Chapter 5

As soon as they got back to the campsite. Stevie headed straight for her tent to get her phone.

"You're going to need to go to the top of the hill to get a signal." Said Lisa

Stevie nodded as she dug her phone out of her pack.

"I know," she said, "and my brothers had better not try to give me the run around!"

While Stevie climbed the hill, Mrs. Reg sent Jamie, Jess and Melanie to the shower tent to get cleaned up.

When the girls rejoined the others, a little while later, the paint was gone but the absence of the paint revealed bruises and welts caused by the impact of the paintballs. This sight only served to make Josh and the other girls even angrier, even though the girls claimed that they didn't really hurt that much.

Josh was pacing trying to calm himself down. Mrs. Reg turned to Max.

"Max, this has gone too far!" she said shaking her head and barely controlling her own temper.

"I know, mom," said Max, "This is the worst stunt the WRI has ever pulled!"

"I think you ought to press charges this time!" she said

"What good would it do?" asked Max, "Each one of those kids' parents has a battery of lawyers to protect them!"

"Well, there's got to be something we can do!" exclaimed Mrs. Reg throwing up her hands.

Meanwhile Stevie was reaching the top of the hill.

She punched her home number.

"Hi Mom!" she said when the phone call was answered, "Put the bozo brigade on the phone!"

"Stevie!" her mother scolded half-heartedly trying to conceal her amusement, "That's no way to talk about your brothers!"

"It's important mom!" insisted Stevie

"Okay," said her mom. Stevie heard her call Chad, Alex and Michael to the phone. The boys gathered around the phone.

"What's up, Sis?" she heard Chad say a moment later.

"I need information from you!" said Stevie, "Some jokers from the WRI just hosed down Jess, Melanie and our new friend Jamie with paintballs and they left behind a patch from the Willow Creek Paintball Club! I need you to tell me what members of the paintball club also go to the WRI!"

"Our club roster is secret," snapped Chad and we don't snitch!

"Yeah," added Alex, "We're no squealers!"

Stevie shot her phone an annoyed look. Fortunately, she knew her brothers well enough that she expected them to be this way, so she was ready for them!

"You guys are going to get me the information that I want or else…!" warned Stevie

"Or else what?!" sneered Michael

"Or else I'm going to squeal to mom and dad and tell them what I know about each of you!" retorted Stevie

"For example, Chad I don't think that you want mom and dad to find out that you've been sneaking your girlfriend into the house at night. And Alex, I don't think you want them to find out that you were the one who flooded the basement last month when they were away for the weekend, and finally Michael, your principal at Willow Creek Elementary still doesn't know who started that massive food fight in the cafeteria last week, but I do…get the message?!"

"How did she know all that?!" hissed Alex

Stevie smirked slightly at this and the following silence.

"When are you guys going to learn that you've never made a single move that I didn't know about?!" said Stevie with even more of a smirk in her voice than on her face.

"Now what's it going to be?" she asked

"We'll get you the info, sis," grumbled Chad

"Good," said Stevie, "You have an hour!"

To Be Continued…Please Review