"YOU CAUGHT ON FIRE?!" Marcus exclaimed.

"It was an accident! I didn't realize until he pointed it out," Maeve explained.

"Do you realize how bad this is? He's gonna know something's up. I thought you were being careful."

"I was trying. I'm sorry. I don't know what to do," Maeve said.

Marcus sighed. "Just try to ignore it, I guess. Maybe he'll forget?"

Maeve laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen."

"What else is there to do?"

Maeve frowned. Marcus was right - there was no way she could explain what happened without exposing her bionics. She'd just have to pretend it never happened.

She hoped to God Chase did too.

-

The following day at school, Maeve and Marcus approached Adam, Bree, Chase, and Leo.

"Hey, guys! How's it going?" Marcus said.

Leo smiled. "Ooh, bundle up, everyone! It just got partly creepy with a hundred percent chance of annoying!"

"Oof, am I gonna need my umbrella for that?" Adam asked, concerned.

Maeve rolled her eyes. "Hey, do you guys wanna do something after school today?"

Marcus smiled in excitement. "We could all go to my house. We just got a sick new flat screen!"

"Is it as sick as you make me? Cause that'd be pretty sick!" Leo replied.

"We'd love to hang out today!" said Chase, smiling at Maeve. She breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he was just choosing to forget yesterday's fire fiasco.

"Chase is too polite to say it, so I'll say it for him," Leo said. "You two are lunatics, and we're leaving!" He pushed his siblings out of the doors as they protested. "And we're walking. Go. Go on. Go. Out." When Adam, Bree, and Chase had safely exited the building, Leo turned back to Marcus. "Nice try. See you later, Captain Eyebrow."

Maeve generated a gust of wind that forced the doors shut before Leo could leave.

"What the-" he exclaimed, trying to push them open again, but to no avail. He looked at Maeve. "How did you-"

"Chase isn't the only one who can move things with his mind," answered Marcus.

Maeve turned to him, annoyed. "For the last time, I don't move things with my mind. I manipulate the air around the..."

Maeve and Marcus argued as Leo tried to call for help.

"Help! Somebody! I'm trapped! Principal Perry?! Who am I kidding, she's not here. It's five-cent-rib night at the buffalo barn."

Maeve laughed and Marcus glared at her. He looked back at Leo.

"Looks like it's just the three of us, Leo," he said menacingly. "Man, it is fun to mess with you when you can't tell anyone we're bionic!"

"Yeah, it's a real party over here, too," said Leo. "I should just turn you in."

"Go ahead!" Maeve offered. "Then we'll just expose Adam, Bree and Chase, and the government will swoop in and take them away." She patted Leo's shoulder.

"Not if I turn you in first!" Leo ran to the doors. In a split second, Marcus used his molecular kinesis to throw a trash can, narrowly missing Leo.

"You are gonna keep your mouth shut," he warned. "Or next time, I won't miss."

Maeve coughed. "Dude, you said that last time."

Marcus paused. "No, I didn't."

"You totally did. You were like, 'That was a warning shot! Next one won't be!'"

"Well, you know what I meant!"

"I'm just saying, you should be more clear about your words next time."

Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he heard the doors click behind him. "Aw, man- look, you let Leo escape!"

"Well it's not like we could've kept him here all day anyways! We were gonna let him go either way, idiot." Maeve rolled her eyes.

-

That afternoon, Maeve and Marcus were hanging out in The Lair. Maeve was working on a crossword puzzle while Marcus was on the phone with Douglas.

"Dad, it is gonna be so epic when I capture Adam, Bree, and Chase!" Marcus said to his phone. "Fine. When we capture them. Just like when we forgot my birthday... Oh, I'm sorry. Are you angry, or are we angry?" Marcus stood up and walked out of The Lair. Maeve frowned and followed him.

Marcus was standing in the kitchen. He groaned and hung up the phone, turning to Maeve. "He is so annoying sometimes."

Maeve nodded. "You got that right."

"Dude, it was so fun messing with Leo earlier today. I can't wait to finish him off."

"Marcus..." Maeve paused. "Don't you think we're being a bit harsh on him? I mean, yeah, he's annoying, but he doesn't deserve to die or anything."

Marcus stared at her. "This is the game, Maeve. You don't succeed by just letting people go because you feel bad for them."

"I know, but-"

"No. I'm done arguing with you about this. I'll see you later," Marcus said, walking off.

Maeve stood in his kitchen for a moment, stunned, before walking back to her house.

She sat down on the couch and zipped open her backpack. She had mounds of homework. Didn't her teachers know she was a busy bionic soldier with no time for schoolwork?

Maeve spent around an hour working on her homework, but a few of her calculus questions had her stumped. She wanted to ask Marcus, but she wasn't sure if he was still upset at her.

But that's never stopped her before.

She left her house and walked into Marcus', checking the kitchen. He wasn't there, so she decided to check The Lair.

"Hey, Marcus, did you do the math homewo- oh, my God." Maeve's eyes immediately fell on a huge orange and gray robot, red eyes glowing from underneath layers of metal armor. It was chasing a terrified Leo, shooting laser beams at him. In the center of the room was Marcus holding the remote.

"Maeve! Glad you could join the fun," Marcus laughed. "I was just showing Leo here what little punks get for snooping around other people's lairs."

