Nurse Holt was long gone by the time Jimmy entered her office. Damien lay sleeping on the exam table, unconsciousness granting him a semblance of peace. Betty sat beside him, scribbling down his vitals on a notepad. She looked up as Jimmy approached and held a finger to her lips.

Jimmy nodded and waited. Once the measurements were recorded, Betty strode towards Jimmy and whispered, "If you have more questions, you should come back later. Damien needs rest."

"I actually came here to talk to you. Can we go in Nurse Holt's office?"

"I guess," Betty shrugged and led the way. Jimmy followed her into a small room housing two chairs and a computer atop a desk. Betty sat in Nurse Holt's seat as Jimmy rested across from her. "What's up?"

"I have to know the names of anyone who visited the nurse on Wednesday for nausea."

Betty shook her head. "You're a genius, Jimmy. You have to know that information is confidential. Do you have a warrant?"

Jimmy couldn't tell if she was joking, so he offered the golden hall pass. She arched an eyebrow and said, "That's not good enough."

Jimmy changed tactics. "What if you just read through what people came in for on Wednesday? Without the names?"

Betty mulled that over before saying, "Alright. So you need to know if anyone came for vomiting?"

Jimmy took out his notepad and clicked his pen. "Or any illness which might lead to that."

Betty nodded and logged into Nurse Holt's computer. "Wednesday was fairly light. There was a bloody nose, a scraped knee, a supposed fever that turned out to be a kid skipping a test, a blood glucose reading-"

Jimmy perked up and asked, "Was it hyper or hypoglycemia? Diabetic ketoacidosis can cause emesis."

Betty cocked her head and asked, "What?"

"Never mind. Can you just tell me the blood glucose level?"

Betty clicked her mouse and scanned the monitor. "Sixty-seven."

"It wasn't them. Low blood sugar doesn't cause vomiting. What other appointments were there?"

"A couple sports physicals, an ADHD screening, and a migraine."

Jimmy sucked in a deep breath. The worst part of being a genius is when you don't want to be right. "Betty, this is very important. Did Nurse Holt discuss mental health at all during that visit?"

"How did you know that?"

Jimmy's face fell further. Though he already knew the answer, he still asked, "Who was it?"

Betty straightened her back and shifted her gaze. She met Jimmy's eyes and said, "Today's been awful for me. But knowing that I helped Damien when he was at his lowest," a smile sparked and quickly burnt out, "it means a lot to me. I can't risk losing this opportunity by breaking the law."

"I get that. But how you feel about treating kids like Damien? That's what catching the Black Atom means to me. This is my chance to make up for last month. And to make sure that you don't have to help any more kids like Damien."

Boy and girl stared at each other for a long moment. At last, Betty sighed and rose to her feet. "I wish I could help you, Jimmy. But you're going to have to figure this out on your own."

"Betty-"

"I have to check Damien's vitals. You can show yourself out." Betty walked out of the office and headed back to her patient.

Jimmy grit his teeth, then realized what she had just done for him. Now alone, Jimmy took her seat behind the computer and read the open file.

PATIENT: Ethan Brown

BIRTHDATE: 01/23/1995

SUBJECTIVE:

Chronic history of stress-induced migraines, increased in frequency the past week. Chronic history of generalized anxiety disorder and mild social phobia, also increased in frequency the past week. Clinical signs coincide with concerns over upsurge of bullying. Patient receives 25mg Sertraline PO q24 hours.

OBJECTIVE:

T: 98.7F

P: 90

R: 16

Blood Pressure: 130/90

Pain Scale: 7

ASSESSMENT:

Chronic Generalized Anxiety (currently uncontrolled)

Chronic mild social phobia (currently uncontrolled)

Migraines (stress-induced)

PLAN:

Dispensed 600mg Ibuprofen PO

Helped patient set up consultation with school guidance counselor. Patient open to this treatment.

Advised that patient seek psychiatric re-evaluation; letter to parents attached to chart.

Consider ginger chews, calm dark spaces, and ice pack on head for nausea. If this does not resolve signs, advised patient that Metoclopramide can be prescribed.

Jimmy didn't waste a moment once he was done reading Ethan's chart. He dashed out of the nurse's office, turned his walkie-talkie to channel seven, and asked, "Bennett, are you there?"

