"Why, he is in this room."
Derek and Maddy looked around the room. (Jeff was picking his nose.) No one.
"I don't see-" Maddy began, but cut herself off with a shriek when a hand grabbed her shoulder.
On instinct, both Derek and Maddy turned and threw a punch, but there wasn't anybody behind them.
"What the-" Maddy didn't get to swear because she was cut off again- only this time, by her brother.
"Derek?!" Maddy watched her brother seemingly slip on nothing and fall, clutching his sides and… laughing?
Maddy watched Derek lie there, squirm and call for help, but she had no idea why. Jeff, who had finally stopped picking his nose, didn't know either.
But Dr. Minyak did.
"Alright, Brad. That's enough, now."
Brad. Maddy racked her brain. Where do I know that name?
Derek felt some weight leave, and he immediately jumped up, his eyes wild. "What the butt was that?!" Only he didn't say butt, but whatever.
"Oh, that was just Brad saying hello."
"What?"
Brad. Maddy was the first one to put it together. "Wait… you mean, Brad? As in, Invisible Brad?!"
"That's me!" His voice seemed to come from nowhere. Everyone else jumped as Maddy squealed in surprise, excluding Minyak. Invisible Brad, another villain, had arrived. According time what Dr. Minyak has told Derek and Maddy, this meant they were one step closer to-
"Wait," said Maddy as something occurred to her. She had no idea where Brad was, so she turned to Dr. Minyak. "We've heard about him- isn't he the guy who… who knows?"
This could be a huge breakthrough, thought Derek and Maddy. (Jeff had gone back to digging boogers out of his nose.)
Dr. Minyak frowned a little and opened his mouth, but Brad beat him to it. "I did. But the stuff they sprayed me with last time I saw those stupid superheroes and their little friends messed with my memory. I can't remember a dang thing- not their names, not where they live. Nothing."
Derek and Maddy both swore a little. So much for that.
"Nonetheless," said Dr. Minyak, uselessly searching for Brad's shoulder to put his hand on, "Mr. Belcher here is still an important part of our team. He can, after all, snoop around unseen."
Derek and Maddy had to agree, but they certainly didn't like Brad all that much right then, especially considering the false excitement.
"Well, that's comforting," said Maddy sarcastically. "I just love how he can sneak up on us like that."
"Which," said Dr. Minyak, pulling a pair of sunglasses out of his pockets, "is why he'll be wearing these." He held out the glasses, unsure of where Brad was.
They were snatched out of his hand and seemed to float in midair. "You do realize," said Brad's disembodied voice, "that once I wear something too long, it'll become invisible too, right?"
No one was sure why, but that's how it worked- Brad could put on a sparkling wedding dress and it would seemingly disappear after a few hours.
"Oh, Bradley-"
"Don't call me that."
"These are not," Dr. Minyak continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "as you seem to think, just a normal pair of sunglasses… well, actually, they are, but listen. I have created a special spray that will coat any object I wish to be visible, as long as I have enough."
"Wait," said Brad as something occurred to him. "Does that mean-"
Dr. Minyak put a hand up. "I'm afraid I can't, Bradley. The spray will not work on things- or people- that are already invisible. Which reminds me, the glasses need to be sprayed every now and then, just once a day should do it. Now," he motioned toward the door, "Brad, you and I have some… business to attend to." He turned to Derek and Maddy. "You two, keep playing your little game until I summon you."
Derek and Maddy watched the glasses follow Dr. Minyak out of the gym, which was certainly an interesting sight.
"Dang," said Maddy after a moment of silence. "I really thought we had made a breakthrough there."
"Me too," agreed Derek, knowing exactly what his sister was talking about.
If Brad hadn't lost the memories, they would know who exactly Captain Man and Kid Danger are, who works for them, where there hideout is… it's just not right.
The two siblings were quiet for a moment. Then Derek mumbled, "So… is it my turn to bat yet?"
"And that is your mission," finished Dr. Minyak.
"Really?" Brad looked disappointed. (Not that anybody could tell.) "That's it? I don't get to fight? Or even just go go and slap them?"
"Believe me, Brad." Dr. Minyak smiles sadly. "I would absolutely love to watch you beat the heck out of them, watch them fall to the ground, see myself finally winning…" Dr. Minyak shook his head as of trying to physically shake away his daydream. "But, unfortunately, we can't. Straying from the plan is far too dangerous."
"Sometimes a plan- sometimes you don't need a plan, you don't-"
Dr. Minyak our a hand up, effectively silencing Brad. (Who knew it was that easy?) "Again, Brad, I would love to sic you on them, but we can't. Even if they can't see you, it would be two against one-"
"But we have Derek and Maddy-"
"And I realize that. But even if everyone was already here- and believe me, I wish they were- we still wouldn't win. You know as well as I do that Captain Man-"
"Is indestructible, I know. But I don't see why we can't just take care of his puny little sidekick-"
"Because our cover would be blown. Even if we did succeed in taking down Kid Danger, Captain Man, or someone on his team, at least, is bound to figure out what's going on, which would make our job a lot harder." You could tell that Dr. Minyak was really starting to lose his patience. "We have to stick to the plan. We have Derek and Maddy's skills on our side, and, combined with my technology-"
"You mean the technology that you haven't used in years?"
"I've told you, I can't remember a thing from that day, so they must have done something to our memories, but I found old plans, and managed to piece everything together. Look, I am trying really hard to be content with having to wait so long, and your whining is not helping. We are sticking to the plan." Dr. Minyak took a moment to breathe. "Brad, please go fetch Derek, Maddy, and Jeff and bring them here. I have another announcement."
I... I just have no words right now.
Ciao, and Happy Reading!