Adam, Bree, Chase, and I were standing in the lab as we begin the next phase of our training. Leo was also in the lab with us because he wanted to watch us train. "Okay, guys. The next phase of your training is handling extreme climates. So, we'll frost Chase, bake Bree, submerge Adam, and Cassie you will be in a tropical storm simulator." Mr. Davenport says. "That's not part of the training, I just got one of those carnival dunk tanks and I can't wait to try it out."

Chase gets into his capsule. "Okay, Chase, I'm setting your tube on antarctic. If it gets to be too much, just give me a sign." Mr. Davenport says.

"Bring it," Chase says as his tube powers up.

"Hey, that's not fair. I want to be abused by weather." Leo says.

"Leo, if you really want to be abused, try standing over here next to Adam's morning breath," Bree says.

"I don't have morning breath. It smells like that all day." Adam says.

"Leo, these guys are genetically engineered to handle these kind of climates. You're not." Mr. Davenport says.

"I can handle extreme cold," Leo says.

"Leo, you get brain freeze from chewing mint gum." Mr. Davenport says just as his phone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket and answers it. "Davenport. What?! Well, that's terrible! I mean, that's awesome, but that's terrible! I...I gotta do something."

"What's going on? What's so terrible?" I ask Mr. Davenport.

"I created the world's fastest train, but now it's speeding out of control full of highly explosive nuclonium towards downtown Welkerville!" Mr. Davenport says.

"Well, then what was awesome?" Bree asks.

"It's going like 400 miles an hour." Mr. Davenport says excitedly.

"Whoa!" We all said.

"My entire career is riding or perhaps crashing on this train! I don't understand it! My design was flawless!" Mr. Davenport says typing on his computer.

"So flawless you forgot to include an emergency brake?" Leo says.

"No. I never counted on the conductor dropping his papaya smoothie all over the controls and then jumping off the train." Mr. Davenport says.

"Well, if I were to build a high-speed train, the first thing I would have put in was a cup holder. Oh! And one of those bumper stickers on the back that says, I brake for cows." Adam says.

"When stuff like this happens, they always blame the scientist. This is human error. Scientists don't make mistakes." Mr. Davenport says. We heard knocking coming from Chase's capsule and turned around to see him completely frozen.

"Chase. Now I have to explain the whole train story again." Mr. Davenport groans.

~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~

Chase was out of his capsule with a blanket wrapped around him as Leo and I rubbed his arms to help warm him up. "The good news is, whenever I invent something, I always create a backup device to support it." Mr. Davenport says.

"As opposed to just building it right the first time," Chase says.

"Ya know, I think I liked you better frozen." Mr. Davenport says. He opens up a big black bag and takes out a device. "My auxiliary decelerator will stop anything...ocean liners, freight trains, tanks, eighteen-wheelers, twelve-wheelers..."

"Does it stop unnecessarily long explanations?" I say.

"Apparently so." Mr. Davenport says. "Only problem is, I can't figure out how to get it on the train."

"You guys thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Bree says.

"Our first mission!" Bree, Chase, and I say.

"I want a pet pig!" Adam says.

"No. No, no, no. You are not prepared for this kind of mission." Mr. Davenport says. "It is a highly volatile situation. Down the line...fingers crossed...there will be plenty of other horrible disasters."

"Yeah, but...you need to stop this train now. And you need us to help you do it." Chase says. "Your career depends on it."

"Please, Mr. Davenport. This is what you trained us for." I say.

"All right, you gotta leave the nest sometime." Mr. Davenport says. "Okay, get in your capsules, guys. I can't believe I'm saying this...it's time to upgrade your mission suits." The four of us run to our capsules.

"I hope you addressed the chafing problem," Adam says before getting into his capsule. Once we changed into our new mission suits, we stepped out of our capsules.

"Sweet!" Adam says. "Ooh! I see you put in the seat warmers."

"All right...we'll be able to use these earpieces to communicate. And I'll monitor your progress on the train surveillance system." Mr. Davenport says. "That way if you blow yourselves up in a fiery explosion I can watch it unfold in glorious HD." We all give each other looks. "That came out wrong."

"We get our first mission!" Chase exclaimed.

"And we get to save lives!" Bree says.

"This is so exciting!" I say.

"Seriously, I want a pig!" Adam says. Mr. Davenport starts handing us our earpieces.

"Bree...Cassie...Chase...Adam." Before Mr. Davenport could hand Adam his earpiece, Leo stands between Chase and Adam and takes his earpiece.