"Aha!" Leo exclaimed. Maeve looked to see him holding a stapler. "I have a weapon now, too!"

"That's a stapler," sighed Marcus.

Leo examined it for a second before setting it down. "So it is."

Marcus walked over and picked it up. "Just kidding, it's a ray gun."

"Dang it!" Leo said.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" Maeve hissed, pulling him to the side.

"Look, he snuck in here somehow. He's seen too much. I'm getting rid of him. For good," Marcus said, raising his eyebrow.

"You're gonna kill him?!"

"Maeve, stop it. I'm so done with all your whining. This is what we signed up for. Either deal with it or leave."

"You think it's gonna be easier if we murder him? What would we even do with his body?They would launch a whole investigation. This is just gonna make things worse," she said. She knew Marcus wouldn't listen to her moral hesitations, so maybe logic would work.

Marcus groaned. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"I don't know. Wipe his memory or something?"

"You think I know how to do that?"

"Wha- seriously?! All these inventions and none of them can erase someone's memory?" Maeve scoffed.

Marcus rolled his eyes and continued controlling the robot as Leo darted around, desperately trying to avoid being killed. Eventually, the robot caught up to him, picking him up and dangling him in the air by the back of the shirt.

"Game over, Leo," said Marcus. "You're no match for my robot's awesome physical strength."

Leo thought for a moment. "Yeah, I am no match for his strength. But just remember, you didn't beat me. This thing did."

Maeve said nothing. She knew what Leo was doing. Marcus may not have a lot of weaknesses, but the fragile male ego was definitely one of them.

Marcus scoffed. "Please. I could pulverize you."

Leo laughed. "Yeah, I'd like to see you try."

"Not smart, Leo. The robot would've been quick and painless compared to what I'm gonna do to you."

"Okay, tough guy," replied Leo. "But if I win, you have to let me go. Deal?"

"What? No way," said Marcus.

"Marcus, come on," Maeve said. "You really think there's any chance he could beat you?" In full honesty, she did not want to see Marcus kill Leo tonight. There was no way she would let it happen either way, but she wanted to see what Leo had up his sleeve, so she continued egging Marcus on. "Just make the deal with him."

Marcus sighed. "You're right. Okay, Leo, if you win, you can go," he chuckled. He clicked a button on the remote, releasing Leo from the grip of the robot.

Leo stood up and dusted himself off before holding out his hand. "Let's shake on it!"

Just before Marcus grabbed Leo's hand to shake it, Leo licked his hand. As Marcus retreated in disgust, Leo took the remote from him. Maeve covered her mouth, trying not to smile.

"Eww!" Marcus whined. "Why would you- Maeve, did you see what he just did to me? Why would he do that?!" He wiped his hand frantically on his shirt.

"Because I'm clever!" Leo said. "And clever beats strong any day." He clicked the remote, causing the robot to swipe its metal arm. Leo screamed and ducked. "But clever would really like to take a look at this thing's owner's manual!" He pressed a few more buttons, eventually finding those that would make the robot shoot at Marcus.

Marcus ducked for a second, and then shot the robot with a laser beam from his eyes. The robot paused before collapsing into a pile of metal parts. "Aw, man!" Marcus shouted. "That was my dad's favorite toy! There goes pizza night," he grumbled. "This is all your fault, Leo-" he turned to find that Leo was gone.

"Where did he go?" Maeve exclaimed.

"Aw, come on!" Marcus shouted, ignoring Maeve. He stormed out of The Lair, leaving Maeve to process what had just happened.

-

That evening, Maeve and Marcus were in The Lair with Douglas and Krane, looking at the computer. Together, they watched the backyard's security camera. Adam, Bree, Chase, and Mr. Davenport were all there, watching Leo frantically open and close the grill.

"You guys don't understand! This barbecue had a touch pad in it," Leo said through the camera.

Mr. Davenport laughed. "Leo, are you sure you weren't at the ATM outside the chicken shack?"

"Don't you take that 'Leo's got a wild imagination' tone with me. The touch pad controlled that dissolving wall."

"Oh, right!" Chase said sarcastically. "And then all the little elves came out and did a dance around the bonfire!"

"I'm telling the truth!" Leo said, exasperated.

"I believe you, Leo!" Bree told him. "I also believe that we, as a family, are going to get you the help you so desperately need."

"You guys don't understand! Marcus and his father have a secret lair!" Leo explained. "And Maeve was there too!" He looked at Chase.

"Okay, guys, are we roasting weenies or not?!" asked Adam.

Chase rolled his eyes. "Come on, guys. Let's go."

"Don't leave," Leo pleaded. "I'm telling the truth!"

Maeve and Marcus watched as Leo and his siblings walked off. However, Mr. Davenport stayed put. He looked around, eventually locking eyes with the security camera, staring suspiciously.

"O-okay. I know. We messed up," Marcus explained. "But I can fix this."

"No," Maeve's father exclaimed. "You two let him get too close. It's time we take matters into our own hands."

Douglas nodded. "I hope they enjoy their night together... it's gonna be their last."

Maeve exchanged a look with Marcus. She didn't know what they were gonna do, but she knew one thing: nothing got in the way of Douglas and her father.