"Yes," came the immediate answer. "Where have you been? Did you get the statement?"

"I got more than that," Jimmy ducked into a nearby janitor's closet and sealed the door against any potential eavesdroppers. "I need you to pick up Ethan. He's now our main person of interest."

"Ethan Brown?"

"Yes."

There was a pause, then Bennett said, "I actually like him, Neutron. What evidence do you have?"

Jimmy glanced at his watch, it had already been more than a half hour since the last attack. "I'll explain it all to you once you grab him, but we're running out of time. Just grab him and tell me where to meet you."

Jimmy waited as Bennett and Yen had a brief argument, then sighed in relief as Bennett spoke. "Fine. But you better be right about this. I have two patrolmen near Ethan's class. They'll bring him to the loading docks. Meet us there."

Jimmy strolled onto a wide open floor filled with industrial shelving. He marched past the rows of office equipment and canned goods. Where the shelves ended, a long ramp led to the open receiving area. To the right of this border stood an open door leading to a tiny office. Bennett and Yen leaned against each side of the doorframe.

"He's not here yet?" Jimmy asked while joining the duo.

Bennet's arms stayed crossed as he answered. "My men have Ethan in custody and are on their way. So tell us what evidence you found."

Jimmy filled them in on Damien's statement, how Sheen lost the invisibility spray, and what he had discovered on the nurse's computer.

Yen and Bennett shared a glance once Jimmy was finished. Bennett said, "That's all just circumstantial evidence."

Jimmy countered, "Well unless we have a forensics lab, circumstantial is the best we're going to get. Wait, do we have a forensics lab?" When Yen shook her head, Jimmy added, "Trust me. I've got a strong feeling about this."

"You also have tunnel vision," Bennett rebutted. "You just said that Damien was sure his attacker was a girl. Ethan doesn't fit that bill."

"I know," Jimmy admitted. "But at this point I can confidently say we're dealing with one of three possibilities. Damien was wrong, Ethan is directly connected to the Black Atom, or there may be more than one assailant."

That last possibility sent chills through the hall monitors. Bennett rubbed his forehead as the loading dock door swung open. As Ethan was led inside, Bennett whispered, "Fine, Neutron. It's at least worth an interview."

Yen turned to the monitors leading Ethan her way. "Put him in here," she motioned inside the office.

Ethan gave a half-hearted struggle against his plastic handcuffs and asked, "Guys, what the heck is going on?"

They all ignored Ethan's pleas as he was shoved inside the office and onto a seat behind the desk. His guards removed his handcuffs, then shackled his right wrist to the table. Then they exited the room and closed the door behind them.

Bennett pointed at the patrolmen. "You two get back to your beats. If this lead doesn't pan out, we still have to discover if Damien is really a bully or not." Once the preteens left, Bennett swiveled to Jimmy. "You and I will interrogate Ethan."

"Actually," Yen chimed in, "maybe you should sit this one out, boss. You and Neutron are both close to Ethan. One of the people in that room should have some distance."

Bennett considered this. "You think that's best?" When Yen nodded, Bennett sighed. "Fine, then. I'll stand guard out here. You two figure out what the heck he has to do with this."

Bennett moved a few paces away and leaned against a shelf. Jimmy turned to Yen, who said, "Lead the way, kid."

Jimmy nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped into the office. He and Yen took the two seats opposite Ethan, who was a pitiful mixture of fright and confusion. "Will someone please just tell me what I'm doing here?"

Jimmy took off his gloves, opened his notepad, and met Ethan's gaze. "We have to talk about the Black Atom."

Ethan squinted in confusion, then gaped at his interrogators. "You think I'm behind all of this?"

Yen said, "We have a lot of evidence that links you to the crimes."

Ethan shook his head. "That's not possible. I had nothing to do with that!"

Yen scooched her chair closer to the desk and leaned forwards. "Look, Ethan. Most of us hall monitors aren't as gung ho about catching the Black Atom as this kid is," she jerked a thumb towards Jimmy. "Sure, their measures are a bit extreme. But as far as I'm concerned, the Black Atom is removing bullies from the halls and making my job easier. If you come clean, I can protect you. Maybe just get you detention instead of expulsion."

"There's nothing to come clean about."

Jimmy flipped his notebook to another page. Time to show some cards. "You went to Earhart Elementary, where all the victims are from."

