WHO AM I

THE TROUBLE WITH PLANS

The next morning, everyone met at their usual spot—Kira's kitchen, where a mountain of mismatched mugs sat on the table, each filled with a different kind of coffee. Kira stood near the stove, flipping pancakes like she was preparing for a world-record attempt.

"Why are there so many pancakes?" Noah asked, poking at the growing stack. "Are we feeding an army?"

"Stress-cooking," Kira replied with a grin. "If we're going to face Renzo and his crystal of doom, we might as well do it on a full stomach."

"Does anyone else feel like we're in some low-budget action movie?" Jasper chimed in, reaching for a mug. "Next thing you know, someone's gonna suggest wearing disguises."

"Oh, please," Kira said, rolling her eyes. "The only disguise I could pull off is, like, a weird version of myself."

"I'd pay to see that," Noah quipped. "You in a wig, sunglasses, trying to act mysterious."

"I'll have you know I'm very good at acting mysterious," Kira shot back. "Watch this."

She turned dramatically, flipping her hair over her shoulder, and in a deep, over-the-top voice said, "Who... am I? No one knows my true identity."

Jasper burst out laughing, almost spilling his coffee. "Okay, okay, I take it back. You've got skills."

Lila smiled, but her mind was elsewhere. The plan they'd agreed on the night before swirled in her head. They were going to get close to Renzo, learn more about his plans, and—hopefully—figure out a way to stop him before it was too late.

But a nagging doubt kept tugging at her. Was it really going to work? Could they outsmart Renzo, a guy who clearly had no problem playing dirty?

"You okay, Lila?" Noah asked, his voice cutting through her thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, taking a sip of her coffee. "Just... thinking about how we're actually going to pull this off."

Noah sat down next to her. "We'll figure it out. We've handled crazier stuff, right?"

"Crazier than a crystal with world-ending powers?" Lila raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe not that crazy," Noah admitted, chuckling. "But we've got each other. And Phillip's information gives us a starting point."

"Speaking of which," Jason added, walking in, "I talked to my guy. The crystal Renzo's after? It's connected to some ancient mythology—like, major Indiana Jones stuff."

"Great," Jasper said sarcastically. "So we're officially dealing with cursed rocks now. What's next, ancient tombs?"

"I'm not ruling it out," Jason replied, shrugging. "But from what I've heard, this crystal's been passed down for centuries. It's not just a symbol of power—it actually is power."

"That explains why Renzo wants it," Lila muttered. "But how are we supposed to stop him? We don't exactly have superpowers."

"Maybe we don't need powers," Noah said. "Maybe we just need to be smarter than him."

Kira, who had been busy with her pancakes, finally chimed in. "Or we could bribe him with a lifetime supply of pancakes. I mean, it's worth a shot."

Noah laughed. "I'd take that deal."

"You'd take any deal if it involves food," Lila teased.

Jason cleared his throat, bringing them back to focus. "We need a real plan. Pancakes aren't going to cut it."

"I agree," Lila said, setting her mug down. "We need to get close to Renzo, but we have to be subtle about it. He can't know we're onto him."

Kira nodded. "So... no disguises, then?"

"No disguises," Lila confirmed, laughing. "Just act normal."

"Act normal," Jasper repeated, shaking his head. "That's easier said than done."

"I can act normal," Kira insisted. "Watch."

She struck a pose, holding a pancake in each hand like she was presenting a prize. "Good morning, Renzo. Would you like some breakfast while I casually infiltrate your evil organization?"

Everyone burst out laughing, and even Lila couldn't help but join in. The tension lifted, if only for a moment.

But as the laughter faded, reality settled in again. They had a long road ahead, and it wasn't going to be easy.

"Okay, for real this time," Lila said, standing up. "We need to start gathering more intel on Renzo. The sooner we know what we're up against, the better."

"Agreed," Noah said. "Let's split up. Jason, see what else your guy can dig up. The rest of us will keep an eye on Renzo."

"Great. So we're unofficial spies now," Kira said, grabbing another pancake. "I always knew this day would come."

"I'm just hoping it doesn't end with us in some ancient booby-trapped temple," Jasper muttered.

"Well, if it does, I'm blaming you," Lila teased, nudging him playfully.

Jasper grinned. "Fine by me."

With that, they grabbed their things and prepared to head out. It was time to put their plan into action—whether they were ready or not.

The stage is set, and the countdown to stopping Renzo has begun. With humor to keep them grounded and pancakes as fuel, Lila and her friends brace themselves for the next step in their dangerous journey.