5) Game On, Mystery Club!
Part 3
It is a bright and sunny day as balloons floated up in the air, fireworks exploded in the sky, and people are screaming wildly. At the huge academy park, where the Mahora Sports Games are being held, every student is jumping and screaming with excitement. Today is the first day of the Games, and every athletic participant from each of the junior high and high school classes are raring to go.
Negi's homeroom class 1-A students, Akira, Makie, Ako, Misora, and Yuna, are all set and getting ready for the first game of the day. Ayaka, Kazumi, and the other students from Negi's class are right next to their team, cheering them on.
"Today's the day everyone," Misora said with excitement. "We're going to win the games and become the most popular class of all time."
"Right on Misora!" Yuna yelled with joy. "So, let's do this!"
"Go! Go! Class 1-A! Go! Go! Class 1-A! Yeah!" shouted the three cheerleaders.
"Good luck, girls, and give everything you've got!" Natsumi cheered.
Kazumi was snapping pictures away from every scene consisting of the Games. "This is so gonna be great, I wish Negi was here," Kazumi said with glee.
"I know right," Ayaka said with a lovable glee but also a frowning face. "But Negi has to do something important and urgent that he can't be here right now."
"I wonder what sort of 'something important and urgent' did he have to do?" Sayo asked as she was floating above Ayaka's head.
Meanwhile, Negi, Asuna, and Matt are at the pole jumping area observing around the vicinity. They were searching and scanning any suspicious activity.
"Keep your eyes peeled gang," Matt commanded.
"Right, Matt." both Asuna and Negi said in unison.
As Matt looks around the vicinity, a memory about early this afternoon at the club came to his mind.
At the Mystery Club, every member is sitting on a chair looking at the blackboard. Matt is in the front of the room, lecturing on the case.
Matt speaks, "So we got wind from the dean that suspicious people were prowling around the campus last night, especially around the area where the games are held. I may have guessed that they might tamper some of the sporting equipment and set some traps around the area."
"But why would they do that?" Konoka asked.
"Cheating may be one thing in my theory," Matt replied. "But, I'm wondering why they go so far on this?"
"Would someone be so devious that they hold a grudge against another team?" Chisame pondered. "Like revenge?"
"Who knows, Chisame? But if we're going to capture these night prowlers, we must first investigate who or what we are dealing with." Matt turns to his team. "We don't know what the enemy has planned to do with the games, but if we get a good start, we might have the advantage of our enemy. Our first step is to patrol the games. Since we are a big team, we'll split into groups, six to be exact."
"How shall we group up?" Yue asked after drinking her mint melon-berry juice.
"You guys can decide on that. But I'll show you where we need to be at the Mahora Sports Games."
Matt went to his backpack and got out a folded paper. He opened it up and, using tape from his bag, he posted a huge map of the park where the Games are being held.
"I took the liberty of asking the staff people to print or let me borrow the map of the Sport Games so we can discuss our positions." Matt grabbed a red marker from his bag and then turns to his team. "Here how this works, The Mahora Sports Games is a big event, and lots of people are going to be involved. So finding these criminals will be like finding a needle in a haystack, but not if we cooperate and coordinate together correctly and precisely." Matt then turns to the map.
"Like I said, we're a big team, and we'll be in groups. So each group will be at different places scanning the area for any criminal activity. This way, we can cover and look around the whole Sports Games at the same time.
He took out the cap from the marker and starts to draw making circles. "Group 1 will be at the track and field area. Group 2 at the pool and gymnasium, group 3: the pole jumping area, group 4: the basketball and volleyball courts, group 5: the soccer field, and group 6: the judging and concession stands." Matt puts the cap back on the marker, he turns to his team, and he sticks his hand towards the map. "With this process, we can able to view everywhere, high and low, for any odd people sneaking around."
"Not bad thinking Matt," Chao confirmed. "We might have a chance to capture the criminals too during this setup."
"Indeed, we might," Matt replied to Chao. He then turns to Satomi, who was sitting quietly, staring at Matt. "Satomi, do you have what we need?" Matt asked.
"Sure do." Satomi nodded and straightens her glasses. She reached down into her carry-on bag and pulled out the stuff from inside the bag. She places them on the table showing everyone what she had. "Behold everyone, Chao and I invented and tested these out, and it really works."
What appears on the table are gray cell-phones, except there is no folding crease. Half of the bottom part contains nine buttons, with each number on it, and the top half part contains a small screen with speaker vents below it. There's an antenna on the cell-phones and yellow and red buttons on the right side of the phone.