Ethan said, "Me and hundreds of other kids."

"All the targets were bullies save Damien. You of all people have a motive for assaulting him."

Ethan shook his head. "You've known me for months, Jimmy. Do I really seem like the revenge type? For heck's sake, you mailed me a bomb and we're still friends!"

As Jimmy weighed that fair point, Yen picked up the slack. "You were sick on Wednesday, puking in the bathroom."

Jimmy nodded and added, "Sheen was there, washing off an invisibility spray that he took from my lab. He left it behind when he went to class. Then someone took it."

Ethan slouched, then asked, "But what does that have to do with the Black Atom?"

Yen said, "Don't play dumb. You must have heard the rumors about what they look like."

"I'm honestly not following any of this," Ethan answered. "There are tons of rumors. I've heard that the Black Atom is dressed all in black, that they wear an atom shirt like yours," he motioned at Jimmy, "or that they're a feral kindergartener."

"None of those are true," Jimmy said. "The Black Atom is invisible."

It took a moment for Jimmy's statement to hit home, then Ethan's skin blanched and his forehead beaded with sweat. "That's not…that can't be true."

"It is," Yen said. "Alex was the only victim who didn't get a clear look. The others all saw the same thing - a floating mask without a body." As Ethan looked like he was about to vomit, Yen added, "So you can keep playing this game, or-"

"I did it," Ethan whispered.

Jimmy and Yen both shared a shocked glance.

"I took the spray," Ethan went on. He sucked in a shaky breath and raced through his words in a panic. "I just wanted to go to the dance. I had no idea The Black Atom got ahold of it! If I'd known I would have told you right away. I'm sorry, I never wanted-"

"Slow down," Jimmy interrupted. "What do you mean you wanted to go to the dance?"

Ethan's gaze fell to the floor. "I realized who I was in fourth grade. No one really dated at Earhart, but there was a Spring Fling there too. A few of the boys were talking about which girls they wanted to dance with. I said that was gross, and most of the kids laughed and agreed. I was just a kid…naïve…I thought that meant they were like me. So I said that I'd rather dance with a boy."

Ethan reached for the back of his neck and cringed as the handcuffs stopped him. "That's when elementary school got bad for me."

Jimmy asked, "Because of Alex?"

"And John, David, heck - most of the class. I was so excited to leave that place behind and come to R.M.S. So when they announced the Spring Fling-"

Yen offered, "It was a second chance."

"Seemed like it," Ethan agreed. "Until that petition was passed around. I thought it was just one stupid kid, but then more people signed it. After that those posters were vandalized and Clarke still hadn't done anything to stop it. So when I saw that spray by the sink, I just took it. I'm sorry, Jimmy. I was going to give it back to Sheen after the dance."

Jimmy scribbled Ethan's major points down, clicked his pen, and stared Ethan dead in the eyes. "Are you the Black Atom?"

Ethan didn't look away. "No."

Yen rolled her eyes. "Then how did whoever they are end up with the invisibility spray?"

Ethan admitted, "I lost it."

Yen shook her head in disbelief. "You don't strike me as that stupid."

Ethan shrugged. "I brought the spray home, tried it on in the bathroom, then washed it off. I put it in my backpack, in the front pocket. I didn't open it again until third period on Wednesday. That's when I realized it was gone."

Jimmy picked up his pen and paper, "You seem to remember that awfully clearly."

"Because that's where I keep my calculator and third period is math class," Ethan explained. "I didn't have any reason to open that part of my backpack until then. When I dug in there I realized the spray was gone. I spent the rest of the day looking everywhere for it at home and in school. I couldn't find it."

Yen said, "Assuming for a moment that we believe you, did you tell anyone about the spray?"

"I didn't tell a soul, unless you count my journal."

Yen asked, "Was anything else missing from your backpack?"

Ethan shook his head.

"So what, Ethan?" Jimmy snapped. What he was suggesting was preposterous, yet he couldn't help believing his friend. Which means this entire case is falling apart. "How could that be the one thing that falls out of a closed pocket? And what are the odds that someone decides to steal from you that day of all days?"

"I don't know!" Ethan shouted back. "I'm sorry, Jimmy. I went over and over what I did between putting it in the bag and going into math class. I didn't go back in the backpack and I don't know how it could have fallen out. So I guess someone had to have taken it."

