Chris nodded. “We can probably get along today, but we’re going to need a different solution for the future.”

  We sprawled out over the bench and sidewalk. Cautiously, Peach looked around and then pulled out his notebook. He filled us in on the interview Stenway had given, as well as a few scattered reports of Mr. Left “sightings” that they had picked up.

  Donny looked at me when Peach was done. “What did you need to talk about?”

  I drew in a breath. “Peach, do you know anything about any kind of Super law enforcement?”

  He twisted his head to look at me. “You mean like cops? Or like a government? Which one?”

  “I guess like cops. Maybe more like detectives. I’m not sure.”

  Chris waved at Peach to cut off his next question. “Just tell us what has happened and we’ll go from there.”

  I explained to them the conversation I’d had with Stenway, about the men in the Left mansion looking for… well, I wasn’t entirely sure what they were looking for. They listened intently without stopping me for questions.

  “I would say,” Peach riffled through his notebook, “That it is more of a police or law enforcement agency that we are looking for. I mean either way, I haven’t come across either a Super’s police force or a government.”

  Donny looked up from pulling on a dandelion. “But you’d think there would be a governing body of some kind, and then they’d need somebody with a big stick to make sure people follow the rules.”

  Clive chucked a rock into the woods. “I’d be a good Super police.”

  Donny punched him. “You’d have to be a Super to be a police officer.”

  “Not necessarily.” Chris Blue was frowning. “T.J., what do we know about Stenway?”

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  I looked at him blankly. “What?”

  “What do we know about Stenway? So far he’s just kind of been, I don’t know, there. Where did he come from, how did he get the job, why did he get the job, what’s his background, is he a Super?”

  I sighed. I’d had the same questions too, but since things had been weird with him and Sydney, I couldn’t ask her the questions, and he hadn’t been really chatty when I was over feeding the cats. “I don’t know, to any of those. Plus, he and my sister are kind of, not talking right now.”

  Surprisingly, Clive was the one to nod understanding. “Teenagers are pretty dumb that way, especially sisters.” I’d forgotten he had an older sister.

  Peach still looked confused but I hurried on. “I might be able to talk to him when I go over there, but he has been so busy lately. He almost never comes to talk to me. Today was the first time I’d heard more than ten words out of him since the day after It happened.”

  “Well, see what you can find out.” Chris was frowning. “We need another way in, another connection.”

  “But why?” The question popped out of me before I could stop it. “We figured it out, we found a Super, or a villain, whatever, Mr. Left has a Super’s powers. We were right.”

  They all looked at me, and Clive groaned. “You don’t get it.”

  Peach spoke. “You’re right, we did figure it out. But also, now he’s gone rogue, with some dangerous abilities, and after the Super police or whatever they are, we probably know more about the situation than anyone else. We might even know more than them.” He shrugged. “I think it’s like our civic duty, you know, like voting.”

  “Plus,” Chris’s eyes lit up, “It’s interesting.” He looked sideways at me and continued. “T.J., we understand that you can only do so much on the Stenway end. We’re working on some things, following up on the coat of arms and the hollow statue, so it’s not like we aren’t moving forward. Just take any chance you can, and let us know what happens.” He got up and all the fellows followed. “We’ll have to start meeting in the drugstore, until we find a different spot in the park that works. Really weird that the gazebo got closed off. Peach, look into it.” He waved at me as the group started to break up. “See you Monday.”

  I nodded, and watched them start to wander off. Donny started up the sidewalk, then turned back. “Sorry about your sister. Is she being a real pain?”

  “No, I actually feel kind of bad for her.” I got up and we started walking towards the bus stop. “It’s weird, she’s not as mopey as I would have expected her to be. She just kind of accepted it, and sometimes she gets angry about it instead of sad. I ran off and left them in the kitchen today, maybe they’ll sort it out.” Donny grinned, and as we waited for the bus, we talked instead about the end of school and our summer plans.