The next day at breakfast, Ada came down with her backpack loaded with all the tools she would need for her after-school caper: George, a tablet computer, the parabolic microphone, a laser pointer, and a few other just-in-case items.
Mr. Lace eyed her stuffed backpack curiously. “That’s a big load you’re carrying, Adita.”
“Yeah, after we finish working on our schoolwork, Nina and I are going to tinker with George a little,” said Ada.
Mr. Lace seemed a little confused, but then Ms. Lace handed him his coffee, and he didn’t ask any more questions.
• • •
At school Ada tried to find a moment to figure out the lights in Mr. Parable’s room, but whenever she got close, Mr. Parable always seemed to be standing right in front of the switches.
She got up to throw away trash, and Mr. Parable got up to consult the calendar next to the closet. She asked to go to the bathroom, and he was hanging something on the wall. When she returned to class and made her way toward the switches, there was Mr. Parable, hanging out in front of the closet.
• • •
Nina brought George’s camouflage to lunch to show Ada.
“I made it last night,” said Nina. She pulled out what looked like a beehive. Ada recognized it as a copy of the beehive the second-grade teacher had outside her classroom, right next to Mr. Parable’s room. On the top it read, WE ARE BUSY BEES. Ms. Janopolis put pictures of the second graders on it to show what they were working on.
“That’s great, Nina,” said Ada. “But don’t we need to put pictures on it?”
“Yeah. I borrowed a couple this morning. I’ll stick them on before we put it on George.”
• • •
After lunch, Nina took a shot at the lights. First, she just spent an extra long time tying her shoe.
“Have a seat! Have a seat!” said Bueller.
“Nina?” said Mr. Parable. He looked at her pointedly over his glasses.
Nina wandered slowly toward her desk. When Mr. Parable turned around to speak to Casey Nesmith, Nina wandered back toward the door. Just as she got to the light switch, Bueller spoke up again.
“Have a seat! Have a seat!”
Mr. Parable turned back toward her. “Nina. Didn’t I tell you to have a seat?”
Well, no, technically, Ada thought, but she didn’t say so.
“Sorry, Mr. Parable,” said Nina.
Nina took her seat and shrugged at Ada.
Then Mr. Parable told them that they would be watching a movie on immigration in nineteenth century California. Five minutes into the movie, Nina made her way to the trash can, just a few feet away from the supply closet. On her way back to her desk, she made an awkward loop toward the light switches. Ada was concerned it looked suspicious, but Mr. Parable didn’t seem to notice. Not even Bueller mentioned it.
Ada saw Nina casually brush against the two switches closest to the closet door, in an attempt to turn them on. She didn’t quite manage it the first time, so she stepped back and brushed against the switches again. She had to lunge forward a little bit and hunch down to get her shoulder under the switch. This time she managed to catch one switch but not the other. There wouldn’t be a chance to try again—not now at least. She had turned on a light in the middle of the movie, and no one was happy about it. Mr. Parable paused the film.
“Nina Scarborough!” said Mr. Parable. “Am I going to have to send you to see Ms. Lily?”
“No, Mr. Parable!” said Nina. “I’m sorry. It was an accident. It won’t happen again.”
Ada was surprised that Mr. Parable had remembered not just one, but both of Nina’s names. As he was distracted by making sure that Nina made it to her seat, he flicked not just the switch Nina had turned on but the one next to it too. He didn’t notice, because the one he hit turned on the light in the closet, which was closed. Nina turned to Ada and winked. Ada had never been able to wink. She tried and just ended up crinkling her nose. That made her sneeze for some reason. Nina looked confused.
• • •
Milton caught up with Ada and Nina as they were heading toward Mr. Lace’s room after school.
“You’re sure you’ll remember which one?” Nina asked Ada.
“Which one what?” asked Milton.
“Never mind, Milton,” said Nina.
“Aw, come on! I can keep a secret,” said Milton.
“There are no secrets, Milton,” said Ada.
“And even if there were, you would be the last person . . .”
“Aha!” said Milton. “So, there is a secret.”
“No!” said Nina. “No, there’s not! We just wouldn’t . . .”
“Suit yourself!” called Milton, walking away. “I can be a powerful ally . . . or enemy!”
“Great,” said Ada under her breath.
“You sure we’re doing the right thing?” asked Nina.
“Absolutely!” said Ada. She tried to sound as confident as she could. “And anyway, it’s too late to change the plan now.”
• • •
They sat in Mr. Lace’s room working together until about 5:00 p.m. Then Ada gave the nod to Nina.
“Pop, Nina and I are just about finished. We’re going to go outside and play with George for a while.”
Ada’s father turned around and looked at her directly. “No wandering down hallways. No going to the vending machine without my supervision. You can go just outside, but not beyond the school yard entrance. Do you understand?”
His sternness almost threw Ada. She gathered her wits, swallowed, and answered him, “Yes, Dad. I understand.”
As they left the room, Nina looked questioningly at Ada. Ada gave her a firm nod, and they went outside.