You sit next to your newfound friends, so all during class you're being filled in on 'who's who' and 'what's what'.

"That's Parker McKenzie," Lizzie points out a short brown haired girl handing some papers to the teacher. You're not sure, but it sounded like Lizzie had a little bit of 'bite' in her voice just then when she mentioned Parker's name.

"Well ladies and gentlemen," the teacher (who happens to be Mr. Pettus) says, addressing the class for the first time since you've sat down. "As you all know, today your projects are due."

Project? You just got here; surely he can't expect you to have a project?

"Except for our new student here—" He smiles at you. Whew. That was close. "—everyone is expected to have either written a report, or for some extra credit, put together something more spectacular."

Looking around you get the feeling that everyone has heard this speech before.

"Now, I was told that Mr. Tudgeman has a special presentation for us today…" He looks to Larry, who, smiling, gets up to fetch his project from a small connecting room adjoining Mr. Pettus' classroom and another.

Larry's gone only a couple of seconds when you hear a long, piercing, high-pitched scream.

Startled, you all scramble out of your seats to see what's wrong. You, Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda lead the charge.

You find Larry devastated—which is just what his project appears to be. What had, mere minutes ago, been a molecule chain was now so much debris. The entire model has been smashed to pieces.

"Now, everybody just go back to your seats…" Mr. Pettus says, trying to assert control as Larry moans in the background. While the rest drift back, Lizzie, Gordo, Miranda and yourself stay behind.

"Looks like someone took a hammer to it." Gordo remarks.

"My masterpiece, ruined!" Larry wails.

"I'm sure Mr. Pettus will let you make it up Larry." Lizzie consoles, looking hopefully at Mr. Pettus.

"Of course I will. This is a travesty Mr. Tudgeman. You obviously put some work into this."

"Three nights straight. Now it's all down the drain."

You feel bad for Larry; wishing there was something you could do.

"Who'd do something like this?" Miranda wonders aloud.

It's then that you remember that curly haired girl you'd seen earlier. She sure didn't sound like someone who'd be broken hearted if something happened to Larry. You turn to look through the doorway, back into the classroom, and sure enough, there she is, deep in conversation with a friend with a smug look on her face. Does that mean that she did it?

"Is there anything we can do?" Lizzie offers.

"Yeah," Larry says, "you can get the guy who did this!"

Gordo's sympathetic. "Well, at least we can help you clean this up. Come on."

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After class you find yourself beating the hallway with your friends.

"Why would anyone do that to Larry's project?" Lizzie asks of you all.

"Envy? Spite? Jealousy? Who knows?" Gordo replies.

"Well, let's think about this." Lizzie continues. "Who'd benefit from it?"

"What do you mean by 'benefit'?" Miranda asks.

"What would anyone get out of doing this to Larry? What's the motive?"

"Cheap thrills?" Gordo throws out. "Really Lizzie, it could've just been a random thing. Someone passing by the room, sees the model, and boda bing, boda boom, the next thing you know you've got kindling."

"But even so," Lizzie persists, "someone had to have been roaming the halls, and how many kids could there by walking around the school while class is going on?"

"There're just too many angles." She continues. "Where do we start?"

"Start? What do you mean by 'start'?" Miranda wants to know.

"We are going to help Larry find out who did this, right?"

From the looks on their faces, it appears that Miranda and Gordo hadn't been thinking along that line.

"We are his friends, right?"

"Well, sorta…" Miranda says, reluctantly.

You let Lizzie know that you're in. After all, if somebody had smashed your science project you'd want someone to help you out.

"Great! Gordo?"

"Alright. I guess we should help Larry out."

After seeing Gordo cave, Miranda does too.

Okay, now that you're all set, what's the first item on the agenda?

"The first thing we need to do is go back and look for clues at lunch."

You ask what you're looking for.

"Anything that doesn't belong." Lizzie says. "You'll see at lunch."