few things.”
He reached under his desk and pulled out a briefcase. With a sharp click, he unlatched the case. Then he turned it upside down. Folders and pens and student quizzes spilled out across his desk. I noticed my quiz near the top of the pile. C– was written in bold red ink at the top of the page. Maybe if we saved Dr. Fleming’s life he’d raise it to a B.