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Hello, friends, and welcome to Sleep Tight Stories.
Red and Blue have told Red's friends that they are from Mars and about the problem they are trying to solve.
And the gang is all ready to help with the mystery.
The Transfer Student, Volume 2, Part 15.
After everyone leaves, Red and Blue are alone in her room.
And it hits them. They actually did it. They told the gang the truth about being from Mars and nobody ran away screaming.
Nobody called them crazy. Nobody called the police.
Blue gives Red that triumphant thumbs up and grins.
Told you so, stinky head. Don't call me stinky head when we're finally getting along for once, Red says, flopping backwards onto her bed. but she's smiling too.
Fine. Told you so, my brilliant and amazing sister, who worries way too much about everything. and never listens to her incredibly wise little brother.
That's somehow worse. Blue spins around in her desk chair looking ridiculously pleased with himself.
I was right though. Charlie literally said it was the coolest thing ever.
Rachel's already making research plans. Alexa's organizing everyone, and Kurt just rolled with it.
Like finding out your friend is an alien happens every Tuesday.
Martian, Red corrects automatically. See, you're already more relaxed about it.
Red sits up and looks at her brother, really looks at him.
Blue, were you ever scared about telling them?
Yeah, Blue admits, but not about them finding out we're from Mars.
I was scared they'd be mad at you for lying to them for so long.
And? And they weren't because they get it.
They understand why you had to keep it secret.
Blue stops spinning and gets serious for a moment.
Red, do you think we did the right thing?
Like... What if telling them makes things more risky?
That's exactly what's been gnawing at Red's stomach.
I've been thinking about that too, but honestly, I think they were already in danger just by being around us.
At least now they know what they're facing.
Plus, Blue adds, now you have help. Real help.
Not just you trying to save Martian culture all by yourself while I make jokes and hack into lunch menus.
Hey, the lunch menu thing was actually useful.
I found out they were serving pizza today.
See? Teamwork. Red laughs despite herself.
Blue? Yeah? Thanks for pushing me to tell them. for believing they'd be okay with it.
Blue grins and goes back to spinning in the chair.
That's what annoying little brothers are for, Stinky Head.
There it is. I couldn't help myself. Red throws a pillow at him. but she's still smiling.
For the first time since coming to Earth, she feels like everything might actually work out.
Later that night after Blue goes to bed, Red's alone in her room, staring at the ceiling, trying to process everything that's happened.
The house is quiet except for the familiar sounds.
Her mom moving around downstairs, probably reading another earth cookbook. the neighbor's dog barking three houses away.
She thinks back over the whole crazy journey that brought her here.
Finding Dr. Hart's box in Alexa's backyard feels like it happened a million years ago, but it was only a few weeks.
Then the holographic message that changed everything.
Meeting the intimidating Misty and Shade again. solving the library mystery, Blue discovering her secret, and now this.
Her friends know she's from Mars. Actually, no.
And they're not just okay with it. They want to help save Martian culture archives from corrupt government agents.
My life is crazy. She whispers to her ceiling.
It's been crazy since we moved here, but now it's on a whole other level. but she was beginning to worry.
Red pulls out the charm and holds it, watching it pulse gently in the darkness.
When Misty and Shade first showed up in their kitchen, they'd been very clear about the rules.
Very clear about secrecy. For your safety and the safety of others.
We have to keep it that way, they'd said.
Red had just broken the biggest rule of the entire Mars relocation program.
What if she's wrong about her friends? What if one of them accidentally let something slip?
What if Charlie gets too excited and mentions it to the wrong person?
What if Rachel's curiosity leads her to research things she shouldn't?
What if someone overhears them talking? The AID has ways of monitoring communication.
Misty had made this very clear when she'd somehow known about Red's slip-up in class.
What if they already know about tonight?
What if the corrupt agents are on their way right now?
Red sits up, her heart racing. Should she talk to Blue?
Maybe message Misty and Shade? Should she... No.
No. She takes a deep breath. She's being paranoid.
Her friends proved tonight that they understand how serious this is.
And honestly, looking at what's happening with the corrupt agents, with Dr. Hart's warnings, With Lyle's mysterious messages about watchers asking questions, Red might already be in trouble anyway.
At least now she has people she trusts completely who know the truth and can help protect each other.
