Science class the next morning is somewhat different. As you sit at your desk, waiting expectantly, you can barely contain your excitement.

"This had better work Lizzie…" You hear Miranda whisper. No joke. A lot was riding on this. It had taken some doing, but Lizzie had convinced Mr. Pettus to allow you all to try Lizzie's idea. If this didn't work, then the case could go unsolved.

As the bell rings, Mr. Pettus gets up in front to address the class.

"Class. I've agreed to turn over the beginning of class today to Miss McGuire. As you all know, someone destroyed Mr. Tudgeman's project—"

Mr. Pettus is interrupted by a choked sob from Tudgeman. Mr. Pettus continues.

"Miss McGuire and her friends have been endeavoring to find the culprit. She's convinced me to allow her to conduct a little experiment in the hopes of achieving that end.

"Miss McGuire," he turns to Lizzie, "the floor is yours."

Lizzie gets up and faces everyone. She seems as nervous as you feel. She clears her throat.

"Someone in this room broke Tudgeman's project. And we can prove who it was."

A buzz goes through the room. Lizzie starts pacing, getting into the role.

"Where our 'Model Masher' made their mistake was in the very act itself. Because not only did they destroy Tudgeman's model, but they knocked over a test tube as well. That test tube broke, covering the person with the chemical within. Gordo, would you like to take over?" She gestures to Gordo, who rises.

"Sure. You see, that test tube contained a chemical that glows in the dark. That's good for us, bad for whoever wreaked Tudgeman's project. Another good bit of luck for us is that the stuff takes a long time to wear off. Which means that it's still detectable on whoever spilled it. If it touched any part of the skin it's still visible. Even if say, the person touched their clothes to take them off—it'd still be on their hands."

As Lizzie and Gordo have been talking, you and Miranda have been pulling down the shades on the windows around the classroom. Lizzie's now ready for the coup' grace.

"Mr. Pettus, if you could turn out the lights…"

Just as he's about to hit the switch, Angel makes a break for it. Having stationed yourself at the main door, you block her way. Reacting, she dashes for the interconnecting door to no avail: Miranda's there waiting.

"This gig's up Angel." Gordo gloats.

"Oh, no." She exclaims, composing herself. "I'm not taking the fall alone. She paid me to wreak dork-boy's project." Angel's outstretched arm points an accusatory finger directly at Carol Mouser.

"Shut up you fool!" Carol shrieks.

"If I'm going down I'm taking you with me."

"You troglodyte! There wasn't anything but water in that test tube!"

Her eyes widening, Carol realizes that she's just blown any chance of wiggling her way out of this. In a rage, she flies at Angel. The two are held back only by the combined effort of you and your friends.

"Looks like this case is solved." Miranda yells above the din.

888888888888888888888888888888

"Two weeks suspension." Lizzie mulls as you all are walking through the halls.

"Just what they deserve." Miranda takes up. "Though I wish Tudgeman would stop acting so grateful. It's creeping me out."

You laugh.

"I still can't believe it." Gordo shakes his head. "Two people were responsible. Carol 'contracted' with Angel to put a 'hit' on Tudgeman's project just to bolster her own grade."

"I can't believe just how cheap Angel was." Miranda puts in. "All it took was five bucks for her to do it. I would've held out for twenty."

"Miranda!" Lizzie exclaims.

"What? I'm just saying…"

Well, you can't believe that the whole thing was busted open on a stone cold bluff.

"Yeah," Gordo says, agreeing with you. "You really lucked out there Lizzie. What would you have done if Angel hadn't cracked?"

Lizzie lets out a breath. "Let's just say I'm glad it worked out the way it did…"

You are too. And to think, the bluff was even made possible because of a clue you found.

"Yeah," Lizzie confirms. "If you hadn't found that broken test tube in the first place, Carol and Angel would have gotten away with it."

Thankfully you did and they didn't.

"I think we deserve to celebrate." Lizzie goes on. "Let's head over to the Digital Bean for some smoothies."

Sounds good to you.

As you head out, you can't help but think that being the new kid in town isn't such a bad thing after all.

THE END