"What do you mean she's gone crazy? . . . She attacked you with a stick? You're kidding, right? . . . O.K, O.K. I'll be right there." Mark hung up & stuffed his phone into his backpack. "Great, just great!" He sighed, turning to see Chuck.
"Wasup dude?"
"Hey Chuck. That was Ace. He thinks there's something wrong with Sparx. I'm gonna go check it out, you coming?"
"I would, but I promised Jessica I'd call her & you know what she gets like if I don't!"
"Yeah, she's not a Fisgus for nothing, right?"
Chuck just shrugged. He'd figured that considering Jessica was Wayne's cousin, he'd gotten off pretty lightly.
"Don't worry, it's probably just Ace over reacting. There've been more than a few times since he got those human emotions that I would have liked to attack him with a stick!"
"Tell me about it dude!"
"I better go. I'll call you if it's anything."
"Later man!"
"You'll call him if what's anything?" Mark turned around & walked straight in to Kat.
"Oh, Kat . . .Hi."
"Well?"
"Why are you so interested?"
"I need a good story for the school paper, & you two are always doing something mysterious."
"Really? I hadn't noticed." Lied Mark, but Kat wasn't buying.
"Why don't you just tell me?"
"Umm . . . maybe later. Gotta go!" Said Mark before taking off up the hallway.
Kat sighed & stomped off in the opposite direction.
Ten minutes later Mark pulled his bike to a stop outside the Thunder Tower & walked inside.
"Kid! It's about time! What took you so long?"
"Some of us can't fly you know Ace."
"Yeah well, if we don't work out what's wrong with Sparx, you'll probably end up with the Lightning Flash."
"Ace, my parents won't even let me get a dog. So where is she anyway?"
Ace pointed over to the big wooden desk. It had been flipped over onto its side so that the top was facing them. Walking around it Mark found Sparx, still clutching her stick. She whimpered when she saw him. He crouched down until his eyes were level with hers.
"Sparx, if this is a joke, it's not funny!" Sparx just squeezed her eyes shut & waved her stick at him.
"What, no snappy comeback?" Mark sounded surprised. "O.K." He walked back over to Ace.
"Well? What do you think?"
"I'd say it's safe to assume that she's gone bonkers!"
"Oh." Ace looked glum.
"Hey, don't worry, we'll sort it out." Mark wasn't so sure they would, but he thought it was best if Ace didn't know that. "So what's the plan?"
"What about Chuck?"
They both knew Sparx had had a soft spot for Chuck ever since he went into the sixth & dimension saved her. She had been stuck there & they couldn't get hold of another piece of the amulet to bring her back.
"I'll give him a call"