Hi! I'm back! I know last chapter was a little... different, but I wanted to do something different. Anyway, I'm back with the next canon chapter. Also, to the person who has been leaving guest reviews in Spanish, you should know I only accept reviews in English, no offense. And I know you're trying to help, but please let me write this story my way.
Read and review!
Chapter Thirty
The Black Widows
Pacific Road-7:32 PM
Along a winding road cut into the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific, a single bus drove through the night. A bus that contained a squad full of cheerleaders dressed in yellow and black striped uniforms with headbands that resembled insect antennae and complete with translucent wings protruding from their backs.
The Honeybees, as they called themselves, were practicing their cheers on the way to a competition in Miami, accompanied only by their coach and driver.
But as they continued their rehearsed cheers, they were unaware of the danger lurking outside just above their bus.
Out from behind the peak of the mountain, a large, red, spider-shaped helicopter swerved over the bus, shining its light on it.
Confused, the cheerleaders stopped their practicing to gaze outside at the brilliant light.
Their confusion turned to fear as the helicopter lowered its spider legs to ensnare the bus, lifting it off the ground.
And then it disappeared, with no one having seen either the bus nor the vehicle that abducted it and its passengers.
Beverly Hills High-2:11 PM
The next day, all was normal at Beverly Hills High School... well, almost.
"So why do you want us to come in with you again?" Alex complained after Sam and Sean dragged her and Clover away from their lockers to the library. Sean had only recently been informed of Sam's latest ambition, and agreed to support her wholeheartedly.
Alex and Clover, on the other hand, had been a different story altogether.
"Because you're my best friends!" Sam countered. "And we do everything together."
"Even best friends have limits, Sam," Clover said, as she looked up at the banner over the door to the library, which had the words "Spelling Bee Today" written all across in bright orange letters.
"Clover's right," Alex agreed. "Why don't you go sign up for the spelling bee while we wait here, you know, where it isn't so geek-ified?"
"What are you two so afraid of?" Sean asked. "It's just a library."
Then he turned to a dejected Sam.
"If it makes you feel any better, I'll go in with you."
Sam smiled in gratitude.
"Thanks, Sean," she said.
"And when you're done," Clover added on. "We'll take you out for some celebratory spring rolls!"
"Isn't it a little early for celebrating, Clover?" Alex asked, confused. "I mean, the actual competition isn't for a few days."
"Trust me, Alex," Clover replied. "No one's gonna beat Sam. She's, like, a total shoo-in for victory."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," an irritatingly familiar voice said.
The turned around, and there in front of them was Mandy, surrounded by two men in suits and a third in dhoti and a turban.
"Now, out of my way!" she continued. "I've got a spelling bee to sign up for!"
"You?" Sean asked, both surprised and confused. "In the spelling bee?"
"You're joking right?" Sam added. "I mean, since when are you into spelling?"
"I'm not into spelling, Sam," Mandy said. "I am into winning. And more importantly, I am into beating you."
She pointed at Sam for emphasis with that last word.
"And showing everyone that not only am I the prettiest, best dressed girl at Bev High, I am also the smartest."
Smartest? Sean thought. She thought the Louisiana Purchase was a shopping mall in New Orleans.
"In fact," Mandy went on, unaware of what Sean was thinking. "My daddy has hired a world famous linguist, a professional hypnotist, and a top yoga guru to make sure that I get what I want. So, good luck, Sam."
She pushed Sean and Sam aside, letting her walk into the library.
"You're gonna need it!"
Once she was gone, Sam started fuming.
"If she thinks I'm gonna let her win my spelling bee, then that hair dye has definitely seeped into her brain!"
"What are you gonna do, Sam?" Alex asked. "Mandy's got those two brainiacs and that... yogurt guy!"
"I'm gonna beat her the old fashioned way," Sam answered. "By studying really hard!
"In that case, we're gonna help you!"
"You are?" Sean asked.
"We are?" Clover said at the same time.
"Sure!" Alex replied, walking over to Sam. "I mean, even though we totally detest the library, no way we're gonna let Mandy beat our Sammy!"
All three turned back to Clover, who still gave a look of protest.
"Come on!" Sean and Alex said as they dragged her into the library by the shoulders.
"Do we really have to do this?" Clover complained as they walked along the numerous aisles of books.
"Yes," Sean answered. "Take it from someone who's been in one and lost, spelling bees are something you have to cram up for if you want to win."
"You were in a spelling bee?" Sam asked, surprised.
Sean nodded.
"Yeah. I was in fifth grade, and I was doing really good. Until..."
Flashback
A ten year old Sean stood on the stage in front of a crowd of students and parents, including his own mother. He had been doing extraordinarily well, and now it was down to him and one other boy in his class, Patrick Godfrey.
Ms. Handler, the principal, cleared her throat.
"Sean Warren," she announced.
At the sound of his name, Sean stepped forward to the microphone.
"Spell 'Authority'."