"These are called video-talkies. They are like walkie-talkies, except we modified these phones with a video screen on it. It is, therefore, that we will not only talk and communicate, but we can see each other and show around the area."
Matt picked one up and smile in amazement. "Cool Satomi," Matt complimented, "with these, we can contact each other at the same time while we are apart." Matt turns to Satomi. "What's the signal status on these?"
Satomi raised her glasses for a moment to make glare. "We enhanced them pretty strong, so the signal range is within a two-mile radius. Plus, I also made them for Chachamaru to communicate with us using her antennas and robotic visions to contact these video-talkies."
"Satomi, you're amazing," Fei Ku said excitedly.
"I have to admit Hakase-san," Chisame followed. "You are a scientific wizard."
"Oh, I'm not that smart yet," Satomi said while she blushed.
"Excellent," Matt said. "Well then, get into your groups, and let's start heading over to the games.
The memory ended, and Matt still looks around the pole-jumping and triple jump area. Matt then turns to his teammates. "I'm going to make a roll call and status check," Matt stated. "I'm going to see how we are doing and progressing." Negi and Asuna nodded.
Matt pulls out a video-talkie and presses the red button, which contacts all of the other groups in separate locations. "This is group 3 and Matt Oda speaking. I'm going to make a roll call and status check." After his announcement, Matt press button number 1 to contact the first group, and then presses the yellow button. The screen shows Konoka's face. "Group 1?" Matt called and asked.
"We're A-ok, and nothing's wrong here." Konoka replied with Setsuna and Chisame at her side.
Matt nodded, and he pressed the next button: number 2. "Group 2?"
"All here; status report: normal and good," Satomi replied with Satsuki and Chao next to her as they looked around the pool area.
"Group 4?"
"All present and accounted, and no problems," said Fumika riding on Kaede's shoulders. She and Kaede are with Fuka, and Fei Ku scanning around the courts.
"Group 5?"
"All present, all clear," Haruna said as she, Yue, and Nodoka, are watching the soccer field from the stands.
"And Group 6?"
"Everyone is at present, and my scanning shows no unusual activity," said Chachamaru using her antennas to communicate Matt. She, along with Eva and Mana, are strolling down the stands of food, sports equipment, and sport club activities.
Once Matt got the full status report, he calls back to all the other groups. "Group 3 here is doing okay as well, but keep your eyes and ears open. I know something bad is going to happen."
"Right!" Everyone said in unison.
Matt put the video-talkie away in his pocket. Negi pulls Matt Oda's shirt to grab his attention.
"Matthew, the announcers are about to start the games," Negi said as he pointed to the television screens that were hanging on special electrical posts.
Matt turns to the screens, and it showed male announcer in a business suit.
"Good day, Mahora citizens and students!" the male announcer greeted. "And welcome to the annual Mahora Academy's Spring Wrap-Up Sports Games. Is everyone ready!?" The whole audience in the games shouted so loud in great excitement. "Yeeeeaaah, alright. We got lots of good sports to play before summer comes up. We've got soccer, basketball, swimming, badminton, gymnastics, you name it!" Matt, Negi, and Asuna didn't shout in excitement, but instead, they were paying close attention to the announcer as he appeared on the T.V. screens, live mobile phones, and on a blimp's screen. "I'm sure all of you want to get started, but first, let me announce the sponsor and the president of the Sport Games, Mister Jirou Kayaku."
The announcer and cameras turn to Jirou, who is pudgy, a couple feet wide, wears a brown-tannish suit, and blue bowtie on his neck. He had a bushy mustache, clear square glasses, his cheeks were a bit puffy, and has a bald spot with grayish hair on the sides of his head.
He walks up to a mic stand and makes his speech. "(Ahem) Thank you, everyone, for coming and participating in Mahora's Sports Games. We are very proud to be here, and we want to enjoy these sports games to be the best moments of our lives. I'm happy to say that all of you students out there from junior high to high school will do great, especially doing your best. So without further ado, let the games BEGIN." The crowd went wild as they jumped up and down. All of the student-athletes are eager to win and ready for the first sport. "First up we have…" there a moment of pause until… "The hurdle dash! Participants for the hurdle dash… to your positions!"
After the announcement and the first call of the games, Matt got out the video-talkie and speaks. "Konoka and Setsuna," Matt said to the device, "check out the hurdle dash, the rest of us will be on the lookout still for any suspicious activity."
"We're on it, Matt," said Setsuna talking to the phone that Konoka is holding. "You can count on us."
