Science Fair (16 page)

Prodded by Toby, Micah and Tamara shuffled into The Hornet’s office. Toby stopped just outside the doorway, fearing that if he went in, The Hornet would immediately banish him.

His plan was to eavesdrop and then step forward when he was needed.

Micah and Tamara continued into the office. The Hornet was sitting behind her desk, looking even more irritated than usual.

“What is this matter that’s so important?” she said.

Micah and Tamara looked at each other, both too nervous to speak. Final y Micah cleared his throat and said, “We, um, found out something that we, ah, found out about. So we, ah, came here.” He stopped there, his brain apparently frozen by The Hornet’s gaze.

“I see,” said The Hornet.

“Good,” said Micah.

“That was sarcasm,” said The Hornet. “In fact, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh,” said Micah.

“The science fair,” blurted Tamara. “We saw them cheating.”

The Hornet turned her gaze on Tamara, who now felt her own brain freezing. Final y, The Hornet said, “Whom?”

“Whom what?” said Tamara.

The Hornet sighed. “Whom,” she said, “did you see cheating?”

“The ME kids,” said Tamara. “Jason Niles, Haley Hess, Harmonee Prescott, and The Fer…I mean Farrel Plinkett.” The Hornet’s eyes narrowed.

“And how, exactly, were they cheating?” said The Hornet.

“They’re hiring the guy at the Science Nook to make their projects,” she said. “They’re paying him. They’re not working on them themselves.” The Hornet’s eyes narrowed even more.

“Did Toby Harbinger tel you to say this?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Tamara. “I mean, no. I mean, he told us to tel you, but we were there. We saw them. And we heard the Science Nook guy say the projects were dangerous.”

“Very dangerous,” said Micah.

“So you were in the Science Nook when this happened?” said The Hornet.

“Yes,” said Tamara. “I mean, no. Not exactly.”

“Excuse me?” said The Hornet.

“I mean,” said Tamara, “we were in the food court.”

“You were in the food court,” said The Hornet.

“Right,” said Tamara. “But we saw them.”

“Through the Cantaloupe Cam,” added Micah.

“You saw them,” The Hornet said slowly, “through a cantaloupe?”

“Through a camera
in
a cantaloupe,” said Tamara. “Yes.”

“We didn’t have an eggplant,” added Micah.

“I beg your pardon?” said The Hornet.

Before Tamara or Micah could answer, Toby, realizing that things were not going wel , took a deep breath and stepped through the door. The Hornet fixed him with a stare that could stop a rhino.

“What are
you
doing here?” she said.

“Please listen,” he said. “This is my fault. I asked them to come here because I didn’t think you’d believe me. But they saw it. They saw the ME kids talking to the Science Nook guy about their projects. He got al freaked out, because he said they were using classified technology and that it could be dangerous.” The Hornet’s office was utterly quiet for five long, scary seconds. Then The Hornet said, “Mr. Harbinger?”

“Yes,” said Toby.

“First,” said The Hornet, “you wil remove that disgusting hat.”

Toby snatched the hat off his head and realized, with horror, that it was the one that said BITE ME.

“Ohmigod, I’m sorry,” he said. “I—”

“Be quiet,” said The Hornet. “I am deeply disappointed in you, Mr. Harbinger.
Deeply.
It was bad enough that you accused your fel ow students of cheating, when it appears that
you
are the one who is cheating.”

“But—”

“I said be quiet. But then you compound your transgression by getting your friends to back up your accusations, thus not only causing them to embarrass themselves with this pathetic story about cantaloupes and eggplants, but also exposing them to serious disciplinary action.” Micah and Tamara looked at Toby. Toby looked away.

“I didn’t mean to—” he began.