"Authority," Sean said in a shaky voice. "A-U-T-H-O-R-I-T-I."
The buzzer went off and Sean's eyes went wide as he realized his mistake.
"No, 'Y!'" he corrected. "'Y' is what I meant to say!"
But it didn't matter, Sean had lost.
"You misspelled 'authority'?" Alex asked, trying not to laugh.
"I got nervous!" Sean defended. "My mom was watching, not to mention my grandparents, my uncle, and my cousin. And I knew Michelle would never let me live it down if I lost!"
He cringed, thinking of the endless insults she had hurled at him on the way back home.
"So, where do we start?' Alex asked Sam.
"Right here," the redhead gestured to a long row of books. "The dictionaries."
But as she tried to pull one from the shelf, it tilted to the right, revealing a massive, black doorway, which sucked the four teens down a familiar tunnel.
Arnold, who was reading nearby, thought he heard something. But looking behind him, everything seemed normal, although he did wonder what happened to Sam, Sean, Alex, and Clover.
The spies, in the meantime, screamed as they slid through the darkness and into what they knew would be another mission.
"I knew going to the library was a bad idea!" Clover shouted over their screams.
Finally, the ride came to an end, and they landed on the same fuchsia cushion in Jerry's office.
Jerry himself stood in front of his desk.
"Afternoon, agents," he greeted warmly. "So good of you to... pop in."
The spies stood up, cringing at the joke.
"Jerry," Sean said. "As your friend, I've gotta tell you, your jokes are getting seriously old."
Ignoring him, Jerry cleared his throat.
"Very well, then," he said, straightening his tie. "Let's get down to business."
He snapped his fingers and the screen behind his desk lit up to show at least a dozen girls in cheerleading uniforms that reminded Sean and the girls very much of bees.
"It's been brought to our attention that the Honeybees, California's State Championship high school cheerleading squad, are M.M.C.C."
"M.M.C.C?" Alex asked, confused.
"Missing Mid Cheering Competition," Jerry clarified. "The team was scheduled to arrive at the nationals this morning in Miami, but they never materialized."
"Okay," Sam said. "I'm afraid to ask this, but where do we fit in?"
"You girls," Jerry answered, gesturing to Sam, Alex, and Clover. "Are to go undercover and find out if anyone knows what happened to them. As of right now, you three are the new California state champions: the WOOHP-ettes."
Alex and Clover looked shocked and excited while Sam just looked dismayed.
"Please tell me this is another one of your bad jokes," Sam begged.
Sadly, her hopes were dashed by Jerry's next sentence.
"No such luck, Sam."
"You mean, we get to be cheerleaders?!" Clover asked with glee.
"That's correct," Jerry replied.
"No way!" Alex exclaimed, jumping up and down. "This mission rocks!"
Sam just groaned.
"What about me?" Sean asked. "In case you haven't noticed, this an all girls cheerleading competition."
"Yes," Jerry answered. "I've already thought of a cover for you, Sean. You are the coach for Sam, Clover, and Alex."
Sean sighed.
"Better than swinging pom-poms around, I guess."
"And now," Jerry continued, snapping his fingers. "For the gadgets."
A long tray extended from a copier on the left side of the room. On this tray was the assortment of gadgets they would be given on this mission.
"This week, we have three pairs of Spring-Loaded Sneakers, activated by Sean's whistle, The Mini-Locket Rocket, a tube of Lip-Stick, a Metal Cutting Laser Ring, and my personal favorite, Instant Hair Helmet In a Can."
Jerry demonstrated the last gadget by spraying it on what little hair he had left, causing it stand on end and it was notably harder than normal.
The spies look awed.
"Awesome lid, Jer!" Clover complimented. "You know, for a bald dude."
Jerry's grin dropped as he threw the backpack containing their gear to Sam.
"Thank you, Clover. Now, goodbye and good luck on your... trip."
Pressing a button on his desk, a trap door opened up, sending the four spies tumbling down a dark tunnel again.
Once they were gone, Jerry laughed to himself.
"You get it?! Trip?!"
Once his laughter died down, he closed the trap door.
"Who says my jokes aren't funny?"
Miami Beach-11:29 AM
The following day, the spies arrived at the hotel where the competing cheerleaders would be staying.
While Alex and Clover were thrilled at the prospect of becoming cheerleaders, albeit only for the purpose of the mission, Sean and Sam had different opinions.
"I can't believe Jerry's making us do this!" Sam complained as they walked down the hall to their room. "I mean what could possibly be more humiliating?!"
"Hey," Sean said. "I'm not happy about it either, but we have a mission. Besides, maybe it won't be as bad you think."
"You're not happy?" Clover asked. "With all these cheerleaders around, I thought it would be like heaven for you."
"Not really," Sean countered. "I'm not into cheerleaders."
And thank God Sam's not interested in being one, he thought to himself.
Coming to the door to their suite, Clover pushed it open.
In the middle of the living room was a rack, upon which hung three pink short dresses with the letter "W" emblazoned on the front in silver.
