ARBIE ALEXANDER STRIKES AGAIN – Part One

A teenage boy wearing an orange bandana looked through a pair of binoculars. He saw the police officer accept a wad of cash from the men in long coats. A glowing ball of light flew over to them before returning and writing out a message in his memo pad.

Officer Blakely – 9th Precinct

The teenager wrote the message down and slipped away, getting on a skateboard. He made his way through the streets of Sydney, Australia, until he found an internet café. Once there, he sat down at a public computer, put in a disc, and began to write.

Crooked Cop Accepts Bribes From Mafia

Hector Carrero smiled as he made his way to the Fernandez bodega. His mentor, Alejandro Fernandez, was working the register when he came in.

"Hey Hector," he said.

"Hi Alex," Hector said. "I got another letter from Rob."

"Cool," Alex said. "Once Gaby gets here, we can look at it. After your homework of course."

"Do we have to do my homework first?" Hector whined. "Rob's letters are way more interesting. Especially when he sends those articles."

Alex gave Hector a look as his sister Gabriela came in.

"Just in time," Alex said. "Can you mind the store, Gaby? We got work to do."

"Only until you guys are done," Gaby said. "Lenni invited me and Tina to come over later and help her finish her song."

Alex nodded and took Hector into his room. After helping him with homework, he smiled as Hector eagerly opened the letter.

"Hey," Hector said, looking over the letter. "Rob got promoted to editor of the school paper."

"I'm surprised they didn't promote him before," Alex said. "Rob is a pro when it comes to writing. He once wrote a story about a guy wanting to confess…and I thought it was a real confession."

"Well…he really likes the job," Hector said. "But…he says it takes time away from some other stuff he's doing."

"What other stuff?"

"He doesn't say," Hector said. "He just says he might have to cut back on it…even though he doesn't really want to."

Hector then pulled out a newspaper clipping.

"Another one of these," he said.

"Arbie again?"

"Yep," Hector said. "This one's about…a crooked cop taking bribes from a guy in the mafia."

"Another scandal," Alex said. "Awesome."

Hector read out the article, which listed names, dates, and evidence against the crooked police officer, as well as who the mafia contacts were. Alex sat back and shook his head.

"That sounds like the one about the politician messing with the voting machines."

"Or that one about the guy trying to smuggle out an exotic bird," Hector said, putting the article in a folder. "Gaby really liked that one."

"How many of these has Rob sent?"

Hector counted the articles in his folder.

"Twenty-three," he said. "All by Arbie Alexander. Rob must really like him."

"I like him too," Alex said. "A reporter with some guts. We could use a guy like that on the team."

Upstairs, Lenni Frazier opened the door to let Gaby in, and also Tina Nguyen, who was carrying a video camera.

"Hey guys," Lenni said. "Come on in."

"Hey Lenni," Tina said, putting the camera on the counter. "You got any more ideas on what you want for your video?"

"Some," said Lenni. "I'm almost done with the song anyway."

"I got some great dance steps for it," Gaby said. "You're gonna love it."

Gaby sat down at the counter and saw an open letter on it. Lenni quickly ran over and grabbed it.

"I just wanted to see if it was from Tuan," Gaby said.

"Gaby," Tina said. "Tuan isn't a writer. He's a musician."

"And he hasn't even called since he went to college," Lenni said, shaking her head. "Rob on the other hand…"

"Hasn't stopped writing in two years," Tina sighed. "We know."

"He didn't at first though," Gaby said. "We didn't hear from him for nearly two months."

"Well he did explain why," Lenni said. "He got really down when he moved back to Australia…and was even more down when Hector wrote to him about the Max Mouse case. He was all bummed that he missed it."

"I remember that," Tina nodded. "We suggested that you send him your song…and a copy of the video."

"I know, right?" Lenni smiled. "And then he finally writes back…saying he ran down to this music store to play the video since his VCR wasn't working. And he was dancing in the middle of the store! That's how he met Michael."

"Michael?" asked Gaby.

