Harley walks to the cafeteria and she sees the bionic boys talking with somebody, then she hears Adam speak.
"So, Marcus, tell us about yourself."
Harley froze at the entrance of the doors, hoping it was not the same Marcus she was thinking about.
"So my dad and I moved around a lot. I was homeschooled most of my life."
When the voice spoke, Harley groaned and it was indeed her brother, Marcus.
"No way! Us too! We're so similar! Do you have a third nipple too?" Adam asks and Chase touches his chest.
Harley quietly snickers before walking up to the table. "Hi there."
Adam, Chase, and Marcus turn their heads to the brunette's voice and Marcus's eyes widen slightly.
"Harley, this is Marcus. Our new friend." Chase says and Harley nods at the boy.
"I know who he is," Harley says, making eye contact with Marcus. "We have a class or two together."
She moves from her spot and sits next to Chase, greeting him with a kiss.
Marcus watches the small interaction between the two. He felt bad, honestly. He knew that his sister had a mission to complete, but a small smile formed on his lips when Harley's eyes lit up when she saw Chase. However, he also knew that she would be in huge trouble if she betrayed their father. Which is why he was sent. It pained Marcus to think of his sister getting hurt.
"That's a nice guitar, Marcus," Chase says.
"Yeah, and you're a natural, bro. Guys, we should start a band!" Marcus speaks.
"That's a great idea! Aw, but what would I play?" Adam asks as he uses his chopsticks to drum against the table. "I got it! No, I don't get it."
"I think you can be their drummer, Adam," Harley tells him.
"Interesting choice, I'd been pondering the French Horn," Adam admits.
Leo walks up to the table and takes a seat next to Adam.
"Hey, Leo, guess what? Marcus, Adam, and I are forming a band." Chase informs him.
"Well, you guys just met, don't you think it's a little soon?" Leo asks.
"A little too soon for what? Taking the deeply committed step of jamming together?" Chase asks.
"Now we just need a place to practice. I live in a pretty small place, though." Marcus says, and Harley glares at him, which he caught.
"I know a place. The lab." Adam says, and Harley slams her foot onto his toes. Chase stops what he was doing, and Leo coughs. "The Labrador Retriever Park," Adam says. "Nice acoustics and they have dogs." He leans to Chase and Harley. "Saved it!"
"Well you know, we have a pretty big place. We can jam there." Chase tells Marcus.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold your horses' cowboy," Leo says as he gets up and pulls Adam and Chase out of their seats, Chase pulling Harley along with him. "Chase, what are you doing? Do you really think it's a good idea to let a total stranger in our very private home?"
"That's okay, guys. We don't have to jam. Not everyone needs a bright spot in their otherwise horrible lives." Marcus says, looking like he was about to cry.
Oh, well played, Marcus. Harley thought.
"Aw, Leo, look, you're making him feel bad." Chase scolds. "Don't worry, Marcus. We'll practice at our place later. Come on over."
"Great! See you guys after school." Marcus left.
"I'll be right back." Harley mumbles, pecking Chase's left before following after her brother. "Marcus! Hey, Marcus!"
"Harley? Why aren't you with them? They're gonna get suspicious."
"Why are you here, Marcus? I have everything under control."
"Dad thinks you're taking forever with your mission. He is starting to think you're going to back out. Is it true? Did you do the one thing you weren't supposed to do?"
Harley sighs. "You cannot tell Dad, all right? I didn't mean for this to happen. I never expected to fall for him." She looks back at Marcus and she saw the sympathy in his eyes.
"Listen, you and I both know we can't stop Dad with his revenge plan. But, if you are backing out, you need to tell Chase the truth before he finds out on his own. Dad may have involved me, but I don't want you hurt in the process. You are my sister. I know you truly love Chase and I'm glad that you're happy with him, but he's gonna find out the truth eventually. It's better if he hears it from you."
"Marcus –"
"I won't tell Dad. I can promise you that. Only if you promise me you'll be safe in the end."
"I promise."
***
Harley walks into the Davenport home to see Marcus, Adam, and Chase playing. She shut the door and noticed her best friend hiding behind the plant to spy on Marcus. Walking over to Chase, she wraps her arms around his torso.
"Well, it's only our first day, but you guys sound great. I think you both have real raw talent." Marcus says.
"Well, if our raw talent is raw, then we better get cooking!" Adam says, making a beat with the drums.
"Leo, what are you doing?" Chase asks, spotting him behind Marcus.
"Just asking Marcus a few questions. Where were you born? When's your birthday? Who's the president of Venezuela?" Leo asks, receiving confused looks from the others.
"I don't know." Marcus shrugs.
"Aha! So he's not from Venezuela!" Leo says.