"Wow!" Clover and Alex said, giddy.
"Okay," Sean admitted, seeing the disgusted expression on Sam's face. "Maybe I was wrong about it not being bad."
"Ooh!" Clover exclaimed, picking hers off the rack. "I love it!"
As she continued to fawn over her new outfit, Sam, Alex, and Sean walked over.
"Please tell me you're not serious," Sam said, deadpan.
"Of course I'm serious, Sammy!" Clover squealed, turning around. "I love cheerleading!"
"Really?" Sean asked. "Which part? The stupid outfits or the dancing around like a monkey?"
Clover growled, while Sam was just happy to have someone on her side.
"Okay," Clover scoffed. "For your information, Sean, cheerleading is a highly competitive, highly challenging sport with a long, standing tradition of spirited optimism!"
"And a long, standing tradition of big hair!" Sam fired back, earning a laugh from Sean.
"Enough bickering guys," Alex broke in. "We've got Honeybees to find! Remember?"
The other three stopped their debate all at once.
"Right," they said in unison.
With the argument over, Sean walked over to a couch where a small, white box sat on the middle cushion.
Opening it, he examined the contents: a pastel blue tracksuit with equally bright red in the shoulders and neck.
His disguise, he assumed.
Once all four were changed, they reported to the backstage of a large, temporary amphitheater that had been set outside the hotel on the beach below.
"So," Sean said, slipping on the whistle Jerry had given him back at W.O.O.H.P headquarters. "Where do we start?"
Looking around at the various cheerleaders from three other states, Texas, Wisconsin, and Alaska, Sam spoke up.
"We find out if any of these girly girls have a grudge against the Honeybees."
"Did you say 'Honeybees?'" the captain of the Texas team asked.
"Uh," Sam stumbled for an answer. "Yeah. Shame what happened to them, isn't it?"
"Are you kidding?" the other girl replied. "Those witches won ten years in a row! About time someone else had a chance!"
"Totally," the captain of the Wisconsin team agreed. "I'm, like, glad they're M.I.A."
"Yeah," a girl on the Alaska team spoke up. "Good riddance!"
"Guess this means everyone's a suspect," Clover whispered.
Sean sighed.
"Looks like we're gonna be here a while," he said to the girls.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer said into a wireless microphone. "And welcome to the National High School Cheerleading Competition!"
She gestured to the large, pink curtain hanging from the stage behind her, which parted to reveal Sean and the girls.
"The first team up is the squad from Beverly Hills, California: the WOOHP-ettes!"
All four gasped.
"I didn't know we were actually competing!" Sam said in shock.
Reluctantly, the girls stepped onto the stage as the curtain closed. Well, not quite. Sean stuck his head out of a gap in the curtain.
As they faced the crowd of photographers and cheering spectators, they straightened their backs.
"Guess it's a good thing Jerry gave us these Spring-Loaded Sneakers," Alex said to the others quietly.
At that, Clover turned back and gestured with her head down to her feet.
Sean didn't get the message that it was his cue at first, but then he took a closer look at the sneakers.
Thinking quickly, he blew his whistle.
With that shrill sound, the sneakers activated.
At first, their routine was simple enough, just a few poses and one short jump.
But then they tried jumping. The sneakers did give them a good enough boost, but Alex momentarily lost her balance.
After a few more leaps, their routine ended with Alex catching Sam in her arms and Clover landing on top of her shoulders.
At the finish, the crowd erupted into cheers.
"Hey what do you know?!" Alex said as the formation broke apart. "We're actually pretty good!"
"Maybe this will lead to me becoming a professional pom-pom girl," Clover said, zipping over to the edge of the stage.
"Not unless you can come up with some catchy ditty to go along with this presentation," Sam retorted, still sore over being forced into a cheerleaders outfit.
But Clover took her words seriously.
"We WOOHP to the left!" she chanted while doing a kick dance. "We WOOHP to the right! The Beverly Hills girls are- WOOHP- out of sight!"
Sam sighed while Alex jumped behind Clover and flashed a victory sign to the reporters.
"Alright!" Sean exclaimed, running over to the girls. "That's enough!"
Then he turned back to the reporters and photographers.
"I think my team has had enough publicity for today!"
But Clover pushed him out of the way.
"Ignore him!" she said, continuing her smile.
Try as she might to prevent it, Clover's time in the spotlight ended when the next team was called forth.
The spies barely paid much attention to the routines of the other squads, though Sean did have to admit the Alaska team spelling out their name was pretty impressive.
But that didn't mean he changed his mind about cheerleaders.
After all, his cousin had been one, according to his mother and uncle, and she used that position to make everyone around her miserable.
"Hey, Sammy," Alex said as they observed the Alaska team finish their routine. "Maybe the Alaska girls can help you study for the spelling bee."
"Oh, please," Sam denied, waving her hand. "I'm not that desperate, Alex."
Sean nodded.
