Just realizing I'm almost done with my upcoming story and I still haven't finished this one! Here's the next chapter!

As I said before, Daniel is not big on keeping our room clean.

I'd lost count of how many times I'd had to pick up his clothes off the floor. I'd managed to clear the spot this morning, but I wasn't sure how long it would last. As for my side, it was nice and organized – the fine way to figure out whose side was whose. That and I still had the sheets from my Bubble Guppies phase (don't even ask).

I set down my satchel on my bed. Usually I loaded it with rocks – ammunition for when I needed to use my belt's slingshot mode (which didn't happen often) – but now it seemed as though something else had gotten in the bag. I fished around and found the recorder. The weird thing was, I didn't recall putting it in there.

Shadow had to have planted it in my satchel when I wasn't looking. We were going to have a talk, and quite soon.

"Smoky stinker," I muttered.

I grabbed my music player and docked my phone. I'd gotten it early in sixth grade, on account of the private school I wound up in at the time being an all-boys boarding school and my parents wanting to stay in touch with me. But then I discovered the wonderful world of music streaming, and wanted a playlist on Apple Music. It took me several birthdays, Hanukkahs, and a bar mitzvah to get enough gift cards to build up a good stock of music for myself. I'd managed to put together three playlists on my phone last year, five as of writing.

I selected Cool down and DJ Snake started playing.

Immediately I started humming along. I rather enjoyed DJ Snake's music, right up there with Major Lazer. I began singing to the recording – not exactly the mistake that had gotten me smoke-slammed the first time, but pretty close. Fortunately, I didn't catch any smoke outside the window. Shadow must've gotten the hint I didn't appreciate him following after me. Good.

"Let Me Love You" was one of those songs that was hard for me not to sing along to. I enjoyed Justin Bieber enough – as an adult, that is. That song, "Baby"? Ugh. Annoying enough for Vinny Lee to be able to drive out avadarks with it. But this particular song, with his vocals – I could emulate them, no problem.

As the song played, I remembered Shadow's admonitions to tell the family. Why did he care? He didn't understand what my life was like. Nobody did. I was always the different kid. The kid whose oldest brother toed the line between shame and family honor, the kid who hung out with a half-Jew from another school, the kid who fumbled anywhere he went, the kid who couldn't seem to avoid getting in trouble at school, the kid who buzzed around like a maniac. After some time, one discovers blending in is pretty darn impossible.

Sure, I wore my school uniform when I was in classes, but elsewhere I made a different appearance. If I was going to be picked out immediately, maybe they should have something to look for. Justin Bieber mullet? Why not! Pink attire? Sure. Belt with an extra strap for dual use? Totally! Shadow didn't know about my life.

"Repressed gifts, indeed."

I could've hit my head on the ceiling, I jumped so high. I swear, I was going to have to sew bells on my brother's sweatpants so he couldn't sneak up on me like that.

Daniel chucked his wallet on the floor, leaving me to set it on the nightstand where he would be able to find it. Cretin.

"Why didn't you sing at your bar mitzvah?" Daniel asked, focusing on me. "You did better than Cousin Elisha. I swear, if I have to hear that droning one more time –"

I laughed. "I really didn't mention it. But I reckon that's not why you tapped."

Daniel gave me an uneasy look. "Where have you been going?"

"Oh, where have I been going? You should ask where I haven't been going."

"Oh, I know where you haven't been going. You must not have been going to meet Miriam like you keep saying."

I almost dropped the wallet halfway to the nightstand.

"Why do you say that?" I tried to keep my voice as neutral as possible.

"You dodged the roll like it was a missile. A really dangerous ballistic missile. And last I checked, Miriam wasn't allowed to take you to test sites."

I set down the wallet on the nightstand. "Okay, so I got into a few scrapes. Big deal. Philly isn't low-crime, you know."

"Philly doesn't target kids often."

Oy. Daniel was onto me and the avatars. Of course, he didn't know anything about the avatar training, or of VLADJI. But what if Shadow had told –? No. No, I refused to think of that possibility.

I sighed. "Promise not to tell Mama and Papa?"

Daniel laughed. "If I tell them, you can tell about the Porsche incident."

I took that as a yes. "Promise not to laugh?"

"So, you're serious. I'll take that."

"Promise not to call me crazy?"

"Okay, now it sounds like what you're about to say sounds crazy."