"One of his best friends," Lenni said brightly. "Michael's parents own that store…and Michael writes songs like I do. Rob started hanging out with him and helps him come up with words to go with his music. He also met the twins, who are great at singing, and now they have a whole band."

"Yeah…speaking of which…shouldn't we try to finish your song?" Tina asked.

"We should," Lenni said, putting the letter away. "Jamal and Hector will meet us in the park later so we can work on the video."

Some time later, Rob Baker looked over the final draft of the school paper and nodded.

"All right, Cole," he said. "Take it to print."

"Sure thing, Yankee," said the young man with sandy blond hair.

He took the paper as Rob looked impatiently at the clock. Cole sighed and shook his head.

"Why you always in such a hurry?"

"I got stuff to do," Rob said. "And can't do it in a school uniform."

Rob tugged at his necktie and Cole shook his head.

"You've lived here for two years now," he said. "Aren't you used to it?"

"Call me Yankee," Rob said, gathering up his books. "Always gonna be an American. I'm out of here."

The bell rang and Rob bolted out the door. He grabbed his skateboard and headed home, going through a mental checklist of what he needed to do. He got home and ran upstairs to change, his father shaking his head.

"Hello to you too Rob!"

Rob was rushing back downstairs a few minutes later, now wearing a t-shirt with a flannel shirt over it, army pants, and sneakers. His black hair was tied back in an orange bandanna and he grabbed his skateboard as he shoved a memo pad in his pocket.

"Hi Dad," he said. "Bye Dad."

"Be back before dark!" his father called.

"Got it," Rob said, jogging out the door.

Rob's father shook his head as his mother walked in from the other room.

"We never should have left New York," his father sighed.

"In New York he didn't come home at all," his mother sighed. "Always at Lenni's house."

"At least we knew where he was."

Rob came home by dinner and washed his hands, which were rather grimy and covered in ink. He sat down for dinner and looked at his father.

"Any mail today?"

"Got an answer from Lenni," his father smiled, pulling out a letter.

"Why didn't you say so?" Rob said, grabbing it.

"Well if you didn't come in and out like a tornado…"

Rob sighed and looked at the letter.

"I guess," he said. "Sorry 'bout that."

"What was so urgent today?" his mother asked.

"Had something to do," Rob said.

Rob's parents looked at each other, as this was their son's regular answer to that question. Once he was done with dinner, he went right up to his room with the letter. He also took out his memo pad, but shook his head.

"Story can wait," he said, putting it away. "Lenni comes first."

Rob relaxed on his bed as he read Lenni's letter.

"Cool," he said. "Hope she sends me a copy of that video."

"That's a wrap!" Tina called out.

"Finally," said Jamal Jenkins. "I'm hot."

"I'm thirsty," said Gaby.

"I'm hungry," said Hector.

"And I'm so psyched!" Lenni said, jumping in the air. "The video is done!"

"It's not going to be as professional as what you did before," Tina said. "And it still has to be edited."

"But Jade might have us do this one professionally," Lenni said.

"Ugh!" said Jamal, Gaby, and Hector together.

"Come on guys," Lenni said. "This is important."

"We know," Jamal said. "But please let us get some rest before we do another video."

"You have plenty of time to relax," Tina said. "I have to edit this for my class."

"Just make sure you make a copy for me to take to Jade," Lenni said. "I'm sure she's going to love it."

Rob left the newspaper office after dropping off an envelope. He got on his board and headed for the music store. A shorter teenage boy with bushy black hair was sitting behind the counter and reading a newspaper.

"Long time, no see Yankee," he said. "Thought you went back to New York."

"Don't I wish, Michael," Rob said. "Any good stuff come in?"

"A couple," Michael said, handing him a CD. "My dad wants a review of this one."

Rob took the CD and looked at it.

"He got a deadline?"

"Monday."

"That'll work," Rob sighed, opening his bag. "Oh man!"

Michael raised his eyebrows as Rob pulled a letter out of his bag. It had a big blot of ink on it and Rob slammed it on the counter.

"Pen must've broke," Rob sighed.

"Ugh," Michael said, picking up the letter by the corner. "At least it doesn't have a stamp yet."