"Great, over and out." Matt then hangs up the video-talkie.
Konoka and Setsuna looked at each other, knowing what to do.
"Well, come on Setsuna, let's go check out the hurdle dash… together." Konoka said with a cheeky glee.
Setsuna makes a little blush on her face. "Oh, uuhh, yeah Miss Konoka," Setsuna said with little shyness. "I do anything for you. I am your protector, miss."
"Setsuna, for the hundredth time, I told you not to call me 'miss.'"
At the track and field, the runners are warming-up their legs and getting ready for the hurdle dash. Every girl stretched their legs, loosening up their muscles.
One of the running girls spotted another and called out "(GASP) O.M.G. look girls!" The other runners turn towards to where the first runner shouted, and made great shocking surprises.
In their view is a girl who is five feet and a half tall, she had a skinny figure, and she had black hair with a short ponytail on the back of her head.
"It's Shinju Ohara!" shouted the first girl runner. The other runners were a bit nervous but are happy and excited.
"Oh wow!" said another runner, "It really is her!"
"I heard she won the hurdle dash during her athletic seasons and other competitions." said a third runner. "She won many gold medals during her elementary and junior high school years. She's like a legend. I can't believe she's with us."
Shinju heard the other runners' gracious complements and waves at them. "Please girls, you're too kind," she said calmly to the other runners. "I appreciate your generous words, but remember, you and I are here to compete. Am I right?"
"Right Shinju-san." said the second runner. "Even though we're not as good as you are, we'll still do our best to win." she turns to the other runners. "Isn't that right, everyone?" the others nodded.
"I like your spirit and determination," Shinju replied happily. "That's the kind of runners I like to see and compete."
Just then, the referee of the hurdle dash makes an announcement. "The hurdle dash is about to begin. Runners to your marks."
Shinju gives a thumb's up to the others. "Let's do this!" she shouted. The others nodded, and they all went to their starting positions.
At the stands, Konoka and Setsuna are sitting together in the back row, observing more areas of the field. Konoka then spots the famous runner on the starting positions.
"Hey, look Setsuna," Konoka told her childhood friend. "Isn't that Shinju Ohara on the field?"
"Yeah, you're right," Setsuna replied. "Looks like she competing herself again, and aiming for the gold again."
Konoka makes a cheery smile. "This is going to be exciting."
"You're absolutely right."
But somewhere hiding underneath the stands is a man with a cap and in an equipment uniform. He watches carefully at the runners in their starting position. He grabbed his walkie-talkie and makes a call.
"This is Shadow here, she is in position," He said and listened carefully from his walkie-talkie hearing the orders from his commanders. "Right, in the end, I'm on it. Over and out."
The referee is on the side of the runners' starting positions and blows a whistle signaling them to get ready. "Runners, are you ready?" the referee calls out to them. The runners nodded. The referee pulls out a starting gun and points it towards the sky. "On your marks," the runners bend down in their starting positions. "Get set…" the runners quickly pull back a little to give themselves a boost. There is a couple seconds of silence, then…
BOOM!
And the runners are off. Everyone in stands screamed in excitement as they watched the running athletes race and jumped over every hurdle they come across. Shinju was in the closest lane, and she is jumping over every hurdle with grace and ease. Runners in the fourth, fifth, and sixth lanes began to slow down behind, while the runners on the second and third lane were neck to neck with Shinju.
Konoka and Setsuna are so excited watching the runners compete, neck to neck, with Shinju.
"This so is so excited!" Konoka shouted. "They're really close to each other."
"Yeah, no doubt," Setsuna replied. "It's going to be a dead heat."
The first three runners were down to their last hurdle, and Shinju is a bit further than the other two. "Looks like another gold medal for me," Shinju thought with a firm face.
Meanwhile, underneath the stands, the man watched carefully at Shinju as she got closer to the last hurdle. She quickly jumped, making her right leg pass over the hurdle. But at that moment, the man got out a remote, and with a mean look on his face, he pressed the red button.
Suddenly the hurdle, which Shinju jumped over, rose about another three feet. Shinju's left foot got caught on the bars, and she gasped. She stumbled to the ground and twisted her right leg. She then screamed in pain.
The other two runners passed the finish line, but when they saw Shinju in pain, they rushed and helped her.
The staff people, the whole audience, Konoka, and Setsuna gasped in great fright as they watched this terrible scene.
"OH NO!" said the runner from the second lane.
"Shinju! Are you okay!?" said the other runner from the third lane.
Shinju groaned and moaned in severe pain as her right leg is really dislocated. "Ow, Ow… It hurts…" She said while in pain.