A year ago, she was just a regular Martian kid worried about habitat dome maintenance schedules and whether she'd pass her atmospheric engineering exam.
Now she's lying in bed on Earth, holding alien technology. planning to meet with a maybe Martian kid to talk about mysterious secrets.
She thinks about her mom downstairs, probably still trying to figure out why earth recipes never turn out the way the pictures look.
Her dad, wherever he is in the galaxy, working with the A.I.D.
Does he know about the faction split? Is he safe?
Would he be proud of her for trusting her friends or horrified that she'd broken protocol? and her friends, Charlie, Alexa, Rachel, and Kurt, who just volunteered to help her protect pieces of Martian culture.
They don't fully realize how tricky this could become.
But they signed up anyway, because that's what friends do.
Tomorrow, they'll meet Lyle. and hopefully get some answers.
Red finally drifts off to sleep, clutching the charm dreaming about red sunsets and twin moons, but also about her friends' excited faces when they realized she was from Mars.
Red wakes up to Blue banging on her door like the house is on fire.
Wake up, Agent Stinkyhead. Today we meet the mysterious Lio.
Ugh. This is as bad as him hacking my phone.
I'm not calling myself Agent Anything, Red calls back. but she's already getting up.
Today feels different. Important. Downstairs, their mom has attempted some kind of earth breakfast pastry.
The kitchen smells like cinnamon and... Is that cardamom?
And something else Red can't identify, but definitely doesn't belong in earth food.
What are those? Blue asks, poking suspiciously at the lumpy brown things on the plate.
Muffins, their mom says proudly. wiping flour from her hands.
I found a recipe online, though I may have substituted a few ingredients that remind me of home.
Red takes a cautious bite. It's not terrible, but it's definitely not earth food either.
It tastes like... memories somehow. Mom, what exactly did you substitute?
Well, instead of vanilla extract, I used essence of kelleran root.
And instead of regular sugar, I used crystallized nutrition supplement powder.
Oh, and I added some dried zamir berries for sweetness.
So you made Martian muffins, Blue said, taking another bite.
Confusion muffins, their mom corrected with a delightful smile.
I'm bridging two worlds through baking. Red and Blue exchanged a look over their plates.
Their mom has no idea how literal that statement is right now.
If only she knew that her friends had just recruited an entire Earth friend group to help preserve Martian culture.
Speaking of bridging worlds, Red said carefully, Blue and I might be hanging out with some friends after school today.
You know, the ones who came over yesterday.
That's wonderful, their mom beams. I'm so glad you're making connections here.
Earth friendships seem so...enthusiastic.
That Charlie boy looked like he wanted to ask me a thousand questions about everything.
If only she knew what those questions were really about, Red thinks, finishing her fusion muffin.
Just don't be home too late, their mom adds.
I'm planning to attempt something called Taco Tuesday for dinner.
Red and blue both wince. Their mom's interpretation of earth food is getting more adventurous by the day.
Twenty minutes later, after washing down the fusion muffins with water, Red grabbed her backpack and raced out the door to catch the bus.
On the bus with Charlie and Rachel, Red tries to act normal, but her mind is racing with everything that's about to happen.
Charlie looks healthier today. No cold, no red eyes, no constant sniffling.
He's practically bouncing with excitement in the seat next to her, but he's trying to play it cool.
So, uh, about yesterday. Charlie? Rachel warns quietly from her seat in front of them, not looking up from her book.
Not here. Right, right. Just wow. He pushes his glasses up and grins at Red.
I mean, wow. I know, Red says, and she can't help but smile back.
Charlie's excitement is infectious. Rachel's got her notebook out now and she's writing, but Red can see she's not doing homework.
She's making lists. Plans. Research notes about astronomical phenomena and migration patterns.
She would normally be reading, so this is big.
I stayed up way too late reading about, you know, Rachel says in a low voice, glancing around to make sure no one else is listening.
The astronomical stuff. It's absolutely fascinating.
Did you find anything useful? Red asks, leaning forward.
Maybe. We'll talk later. Rachel taps her pen against her notebook.
But I think I understand why the timing matters so much.
Charlie pushes his glasses up again. He does that when he's excited.
I brought something to show you guys. Later, obviously.
What kind of something? The kind that might help with our project, he grins mysteriously.
Red feels that familiar mix of excitement and nervousness.
Her friends are already thinking like a team, already planning, already committed to helping her save the Martian archives.
