She was right. And that made Caleb feel even worse about how he’d treated Zach at the mall. It was selfish and unkind. He just hoped he could still make up for it.

Heading toward the computer lab, Zach thought about the RC cars that had come racing unexpectedly up the hall. Just like the malware attack had come unexpectedly. And how did you stop a hacker? The same way you stopped those cars. By building a wall. For the malware, the wall meant some kind of two-factor authentication. They already had passwords, so all the club had to do was activate a second level of sign-in, like a text confirmation to each player’s phone. Anyone who didn’t send back the confirmation wouldn’t be able to sign in and play. It was so simple that he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it sooner.

Zach had just reached the computer lab when he remembered that Ms. B had insisted that no one touch the Providias. But he wanted to share his idea with her so he continued past the lab and headed up the hall to her room. He was just about to knock on her door when he saw Caleb inside. “If you look at where he was only a few months ago,” Ms. B was saying, “lost, constantly clowning and misbehaving, never making eye contact, barely performing academically…and where he is now.”

Zach stiffened. She’s talking about me!

“I think back to the day I asked you to get him to join the club,” Ms. B continued. “You saved him, Caleb.”

“Well, I…I don’t know.” Caleb bowed his head. The truth was, in some ways it felt like the opposite. Getting to know Zach had saved him.

“But you did!” Ms. B insisted. “If you could hear what the other teachers are saying about him now. What an extraordinary transformation it’s been. I’d really like to tell them about your part in it. I know they’d be grateful, Caleb. And you deserve so much of the credit.”

Never one to turn down credit, Caleb said, “Well, if you insist.”

Out in the hall, Zach staggered back from the door, feeling like he’d been shot with a Mega-Blaster. Of course Caleb hadn’t wanted to hang out with him at the mall! He’d never truly wanted to be Zach’s friend. All Zach had been to him was one more opportunity for extra credit.

Zach backed away, turned, and began to sprint. Down the hall, through the lobby, and out of school. Running as hard as he could.

MATCH TALLY

THE AXIS: 3

THE ALLIES: 4

When the first bell rang, Zach was in his usual hiding place in the boys’ room. He let himself out of the stall and paused to look at the ceiling. The mystery of the hanging loogies still intrigued him. How did Gavin do it?

Just then, the boys’ room door opened. Speak of the devil! It was Gavin. Zach froze. The big red-haired boy stopped when he saw what Zach was looking at.