So, just so everyone knows, there will be points of view from lots of different people in the series, including Bex Dizznee, Grady, and the Song twins. Don't worry, they haven't been mentioned yet, but they will. I love them! Also, none of these characters belong to me, they are all Shannon Messenger's.

Dex's POV

        So far, Dex hadn't tinkered since his mom went missing. All his tools were cleaned up. In fact, that's all he had been doing. Cleaning up. Everything at Slurps and Burps was clean, everything at his house. That's how he had been dealing. He knew it was weird, but it helped for some reason.

        His tools were all put away on his shelves, and he was tempted to get them out again, just so he could clean up again. It wasn't really fair that the triplets refused to let him clean their room. It's not like they were doing it! Any other time, they would be begging him to do it for them.

        He'd been asking his dad for reports every day, and he just wanted to do something. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. He ran as fast as he could, hoping for news. But when he opened the door, it was just Sophie and Keefe. "Oh," he said, disappointed. 

        Keefe rolled his eyes. "Come on, Dexy, aren't you excited to see us? You know, I was just gonna come here alone, but then Foster begged to come along because she clearly can't be apart from me, so I totally get why you're upset. Sophie is so serious, she never has good news," he finished with his voice imitating Dex's. 

        Dex and Sophie glared at him. He didn't seem to notice. "Fortunately, today we do have good news! Don't worry, we'll discuss my payment later. Also, you haven't thanked me yet, so I'll be waiting for that, and-" Keefe was cut off by Sophie.

      "Can we come in?" She asked.

Bex's POV

       "UGH. Dex is so WEIRD lately. It bothers my BRAIN." Bex said, flopping down on her bed. Lex snickered. "It would, but you don't have a brain," Bex glared at him. "I do TOO have a brain, and it's 10 times smarter than YOURS." Rex rolled his eyes. "As the MATURE sibling, I am copelled to point out that our mother is LOST and maybe THAT'S why Dex is being a weirdo." 

       It was Bex's turn to roll her eyes. "You are most certainly NOT the mature sibling, and besides, the word is COMPELLED, not COPELLED. Maybe YOU'RE the one with no brain." Bex and Lex snickered. 

        "Also, I KNOW that Mom is missing, DUH. But still, he's SO WEIRD. He's asking us if he can CLEAN our ROOM," Bex pointed out. 

         "Yeah, and since Dex wants to do something, we're obviously not going to let him HA!" Rex said. 

          "NO, you idiot," Lex said, "We're not letting him clean our room because he SHOULDN'T be wanting to. Just cuz Mom is gone doesn't mean WE should start acting differently. If anyone should, IT WOULD BE MOM. BECAUSE SHE'S MISSING. We know what's good for him. Right, Bex?" He finished solemnly. 

         Bex nodded back solemnly. "Ohhhhh," Rex said. "I see. BUT I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT AN IDIOT. I AM SMARTER THAN YOU TWO HALF BRAINS." Lex and Bex rolled their eyes. "Yes, yes, dear," Bex said soothingly. 

        Lots of people thought that it's hard for Bex, having THREE brothers. And usually, she told them to go eat a snail, but now she understood what they were getting at. She had always had her mom, and everything was fine. But now she was the only girl. And she was bored. 

          "I know!" she said excitedly. "Let's go spy on Dex! We can find out what he's doing and blackmail him about it later!" Lex thought this was a wonderful idea, but Rex said that it was childish. Lex and Bex shrugged and started to go to the door, but then Rex caught up with them and said he wanted to do it too. Which of course sent Bex and Lex into a laughing fit, which led to Rex storming off, then turning back around to storm back, glaring at them the whole time. 

            Bex was fantastic in the art of blackmail, so she was excited. But then she saw Dex with his head down in his room, talking to Sophie and Keefe. She suddenly had an idea. "Stay here!" she whispered to her brothers. Since she was usually the ring leader of spying, they let her go ahead, nodding with wide eyes. 

         She ran into the room and hugged Sophie. "Hi, Sophie! I missed you!" Sophie gave a bewildered laugh and looked at Dex. He was staring out the window. "Um, hi, Bex. How are you?" Bex didn't usually show affection, she thought it was gross,  so she knew why Sophie was surprised. 

        "What are you guys talking about?" she asked eagerly. Sophie looked at Dex as if asking for permission. He nodded slightly, but she still hesitated. She then looked at Keefe, and he shrugged. 

        Sophie sighed. "You promise you won't tell anyone?" Bex nodded with wide eyes. "Um, well, we're going to go look for your mom. And my mom." Bex gasped. "Really?" Sophie nodded with a slight smile on her face. "But don't tell anyone. It's just us three going." 

        Bex pretended to think. "Yeah, that's not gonna work out," she said, sighing. "Um, what do you mean?" Sophie asked hesitantly. "I mean, you're not gonna go by yourselves," she said.

        Dex suddenly snapped into the conversation. "Listen, Bex, you are NOT coming with us, and you better not- why are you shaking you're head at me??" He glared at her in disbelief.

        "See, that's not gonna work. Don't worry, I'm not coming with you. I don't wanna be on an "adventure" watching a depressed brother and two people make sappy faces at each other," Dex glared at her, and Sophie turned bright red. Keefe, on the other hand, was staring at her in awe. 

          "Dex, WHY have you never given us a true introduction to this kid? I'm sorry, this QUEEN?! YOU, my friend, are GROWING on me. I'm in awe. Teach me your ways." Keefe said happily. Dex rolled his eyes and went back to glaring at Bex. 

           She grinned. "Yeah, so what I mean, is you're taking everyone on Team whatever -Valiant?- and also those cool twins. But don't take Fitz. I don't like that guy, and also you don't need a second telepath. Sophie can transmit. It's fine. And I know you guys hate Stina, ESPECIALLY Dex, and I do too! So I'm glad I'm not going with you, because you're taking her, too. And Marella, she's been left out enough, and finally, Maruca. I don't care if Wylie doesn't want her to come, you have to convince her. Got it?"

          Everyone stared at her. Dex rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "Suuuure, we're gonna take all those people," he said. 

        Bex didn't blink. "Oh, you will. Or I'm telling Dad, Grady, Alden, and the ENTIRE council otherwise. Also, I have some extra special blackmail for you, Dex," she said mischievously, thinking of that picture he had of his crush that he stared at all the time. And she also had video footage of him staring. 

         Dex and Sophie paled, but about different things. Keefe was still staring at her in amazement. Bex gave a fake salute, jumped of the bed, and casually sauntered out of Dex's room, leaving stunned silence behind. "Oh, and I will know if you sneak off without your friends. I have many ways to tell," she called back behind her.

         Lex and Rex were staring at her as well and Lex ran and hugged her. "I have taught you so well!" He said, pretending to wipe away a tear. Bex rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Technically, Lex had taught her many ways of blackmail, but she was TOTALLY better than him now.

     I hope you guys liked that chapter! I love the triplets, but they all had similar personalities in the Keeper books, so I wanted to give them separate personalities. Sorry that's it's bad, does anyone have constructive criticism for me? Just please don't be mean. Thanks! Also, any ideas for what should happen? I'll give you a shoutout if I use your idea! Thank you for reading!

200 days until Unlocked comes out!!!!!!!