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anything. It just means people move him around.”
    I remembered too late that Oliver knew something about moving around. Before he got placed with his “forever family,” as his parents said, he’d been to a few foster homes. I remember the day he moved in down the block. I was skating in front of our building when a man in a suit the color of green olives walked Oliver past and into a doorway with a black awning on the corner. Oliver carried a trash bag full of clothes. He looked like he was in trouble. Oliver told me later that he’d used that same bag to carry his stuff from two different families. The first people decided they didn’t want to foster a kid anymore, and the second family got pretty mean until Oliver told his social worker.
    â€œYou’re right. I didn’t mean … Sorry,” I said. Oliver shrugged and we walked down the block. “UNLESS, he’s really a thirty-year-old baby-faced CIA agent undercover at Fountain Point to bust … Mr. Roberts for an illegal gambling ring. Maybe they’re taking bets on how we do on our spelling tests.”
    â€œInteresting theory, Ben,” Oliver said in a way that sounded like it was definitely not an interesting theory. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

 
    9
    A Side of Bean
    After school the next day on my way to Lupe’s, Bean Lee jumped out from behind an alley trash can. She wore red overalls with “Stand Back” written on the front pocket.

    Bean is kind of famous, in an Internet way. She started that Cat vs. Dude site with the cats fighting action figures and stuff. And you should know that Bean has more than one pair of red overalls. She has another pair with a patch of a panda bear playing drums, and some green ones with holes in the knees that she wears striped tights under. She wears a blue feather boa sometimes, and she’s sewn animal ears onto most of her hats and hoodies. You’d think it would be easier to see her coming, but she made me jump. She makes me jump a lot.
    â€œMr. Diaz, we have an important matter to discuss.”
    I’d passed Bean digging around in her locker when I left school, so I don’t know how she beat me to the corner. The way she acted made me think it had something to do with Frank. Plus, they hang out together a lot. And I heard he helped her set up www.catvsdude.com . “My associate would like to accept your organization’s offer … with stipulations.”
    â€œWhat associate?” I said. I tried to look confused.
    â€œAre you organizing a prank task force or running a bad acting club?”
    I shrugged. Bean stared me down.
    â€œMy little sister does a better job playing dumb. I know everything. Our mutual friend is willing to join forces—with conditions.” She crossed her arms, and we had some sort of silent standoff. I think she tried to tell me to chill out telepathically, but I wasn’t ready to give in. It could have been a bluff. She waited for me to slip up and tell her everything. I made a face that said I had no idea what she could possibly be talking about, but it only lasted about ten seconds.
    â€œFine. What kind of conditions does Frank have?” I said. Bean cracked her knuckles and smirked.
    â€œNumber one. If Frank’s in the club, your friend, Mr. Junior Principal, is not,” she said. “Actually, that one is mine.”
    I could have told Bean that Hector wasn’t invited, but I didn’t like her bossing me around.
    â€œListen, Bean, I—”
    â€œNUMBER TWO”—Bean held up her hand to shush me—“I, too, am interested in joining. You can have us both, or neither.” She stuck her chin out and stood tall, but she was still a foot shorter than me.
    â€œNo way,” I said. “I get to pick who’s in the club. Besides, he wasn’t supposed to tell anybody. He already broke the rules.”
    â€œI’m not just