"Well it's going to Lenni in New York," Rob said, carefully taking it from him. "Have to do that at the post office."

Michael nodded as Rob carefully removed the letter, tossing the envelope in the trash.

"Looks like the letter is fine," he said, putting it down. "Now where is that stupid pen?"

Michael glanced at the letter as Rob fished out the broken pen, also throwing it in the trash. He then put his bag on the counter and looked through the contents.

"Oh for…" Rob muttered. "There's ink everywhere in here!"

"Need a new bag?" Michael asked, still looking at the letter.

"I need a new memo pad," Rob said, making a face. "Don't even think of reading that letter, Pal."

Michael laughed as Rob hadn't even looked up. Nor did he remove the memo pad from the bag, but simply closed it and looked at his hands.

"Good grief," he said. "Bad as Brett Pierce."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Rob said. "I'm gonna wash my hands. Don't touch my stuff, all right?"

Michael nodded as Rob left for the bathroom. He then looked up as a gorgeous redhead walked in.

"Hey Mike," she smiled, walking over.

"Hi Matilda," Michael said, drumming his fingers on the counter.

"What's this?" she asked, looking at the bag.

"Yankee's pen busted in his bag," Michael said. "Got ink on everything."

"Yankee's bag huh?" Matilda grinned, peering into it.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

Matilda laughed as Rob came out of the bathroom, drying his hands with a paper towel and glaring at her.

"Always so touchy about your stuff, Yankee," Matilda said.

"My stuff is private," he said, grabbing his bag and the letter.

"That's what he said about the poems that blew away at the beach," Matilda said. "Almost didn't want us to help him catch them all…and was snapping at Brad for trying to read them."

"I thought it was, Cole," Rob said.

"It was Brad," Matilda said. "Cole is the polite one who respects your privacy."

"Your poetry wasn't in there, was it?" Michael asked.

"Nah," Rob said. "Just the memo pad with my notes in it."

"Notes about what?" Matilda asked.

"Just stuff I'm working on," Rob said.

"The stuff you keep running off to do after school?" Matilda asked.

Rob said nothing and used the paper towel to wipe the inside of his bag. Michael gave a sigh and shook his head.

"Come on, Yankee," he said. "You've been running ragged for weeks. What you been up to?"

Rob still said nothing but picked up the newspaper Michael had been reading, taking out some of the classified ads to wipe his bag with. Matilda shook her head and looked at Michael.

"Anything interesting in the news?" she asked.

"Arbie Alexander strikes again," Michael said. "Busted those drug dealers that were selling crack at school."

"Good," Matilda said. "Some of the guys on the football team were offering that junk to Brad."

"I'll say," Michael said. "It was bad enough when he found those people making illegal copies of CDs. Speaking of which…"

All of them looked over as a small man with a bushy black beard came in, carrying a box.

"What're those Dad?" Michael asked.

"Just got these from New York," he said.

"New York?" Rob asked, wiping his hands with the newspaper.

"Well that CD you let us listen to was great," the man said. "So I wrote to Smash Records to order a shipment of them."

He opened the box and Matilda picked up one of the CDs.

"Lenni Frazier," she said. "Time for a Change."

"Ha ha," Rob laughed, looking at his letter. "I'll have to add a P.S. now. Let her know we're selling her album here."

"You know these other people too?" Matilda asked.

Rob picked up one of the albums and looked at the cover.

"Yeah," he said. "That's Jamal…Gaby…and Hector."

"Lemme see that," Michael said.

Rob handed him the album and Michael nodded.

"Aren't they the same ones from that video?"

"Yeah," Rob said. "They're the official backup dancers for Lenni. Gaby does the choreography."

"The cute redhead here?" Michael asked.

"Oh you think she's cute?" Matilda grinned.

"So I'm partial to redheads," Michael shrugged. "And Cole says you're off limits."

Matilda laughed and Rob shook his head.

"Might have to deal with Alex though."

"Alex?" Michael asked.

"Gaby's older brother," Rob said. "Seems Gaby's been complaining about never getting any dates because of him."

"Wow," Michael said. "I bet she'd get a lot of dates otherwise."

