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Chapter two

Mysterious Messages

Ricki and Tony get off the school bus and walk towards Howard High. They’re both very tense and excited.

They talk about the try-outs all the way.

“It’s going to be hard to study today,” says Ricki. “I’m too excited, and we have an English test this morning, too.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s going to be difficult,” says Tony. They walk to their lockers to get their books.

“Hey, Tony! Look,” says Ricki, “there’s a note on my locker door.”

“What does it say?” Tony asks him.

Ricki opens the note and reads it aloud.

“Don’t go to basketball practice today. something bad is going to happen!”

Ricki looks at his friend, puzzled, “What does it mean, Tony?”

“I don’t know,” says Tony. “It’s probably just a joke. Maybe someone wants to frighten you. Maybe someone wants to make the team and doesn’t want you to come to the try-outs. Forget it, Ricki.”

He opens his locker. A note falls out onto the floor. “Hey, Ricki! I have a note, too!” he says, surprised. He reads his note to Ricki. “Basketball is for men, not boys. Don’t try out for the team or something bad is going to happen!”

“Who is sending these notes? Who wants to threaten us?” asks Ricki. “I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” replies Tony.

“Hi, Ricki!” says a friendly voice then, and Stacy Johnson walks over to their lockers. She is tall, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling at Ricki.

“Hi, Ricki! Hi, Tony! How are you?” she says. She gives Ricki a hug.

“Oh, hi, Stacy” replies Tony. “Great, how’re you?”

“What’s the matter?” she asks then, seeing his worried expression.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, it’s probably nothing,” says Ricki.

“We found two notes in our lockers,” says Tony. “We think it’s a joke, but.”

“Can I read them?” asks Stacy. She looks at the notes. “Mmm. I don’t think this is a joke. Let’s tell the principal!”

“Hey, wait a minute,” replies Ricki. “We don’t need to do that. I think Tony is right. The notes are jokes. I’m not scared. Let’s forget them.”

“Ricki, these notes aren’t jokes!” says Stacy. “Someone wants to frighten you. But why? Okay, don’t tell the principal, but please tell Coach Bergman.”

Suddenly the bell rings for their first class.

“Time to go,” says Ricki. “Look Stacy, don’t worry. These notes are nothing. See you at lunch.”

“Oh, okay, see you then!” and Stacy walks down the hall with a worried expression.

Tony and Ricki go to their computer class. They switch on their PC’s before class starts.

“I want to look at last night’s basketball scores,” says Tony.

He goes into the Internet.

“Yeah! The Los Angeles Lakers did it. They won! They beat the Chicago Bulls!” he shouts.

“I want to check my e-mail,” says Ricki, laughing.

Ricki types in the password for his e-mail.

“You have mail,” the computer voice says. Ricki opens up the first message. It’s from Stacy.

From: Stacyj@hhs.k-l2.il

To: Rickia@hhs.k-12.il Subject: Good luck!

Message: Hi Ricki! Just a note to say good luck today at practice!

See you at school!

Love, Stacy

He opens up the second message.

From: caper@whosemail.com

To: Rickia@hhs.k-12.il Subject: warning

Message: Don’t go to practice today or something bad is going to happen!

“Tony, look!” Ricki whispers as their teacher comes in. “It’s another mystery message!”

“Wow, this is weird” replies Tony. “Who is ‘Caper’?”

“I don’t know. The message doesn’t come from our school. Look at the e-mail address. Quick! Check yours and see if you have any messages from ‘Caper’.”

Tony types in his password.

“You have mail,” says the computer voice.

Ricki and Tony look at each other. Tony clicks on the new message. “Oh my God, it’s from ‘Caper’, too!” he says, opening it.

From: caper@whosemail.com

To: tonyc@hhs.k-12.il Subject: warning

Message: Don’t try out for the basketball team today. This is your final warning!

“What are we going to do?” asks Ricki.

“I don’t know,” says Tony. “But I know one thing. these stupid messages aren’t going to stop us. We’re going to go to basketball practice tonight and we’re going to try out for the team and nobody is going to stop us!!!”