Chapter 12

"So, how do you even know Dementia's here, Ms. O-." An audible growl from his old boss stopped him. "Oh, sorry, right! Oprah?" Oscar corrected himself.

Oscar and Ms. O were standing on the outskirts of the Odd Squad Academy, the school were every single Odd Squad member trained to be on the squad. It was almost dark as the sun was almost behind the horizon as different members ran this way and that, getting everything ready for the mission on their own turf.

"Otis tells me this is where Dementia was going to build his machine ten years ago when he tried this plan before." Ms. O told him.

"The time I found him at the grocery store?" Oscar asked.

"Bingo." Ms. O confirmed.

"But, Oprah," The Big O asked, "How do we know that Otis isn't working with his father and leading us into a trap?"

Ms. O sighed and turned to look at Otis, who was currently getting gadgets ready with Oona at a makeshift desk. "Because, he's my friend. I may have not trusted him before, but I will not make that mistake again."

The Big O sighed, a more annoyed kind of sigh, before continuing, "So, what make's him think Dementia is in the science building?"

"Well, most of the parts he needs to complete his machine are only obtainable in the science building." Ms. O explained.

"So, it makes it a lot more likely he's in there." Finished Oscar.

"Fine." Said the Big O, "But if this ends up being a double-cross, I don't want a 'Boo-Hoo' report, got it?"

Ms. O nodded, "Understood."

Just as the Big O left, Olive ran up. "Everyone has been evacuated from the academy. All students and faculty are accounted for."

"Good." Ms. O said.

"Soooooo, who'd ya pick?" Oscar asked.

"For what?" Ms. O asked back.

"F-For the "strike team'?"

"Oh!" Ms. O then pulled up a map of the science building. "Well, considering Dementia is probably in the basement, he probably doesn't know we're coming, which means we have an element of surprise to keep."

"Right." Oscar agreed.

"So, I only want to have a five-kid strike team."

"Makes sense."

"First, I'm going-."

"You?" When Ms. O started to growl again, Oscar's tone changed. "You! Of course! I wouldn't send any other!"

"Then, I'm taking Olive, for her great deductive thinking."

"Obviously."

"Otis, considering he knows Dementia the best."

"True."

"Olympia because, well, Otis wanted her there."

Oscar chuckled.

"And lastly, I need someone who knows there way around the science building." Ms. O looked to her old friend. "Know anyone who would work?"

Oscar put a hand to his chin and smiled down at Ms. O, a look on his face that seemed like he knew exactly what she was getting at. "I know the perfect man for the job." He said. "Andy from accounting!" Oscar exclaimed with a smile on his face. "I'll go get him!"

"Oscar!" Ms. O yelled. "I meant you!"

"Oh!" Oscar laughed nervously.

"Oscar, just think about the day we stopped Obbs."

"Technically Oona did that."

"But just think of everything you and I did! If we didn't accidently go in the wrong office, we wouldn't have been caught. We were a great team. So, what do you say, President Oscar?"

Oscar smiled. "It'd be my pleasure, Oprah."

Ms. O also smiled for a moment as well before she returned to her normal, serious expression. "Well, what are we waiting for, let's go!"

"How much longer until you get that lock?"

"Just a few more minutes."

Ms. O, Olive, and Oscar were all looking at a lock that had been placed on the basement door.

"This has to be where Dementia is hiding." Olive said. "Why else would there be a lock here?"

"I'm not sure." Oscar said. "Usually this door isn't locked at all."

Ms. O continued working at the lock. "This is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"Just keep at it, Ms. O."

Otis and Olympia, not usually tasked with opening locks, were standing off to the side as they waited.

They stood in silence for most of the time, watching their friends work on the lock, before Olympia asked a question. "Are you nervous?"

Otis looked down at her. "Why would I be?"

"Well, I mean, are you nervous about facing your dad?"

Otis sighed. "I guess maybe a little."

Olympia nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"Have you ever seen him?" Otis asked.

Olympia shook her head. "Only in pictures." She told him. "And I guess pictures never really do anybody justice."

Otis actually chuckled at that. "True."

It was silent for a moment before Olympia asked another question. "What did your father say when you left, you know, to join us?"

Otis just stood there for a moment. "Well, he said enough."

"Why'd you leave me there?"

Dementia turned around to face Otis. "What do you mean?" he asked, almost as if he didn't notice his son's somewhat disheveled clothes.

"You know what I mean." Otis said. "After you got the money from the zoo, you ditched me!"

"I did not."

"Yes, you did!" Otis retorted. "And Odd Squad captured me!"

Dementia chuckled as he turned back to his work. "Guess that explains why you were gone so long."

"Dad, don't you understand what I'm saying?" Otis said, a bit surprised his father was not more concerned about him. "You left me for Odd Squad and apparently didn't have a second thought!"

Dementia then turned back. "Are you saying you can't take care of yourself?" He asked Otis, seriously.

"I'm saying I've come to realized what you are." Otis said. "A villain."

"We're both villains, Otis."

"Were villains." Otis said. "I'm joining Odd Squad."

This took Dementia off guard. "What?"

"I've realized what we have been doing is wrong." Otis told him. "I spent a week with Odd Squad and I realize why they want to stop us, because what we are doing is too Odd. The world doesn't want it and we're using it for evil."

"You better not be saying what I think you're saying."

"I'm leaving, dad." Otis told him. "I know what wrong now." He paused for a second. "Dad, you should stop, too."

"What?"

"You should stop being a villain." Otis tried. "I know you think your powers can only be used to cause odd but-."

"NO." Dementia said angerly. "If you want to think Odd Squad are the good guys, your right, if you want to join them and throw your talents away, fine, but you will not stop me from being odd."

"You're wrong, Odd Squad will stop you, someday." Otis turned to walk away, but, something made him stop. He turned back to his father. "Why not just wipe my memory, stop me from leaving?" He was not really sure why he said it, but he did.

Dementia let out one laugh. "I guess I have a little bit of honor left."

Otis wanted to nod, smile, something to tell his father he still loved him, but he could not. So, he just left.

"So, he was ok with it?" Olympia asked.

"I don't know if that's the right way of saying it," Otis said. "But, I guess."

"I GOT IT!" yelled Oscar.

Ms. O and Olive helped him get the lock off and opened the doors to the basement. Olympia reached over and grabbed Otis's hand, "Are you ready?"

Otis looked into the dark room, resolve on his face. "Yeah, I'm ready."