"Hey!" Adam says.

"Leo!" Mr. Davenport says.

"What am I supposed to use...two cans and a string?" Leo says. Mr. Davenport gives Leo a look and Leo gives Adam his earpiece.

"Well, your favorite news reporter just got their big break," Tasha says as she walked into the lab.

"Linda Montieres?" Chase asks.

"Chip Spudner?" Bree says.

"Kasey Miller?" I say.

"And Tom Constan with sports?" Adam says.

"No, me!" Tasha says. "I am done reporting on singing dogs and babies who look like ex-presidents. The network finally gave me a real assignment. I'm covering a runaway train!"

"No way! Ain't that a coinky-dink? Mr. Davenport..."

"Is, uh, is, uh...so proud of you, honey." Mr. Davenport says cutting off Adam.

"Will you watch Leo? I have a train to catch." Tasha says.

"Absolutely. And don't forget, be balanced and fair, collect all the facts, and blame the conductor...he's an idiot." Mr. Davenport says. Tasha leaves the lab.

"This stinks. Everybody gets to go on an adventure but me." Leo says.

"Leo, just because you can't go on the train doesn't mean we can't have fun here." Mr. Davenport says. "I'll pop in the Goober the Spunky Caboose DVD for you."

"I'm thirteen," Leo says.

"Okay, then pop it in yourself." Mr. Davenport says. "Come on, guys, we don't have a lot of time. We gotta get you in your gear." Adam, Bree, Chase, Mr. Davenport, and I leave the lab. Once we were gone, Leo picks up the black bag that was on the counter and manages to get inside it.

"Ha! Look at that...I'm travel size!" Leo says. He zips the bag.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Okay, Roger, how do I look? Am I in focus?" Tasha asks as she stands by the train tracks with her cameraman, Roger. Roger shakes the camera yes. "Okay. We're on in three, two...Tasha Davenport here outside the Glenview driving range where we're waiting for the runaway bullet train to..."

Tasha is interrupted when a man shouts fore and a golf ball hits Roger in the head, knocking him and the camera down. "Oh, my gosh! Roger! Is the camera okay?!" Tasha asks, bending down to the camera.

On the bullet train, Adam, Bree, Chase, and I get inside by climbing down four ropes that were attached to Mr. Davenport's helicopter. "Whoo-hoo!" Adam shouts as he jumps into the train. He notices a bunch of green glowing tanks in the train. "Oooh!"

"Adam, don't touch that! That's nuclonium." Chase warns.

"That's exactly why I want to touch it," Adam says, reaching for the tanks. Chase slaps his arm away.

"Ow!"

"Come on. We have to work fast." Chase says.

"Hold on! I'm updating my status." Bree says, pulling out her cell phone. "Bree is...facing an uncertain future." I roll my eyes as she types on her phone.

"Hey, Chase. You spilled something on your new suit." Adam says.

"Huh?" Chase says, looking down at his suit. Adam flicks his nose.

"Ho, ho, ho, ho!" Adam laughs.

"Oh, Adam, it looks like you spilled something on your new suit, too," Chase says.

"What? I just got this thing." Adam says, looking down at his suit. Chase tries to flick Adam's nose but it doesn't affect him. "Hey, quit flicking me. I'm trying to find the stain."

"Focus. We only got fifteen minutes before this thing hits the turn, flies off the tracks, and blows up Welkerville." We hear Mr. Davenport say over our comms.

"Boy, I'm glad I don't live there," Adam says.

"Chase, locate the onboard braking system. Bree and Cassie, inspect the tanks for leaks, and Adam, get a picture of the speedometer for my web page. Wow!" Mr. Davenport says.

"Hey, Adam. Hand me the decelerator." Chase says.

"Uh-oh. I don't know where I left our mission bag." Adam says.

"It's on the rope." We hear Leo say.

"Oh, thanks, bag!" Adam says, looking up. The bag drops to the floor and Leo gets out.

"Leo?" We all say.

"Leo?!" Mr. Davenport says, seeing Leo on the monitor screen in the lab.

"Which way is the dining car? I'd like to get a bite to eat before I save the town of Welkerville!" Leo says, putting his hands on his hips and striking a superhero pose.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Okay, roll. Roll!" Tasha says to Roger, the cameraman. "I'm Tasha Davenport reporting live. Authorities tell me the bullet freight train will roar past behind me at any moment. And you are here for the exclusive look." The crossing bell starts ringing. "Roger? I...I think the train is on the other track. Behind you. Quick! Turn the camera around. We're missing it!"