Yen asked, "And do you have any idea who that was?"

Ethan shook his head. "None." The three sat in silence for a long moment. Eventually, Ethan asked, "So what happens now?"

Yen leaned back in her chair. "Well, if I may channel my inner Bennett, now I call bullcrap." Jimmy and Ethan stared at her in shock as she stood up and leaned over the desk. "It makes no sense that someone took the spray from you, and your little sob story-"

"Yen," Jimmy chided her.

Yen flashed him a palm. "All I heard was a good reason for you to be the Black Atom. So unless you have a rock solid alibi, we're bringing you straight to Clarke."

"But I do have an alibi. Actually, I have four."

Yen's jaw fell slack. "What?"

Ethan turned to Jimmy, who hovered his pen over paper. "I was in the library as soon as the school opened, finishing an English assignment. During the second attack, I had an appointment with Mr. Helper."

Yen scoffed, "That cannot be a real name."

Jimmy didn't look up from his notepad. "He's our guidance counselor."

Yen threw her hands in the air. "What is wrong with your school?"

Jimmy ignored her and asked, "And the last two crimes?"

"I was making a delivery to Tom's store during Alex's attack."

Jimmy glanced up. "Delivery?"

"From my parent's farm. And like I told you before, I was in class when Damien was hit. I had a migraine and went to the nurse. Dozens of people will vouch for me."

Jimmy clicked his pen and stood up beside Yen. "You're going to have to stay here until we clear these alibis."

"I get why you need to check," Ethan answered. "But that's just wasting time the Black Atom is going to use."

Jimmy offered a grim nod. "So we'll move fast." With nothing more to say, Jimmy led Yen out of the office. Bennett was on him as soon as the door was closed. Jimmy led them far enough away so that Ethan wouldn't hear.

"Well?" Bennett asked

Jimmy admitted, "I don't think he did it."

Bennett's nails dug into his palm. He opened his mouth to rebuke Jimmy, but Yen cut him off. "It's not Neutron's fault. He was right, Ethan did take the spray from Sheen. But then he either lost it or someone stole it. More likely the latter, and we have no idea who it could be."

Bennett said, "That sounds preposterous."

Jimmy offered, "We'll find out if it's true soon enough. Ethan said he has an alibi for each attack. We should split up. I'll check two; you and Yen do the others."

Bennett clenched his jaw and said, "Then tell us where to go."

Jimmy rubbed his forehead as he exited Mr. Helper's office. As he'd suspected, the guidance counselor had an eye on Ethan during the entirety of Alex's attack. He radioed his partners and relayed the news.

Yen answered, "Same story with the librarian."

Bennett chimed in, "Remember your third theory. It's possible that Ethan might be splitting the attacks with someone else. We have to clear all four alibis. Let us know when you're done at the store."

"Understood. Over and out," Jimmy said before twisting off the transceiver. He slid it back in his waistband and headed across the main floor.

Two minutes later Jimmy came across two dozen kids clamoring for Tom's attention by shaking fistfuls of dollar bills in the air. As Jimmy walked closer, he made out their frantic cries.

"Let me through, I gotta get one before class!"

"Just take everything I have, Tom!"

"I'll give you a kidney. You have two of them but only one butt!"

Jimmy could barely make out a gleeful Tom Sawyer beyond the crowd. Jimmy narrowed his eyes and shouted, "I need everyone to step back!"

The crowd turned his way. He was immediately met with a storm of eye rolls, jeers, and protests. The nearest kid growled, "Get in line, Neutron!"

"I need to speak with Tom," Jimmy firmly answered. "You all have to leave."

"Yeah?" a boy in the middle of the crowd asked. "Says who?"

"Says Principal Clarke," Jimmy answered while flashing the golden hall pass. The students stared in awe as Jimmy marched between them. When they failed to disperse, he asked, "Do I need to go get her?"

A chorus of gulps and whispers preceded the kids fleeing the hallway. Jimmy allowed himself a smug grin, then turned to his old nemesis. "Hello, Tom."