I laughed. Then, after making sure Mama and Papa weren't listening, I said, "So, a couple of months ago, I found these other friends. DJ and Vinny Lee –"

Daniel coughed. "Marzera? As in José's kid?"

"Why?" I knew José well enough. He often came in on those rare Shabbats when we needed work done around the house and it was unavoidable. He was Christian, yes, but a tolerable fellow. Very friendly. The fact that I'd helped save his neighborhood from an avadark invasion a while back (don't ask) had further solidified my friendly relations with him and his kid – his daughter, as I was pretty sure Vinny Lee had shifted to female by the time I got home. But I wasn't sure how Daniel might know about her.

Daniel gave me a dismissive look. "He's mentioned her. But DJ? Never heard of them. Another girl? A boy?"

"Girl. She helped me up. She's nice."

Daniel considered that. "Well, go on. Where's the crazy part?"

He said this the way one might ask, Where's the beef? I decided Daniel would make a great prompter.

I tried to figure out the best way to put it. "Well, the day before that, I ran into Amy Rose."

Daniel was silent for exactly ten seconds. "Get out of here."

"No, it's true. I helped her find a place to stay." Daniel paused again, this time apparently trying to figure out what I meant by that. "Okay, I meant what I said! Just –" I huffed in annoyance. Never taken seriously. I hated it.

"Well?" Daniel asked. "Working up to the craziest part?"

I had to really consider that. Now I was getting to the meeting-with-a-Muslim-girl-and-going-on-a-great-adventure part. I wasn't sure how to put my relationship with Imira, and given her tradition was basically trying to destroy mine (which, again, everyone wants to do), I wasn't sure how it was going to go down.

"Okay…" I hesitated. "The day after I met DJ and Vinny Lee, we met up in Matthias Baldwin Park. For a little, you know, picnic."

"Ah, making plans together? You must've really been interested in those girls."

"So we were there, and DJ took off after some bullies ganging up on a Muslim girl. At least, that's what I discovered when I followed her there. We told the bullies to step off. I may have lashed them with my belt."

Daniel frowned. "Interesting. I can't believe you did that."

I suppressed the urge to punch Daniel. "Well, here's the thing. Amy – and some others with her – Sonic, Tails –"

"Sonic and Tails? With Amy? You're on!"

"And here is the crazy part. They're all avatars."

"Avatars? What do you mean, regular or ATLA or Pandoran?"

Whoof. I didn't think Daniel watched that much TV. I made an addition to the punishments I could suggest should Daniel get out of line: No TV for a month. That would really help him – and the family. "None of the above. They're paradox beings showing as game characters. They possess their game counterparts' abilities, as well as some powers of their own. They're also unkillable. By any means."

Daniel nodded. "Wouldn't want to face those guys."

"Don't start attacking them, they won't have to whip your butt."

"Have to? As in, they'd rather not?"

I sighed. "They'd rather not. But we don't know that, and we can't keep ourselves from picking fights with them."

"Even to break up a fight?"

This was going to be a longer explanation than I'd anticipated.

"Daniel," I said, "they have to be the fighters for humanity. Against monsters. But it's hard to defend a people torn among itself."

"So… humanity's warring?"

"Have you looked at the news?"

"Good point."

"Thing is, all this ties together. I've seen their creator, the Vortex. He put me – and Vinny Lee, and DJ, and Imira – he put us together to be the ambassadors to the avatars. Sort of an office liaison."

"Ah. So that's what you've been up to. Playing go-between for avatars and humanity. I get that."

"Just – don't tell Mama or Papa. I'm not sure they'd understand."

"I got it. We brothers have to stick together."

I smiled. I hadn't gotten around to telling the rest of the family about this yet. But I could understand why Vinny Lee and Imira, who'd already broken it to their families, felt so relieved after doing so. Having a secret, in my opinion, was like lifting a weight. It was a lot lighter when someone else carried it with you. I was quite relieved to tell it to Daniel.

I made him pinky swear, just to make sure he would hold to the promise. Then I started getting ready for bed.

As I laid down, I could hear Daniel whisper, "I really think you should take Uncle Jeb up on that offer. If you're as good as he says, you could really help him out – and yourself."

"How would you guess?" I retorted back.

Daniel's answer blew me off my feet even before I fell asleep. "Your pendant lit up when I saw you singing. I don't understand it, but it must be some sort of sign. It certainly isn't normal."

If that's not normal, what does it really mean? Find out next chapter!