“Anyway, I love reading comic books,” said Rufus. “Miles Morales is the best Spider-Man. I wish I could sling webs in New York City. And Captain America is my favorite superhero. Strong and brave and handsome.” He began to whisper. “My secret identity is based on a different kind of power. I call myself The Sneak.”

“The Sneak?” Nina squeaked.

“Yeah! And I’ve figured out how to use his power in real life. I can walk through the halls of my school like I’m totally invisible. Close my locker so it makes no sound. Sit in the back of the class and duck down just far enough to never be called on.”

“It sucks that you have to do that,” said Lou. “No one should feel invisible.”

“It’s easier than what my father wanted me to do. Stand up to the bullies. Fight back. I tried his way for half a day and came home with a black eye and a split lip.”

The house rumbled suddenly, and the floor trembled for several seconds. The three froze, then glanced around as if something were about to come dashing out of the shadows at them. Lou waited for the boys to cry out, but after a moment, silence settled again.

“I love the idea of The Sneak,” Nina whispered after a moment. “Teach me how to do it.”

“Me too!” Lou said quietly.

Rufus beamed. As they continued after Cal and Marcus, he showed them his techniques. “First, you have to learn where to step. Certain spots are squeakier than others.” He pressed his foot onto several spots on the floor, all of which let out a small squeal. He sighed. “This may not be the best place to practice. Next, you train yourself to hold your breath for a long time. When you’re hiding from someone, you don’t want a sniffly nose to give you away.”

Shouting echoed from down the hallway, bringing the house back into sharp focus. “Help me!” The voice belonged to Cal, and it trembled as if he were in pain.

Lou, Nina, and Rufus raced to the door at the far end of the hallway. Inside, they discovered Cal and Marcus standing side by side next to a four-poster canopy bed.

The master bedroom. They’d made it!

“What’s wrong, Cal?” Lou called out. Cal grimaced. That was when Lou noticed that Marcus was gripping Cal’s skin behind his neck. “Marcus, what are you doing?”

Marcus stared at Cal, tightening his grip, rattling him slightly. “How about I let Cal answer that question?”

“I wasn’t doing anything!” Cal answered. As soon as he said it, Lou had a feeling it wasn’t true.