"But you do need to study," he reminded. "And I don't think you can do that while we're on a mission."
In response, Sam pulled out a pocket dictionary.
"Says you," she retorted.
Clover widened her eyes.
"I don't know what's scarier," she said. "The fact that you brought a dictionary to a cheerleading competition or... actually, there's nothing scarier than that right now."
The announcer walked to the center of the stage and pulled a blue envelope out of her dress.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" she declared. "That concludes today's competition!"
With those words, cheers flooded the stands once again.
She opened the envelope, preparing to pull out its contents.
"And now, for the judges' decision!"
But a hand snaked its way out from behind the curtain and snatched the paper away.
"Not yet," the hand's owner said in a monotone voice.
All at once, six girls-five dressed in black and red cheerleading uniforms and one in a solid black tracksuit with a red armband-stepped out from behind the curtain.
"The Black Widows must still compete," the squad captain said, still monotone.
From what Sean could see of their outfits, featuring nothing but red and black, the name "Black Widows" was very apropos.
"That's funny," the announcer said, coming over to the captain. "I don't see any 'Black Widows' on the roster."
But the captain just pushed the poor woman off the stage.
Backstage, the spies looked on in shock.
"What was that you said about cheerleaders being girly girls, Sammy?" Clover asked.
The Black Widows began their routine, starting with a few simple dance steps, then the other five cheerleaders thrust their captain into the air.
Doing a backflip, the captain landed in the arms of three of her teammates before they lifted her back up, and lifted her leg up to her neck.
Finally, jumping into the air again, the captain did a flip that seemed almost humanly impossible to Sean before transitioning into an axel jump and landing onto her teammates hands as the others stood on their own hands or spread their arms at the opposite ends of the formation.
That elicited not only applause and cheers, but a standing ovation from the audience. And elicited surprise from the four teens watching backstage.
"Whoa!" Clover exclaimed. "They're, like, superhuman!"
"Not to mention super scary!" Alex agreed.
"And I thought the only scary cheerleader was my cousin!" Sean added.
Sam, however, was more intrigued than intimidated.
"Is it me," she said to herself. "Or was there something very familiar about that routine?"
Later, all teams and their coaches gathered onstage for the judges' ruling.
"The decision is unanimous!" the announcer said into the microphone. "The Black Widows are the winners, the new national champs! They'll compete in the World Cheerleading Competition in Tahiti!"
The crowd cheered more.
"Whatever," Clover said, dismissively, clearly disappointed at not coming in first.
"Our second place winners," the announcer continued. "Are the team from Texas!"
The corresponding team celebrated their victory with a group high five.
"And third place goes to the WOOHP-ettes!"
"Hey!" Alex said, catching on. "That's us! We're the WOOHP-ettes, Clover! We're the third place winners!"
Clover pulled out her compact and began to powder her face.
"I wonder if we get some kind of trophy or something," Alex continued.
"No time for trophies," Clover said, continuing to apply her make up. "I've gotta get ready for my closeup!"
"Well, you'd better hurry," Sam pointed out. "Cause here come the news crews!"
Indeed, several reporters and cameramen were storming the stage.
"Hi!" Clover said, putting her compact down. "I'm Clover, captain of the WOO-"
But she was cut off by the reporters knocking her over, clearly more interested in the Black Widows.
Once Sean helped her to her feet, Clover glared at the reporters.
"Rude much?!"
"Well," Sean said. "You're not even a real cheerleader!"
Clover pouted as she continued to watch the media circus surrounding the captain of the Black Widows.
"What's your story?"
"Where are you from?"
Before the girl could answer any questions, a huge burst of electricity materialized around her, knocking her to the ground.
"Are you okay?" one reporter asked as the cheerleader sat up.
"I'm fine," she said, her voice now more monotone than ever.
And after she rose to her feet, she walked off the stage repeating "I'm fine," over and over.
"Whoa!" Alex exclaimed. "It's like... she short circuited or something!"
"No more interviews," a stern female voice said from off to the sidelines.
The voice's owner, a woman wearing a black tracksuit with red in the collar and with red hair to match, stepped forward.
"My team is very tired and needs to get back to training camp immediately. We must prepare for the World Competition."
Then, bringing a silver whistle identical to the one Sean currently wore, blew it. And the remaining black uniformed girls fell into a single file line and marched off the stage.
"Who's the killjoy?" Alex asked as the woman disappeared.
"The name on her uniform said 'Coach Candy Sweet,'" Sean said, crossing his arms in suspicion.
"How ironic," Clover said as Sam took out her Compowder.
"We'd better call Jerry and check it out," she said, pressing the required button.
All at once, Jerry's face materialized onscreen.
"Oh, hello, spies!" he greeted warmly. "I just saw you on the telly! Thought you did a bang-up job! Not as good as the Black Widows, though. Their routine was positively explosive!"
"Oh, rub it in, why don't you?!" Clover exclaimed sarcastically.
Ignoring her teammate's outburst, Sam focused on her report.