"You should send her our address," Michael's father grinned. "Mike could use a girl."

"DAD!"

"I can't do that, Mr. Johnson," Rob said. "Alex would knock me down like a tidal wave."

"I thought you were friends," Michael said.

"Never stopped him before," Rob said. "Almost gave me a bloody nose when I accused Gaby of stealing. Lucky for me, Lenni was there to calm him down."

"What you accusing Gaby for?" Michael frowned.

"We were working on a case and Gaby had evidence against her," Rob sighed. "Alex knew she was innocent though…and Tina agreed with him. So I backed off and we found out who really did it."

Michael nodded and looked at the CD again.

"How come they're not on here?"

"Alex hates dancing," Rob laughed. "And Tina's learning to direct. Just got a letter about her directing Lenni's next video."

"They gonna send you a copy of it again?" Matilda asked.

"Hope so," Rob said. "But first they're going to show it to Lenni's producer. They filmed it for one of Tina's classes, so it's not professional like the first one."

"Which song did they do?" Michael asked.

"The cover song," Rob said. "Time for a Change. I always liked that one."

"You should do a review of it," Michael said. "Anything you review sells like hotcakes."

"Not him," Michael's father said, shaking a finger. "He would be too biased."

"But Dad…"

"He's right though," Rob said, also picking up a CD. "I have great memories of these songs. The review should be by someone who's never heard them."

"We should ask Cole to do it," Matilda said. "He and Brad really liked that first song she did. It got you to actually talk to us."

"It got me out of a depression is what it did," Rob sighed. "I was still bummed about moving here."

"It also made you dance in the middle of my store," said Michael's father.

"Yeah," Rob said, giving a laugh. "You might not want to play this one in the store. I always dance to Lenni's music."

"But people won't buy it if we don't play it," said Michael.

"You can move some shelves to give him room," his father said, handing him the box. "And stock these in the new release section."

Michael sighed and went to work as Rob carefully picked up his bag.

"You're not going to help him out?" Matilda asked.

"I need a new envelope for this," Rob said, waving the letter. "And then I gotta see if I can salvage any of my notes…and replace that stupid pen."

"You should wear it around your neck like you did when you first moved here," Matilda said.

"I would if they didn't yell at me at school for doing that," Rob said. "Stupid uniforms."

"You're such an American," Matilda said, rolling her eyes.

"Call me Yankee," Rob said, swinging his arms. "See ya."

Matilda shook her head and went to help Michael stock the shelves. She smiled as she looked at the cover of the album.

"I just love her clothes too," she said. "Guess she shops at those high-end places in New York."

"Maybe," Michael said. "Big music star would have money."

Matilda looked at him and cocked her head.

"You should send her some of your stuff," she said.

Michael looked at her.

"You crazy?" he asked. "My stuff isn't anything like hers."

"So?" she asked. "Yankee writes the words, don't he?"

"Well yeah."

"So send it to her," she said. "She's bound to listen to it, since Yankee's her boyfriend…and might even get her producer to hear it."

"Yankee's not her boyfriend," Michael said. "He's said that several times."

"Yankee just doesn't want to tell us that," Matilda said. "Just like he won't tell us anything else he's up to. And even if she isn't his girl, she's still bound to listen to something he wrote."

"I guess," Michael said. "But…what if she doesn't like it?"

"Michael," Matilda said. "Remember that song Yankee was dancing to? You have to believe you can do it."

Michael sighed as he looked at the CD in his hand.

"Well…I dunno," Michael said. "But the twins have been wanting to do a real recording…"

Lenni sighed as she walked home from school with Tina, who was kicking a rock down the sidewalk.

"It was a good video Tina," Lenni said. "You just don't have all the fancy equipment at the studio."

"I know," Tina sighed. "And I did get an A on it. I was just hoping I could be part of your career."

"And you will be," Lenni said. "They did like the idea behind the video. Maybe they'll let you help direct it if we do it professionally."

"That's a big maybe," Tina said.

They went up to Lenni's apartment, where her father was talking on the phone.

"Ah," he said. "She just got home."

