“How do we determine who has the best prank?” Adleta says.
“Everyone gets a vote,” Malone says, “but I think we’ll know the winner when we see it.”
“Is there a time limit?” Ellie asks.
“Well, it obviously has to be before we expose the Chaos Club,” Malone says.
“And before the last day of school,” Wheeler adds.
“But no outside help,” I say. “I don’t want this extending outside this room.”
“Good idea,” Malone says.
“Can we work in pairs?” Ellie asks.
“If someone wants to, then yeah,” Adleta says.
“Good.” Ellie smiles my way, making my stomach twinge. “So we’re all in agreement on the rules?”
I run down my mental checklist and say, “Wheeler, what about a copycat website? Could we make it look just like theirs, steal all their pictures and stuff, but make the Chaos Club look ridiculous? I think that would get their attention.”
“Dude, you want me to be irritating? That’s right up my alley.”
Exactly, it’s Heist Rule #11: Play to your crew’s strengths.
Because pranks are really nothing but heists for beginners. Same concepts, same rules, only without the federal offense aspect involved—at least hopefully without.
“What can I do?” Ellie asks.
“How about being available to anyone who may need student or teacher info? You can get all that as an office aide, right?”
“Not just that, but the principal’s schedules, keys to any place on school grounds, you name it.”
“They let you at that stuff?” Malone says.
“Well, let’s just say the office is a busy place,” Ellie says. “So yeah, I can do that.”
“And me?” Adleta says.
“You’re the inside man with Stranko,” I say. “I need you to stay close to him—closer than you’d normally be probably—and report back on anything you hear.”
Adleta thinks it over and says, “That means I’m going to have to apologize.”
“Uh, yeah.”
What’s shocking is that I’m not afraid of Adleta anymore. Or not as much as I used to be. I mean, yeah, he could probably throw me straight up through the ceiling into the family room, but after the Stranko Caper, I trust him.
“Okay, I’ll apologize tomorrow, then start sucking up to him.”
“Cool,” I say. “I know you don’t want to do it, but we need it. I’ll make it up to you somehow.”
“How about letting me cage-match Stranko?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
The meeting breaks up shortly after that, and we head upstairs, Wheeler leading the way, followed by Adleta and Malone. Ellie pauses at the base of the steps.
“Nice job today, Mongoose.”
My ears begin to burn.
I need to say something clever. Or suave. Or witty. Something.
I know what James Bond would do in this situation—he’d grab Ellie and plant some superspy kiss on her that makes her clothes magically fall from her body. I’m still playing at beginner level though, so Not Max goes for something a little more basic.
“Maybe we should read through the files together?”
“Great idea! This weekend?”
Ugh. Stupid reality.
“I’m grounded for at least a week for being assigned to work crew,” I say. “But maybe the weekend after that?”
Ellie shakes her head. “Let’s make it this Friday.”
“But my parents—”
“Just be ready around seven,” Ellie says. “And act normal, Mongoose. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Chapter 8
Cows greet us at school the next day.
Nine of them.
On the roof.
Somehow during the night they’ve been: (A) paraded? (B) airlifted? (C) thrown? onto the main building, and now: (A) lounge? (B) graze? (C) wait? while we do our daily zombie walk inside. From the edge of the building where the cows stand hangs a sign reading: Chaos Club.
This is what we’re up against.
“Awesome,” the guy next to me says.
I can’t argue with that.
“Hey, you’re one of those Water Tower Five idiots, right?” he says.
I can’t argue with that either.
Fifty yards down the sidewalk, Mrs. B, Stranko, and Officer Hale look up at the distraught cows, probably discussing how to get them down. Mrs. B has a small smile as she assesses the situation. But Stranko looks biblically constipated as he watches, and then unconsciously, pointlessly, reaches to his hip for the cell phone that isn’t there.