But she also can't shake Lyo's warning about watchers asking questions. and new students who aren't what they seem.
The bus pulls up to school and Red takes a deep breath.
Time to see what today brings. At school everything feels different.
Charlie and Rachel disappear after they get off the bus.
It's like the gang knows about secret passages or something. because somehow they always beat Red to the cafeteria.
Red keeps looking around. wondering if there are corrupt AID agents watching.
She finds herself studying other students more carefully.
Was that kid by the locker someone she hadn't seen before?
And why did the substitute teacher keep looking their way?
It's like someone turned up the volume on her Martian senses.
Every conversation sounded too loud. Every footstep seemed deliberate.
Every glance in their direction felt more noticeable than usual.
During lunch, the gang tried to act normal, but there's this electric undercurrent of excitement buzzing between them.
So... Alexa says casually, stabbing her salad.
Anyone want to come to the playground after school just to hang out?
The playground? Kurt asks. Raising an eyebrow?
You know, where kids play. On playground equipment.
That thing we had to explain to Red. Red makes a face.
I understand playground equipment now. Sort of.
I mean, I get that it's for recreation. but the merry-go-round still seems like a torture device.
It's still weird that you didn't know what a swing was, Charlie says, unwrapping his sandwich.
We had different recreational facilities on Ma- Red catches herself, glances around quickly, then lowers her voice.
Where I'm from. This is going to take some getting used to, being able to talk about Mars with her friends but having to be careful about when and where and how loud.
Rachel's been quiet, studying something in her notebook.
I've been thinking about those coordinates she says quietly leaning in and about timing.
If there really is a You know, migration window.
We might not have as much time as we thought.
What do you mean? Red asks, feeling her stomach tighten.
Well, if the astronomical alignment that makes travel easier happens on a predictable schedule, And if there are other families planning to relocate, then the people looking for the archives might be working on a deadline too.
Red feels a chill run down her spine. She hadn't thought about it that way, but Rachel's absolutely right.
If another wave of Martian refugees is coming, the corrupt agents would want to secure the technology beforehand.
Maybe use it to control or exploit the new arrivals.
So we need to move fast, Alexa says, but carefully.
Charlie adds, looking around nervously. Right?
I mean, we're talking about actual bad guys here with like government resources and stuff.
Good point, Kurt says. Maybe we should ask our friend about safety protocols when we see him later.
They're all talking in code now, being careful.
But Red can see the determination in their faces.
They're not backing down. If anything, understanding the stakes has made them more committed than ever.
That's when Charlie notices something that makes Red's senses go on high alert.
Guys, he says quietly, don't look now. But that guy by the water fountain has been watching our table for like 10 minutes.
Red's hearing picks up on something she hadn't noticed before, a soft electronic chirp, the kind of beep you might hear from walkie-talkies. or those toys that pretend to find treasure.
Her heart rate beats a bit faster, but maybe it was just someone's phone nearby?
We should probably head to the library, she says, trying to keep her voice casual.
You know, for that research project. Good idea, Alexa agrees, and they pack up their lunch stuff.
As they walk toward the library, Red can't shake the feeling that they're being observed.
Not just by the man at the water fountain, but by someone else too.
It's like having an itch between her shoulder blades that she can't scratch.
In the library, Mrs. Finkelstein greets them cheerfully.
Just doing some follow-up research, Rachel says smoothly.
But as they settle into their usual spot, Red notices something that makes her pause.
There's a new library volunteer. a student she doesn't recognize shelving books nearby.
He's got dark hair, quiet demeanor, and he keeps glancing their way while organizing the science section.
Could this be the new student Leia warned them about?
Red catches Blue's eye across the library.
He's supposed to be in study hall, but has obviously snuck over to check on them.
She makes a subtle gesture toward the new volunteer.
Blue nods slightly. He's noticed too. You know what?
Alexa says suddenly. Maybe we should go outside and get some fresh air before next period.
It's nice weather today. Smart call. If they're being monitored they definitely don't want to discuss anything important here.
As they gather their things Red feels more determined than ever.
In just a few hours, they'll meet Lio and hopefully get some real answers. together.
And for the first time since this whole adventure started, Red feels like they might actually have a chance at saving those Martian archives.
Together, They can handle whatever comes next.
And that is the end of this part. Goodnight.
Sleep tight. Thank you.