"Jerry," she said. "What can you tell us about the Widows' coach? Her name's Sweet. Candy Sweet."
Jerry typed in her query, but a moment later disappointment flashed across his face.
"That's odd," he said. "Nothing comes up."
"Well, keep searching anyway," Sean said as Sam hung up. "Come on, girls. We'd better find the Widows before they leave for camp."
No sooner than those words disappeared into the air around Sean, the whole block was rocked by an explosion from high above.
Sean looked up, and saw that the blast originated from the top floor of their hotel.
As people rushed to get away from the falling debris, Alex spoke up.
"I have a feeling we just found them."
Thinking fast, the spies hopped into a nearby van with the W.O.O.H.P insignia on the back.
Moments later, they hopped out, now dressed in their spy uniforms.
As the four sprang into action, they slipped in front of the hotel entrance, narrowly avoiding being trampled by the panicking crowd.
Looking at the hotel, Sam could tell by the sheer number of people fleeing it and the obvious instability of the structure that it was unsafe to enter through the lower levels.
"Guess we're gonna have to do this the WOOHP-ette way!" she said, taking out the Mini Rocket Locket. "Hold on guys!"
Taking her advice, Sean, Alex, and Clover held on to her back as she twisted the pendant in her hand, activating a small, but powerful rocket that propelled them into the air.
When they reached the top floor, Sean noticed something that looked very much like a safe entry point.
"Let's try that window on the end!" he suggested.
"Good idea!" Clover agreed. "Anymore of this heat, and my skin's gonna look like an old leather shoe!"
Aiming the locket toward the relatively cool window, Sam flew in, dragging her teammates with her.
Landing in the hotel room, Sean could tell that it was the origin of the blast judging by the toppled and damaged furniture and the scorch marks all over the walls.
"Hey, check it out!" Alex exclaimed, pointing to a bed off to their right.
On the bed was the twisted, smoking remains of what had been a metallic mass in a humanoid shape.
And if the black tracksuit was any indication, it was clearly the captain of the Black Widows.
Apparently, she hadn't been human at all.
"Now that's what I call an explosive performance," Clover said, as Sean picked up a gold chain from the wreckage.
On the end of the chain was a very familiar symbol.
"This looks it belonged to the Honeybees," he said, examining it.
"Wonder where she got it?" Sam pondered.
A metallic creaking noise kept them from pressing the issue any further.
"Sounds like it's coming from the roof," Alex said. "Come on!"
The spies followed Alex as she kicked the door to the roof open and ran up the stairs.
When they reached the roof, Alex saw something that made her and her friends freeze.
"Uh, guys," she said. "I think all that smoke must have gotten to my brain, 'cause I'm seeing a giant, spider-shaped helicopter!"
"I see it too," Sam said. "And unfortunately, I think we need to get on board before it takes off."
Taking out the Lip-Stick, Clover twisted the tube, letting a sticky, white substance spill on to Alex's hands, repeating the process with herself and her teammates.
As the spider-shaped helicopter began to lift itself off the ground, the spies jumped up after it, their hands sticking to the metal underside.
"Now what?" Alex asked.
"We stay put, and hope that no one sees us," Sean answered.
"And pray that we don't fall," Clover added.
As the helicopter swarmed over the city, Sean looked down and found himself silently agreeing with Clover. They had to have been at least 90 feet high.
But thankfully, the Lip-Stick held them in place for the whole time.
"Hey!" Alex commented. "This stuff works like a charm! Remind me to use next time I want to liplock with a boy."
Nevada Desert-1:00 AM
Several hours later, the helicopter landed in the middle of a dark desert somewhere in Nevada.
As the spider shaped aircraft touched down on the harsh, arid soil, Sean let out a deep exhale.
"About time we landed," he said. "I was beginning to feel like a monkey."
"Now that you mention it," Alex said. "Your arms do look a little longer."
Sean, Sam, and Clover ripped their hands off of the helicopter's surface.
"Uh, guys," Clover spoke up. "When you're done chatting, you might want to take a look."
The spies turned around, and there, sharply contrasting against the night was a massive building lit up like a Christmas tree from the inside, as evidenced by the enormous windows.
"THAT's a the Black Widows' training camp?!" Alex asked in astonishment.
"Not very upbeat or peppy, is it?" Sam asked.
"I'll say," Sean agreed. "It looks more like a prison from where I'm standing!"
Just then, the doors to the helicopter began to open.
"Quick!" Clover said urgently. "Hide!"
But while the other spies got ready to find an appropriate hiding place, Alex stayed put.
"Come on, Alex!" Clover growled. "Quit goofing around!"
"I'm not goofing!" Alex shouted, trying to pry her hand off. "I'm stuck!"
"Hold on," Sean said. "I'll get you off."
He moved fast, as already the Black Widows were exiting the helicopter.
It took three or four tries before Sean pulled Alex loose. Then, all four ran behind the helicopter as the Widows' descended from the boarding ramp and into the massive training facility in front of them.
