It Takes Two to make a criminal mastermind. Especially the fish tank variety. The team discover that KORPS are regrouping and attempting to revive the Mastermind again.

"Team !" Frank greeted them as they exited the lift. "Bad news I'm afraid. We've received intelligence that KORPS are regrouping and are planning to revive the Mastermind once again. It looks like Zoe is going to be at serious risk."

This news was greeted with silence. Dan, Tom and Aneisha all glanced over at Zoe. Zoe stood stony faced, looking straight ahead. "Well, I'm ready for them," said Zoe.

"The trouble is, Agent London, that if you are in danger, then so is everyone who works with you," said Stella, stepping out of the shadows at the side of the room.

"Hey, wait a minute !" said Dan angrily. "That's not Zoe's fault."

"I never said it was Agent Morgan," said Stella. Suddenly she sounded very formal. "MI9 are prepared to provide protection for Agent London, but this can't be done while she is in active service with the rest of the team. For everyone's safety, she is being asked to step down until we have neutralised the KORPS threat."

"That could take a lifetime !" said Tom, sounding incredulous. "When is Zoe going to be able to go out again ?"

"When we know it's safe," said Stella.

"This is hopeless," said Dan. "Zoe's safest when she's with us, isn't she ? If she stays in one place, she's going to be an easier target."

"That is true, which is why she is going to be moved on a regular basis," said Stella. "Regular moves between safe houses has proven effective in the past. One of Frank's previous team was a target for SKUL due to an unfortunate family connection and they were moved on a regular basis. That worked out well, didn't it Frank ?" asked Stella.

"Well, to be honest it's a miracle he grew up to be a relatively well-balanced adult," said Frank apologetically. "He absolutely hated it," he added.

"Frank ! You're supposed to be helping here !" hissed Stella.

"Look Stella, I know you're trying to do the right thing by Zoe and keep her safe, but to be honest, she's not going to have much of a life if we're constantly moving her from place to place, trying to keep one step ahead of KORPS. At least if she is here working with us, we can keep an eye on her. She will be with her friends and not on her own. We don't want to do KORPS's work for them do we ?" said Frank.

Stella looked taken aback. Zoe spoke up. "Stella, I know you're doing your best, but Frank is right. I'm not going to put up with being locked up all over again. I put up with that for long enough in SKUL. I can't cope with it again. Please let me stay here ?" she begged.

Stella looked from Zoe to Frank and thought for a moment. "Allright, but you're not going to be able to stay at your safe house," said Stella. "It's not secure enough. I would like you to move into the living quarters here at base for the time being, just to be on the safe side."

"There are living quarters here ?" asked Aneisha.

"Yes. Frank lives here," said Stella. The team all looked at Frank in surprise. He looked a bit annoyed at Stella for letting out his little secret, but he guessed she was getting her own back for him not siding with her earlier.

"You OK with that Zoe ?" asked Dan. "It might be a good idea," he added.

"I can live with that," said Zoe. "Just so long as I don't have to leave the team." Reluctantly, Stella nodded her agreement.

"OK well, you've got classes in a few minutes," said Frank, checking his watch. "You'd better get back upstairs." They all nodded their agreement and headed for the lift. Once they were gone Stella rounded on Frank.

"Frank ! Don't bother to back me up then will you !" she hissed angrily.

"Stella, I'm sorry, really, but I'm afraid I do have some experience of this. Do you remember Oscar Dixon-Halliday ?" asked Frank.

"Was that Oscar Cole ?" asked Stella, puzzled.

"Yes, that was the identity which MI9 gave him," said Frank. "I first met him after an MI9 SWAT team attacked his home in an attempt to capture his mother, Jade. She had defected to SKUL after her husband Edward was captured on an MI9 mission in Africa when Oscar was only little. When Jade then abandoned Oscar he was about nine years old. I arrived at the house to find a SWAT team pointing guns at this boy hiding behind the sofa, absolutely terrified. He was moved from one safe house to another. Different people looked after him. One place was little better than a prison cell. In the end I think he joined the MI9 training programme as much to escape as anything. It was a pretty miserable life Stella," said Frank sadly. "It's amazing that he turned out as well as he did really."

Stella smiled at him. "Well, he had you didn't he ?" she said softly. "I expect you took him under your wing and tried to make things better for him didn't you ?" she asked.

Frank shrugged in embarrassment. "Well, I did my best," he said. "If only Jade had left him alone, it would have been a lot easier. She seemed to do her best to make his life a complete misery."

"Allright, well you can look after Zoe now," said Stella, giving him a hug. "You would make a great Dad you know Frank," she said with a cheeky grin. Frank blushed red. Stella didn't see his wistful look at her retreating back as she left the base.

Upstairs in St. Heart's the team raced for their next class, making it just in time. They were the last ones into the music class. "Just in time Aneisha, Dan, Tom, Zoe," said their teacher, frowning at them. "Don't leave it quite so late next time please ?" she asked as they dropped, panting into the remaining seats. Dan was left with the seat next to Melissa. Groaning inwardly he sat down next to her, lifting his eyebrows in response to her smile, but immediately returning his attention to the teacher.

"Now then class, today we're going to explore rhythm. You're going to listen to some different pieces of music and I want you to pick out the different rhythms which are being used. I am going to ask you to attempt to repeat the rhythm that you hear and hopefully by the end of the lesson you will be able to identify some classic rhythms used in different musical genres.

Dan perked up. He loved music although he didn't really get much chance to enjoy it outside his own bedroom. This could be an interesting lesson for once. The hour's lesson passed quickly. Each member of the class was asked to try to tap out the rhythm being used in different pieces of music. Some were more successful than others, although some rhythms were much more complicated than others. Tom was really pleased with himself for correctly repeating a complex pattern. "That's the most fun in class I've had outside science," said Tom as they walked to their last lesson of the day.

"Wow, praise indeed !" said Aneisha.

"Well, it helped that I didn't have to sing," said Tom. "Usually I make a complete mess of music because I can't hear the notes," he complained.

"You do have a tin ear," said Dan.

"Do not !" complained Tom. The others all looked at him. "Do I ?" he asked. They all nodded.

Zoe hugged him. "We love you anyway," she said.

Tom humphed and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I should try singing to KORPS !"