"Okay, that's it! This practice just became members only." Chase says. "But Harley can stay because she's my girlfriend and she's beautiful to stare at."
Harley smiles and kisses her boyfriend on the cheek.
"Well, then I guess I'm in the band," Leo says, staring down Marcus.
"Leo, you don't even play an instrument," Chase says.
"That's where you're wrong," Leo says, trying the tambourine, the washboard, the maracas, the accordion, and the big wooden bass.
"As I said, you don't even know how to play an instrument," Chase repeats.
"You know what guys, let him in! He can play this!" Marcus grabs a cowbell off the couch. He holds it out to Leo, who takes it and Marcus backs away.
"Thank you. I've never played the cowbell before, but let's see what I got." Leo hit the cowbell. "Wow! I'm a natural!"
Harley moves to the couch so that they could start playing before Davenport enters and turns off the AMP.
"Hey! You know, it's not enough to just play notes, you want to get them in the right order." Davenport tells the boys.
"O-M-G, you're... Donald Davenport!" Marcus exclaims and Harley rolls her eyes.
"Guilty as charged," Davenport replies.
"The genius billionaire, scientific entrepreneur?" Marcus asks.
"Don't forget multi-lingual mega-star," Davenport says, walking towards the kitchen.
"Oh, gracias."
"De nada."
"Wow, Mr. Davenport! I'd love to hear your theory on plasma gasification." Marcus says.
"Who wouldn't?" Davenport laughs.
"I wouldn't," Harley spoke.
"You know, Bree and I were going to demo my holopet for career day, but since you guys have a band, maybe we can demo my concert-in-a-can instead! That'll be such a great surprise for her!" Davenport suggests.
"That is good! That is good! What is that?" Marcus asks.
"It's a can that creates a virtual concert experience. It's something I designed for those of us who would be rockstars if we weren't busy being brilliant inventors." Davenport brags.
"You're a rockstar to me," Marcus says.
"I know." Davenport pats him on the shoulder. "Bree is gonna love this!" He left and Adam steps up.
"I'm gonna go get Mr. Davenport's gigantic mega amp! Because everybody knows louder is better." Adam says, and Chase and Harley went over to him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. That amp is pretty heavy, don't you think I should help you carry it? Because you don't have the strength of ten men." Chase says, looking at Adam, then Harley for help.
"Yes I do –" Harley discreetly nudges him. "not!" He looks at Marcus. "I'm frail."
The three runs off, leaving Leo with Marcus, but they couldn't find the amp.
"What is wrong with you? Why would you break my guitar?" The three hear Marcus yell.
They ran in to see Leo holding Marcus's broken guitar, and it didn't look good. Harley catches his eye and she shakes her head.
"No! But he – and – I – OH!"
"Leo, why would you break his guitar?" Chase asks.
"No, no, no! That's what he wants you to think! He broke it! He's the breaker and I'm the breaker!" Leo tries to explain.
"That is crazy! Why would I break my own guitar?" Marcus asks, gripping the guitar.
"Look, Leo, I'd like to believe you, I really would, but you do break things all the time," Chase says.
"That is not true!" Leo says, and they gave him a look. "Yes, it's true, but it's not true this time!"
"Leo, this reminds me of a story about a boy named Wolf. He cried a lot. And after that, his friends never believed him. Then his grandmother ate him." Adam says.
"Adam, that's not how the story goes," Harley tells her friend.
"Fine! But this goes deeper than a broken guitar! I will prove my innocence and show you he's up to no good!" He starts to walk away but turns back to look at everyone. "I'm gonna call CSI on this one!"
***
"I'm telling you, Marcus is playing some twisted psychological game! And I can prove it! Exhibit A: I lifted a fingerprint from Marcus' guitar." Leo points with his pointer.
"Oh, that is fantastic, Leo! You proved, that without a shadow of a doubt, that Marcus' guitar is..." Chase gasps. "His!"
"True! But he then removed said guitar and deliberately-- deliberately, mind you! – smashed it! Exhibit B: paint chips and hair. Which, just happened to be my mom's, but nonetheless! We know she did not do this!" Leo exclaims.
"Leo, are you afraid, that by us befriending Marcus, there won't be any room left for you?" Chase asks, and Leo gives him a confused look.
"What? No, are you kidding me? I'm awesome!" Leo says. "That guy is bad news."
"Don't worry, Leo! You are still our best friend. But you can't have a best friend unless you have a friend who's a not best friend. Okay, so he does fill a void." Adam says.
"It's not what this is about," Leo says. "Harley, you believe me, right? You know that I would never lie about something like this."
