They weren’t the best Zig Newtons Monkey Wrench had ever tasted, but he kept quiet about it. He didn’t want to hurt Shoe’s feelings. Besides, he had other things on his minds. Their spaceship was getting closer and closer to planet Earth. He couldn’t wait to see Earthlings up close. He had seen them plenty of times in books and on video in science class, but seeing them in person would be a first for him.
“Do you think it’s true what they say about humans?” Elbow asked, finishing the last of the Zig Newtons. “That they have only one brain?”
“Think so,” said Monkey Wrench.
“And they have only two eyes!” Shoe shook his head in disbelief. “I cannot imagine … you could read only one book at a time. And what are those things they use to move about?”
“Legs.”
“That’s right—legs. How interesting.”
* * *
While the aliens were getting closer to carrying out their sinister plan, Melvin Beederman was meeting with his sidekick, Candace Brinkwater, at the library. He met her there every day after school to help her with math. Then they saved the world together. This was their arrangement—first homework, then bad-guy thumping. Occasionally, they would kick in some doors to round out the day.
“How are things?” Candace asked.
“Not sure,” Melvin said. “Bigger-than-normal trouble might be heading our way. Do you feel it?”
Candace slapped her forehead. “I thought that I ate too many pretzels at lunch. But big trouble makes more sense. What kind of trouble?”
“That’s the question we’ve been asking.”
“Who’s we?”
“James and Margaret are coming out. Four superheroes are better than two. Finish your math. They’re meeting us at my tree house.”
Candace smiled and hurried to finish her math. She’d never been inside Melvin’s tree house before, but it was on her to-do list. She had her own bedroom, of course, but Melvin had a tree house! Life just wasn’t fair.
Outside the library, the partners in uncrime launched themselves. Or at least Candace did. Melvin joined her on the fifth try, after crashing, splatting, thudding, and kabonking. Then they flew to the hilltop where Melvin’s tree house stood.
James and Margaret were waiting for them inside. Hugo was busy entertaining the new guests with an episode of The Adventures of Thunderman and pretzels.
“Squeak,” said Hugo when he saw Melvin and Candace. This either meant “Come and join the party,” or “Three’s a party; five’s a crowd.” You never knew with Hugo. Although, Candace did—she was fluent in rat.
But she’s not narrating the story, now is she?
It was a mini hugfest as the academy friends were reunited. Then Melvin gestured to his partner in uncrime. “You all remember my sidekick, Candace Brinkwater.”
“Of course we do, Melvin. We just worked together in book seven.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Melvin was so bothered by the thought that big trouble was heading their way that he forgot all about book seven. It happens.
He grabbed a map of the city and spread it out for his three companions. “Where do bad guys like to spend time in this town?”
“Beats me, Melvin,” James said. “It’s your town.”
Melvin turned to his Candace. “Where do you think trouble’s mostly likely to come from?”
Candace tapped a finger on the map. “Two places. Lair Hill and beneath the Hollywood sign.”
James and Margaret looked confused.
Melvin explained. “New lairs are popping up every week in those places. Bad guys galore.”
They decided to split up. Margaret and Candace would patrol Lair Hill, while Melvin and James would check out the hillside below the Hollywood sign. The two pairs of superheroes flew in circles above these areas, looking down for any sign of trouble.
Big mistake! They should have been looking up.