Suddenly, the wind starts to blow as the train passes by them. "Bug mouth," Tasha says once the train was gone.

Back on the train, Chase was looking through the black bag. "Leo, what are you doing here?!" I ask him.

"Joining the mission. I want to be like you guys!" Leo says.

"But Leo, you're not like us. And I don't mean that in a bad way, we just have really cool super fun features, and you don't." Adam says.

"Uh, Leo, where's the decelerator we need to stop this train?" Chase asks.

"You mean the pointy metal thing that was poking me in the butt?" Leo asks.

"It's right here!" Mr. Davenport shouts into our comms, holding the decelerator. "Leo, I am supposed to be watching you!"

"And you are...in glorious HD!" Leo says.

"Leo, without the decelerator, we can't stop the train," Chase says.

"Mr. Davenport, what are we gonna do?" Bree asks.

"I'm coming to get Leo. If he blows up on that train, I'm gonna have to get Tasha a puppy!" Mr. Davenport says. "I'll bring the decelerator in my high-speed helicopter. Wow! How many guys can say that they have chased their high-speed train in their high-speed helicopter? I'm awesome! Okay, I'll be right there!" Mr. Davenport grabs the decelerator and leaves the lab.

"Okay, so I downloaded the train's route before we left the house. Let me pull it up so I can calculate how much time we have left." Chase says. Chase pulls up a holographic map of the train with one of his eyes. "Oh, no! Guys! There's only a two percent chance that we can save the train! And if the train goes, we go! Brace yourselves!" Chase holds onto one of the metal tanks in the train. "Bionic people do not explode well."

"Chase, relax. I mean, there's a possibility we can survive the crash." I say.

"Oh, Leo won't," Adam says.

"Oh, right. Never mind." I say.

"I'm sorry you guys have to see me like this. I know you think of me as your ultra-competent, unwavering, fearless leader." Chase says.

"Not really," Adam says.

"Yeah, just the opposite, actually," I say.

"Chase, look, everything is gonna be fine," Bree assures him.

"Yeah! I mean, Big D's on his way in his high-speed helicopter." Leo says.

"But...what if we can't attach the device?" Chase asks. "What if the sudden stop causes the train to tip? What if Mr. Davenport gets caught in a traffic jam?!"

"In a helicopter?" I ask.

"There could be birds," Chase says.

"That drive cars? I don't think so." Adam says.

"Chase, you're overthinking this. The answer is simple...if Sally's on a train traveling at a certain speed, x, she's gonna reach the curve at a certain time, y, all we need to do is multiply x by y to find out if we have enough track left to stop." Leo says.

"Okay...but what if Sally is sitting on enough nuclonium to reduce an entire city to a stain?" Chase asks.

"Then Sally should have taken the bus," Leo says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm Tasha Davenport reporting live from the danger zone just outside Welkerville where...where minutes from now the...the...the train is expected to...to...um..." Tasha hears the train's horns honking in the distance. "We...we...we...we got here too late? We missed it again? Are you kidding me?! Um, um, well, uh, for those of you tuning in, it was silver and...and shiny and...and...and...and it looked, um..." Tasha takes out a notepad and draws a picture of the train.

"It looked like...like this. And...and...and it was going really fast. It was just...click-clack, click-clack, chooga-chooga-chooga-chooga-chooga-choog...choo! Chooo! Uh, authorities are doing all that they can to stop the train before it...boom! Boom!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inside the train, Adam, Bree, Chase, and I were pacing around when Leo suddenly speaks up. "Oh, I know! In the movie Sparkman and the Train From Tomorrow, Sparkman hops in front of the train and stops it with his pinkie." Leo looks at Adam. "Just do that!"

"Leo, I don't have that ability," Adam says.

"Well, then you need an upgrade," Leo says. We heard a horn honk and looked up to see Mr. Davenport flying in his helicopter.

"Guys! Davenport's here!" Chase exclaims. "He's really here! I told you we'd be fine."

"No, you didn't," Adam says.

"I don't remember that," Leo says.

"Yeah, just the opposite, actually," I say.

"Okay, I'm gonna drop the decelerator now." Mr. Davenport says. "Make sure you catch it. It's very delicate."

"Okay!" Adam says.

"Pretend it's a baby." Mr. Davenport says.

"Okay!" Adam shouts.

Mr. Davenport drops the decelerator, but it misses the opening, causing it to fall off the train. "Pretend I caught it!" Adam says.