Harley sighs. She did know that Leo wouldn't lie about this because she knows Marcus. He made it seem like Leo broke the guitar because it's obvious that Leo doesn't trust Marcus. But she can't say that she believes him because it'll seem like she has something against Marcus, but they're supposed to pretend they don't know each other.
"I don't know, Leo. You say that you didn't do it, but where's your proof? You were holding the evidence. It's obvious that you don't trust Marcus."
"Look, Leo, we'll talk about this later, okay?" Chase says, intertwining his fingers with Harley. "Adam and I have to go meet Marcus."
They heard a beat and they turn to Adam.
"I made it my ringtone," Adam says.
***
Once the three got to the school, Harley offered to help set up, and Davenport came up to them with the concert in a can.
"Wait 'til they get a load of this! My virtual concert in a can will knock their socks off!" He takes a small step forward and places the concert in a can down. "Now it will activate itself, so don't forget to stand back. A couple of guys in research and development found out the hard way." Chase subconsciously pulls Harley closer to him.
"Thanks for lending me this awesome guitar, Mr. Davenport. It's almost as good as the one Leo so viciously destroyed." Marcus says, and Harley throws a glare his way.
"Well, hey, if I had a nickel for everything of mine Leo destroyed, I'd still be down two million in change," Davenport says smiling.
"Yeah, that's just the stuff you know about," Chase says, receiving a nudge from his girlfriend.
"We don't know anything that Leo's broken." Harley quickly says, scratching the back of her neck.
"Nothing at all," Adam says, and they all back away as Bree came in.
"Good luck out there," Harley mumbles, standing on her tiptoes to press her lips against Chase's.
"Thank you. I love you." Chase says, and she smiles, pecking his lips once more.
"I love you too."
"And now for your career day entertainment" Concert In a Can (Can can)! Featuring Adam, Marcus, and Chase (Chase Chase)! Brought to you by Donald Davenport (port port)!" Pre-recorded Davenport says over the intercom.
The concert-in-a-can activated, and a virtual concert arena comes up. They all look around in amusement and the boys start to play. Everyone was enjoying it until Davenport and Bree took over.
***
After the concert, everything was packed up, but the three were still talking about it, Chase's arms wrapped around Harley's waist as she listened to the boy's conversation.
"Well, well, well." The four of them turn to the sound of Leo's voice.
"Sorry, Leo, you're too late. We've safely packed away all the guitars. Maybe now you can find something to break." Marcus laughs. "Because you broke the guitar."
"Watch it," Harley says, glaring at Marcus.
"Excuse me! I would like everyone's attention, right here! I have proof from our smart home system!"
"Hi!" Eddy exclaims once he popped up on the iPad screen.
"Now watch as I –" Leo starts.
"I have a confession to make!" Marcus interrupts.
Harley raises her eyebrow. Was he about to tell them the truth? Or make up another lie?
"Oh no, you don't!" Leo warns.
"I did it. I broke the guitar." Marcus admits.
"That's not fair! I was gonna crack this case wide open!" Leo complains.
"Ha! He got you again!" Eddy tells him, and Davenport and Bree walk over.
"What's going on over here?" Davenport asks.
"I broke my guitar and blamed it on Leo. I owe everyone an apology." Marcus says sadly.
"Why didn't you just say so?" Leo asks.
"Because I'd already cracked the guitar, but if my dad knew I broke it, I'd be in so much trouble because my family's so poor, and I just want everyone to like me because I'm always the new kid, so I made everyone think that Leo did it because I'm so scared and it's so hard to make friends and I'm just a dumb kid compared to all of you, and my grandma just died!" Marcus sobs.
"Are you crying? Is he crying?" Davenport asks and Harley nods.
"It's okay, Marcus." Bree comforts him.
"Yeah, it's no big deal," Davenport says.
"Yeah, and your grandma didn't die," Adam says and everyone looks at him with wide eyes. "What? I don't know." He mouths.
"Marcus, why don't you come to have dinner with us and Harley?" Davenport offers.
"Mm-kay. You guys go ahead. I wanna apologize to Leo." Marcus says and they all walk out, but Harley stayed, using her bionics to turn invisible.
"You didn't actually think I was gonna apologize, did you? They totally believe me! My grandma's not dead, she's playing shuffleboard in Miami!" Marcus tells Leo.
"What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" Leo asks.
"It's a long story," Marcus says, not wanting to rat Harley out. "And if you ever try and rat me out again – you're toast. For real." Marcus says before walking out.
Harley waits until Leo starts exiting the cafeteria doors, but stops right next to Harley when he catches a whiff of a familiar scent of perfume. Harley's perfume to be exact. Leo shrugged it off and continues to walk out.
Harley turns back visible as she sighs, leaning her head against the wall.