A/N: Sixth (is that how you spell sixth? I need a dictionary!) chapter! Is everyone happy about that? Yeah, I've been focusing on my other fic for a while because I'm trying to catch that one up to this one! Well, hope you're happy, here's the sixth chapter! OH! And I totally forgot to inform you guys: Alice was skipped up a grade. So instead of being in eighth, she's in ninth. Jeanette and Jonathan are both a year older than her! So they DO go to Casper High!
"How are you going to research this guy, though?" Jeanette asked then. Alice brushed a few locks of hair behind her ear and thought for a second.
"Internet," she mumbled.
"You could look up the title Inviso-Bill," Jonathan stated.
"Thanks Mr. Point-Out-The-Obvious," Jeanette laughed. Jonathan nudged her playfully in the ribs.
"Hey, Jonathan, are there any more articles on this guy?" Alice asked then, breaking up the slight feud between the two twins. Jonathan looked at her, thinking.
"I think I do," he said. "They're in my locker though."
"There's no way we can get them now?"
"Nope, unless you know someone who can break into the school security system," Jonathan said. Alice thought for a second, wondering. She was pretty sure she did know someone like that.
"Only the best in the business after his father," she said slyly. Jonathan and Jeanette shared an uncertain glance. They knew exactly who she was talking about. They looked back at her, their expressions still slightly uncertain.
"Joseph," all three teens chorused, as if on cue.
"Why'd you guys bring me in to do your dirty work?" asked a slightly short African American kid. He was about three years younger than all of them. He had short, tightly-cut black hair and dark skin. He wore a blue shirt and dull-green colored cargo pants and brownish combat boots to match. In Jeanette's words: total fashion disaster.
The trio of friends were standing behind him in his room as he searched the web for some information on this 'Phantom' kid. So far nothing had come up.
"Because I heard your father used to be the best around and taught you everything he knew," Alice said.
"You're just trying to butter me up," the boy said.
"Of course, is it working?' Alice asked. The boy turned to them on his roller chair.
"I need the dets'," he said.
"Dets'?" Jeanette asked.
"Details," Alice translated. She turned back to him. "After this, if we can't find any info, then we need you to help us break into the school so Jonathan can get out the newspaper articles."
"Break into Casper High, huh, never tried it before," he said.
"Joseph, you were skipped three full grades, I totally know you can do it," Alice said. Joseph is really only about eleven years old. He's also in the ninth grade though he should actually be in the sixth. He was skipped through the first, second, and third grades. Imagine being, not only the youngest, but the shortest kid in high school!
Joseph leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against each other. He looked at Jeanette, Jonathan, then Alice. "Fine," he said, nodding slightly. The trio all shared a happy glance. "But," Joseph's word broke the shift from anxious to happiness. He held one finger in the air. "But you need to promise me something," he said.
"Anything," Jeanette said.
"Cool, because what I want is to be part of this team," he said. They all looked at him blankly. "If you guys find some connection between this Phantom kid and Alice, I want to be a part of whatever comes next."
"Consider it done," Jonathan said.
"Okay, well, we're all going to meet at Casper High at twenty-two hundred sharp, are we understood?" Joseph asked.
"Twenty-two hundred? But my watch only has twelve hours," Jonathan said, tapping his watch with his index finger.
"Jonathan, that's military time for ten at night," Jeanette said, exasperated.
"Oh, I knew that!" Jonathan said.
"Sure you did," Alice mumbled. She looked back at Joseph. "Just to make sure you don't bail on us, I know you never go back on your word." She held out a hand to Joseph.
Joseph took it, shaking it slightly. "You have my word," he said. Alice nodded and pulled away. "At the main entrance, ten sharp," Joseph repeated. "I'll see you all there." The trio nodded and made their way out the room, each sliding their hands down the banister of the stairs as they went down them. Joseph's parents weren't home. He wasn't usually alone in the house, but when he was he hardly ever left his room. That's just how the kid was. A strange techno-geek with a knack for making complicated, hard-to-understand, technological pranks on people. But everyone knew he never went back on his word. Never.
E/N: I have no comment on this chapter. I like it, but I guess only I understand Joseph. Oh, and whoever is the first to tell me who Joseph's dad is gets to be mentioned on the next chapter! (I know all of you must know by now!) Also, whoever can tell me who this kid reminds you of- when I said he never comes out of his room and stuff- also gets mentioned!
--Airamé Phantom