The man from underneath the stands watches Shinju in pain. He then pulls out his walkie-talkie and turns away from the scene. "My job here is done," he said. "I'm moving to the next position and phase." He puts away his walkie-talkie and quietly exits the scene.
The staff and medical people show up to Shinju, helping her twisted leg. Konoka and Setsuna stare at this dreadful scene for a few seconds, then they both looked at each other with a concerned look and nodded.
Konoka got her video-talkie and makes the call, "This is group 1. CODE RED! CODE RED! Meet us at the track and field."
Negi, Matt, Asuna, and every club member heard Konoka's emergency, and everyone rushed to the rack and field.
As soon as the whole club arrived at the track and field, Matt went up to staff and medical people that were helping Shinju's leg. One of the referees spots Matt.
"Hey mister, you're not supposed to be here," said a referee
"I'm sorry to barge in, but don't worry," Matt replies in a calm matter. "I'm Matthew Oda, head of the Mystery Club, and the dean of the academy offered me to take on this situation."
"Do you have any proof?" The referee asked.
"Yeah, I do."
Matt got out a piece of form paper and gives it to the referee. The ref read every word from Matt's form, and he completely understands. Matt gets close to Shinju, even though he is a little bit afraid of her due to his phobia.
"Shinju ma'am, are you okay?" Matt asked.
Shinju opens with one eye and looks at Matt in terrible pain. "It really hurts, mister." She answered. "I can't move it."
"Take it easy, Ma'am." Matt tries to calm and hold her down from her pain. "Tell me exactly what happened?"
Shinju took a breathe and slowly replies, "I was about to cross the finish line after the last hurdle I jumped over. When all of a sudden, I tripped over the hurdle with my left foot. This never happened to me before, I swear. I always jump over every hurdle, even during my past competition days."
Matt put his right hand on his chin and begins to think. After a few seconds, Matt says thank you to Shinju and wishes her to get well. He and his team headed to the field near the finish line to check the last hurdle Shinju jumped over. A referee and a staff person were at the lane talking and discussing the accident. Matt walks up to them and asks a question.
"Excuse me, Sirs," Matt calls out to them, "I'm Matthew Oda from Mahora's Mystery Club, and I like to do a little investigation here on this track."
"Oh, so you're the famous gentleman we heard so much about." said the referee. "We heard good reports from you."
"Yeah kid," said the staff member, "we're glad to help out for you. So what do you want to check out?"
"It's that last hurdle that Shinju had to jump over." Matt answers to the two men. "May I take a good look?"
"Sure, Oda-san." The referee responded. "But why that?"
"I think I might know what really happened."
Matt, his team, and the two men went to the last hurdle and inspect it.
"What you got, Matt-san?" Asuna asked.
"I think this hurdle has been rigged and tampered," Matt replies.
"Huh?" Negi and the members said in confusion.
"How can you be sure?" Chisame questions.
"Satomi, do you have some kind of device that scans for electrical surges?" Matt asks.
"I sure do," Satomi replied as she took out a hand-held device that has two antennas. Satomi uses her gadget to scan all around the hurdle until…Beep! Beep! Beep! "I got something, Matt."
The device picked up the signal on one of its legs. Satomi then pulls out an electronic tool that cuts metal and activates it to make a hole on the hurdle's leg. Satomi then gets a mini flashlight and flicks on to see what's inside. In a little surprise, Satomi spotted the cause of Shinju's accident. She stood up and looks at the two staff members.
"Sirs, is it okay if I remove this leg?" the scientific student asked. "I found something, and Matt is on to something."
The two men looked at each other for a moment, and then back at Satomi. "Go ahead, you guys are the mystery people we've been informed." said the ref.
Satomi nodded and got all her tools. She removes the cover to the leg that Satomi examined. When the cover was removed, she shows the source to everyone. "Guys, look at this."
Everyone did, including the staff members, and made a great discovery. Matt didn't jolt but makes a firm face. On the hurdle's leg contain many wires and electrical boxes. Everyone saw this shocking sight and asked what does it mean.
Matt Oda gave them a full explanation. "This hurdle has been rigged and tampered by someone to adjust the height of the hurdle. It was no accident that Shinju fell and twisted her leg, especially a well-proficient runner. In conclusion, someone is trying to cheat in these games."
Everyone was stunned, including the two men. "Who could've done such a thing?" said the ref.
"That's where we come in," Matt said calmly. He turns to his members, and his members looked at him. "Mystery Club, we got ourselves a case."
