Natalie and I raced along the empty halls.
"So, what's the plan?" she said. "Where's Billy?"
"The cafeteria!" I said. "Frenchy LaTrine tipped me off. She said Herman was going to get 'sweet' something at the cafeteria. Adding that to what the Rat Sisters said, I know what he's after."
"What?"
"It's 'sweet revenge'! He's going to steal something from the cafeteria."
I panted heavily as we trotted along. Maybe I did need to ease off of those fried termites.... Nah. We rounded the last classroom and reached the cafeteria.
I tried the doors. Locked. I peered inside. Deserted.
"Let's check the other side," said Natalie.
The kitchen door was locked, too. I thought about picking the lock with my tail, but something stopped me. The building was as quiet as a classful of kids who don't want to be called on.
Something was wrong.
"Another red herring?" said Natalie.
"No, thanks, I'd rather have stinkbug pie," I said. "But I won't get to eat it unless we figure out where Billy is, pronto." I leaned against the door.
"Hey, Chet, I just thought of something," said Natalie. "Herman wants revenge, right?"
"Right."
Natalie cocked her head. "Why would he want revenge on the cafeteria? What did it ever do to him?"
I scratched my head. "You're right. Those cafeteria ladies let him eat as much as he wants."
"So who does Herman have a grudge against?" she said.
Suddenly, the lightbulb went on in the fridge of my brain. I tossed my hat up.
"Natalie, I'm a genius!"
"Compared to whom?" she said.
I clapped her on the shoulder. "I figured it out! Herman wants revenge for being kicked off the football team, so he's going to pull something nasty at the game."
"That's it!" said Natalie. "But how does Billy fit in?"
"Hmm," I said. I picked up my hat. "Beats me."
Natalie squawked. "Wait, don't you see? Herman needs a hand. He's blackmailed Billy into helping him." She took off. "Come on, let's go!"
I jogged along behind her. "Natalie! Where are we going?"
"I don't know," she said.
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
We hustled onto the playground.
"Wait, we can't just keep running," I said. "We've got to figure out where they are."
"Well, duh," she said. "So where could they be—inside the gym? Behind the bleachers? In the parking lot?"
We started across the grass toward the gym. "Slow down and let me think," I said. "Football players ... football players..."
Suddenly it hit me.
"Wait, Natalie!" I said. "That funny drawing I found in Billy's desk. It's Herman's plan for wrecking the football game."
We stopped beside the gym and I fished out the drawing. Now it made sense. Sort of.
The Xs and Os were the football players. The M was ... I didn't know what the M was. And the Zs were Herman and his friends coming out from under the bleachers, onto the field.
"Natalie, we've got to get out to the football field. They're attacking the team from underneath the bleachers."
Natalie just stared at me with an odd expression on her face.
"Chet," she said. "I have a funny feeling."
"That's what happens when you eat worms for lunch."
She shook her head and pointed behind me.
Something big stepped around the corner. I could tell because the sun went out. I smelled something like funky old sweatsocks dipped in rotten eggs.
I turned around.
"Looking for me?" asked Herman the Gila Monster.