"What is it?" Lenni asked.

"Jade wants to see you about something," her father said.

"Right now?" Lenni asked.

"If you want."

"Maybe she changed her mind about the video," Lenni said to Tina.

"I hope so," Tina said. "But it might also be bad news."

Lenni's father shook his head and spoke into the phone again.

"We'll be right there."

Lenni's father took her to the studio, where she went to the office of Jade Morgan. Her father stood with her as Jade sat down at her desk and Sonja the publicist brought in a letter.

"It seems you have quite a fan base in Sydney, Australia," Sonja said. "That shop that ordered your album sold out in two weeks."

"Really?" Lenni asked.

"They just put in an order for more of them," Jade said. "I'm thinking about a promotion concert."

Lenni gasped.

"In Sydney?"

"Now don't get too excited," Jade said. "We still need to see how well the album sells…and if other shops order your album. We need very good results if we're going to invest in going there."

"Oh wow!" Lenni cried.

"Sydney, Australia?" her father asked.

"Yes," said Jade. "Of course, we would wait for summer break…and you would come along."

"Interesting," Lenni's father said, rubbing his chin. "Lenni does have a friend there."

"That's the whole reason that shop bought my album," Lenni said. "Rob played them the one I sent to him…and they really liked it."

"But does Rob have enough friends to justify a concert?" her father asked.

Lenni bit her lip.

"I dunno," she said. "But he is friends with the guy at the music store. Maybe he can help promote it."

"It's an idea," Sonja said. "If we get enough interest in the area, we could do that video on location. We did like the idea behind it."

Lenni jumped up.

"You would?"

"That's a big if though, Lenni," Jade said. "We might also do the video here with better equipment than what Tina has."

"I know," Lenni said. "But I'm going to do all I can to make sure my album sells in Sydney. If we do the video there, Rob could be in it!"

Once Lenni got home, she immediately called a rally. Tina had just gone downstairs to visit Gaby, so she came up right away with her, Alex and Hector.

"What's up?" Alex asked.

"I just got great news!" Lenni said.

"What is it?" Tina asked.

"We need to wait for Jamal," Lenni told them.

"Tell us now, tell him later!" Gaby whined.

Lenni laughed as Jamal came to the door, which was still standing open.

"Hey guys," he said. "We got a case?"

"Not a case," Lenni said. "A huge opportunity!"

Lenni told them what Jade and Sonja had said.

"In Sydney?" Hector gasped.

"Yes!" Lenni said. "We could see Rob!"

"And meet all his friends!" Gaby squealed.

"But…how do we get your album to sell well enough?" Jamal asked.

"I have an idea," Lenni said. "We need to write to Michael."

"The guy at the music store?" Hector asked.

"Hey yeah," Alex said. "Tell him to make sure the album sells."

"And to get other music stores to buy it," Tina said. "Great idea."

Lenni nodded and then grabbed her last letter to Rob. She looked at the last paragraph and nodded.

"We should also tell him send me his music," Lenni said.

"His?" Jamal asked.

"Yeah," Lenni said. "Michael writes music…Rob writes the words…and these twins do the singing. If I play their songs for Jade…"

"Oh I get it," Gaby said. "Jade might want to sign them too."

"And have another reason to visit Sydney," Alex said.

Lenni nodded as the team gathered around the computer.

Michael nearly fell out of his chair when he saw he had a letter from Lenni Frazier. He almost fell out of it again when he read it.

"Dang it, Yankee," he said. "What'd you tell her about our songs for?"

He read the letter again and nodded, biting his lip.

"Man," he said. "I mean…it would be great if she came here. But…would her producer really like our stuff?"

He looked up as one of the twins came in, handing him a paper.

"Cole finally finished that review of Lenni's song," he said.

"What took so long, Brad?" Michael asked.

"He wanted Yankee to read it," Brad sighed. "Which requires finding him."

"Right," Michael sighed. "No one knows where he's at. I should show him this too."

He handed him the letter and he gasped.

"No way!" he said. "Lenni wants to come here?"

"Well she's Yankee's friend," Michael said. "Probably misses him."