"Phew!" Alex sighed. "A second longer, and I would've been spider chow, wouldn't I?"
Outside the southwestern corner of the building, Sam finished cutting a hole in the wall with the Metal Cutting Laser Ring.
"This thing is seriously handy!" she said, crawling through the hole. "I think I'll get my dad one for Father's Day."
Sean crawled in after her, followed by Alex and finally, Clover.
"Man!" Alex exclaimed looking around the cramped room they found themselves in. "Talk about a small practice space! How do they get anything done in here?"
"Uh, Alex?" Sean said, flipping on a light switch. "This is a closet."
"Oh, right. I knew that."
Clover turned to one of the racks, unzipping a large bag suspended from it, and pulling out three cheerleader uniforms and one red and black tracksuit.
"Time for a little undercover action," she said.
After they were in their disguises, Sam poked her head out the door, which led to a hallway filled with identical doors.
"Do you see any big, scary, muscle-bound cheerleaders, Sammy?" Alex asked.
"Negative," Sam replied, easing her way out further. "Looks like the coast is clear."
Sean, now in the tracksuit shimmied out of the closet followed by Alex and Clover.
"Okay," Clover said. "This is definitely the strangest cheerleading camp in the world."
"And you've been to how many before?" Sean asked.
Clover nodded. "Point taken."
Sam opened another door, and gasped.
"And it just got a whole lot stranger."
The other three peeked in behind her, and they could instantly see what she was talking about.
On an operating table was a large, metal humanoid shape with the face of a woman.
She (It? Sean didn't really know.) laid back on the table as a series of tools attached to robotic arms operated on the machinery below.
A loud noise stopped them from looking at this room further.
"I really hope that's the sound of fireworks," Sean said, as they ran out.
"It's coming from in there," Alex said, pointing to another door off to the side.
As they approached the door, the spies looked at Sam, silently asking her to open it.
"Don't look at me," she declined. "I snuck us in here!"
"Hey!" Clover argued. "I found the disguises!"
"I pried Alex off the helicopter," Sean said, turning the offer down himself.
That just left... Alex.
"Fine," she relented. "I'll do it. Just watch my back."
Sean nodded in agreement.
"And my front. And all the rest of me!"
Opening the door, Alex crept inside. In front of her was a large railing, below which the sound of gunfire could be heard.
Looking below, she saw at least a dozen of the Black Widows firing handguns at targets that hung from the ceiling.
Several more swung balls on the ends of rope with spikes a mannequins all around the room, and others kicked sparring dummies so hard that some of their heads fell off.
"I know cheerleading's a competitive sport," Alex said, watching the intense scene below them as the others looked in. "But this type of training seems a bit... extreme."
The noise her Compowder rang loud even over the gunshots.
Hoping that no one heard it, her teammates pulled her out of the room.
Unfortunately, their hopes were in vain, for below, Candy Sweet turned her face to the door, a scowl on her face.
Jerry's face appeared on Alex's screen, his jovial smile contrasting the spies worried expressions... and Clover's angry one.
"Nice going, Jer!" she whispered harshly.
"What?" Jerry asked defensively. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"
"Actually, it wasn't that bad until you called!"
"Don't mind her," Sean said. "She's just a little tense. Actually, we all are. Anyway, quickly! What do you got?"
Jerry typed into his computer.
"Turns out Candy's real name is Margaret Nussbaum. She's an ex-robotics engineer for the U.S Military Combat Department."
"Explains a lot about the little operation we saw in the other room," Alex said.
"The reason I couldn't find her in the database," Jerry continued. "Is because she changed her name to Candy Sweet just last week after opening her cheerleading camp in Nevada. And one more thing: she went to the same high school as the missing Honeybees, only she graduated ten years earlier."
Sam furrowed her brow in suspicion.
"Jer," she said. "Roll that tape of the State Competition again."
Jerry complied, and the images of the Honeybees performing rolled across Alex's screen. And this time, Sam remembered where she had seen it before.
"I knew I recognized the Black Widows' routine from somewhere: it's the exact same as the Honeybees! You know, only robotically enhanced."
"You're pretty smart for a cheerleader," a voice said, as Alex's Compowder closed.
The spies looked in front of them.
Before them stood Candy, flanked by five girls in identical black and red uniforms, all of whom were pointing guns at the four frightened teens.
After apprehending the spies, Candy had them brought to an operation room similar to the one Sam had discovered earlier.
"Let go of us!" Sam said, as she struggled against the grip of the cheerleader holding her captive.
She and the other three were draped over the shoulders of four cheerleaders, and they each had a grip tighter than a vice.
"Oh, I don't think so," Candy said. "I simply can't risk you four going out into the world and blabbing about my master plan."
"Master plan?" Clover asked.
"And here I thought you were smart. Oh, well. Guess I'll just have to spell it out for you."
She gestured to the robotic girl on the operating table.
"You see," she explained. "When I take my Black Widows to the World Competition, they're gonna put on a show no one will ever forget."