"Well, well, well," Tom said from inside the closet-sized store. He leaned against a shelf stocked with granola bars, plucked the toothpick from between his teeth, and flung it into a trash can beside Jimmy. "You're lucky, Neutron. I should be furious at you upending this bull market, but truth is I need a break." He plucked a handkerchief from his back pocket and dabbed his glistening brow. "It's been nonstop sales for an hour!"

"What are you selling?"

"I am so glad you asked. I got the idea from these two eighth-graders hogtied together. They were loopy as a cross-eyed cowboy, but discovered a nearly foolproof way to stop the Black Atom. The only problem was they didn't think big enough. Tell me, Neutron. What's the fatal flaw with two peoples' butts tied together?"

"I have no idea."

Tom scoffed. "I always said you were too big for your britches. The problem is there are four directions, so that leaves two blind spots. So I say no more butt buddies. For the low price of however much you got, you can buy…"

Tom held a dramatic beat, then pulled out an enormous length of rope. "The Butt Posse!"

"That's just a long piece of rope."

"Long enough to tie four kids together and save this school!"

Jimmy silently wondered how Cindy ever found the patience to ally herself with the boy before him. After a deep breath, Jimmy asked, "I'll let you get back to your breathtaking invention in a minute. I just need you to verify a piece of intel for me."

"If it'll get you out of my hair, then shoot."

"Did you see Ethan Brown today?"

Tom pulled back and crossed his arms. "I…did not. No, I do not recall that."

"Are you sure? Because he told us where he was all day, and all his other statements checked out."

"So you're saying it would be odd if he wasn't here?" Tom asked. Jimmy stayed silent, so Tom added, "You know what? It's been a busy day. I do now remember that. He came to buy a," Tom's eyes drifted to the shelf behind him, "a granola bar."

Jimmy narrowed his eyes. "Ethan said he was making a delivery."

"A delivery? Of what?"

"It's your store, Tom! Did he deliver anything to you from his farm," Tom's eyes widened, "or not?"

"Okay, yes…I now recall that as well. He brought a bushel of apples."

"Apples?"

"Mm-hmm. His farm's loaded with them like some sort of orchard!"

Jimmy stepped closer and peered inside the store. "You don't have any apples in there."

"Well they all sold out!"

As Jimmy took another step, a foul odor breached his nostrils. He sniffed deep and asked, "Why the heck does your store smell like ammonia?" He heard a quick scratch scratch scratch in the ceiling and asked, "And what is that noise?"

Tom threw his hands in the air and screamed, "Alright, you caught me, Jimmy! I tried my best to be good but you don't know how deep in the red this store is. Clarke was going to foreclose on me, I needed to do something drastic!"

Jimmy lamented, "I don't understand the economics of this business."

"I had to skirt the rules, though it broke my tender heart. So I sold the one thing that middle schoolers love more than anything. Oh, say it with me, Jimbo!"

"Cookies?"

"No!" Tom roared while flinging his rope up, wrapping it around an overhead sprinkler, and yanking hard. The ceiling tile crashed to the floor, followed by a downpour of screaming rodents. "Guinea pigs!"

"He didn't do it," Jimmy spoke into the walkie-talkie while washing the final traces of cavy urine off of him.

Bennett sighed and asked, "Tom cleared him?"

"Yep," Jimmy flatly answered. "Apparently Ethan was delivering a shipment of alfalfa hay as part of an illicit guinea pig breeding operation."

After an enormous pause, Yen asked, "Say again?"

"I don't want to," Jimmy groaned. "Point is, Ethan's not the Black Atom. And I don't think he even knew that the guinea pigs were being housed in the ceiling."

"What?" Bennett asked.

Yen chimed in, "Can we forget about the guinea pigs? What I'm hearing is that we're back to square one. If Ethan didn't do this, that means anyone could have taken the invisibility spray. We're out of time and leads."

Jimmy patted his face dry and tossed the paper towel into the trash can. He looked in the mirror and studied his weary reflection. I've been wrong again and again today. Jimmy mulled that thought over, then pictured his newest suspect. But you only have to be right once.

Jimmy grabbed the walkie-talked and tightened his scarf. "You're correct about one thing, Yen. The Black Atom's sure to strike soon. And I finally know how to stop them. We understand the type of people they're targeting and know they're invisible. So I say we set a trap."

Jimmy expected an argument, but Bennett simply asked, "How?"

Jimmy smiled. "I'm going to need you two to grab a few things…and people…for me."