Free Return of Mega Mantis by Laura Dower Page A

reveling in our victory over nine Mega Mantis giants.
    “Here’s to teamwork!” I cried.
    “What is that, Damon?” Lindsey asked.
    “Yeah, Molloy, what is that?” Stella asked.
    “Teamwork?” I groaned. “Duh! When people work together to do a positive thing . . .”
    “No! No! What’s that ?” Ranger asked.
    They were all pointing to my shirt. Of course, they were actually pointing to a small, black something on my T-shirt.
    Another bug!
    I glanced down. A week ago, the sight of even an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny bug like this would have sent me screaming to hide under Cowboy Pete, my beloved blanket.
    But today, I’d faced the largest mantids known to man. I was a real cowboy. I squished that bug flat between my bare fingertips and growled, “Don’t mess with the Mantis,” in my best Roger Rogers accent.
    Stella chuckled. “You mean, ‘Don’t mess with the Molloy,’ don’t you?”
    “What a photo op!” Lindsey cried. She held up her camera. Stella and Ranger posed with me.
    “Say cheese, everyone!” she said, just like a normal person.
    I grinned. Of course it was just about the only normal thing about Lindsey, me, Stella, or Ranger right now.
    But I was beginning to like it this way.

LOOK OUT FOR BOOK 3: THE BEAST WITH 1000 EYES