Chapter 4

Chapter 4 SURVIVAL MODE + UNTESTED VR GOGGLES = IT'S PROBABLY SAFE... RIGHT? Po wasn't used to getting into trouble. Of course, he also never drenched his entire class in foul- smelling red foam. Today was a day of firsts.

Ms. Minerva had sent everyone to wash up. Only Harper, Morgan, and Po remained in the auditorium. Po hoped they wouldn't be punished too severely. They'd made a big mess, but baking powder and vinegar wasn't dangerous. Then Ms. Minerva said the words that Po most dreaded hearing: "I'm very disappointed in you," she said. "All of you." Those words cut Po deep. He didn't like to disappoint anyone. Ever.

He looked at Harper. Her eyes were ablaze. Those eyes seemed to say "It was all Morgan's fault." They also seemed to say "But I can't say that without sounding like a snitch." And finally, her eyes added "Morgan, now is where you speak up and take responsibility for your actions. Now. Right…now." Harper had very expressive eyes. Morgan did speak up. But he didn't confess. "Why are we in trouble?" he asked. "The volcano did what it was supposed to do. The eruption was just a little bigger than expected." Ms. Minerva shook her head. Po squirmed in his wheelchair. There was a squelching sound from the "lava" beneath him. A voice sounded at their backs. "Don't be too hard on them, Minerva." Po pivoted to see that Doc Culpepper had joined them. "After all, no scientist ever achieved anything by being too cautious." "That's definitely not true," Ms. Minerva said. Culpepper shrugged. "Anyway, I could use the

help of a few daring researchers on a science project of my own." Harper grinned from ear to ear. Po knew that she idolized Doc. "What are you all doing after school today?" Doc asked brightly. Ms. Minerva rolled her eyes and quickly replied, "They're mopping the auditorium!" "Ah, right," said Doc. "What about after that? Do you have time to come by the computer lab?"

Harper and Morgan both agreed eagerly. Po hesitated for a moment. He was supposed to go to basketball practice. He could probably use it as an excuse to avoid whatever Doc Culpepper had in mind for them. He could probably even get out of mopping with Morgan and Harper. But that didn't seem fair to his friends. "I'll be there," he said. When Po arrived at the computer lab later that day, Harper and Morgan were already there. So was Morgan's sister, Jodi.

"Hey, Jodi," Po said. "Nice job on the creeper. Why are you here with the detention club?" "I can't walk home without my big brother," Jodi said. "This isn't detention," Morgan corrected him. "Right," Harper said. "Doc said she was impressed with us. She actually wants our help. I wonder what her project is." Jodi grinned. "As long as it doesn't involve evil robots from the twenty-third century." "Don't be so pessimistic, young lady," said Doc as she entered the room. "We'll have evil robots long before the twenty-third century." Jodi's eyes went wide. She looked around to see if anyone had caught how ominous that sounded. "I'll get right to the point, kids," said Doc. "As you know, I'm something of an amateur inventor." Po did know that. He also knew that Doc's