"Goodness knows why," Brad said. "Guess she doesn't know that we never see him either…what with him disappearing all the time."

"You guys ever find him?"

"Cole caught up to him at the internet café," he said. "He's writing something we're not allowed to see. Why they made me leave to give this to you."

"You're the one that gets nosy," Michael said. "What'd he say about the review?"

"Two thumbs up," he said, looking at the letter. "Good thing too. Lenni needs other stores to buy it if she's going to come here for a concert."

"They will with a good review," Michael said.

"Yeah," Brad said. "Looks like she wants our music too."

Michael nodded, biting his lip as Brad sighed.

"Haven't you sent it to her yet?" he asked.

"Well…no," Michael said.

"Mike," Brad sighed. "We went through all that trouble to record it. Took us two days to track Yankee down and get him to play the drums."

"I know," Michael said. "I guess I'm just afraid of what she'll think."

"She'll think it's great," Brad said. "Now where's the tape?"

Michael sighed and pulled a tape out from behind the counter. He paused so Brad grabbed it from him.

"Hey!"

"You'll thank me later," Brad said, also snatching up the envelope from the counter. "I'm going to send this before you chicken out."

"But…"

"No buts," he said. "She's going to love our song. Just you wait."

Lenni Frazier bobbed her head to the music and gave a smile. She then wrote out a rally message before rewinding the tape. When the rest of the team had gathered, she played it again.

"Oh wow," Gaby said. "That was beautiful."

"Who's that singing?" Alex asked.

"The twins," Lenni said. "But Michael wrote the music and Rob wrote the words. It sounds just like one of his poems."

"And it's wonderful," Tina said.

"Really different though," Jamal said.

"Was there a letter with it?" Hector asked.

Lenni looked in the box and shook her head.

"No letter," she said. "But…there's a note here. Lead vocals and guitar by Brad Miller. Harmony and bass by Cole Miller. Music and keyboard by Michael Johnson. Lyrics and percussion by Robert "Yankee" Baker."

"Oh yeah," Alex said. "Rob told us about the band before. One twin does the guitar…and the other plays the bass."

"And Michael played the keyboard," Lenni said. "Looks like they got Rob to play the drums."

"I didn't know Rob could play the drums," Gaby said.

"He took it up when he started hanging out with Michael," Lenni said. "They had their band already…but needed a drummer."

"What's with Yankee though?" Jamal asked.

"Oh yeah," Hector laughed, speaking very fast. "Rob always complains about the school uniforms and his friends say he's too American and he always says, "Call me Yankee," because he is American and came from New York and really really hates wearing school uniforms since he never had to wear them here."

The others laughed and Lenni shook her head.

"I don't blame him either," she said. "I would hate having to wear the same thing to school every day."

"Yeah," Gaby giggled. "I wonder what he looks like in it?"

"Oh man," Alex said. "Wouldn't it be great to see that?"

"We might if we get to have that concert there," Lenni said.

"But it'd be over summer break," Tina said.

"Here," said Jamal. "But it would be winter over there…and Rob would be in school. Wearing that pansy looking uniform."

"We've just got to get Jade to let you do that concert," Hector said.

"Well I'm going to let her hear this tape," Lenni said. "I love this song…and she might be convinced to go hear them in person."

Lenni and her father stood in Jade's office as they listened to the tape. Jade and Sonja both listened quietly. When the song ended, Lenni had her fingers crossed.

"Well?" she asked.

Jade smiled.

"That…was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."

"I'll say," Sonja said. "I'm almost in tears."

"It's pretty different from what we normally do though," Jade said, tapping her pen.

"I know," Lenni said. "But it is a great song…right?"

Jade smiled.

"It is," she said. "And I would like to hear more from this group. What are they called?"

"Um…I don't think they have a name," Lenni said. "The Miller twins were singing…but Michael wrote the music…and Rob did the lyrics."

"Ah," Sonja said. "It was a Miller that wrote a great review of your album. We've been getting orders left and right."

Lenni was bouncing on her heels in anticipation. Jade finally smiled and nodded.

"Australia…here we come."