The Hornet cut him off. “Whatever you meant to do,” she said, “you have managed to make a bad situation far worse for yourself
and
your friends.” Toby started to speak, but The Hornet held up her hand. “Before you say any more,” she said, “I’m going to bring Mr. Neckstrom here, since he is in charge of the science fair that you seem so determined to sabotage.” She pressed the intercom button on her phone and said, “Mrs. Breetle, please tel Mr. Neckstrom I want to see him in my office immediately. I also want Jason Niles, Haley Hess, Harmonee Prescott, and Farrel Plinkett to report to the outer office and wait there until I cal them in.” Two uncomfortable minutes later, there was a tap on the door and Mr. Neckstrom entered The Hornet’s office, closing the door behind him. Catching sight of Toby, he glared and said, “I thought he was suspended.”

“He is,” said The Hornet. “He has returned to the school, without permission, to bring new accusations concerning the science fair. He and his friends now claim that not only are some of the children purchasing their projects from this mal store, but that these projects may involve classified technology and could be dangerous.” Mr. Neckstrom’s face was now exactly the same shade of red as a baboon’s behind.

It took him a moment to control his anger enough so that he could speak.

“That’s
ridiculous
,” he spat.

“I agree,” said The Hornet. “But since he is now raising the issue of safety, I am obligated, as principal of this school, to inform you of it and ask if you have any reason to believe there is any truth to it.”

“Absolutely not,” said Mr. Neckstrom, glaring at Toby. “He’s stil trying to save his own skin, and he doesn’t care who he hurts.” The Hornet nodded. She pressed her intercom button. “Mrs. Breetle,” she said, “please come here and bring your notebook.” The office door opened. Mrs. Breetle stood in the doorway, notebook in hand. Behind her, Toby saw the ME kids sitting on the bench. He also saw Mr. P by the copy machine, apparently making copies. For an instant their eyes met. Mr. P looked away.

“Mrs. Breetle,” said The Hornet, raising her voice. “Please take this down and prepare it for my signature and inclusion in the files. I want to note for the record that today these three students—Toby Harbinger, Tamara Reil ey, and Micah Porter—came to me with new al egations regarding their fel ow students and the safety of the science fair. I have discussed this matter with Mr. Neckstrom, and our preliminary finding is that these al egations are unfounded. However, because of the safety issue, I am instructing Mr. Neckstrom to investigate this matter further, as I intend to do myself.”

The Hornet paused for a few moments while Mrs. Breetle scribbled furiously to catch up.

“Also,” The Hornet went on, “as of now, I am placing al three of these students on indefinite disciplinary suspension from Hubble Middle School.” Tamara and Micah gasped.

“But they didn’t do anything!” said Toby. “I’m the one who—”

“Be quiet, Mr. Harbinger,” snapped The Hornet. “They did indeed do something. They listened to you. Perhaps in the future they wil think twice before they make that mistake.” Toby hung his head.

The Hornet resumed dictating to Mrs. Breetle: “During this suspension,” she continued, “these students are banned from attending school and from participating in
any
school activities.”

“In…including the science fair?” said Micah.

“Especial y including the science fair,” said The Hornet.

“But I need to go into the gym!” said Micah. “Tamara and I already set up our projects, and Fester’s going to be hungry.”

“Fester?” said The Hornet.

“My frog,” said Micah. “He’s in my project. It’s about…”

“Mr. Porter,” interrupted The Hornet, in a voice that sounded the way a cold shower feels.

“Yes?” said Micah.

“Be quiet,” said The Hornet.

“Okay,” said Micah, “but Fester…”

“I said be quiet,” said The Hornet. “You wil not go to the gymnasium. The three of you wil wait in the outer office while Mrs. Breetle contacts your parents to come pick you up.” Al three children looked stricken.
Their parents
.

“That’s al ,” said The Hornet, dismissing them. “Mrs. Breetle, send in the four students waiting outside. Mr. Neckstrom, please remain here while I question them.” As he turned to leave The Hornet’s office, Toby felt his stomach churning. This had gone horribly, horribly wrong. The room seemed to be swirling around him as he stumbled blindly through the doorway, almost knocking over a bucket being used by Janitor Dude to mop the outer-office floor. A wave of filthy water sloshed against his legs, drenching his pants and shoes. The ME kids roared with laughter. They were stil snickering as they filed past Toby, Tamara, and Micah. They didn’t seem a bit worried about facing The Hornet and Mr.