She pressed a button on a console beside the table, and the girl's forehead opened up along with her eyes as a purple beam of light flashed into a port in the middle of the panel on her forehead.
"Your point?" Alex asked.
"They're going to take out everyone in that entire stadium," Candy clarified as the robotic cheerleader rose to her feet. "All those who love the vapid world of cheerleading that is."
Sean swallowed.
"Okay," he said. "Is it me or do these villains keep getting crazier?"
"Why so bitter, Candy?" Clover asked. "Like, what did the vapid world of cheerleading ever do to you?"
"I tried out for the Honeybees ten years ago," Candy elaborated. "But didn't make the squad. Apparently, I wasn't 'sweet' enough."
"That's not hard to imagine," Sean scoffed.
Candy ignored him and pressed a button on the computer console in front of her.
Two elevated tables revolved around to show four unconscious girls, each with a headband-like device strapped to their heads.
And judging by the uniforms they were wearing, Sean could only guess that they had found the Honeybees.
"What is that thing?" Sam asked, almost too afraid to know.
"Oh," Candy replied. "Just a little machine I invented to download the Honeybees' moves and put them into the brains of my robots."
Then she turned to the captive spies.
"Now, I'm going to use it on you four."
She blew her whistle, commanding the robotic girls to strap the spies into another operating table.
"One thing you should know," Sean said as the device clamped down on his head. "We're not cheerleaders. We don't even know any moves!"
"Then I guess my machine will just turn your brains to mush," Candy said, obviously not caring. Then she addressed her cheerleaders.
"To the Spider-copter."
As soon as they left the room, an instrument that resembled a light that a dentist might use came over their heads, emitting four beams of purple light that went in to the spies headbands through a receptor on the forehead.
Judging by how hot his forehead was getting, Sean didn't have to guess to hard what the beam would eventually do.
"Great!" Sam complained as she tried to break her way out of the restraint. "With my brain turning to mush, I'll never win the spelling bee!"
"And I'll never get to become a professional cheerleader!" Clover lamented.
"Actually, Clover," Sean said. "Having no brain might increase your chances."
"Um guys," Alex said, trying in vain to get the restraint off her head. "This really isn't the time for one of your squabbles. In case you haven't noticed, we're in serious trouble here!"
"You're right," Sean agreed. "So, we'd better use our brains while we still have them to try to find a way out of this mess!"
That was when Alex reached into her sock, and pulled out their remaining gadget: the Hair Helmet in a Can.
Spraying her head with it, her hair stiffened and shattered the restraint.
After doing the same to Sam, Sean, and Clover, the teens rose up off the table.
"Awesome!" Clover exclaimed, ignoring what her hair now looked like.
"Okay, guys," Sam said. "Here's the plan. I'll call Jerry and tell him we need to get to Tahiti A.S.A.P. Clover and Sean, you free the Bees and restore their memories. And Alex, you figure out how to put an end to this very, very, very, very bad hair day!"
Tahiti Beach-11:29 AM
"Hello, everyone!" an announcer said into a microphone. "And welcome to the World Cheerleading Competition!"
The words echoed throughout the temporary stadium that had been erected on the tropical beach, emphasized by a brief fireworks show.
"Please give a warm welcome to our first competitors from the United States. It's the Black Widows!"
Out of the pink smoke, the Black Widows emerged the uproar of applause from the stands. Then, they began their routine.
"We're the Black Widows and we're here to say!" they chanted. "Today is not your lucky day! Your cheering is so lame and vapid! Our attack will be quite harsh and rapid! WIDOWS ATTACK!"
Then after impressing the audience with the same routine they used in Miami, they all pulled their weapons out of their pom-poms, turning the crowd's excitement into stunned silence.
And then fear.
But the judges were slower on the uptake.
"How... interesting," one said.
"Very unorthodox," another said. "And very original."
Even the announcer was oblivious until the captain picked him up by the neck.
"Hey!" a voice shouted over the noise. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!"
The captain turned her head to see the four spies, now in their normal uniforms, standing before her.
She twirled a spiked bolo at Sean, the one who spoke up, who jumped out of the way and delivered a kick that sent her backwards.
As they spies dodged physical blows and bullets from the robotic cheerleaders, the sound of a whistle broke through the chaos.
At the sound of Candy's whistle, the Black Widows encircled the spies, their pom-poms now sporting several sharp spikes that looked like spider legs.
"Great," Alex said. "We're surrounded."
"Oh, well," Clover said. "At least we get to go down in a blaze of glory with the whole world watching!"
"And listening," Sam said, realizing.
"Come again?" Sean asked, recognizing the look in her eyes. A look that always preceded an idea in Sam.
"I've got a plan," she said. "Think you three can bust me out of here and keep the Widows busy for a while?"
They looked unsure.
"Trust me!" she reassured. "This'll work like a charm!"
Sean sighed. "Alright."
He lowered his hands.