Neckstrom. As he passed, Jason Niles deliberately stepped hard on Toby’s right foot.

Wet and hurting, Toby stumbled to the bench and sat down on the end. He noticed that Tamara and Micah sat on the other end.

“I’m sorry,” Toby said, his voice hoarse. “I didn’t think…I never thought…”

“No,” said Tamara, “you didn’t.”

Toby wanted to say something more, but he didn’t know what, and Micah and Tamara obviously didn’t want to hear it anyway. Toby looked around the office. Mr. P was taking some papers from the copier. His eyes met Toby’s again for a moment, then he left. At her desk, Mrs. Breetle was on the phone. She apparently had just gotten through to Tamara’s mother.

“Yes, Mrs. Reil ey,” she was saying, “suspended.”

Tamara’s shoulders shook; she was weeping.

Toby leaned over and put his face into his hands, hoping his own tears would not leak through.

T
OBY WAS IN HIS ROOM
, instant messaging Micah, who was in his room, since both of them, along with Tamara, had been grounded for al eternity, if not longer.

Toby was in the midst of yet another apology for causing the suspensions when he heard the doorbel ring. He froze, fearing that Darth and the Wookiee were back. He listened intently, his fingers hovering over his laptop keyboard. He heard the front door open, then close, fol owed by footsteps heading for the kitchen. Toby relaxed; it was his mom returning from errands. A minute later he heard the angry whine of the blender. His mom was experimenting with a brussels-sprout-yogurt-protein facial cream.

Turning back to the keyboard, he typed:

my rents r 4 real ths tme

mine 2, answered Micah.

im srry

u shud b

The door to Toby’s bedroom opened behind him. Toby started to turn, annoyed that there’d been no knock.

“Mom,” he said, “I thought we agreed that…”

He cut himself off as he spun around. The door stood ajar, but his mother wasn’t there.

Brb
, he typed. He got up and peered into the hal way—nobody. He could hear his mom in the kitchen. Frowning, he closed the door and turned around.

Sternabite was sitting in his chair.

Toby screamed. He didn’t mean to; it came out before he could stop himself.

“Calm down,” said Sternabite calmly.

There were quick footsteps in the hal , then pounding on the door. For once, Toby’s mom was observing the knock-first agreement.

“Toby?” she said. “Are you okay?”

Toby glanced at Sternabite, then the door.
What to do?
He looked back at Sternabite.

Except Sternabite wasn’t there.

Toby blinked.

Sternabite wasn’t there.

“Toby?” said his mom. “May I come in?”

“Um, yeah,” he said, stil looking at his empty chair.

His mother came in, looking worried. She smel ed like brussels sprouts. “Are you al right, sweetheart?”

“I…ah…yeah,” he said. “I’m fine.” He frowned at the chair, noticing something. The chair was leaning back.
By itself.

“Are you sure?” said his mom. “Because I heard you yel .”

“Yeah,” he said, tearing his eyes away from the chair. “I guess this, ah, being grounded thing is getting to me.” His mom gave him a disgusted look and shook her head. “Nice try,” she said, closing the door.

Toby waited until her footsteps had receded. Then he turned back to the chair.

“I know you’re there,” he said.

“Just don’t scream again,” said Sternabite’s voice.

That was weird enough. What fol owed was weirder: the light in front of the chair flickered, and suddenly…there was Sternabite again. He wore a basebal cap, sunglasses, a dark sport coat, khakis, and running shoes. He had an iPhone clipped to his belt, in the front. His hair was al over the place, sticking out of the cap as if he’d grabbed a live wire.

“How did you
do
that?” Toby asked.

“Quantum mechanics,” said Sternabite. “You’l study it in high-school physics.
Applying
it, though…” He reached down, touched the iPhone, and disappeared.

“Whoa,” said Toby.

Sternabite reappeared, his hand again on the iPhone.

“Whoa,” Toby said again.

“It was you, wasn’t it,” said Sternabite, “in my store that night.”

“What?” said Toby.

“Don’t act stupid. You took a list of science-fair components, yes?”