"Just make sure you don't stick around for the grand finale," Sam added, as she climbed into his hands and he threw her into the air.
Performing a backflip, Sam landed outside the circle of cheerleaders, while her teammates kept them occupied.
Twirling a microphone cord like a lasso, she threw it at the cheerleaders, but missed.
"Okay," she said, sheepishly. "That didn't work."
Then one attempted to charge at her before Clover jumped on her pack and put her in a headlock.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "Where do you Neanderthals think you're going?!"
Sam, in the meantime, twirled the microphone again, this time wrapping it around the gathered cheerleaders.
As in Miami, the robotic girls began to short circuit. And if Sean remembered right, they would explode shortly afterward.
"I'm thinking it's grand finale time," Alex said.
Sean and Clover looked around at the girls twitching and screeching.
"Let's not stick around to find out," Sean said, as they all jumped out of the circle... just as every robot on the stage exploded with the force of small atom bomb.
By the time the smoke cleared, there was nothing left of the Black Widows but a small pile of spare parts.
Unsure what happened, but thankful nonetheless, the audience cheered as the rescued Honeybees came onto the stage.
"Thanks," the captain of the Honeybees said, shaking Sam's hand. "You, like, totally saved us. And you totally saved cheerleading."
"Well, it is our job," Sean said. "I'm just glad no one got hurt."
"Oh, yeah?" Candy's voice said from behind him. "We'll see about that."
He looked back, prompting the girls to do the same.
Candy was on the stage, fuming and holding a gun at the group.
Sean closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable until another voice materialized in the air behind Candy.
"Uh, I'd watch where I pointed that thing if I were you..." Jerry said, flanked by two W.O.O.H.P agents. "Margaret."
Candy was forced to lower her weapon when she saw that she was now at gunpoint herself, courtesy of four more W.O.O.H.P agents.
As she was led away in handcuffs, the spies gave each other a celebratory high-five.
The next day, at Beverly High, the girls and Sean walked through the school hallway in triumph.
"I'm so glad the Widows exploded," Alex said over the bell. "And the Honeybees won the World Competition."
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "At least they're... slightly less scary."
"Really?" Sean asked. "Hate to break it to you, girls, but the scariest person I know is a cheerleader. And I just hope you don't have to meet her."
Sean looked ahead.
"But yeah, the Honeybees are... well, sweeter than she is."
"Speaking of bees," Clover said, as they approached the auditorium. "Don't you have a spelling bee to get to, Sammy?"
Sam just sighed.
"Forget about," she said in resignation. "There's no way I can win. I never got a chance to study!"
"Yeah," Sean concurred. "I mean, I could help you do some last minute studying, but-"
"It's sweet of you to offer, Sean," Sam said, kindly. "But there's just not enough time."
"Hello?" Alex said. "We've been over this! You're, like, the smartest girl at Bev High!"
"And besides," Clover added. "You can't just let Mandy beat you. She's a cheater! Not to mention, our evil nemesis!"
"As if she has a choice in the matter!" Mandy's voice called out from behind them.
She was accompanied by her tutors and looking as if she'd already won.
"I am gonna beat the Capri pants off of her!"
Sean scoffed in disgust.
"Don't you have someone else's day to ruin?" he asked.
She shoved him aside.
"Not until after I win," she fired back.
She pushed open the auditorium doors... and then looked at the sheer number of people sitting in the audience.
It looked as if the entire student body had shown up.
For a girl who had been so confident before, Mandy's knees had begun to shake.
"Wait," she said, nervously. "I can't go in there. There's too many people!"
Backing out through the door, she attempted to run, but her tutors picked her up by the arms and legs and dragged her back in.
"No!" she wailed. "It's too scary! You can't make me!"
But they ignored her as the carried her down the steps toward the stage.
"Well, what do you know?" Clover said, smirking in satisfaction. "Looks like Mandy caught herself a little case of stage fright."
"That's ironic," Sean said, barely containing a laugh. "With how much she likes the spotlight, I didn't think stage fright would be a problem for her."
"Guess none of her fancy training worked," Alex said.
"On second thought," Sam reconsidered. "I think I will compete."
She walked down toward the stage, turning to a still cowering Mandy.
"Good luck, Mandy. Looks like you're gonna need it."
The spelling bee was even more predictable than Sean guessed it would be.
Not only did Sam win, but Mandy got knocked out of the first round, misspelling the word "purse" of all things.
When the principal announced Sam the winner, the whole auditorium erupted into applause.
Even though it was easy to guess who would win, Sean still felt happy for Sam
But as predictable as the outcome of the spelling bee was, there was one thing that happened that was completely unexpected.
Sean was so elated that he couldn't control what he said. Three words that, if she had heard them, would have changed the nature of their relationship... forever.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he sat back down, his face red with embarrassment.
Luckily, the applause was so loud, that no one heard him.
Well, almost no one.
Clover, having watched enough romance movies in her lifetime, knew the words "I Love You" when she heard them.