"For the record, when I fill out the incident report, I'm putting human error." Mr. Davenport says.

"Okay, this just went from comic book cool to real life terrifying," Leo says. "My new mission is to get the heck off this train!"

"Okay, we're gonna have to abort the mission! Never liked Welkerville, anyways." Mr. Davenport says. "All right, I'm gonna drop down the rope ladder. Everybody up...Leo first."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Leo says. Once Mr. Davenport drops the rope ladder, Leo gets on and starts climbing it. "Come on, guys, let's go home and have some cocoa!" Adam, Bree, Chase, and I didn't get on the ladder, and we just looked at Leo. "Guys? Cocoa!"

"We can't quit now," I say.

"If we do, it means we failed our first mission," Chase says.

"Yeah, we've been training our whole lives for this moment now," Adam says. "We're not giving up."

"Come on, this thing's about to crash. And we've done everything humanly possible." Leo says.

"But that's just it," Bree says. "Mr. Davenport made us superhuman because when all else fails, we can't." 

"Yeah, we put ourselves in danger for the sake of humanity," I say.

"Well, if you guys aren't going, I'm not going either," Leo says, stepping off the ladder.

"Leo, this is too dangerous for you," Chase says.

"Please. My middle name is danger." Leo says.

"I thought it was Francis," Adam says.

"It's pronounced danger," Leo says.

"Leo, we are running out of time. By we, I mean you. Get up the ladder, now!" Mr. Davenport says.

"I'm coming!" Leo says. Leo picks up a first aid kit and attaches it to the ladder. "I'm climbing up the ladder right now! Pull me up!" The ladder goes up and Leo closes the door.

"Leo, are you crazy? What are you doing?" Chase says.

"We're all in this together. I may not be superhuman, but it doesn't mean I can't be a hero." Leo says. Mr. Davenport picks up the first aid kit.

"A first aid kit? Leo, when I open this thing, you better be inside!" Mr. Davenport says. "What do you guys think you're doing?!"

"We're completing our mission," Chase says. We all take our earpieces out of our ears and throw them on the floor.

"What? Guys, no!" Mr. Davenport says. Chase uses one of his eyes to pull up a holographic screen.

"Okay, we have approximately three minutes to slow this thing down before it hits the turn and flies off the tracks," Chase says. The hologram disappears.

"Okay, let's think. Objects in motion remain in motion unless an external force blocks it." Leo says.

"So what could block our path?" Bree asks.

"Oh, I got it! We can put the nuclonium tanks in front of the train!" Adam says.

"Then the train would blow up," I say.

"Thus stopping it," Adam says. I give Adam a weird look and rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"If only Wile E. Coyote was here. He'd have a giant rubber band he could tie around two trees to stop this thing." Leo says.

"Wait a minute. Leo, that's it!" Chase says. "The Reid-Bennett Bridge is 19. 8 miles ahead. Our rappelling ropes are unbreakable. So if Bree ties them all together..."

"I could use my super speed to run ahead and wrap around the bridge supports!" Bree says.

"And then Adam can use his super strength to hold the rope and stop the train," Chase says.

"Let's do this thing!" I say as we all walk over to the other side of the train.

"Did I mention that Wile E. Coyote dies in every episode?" Leo says.

"Get the bag," Adam says. Leo grabs the bag and rope and hands them to Bree. When Adam opens the door of the train, the bag flies out of Leo's hand because of how fast the train was going.

"Can we chalk that up to human error?" Leo asks. Bree super speeds out of the train and ties the ropes.

"Okay, the rope's secure," Bree says when she comes back. She hands the rope to Adam. "Also, look what the train did to this penny!"

"Oh!" We all say seeing how shiny the penny was.

"And this squirrel!" Bree says holding up a dead squirrel.

"Ahh!" We all shout. Bree tosses the squirrel aside. Adam ties the rope around his waist and sits down at the edge of the train.

"Hey, guys, what if this doesn't work? I mean, I know I'm strong, but this goes way beyond our training scenarios...what if I can't do it?" Adam says.

"Adam, strength doesn't just come from your muscles. It also comes from your mind." Bree says.

"Okay, maybe someone else should take the rope," I say. Everyone gives me a look.

"This is everything we've prepared for. You can do this!" Bree says. "Just believe in yourself. I believe in you." Bree sits behind Adam.

"I believe in you, too," I say, sitting behind Bree.

"So do I," Chase says, sitting behind me.

"I just spend four hours in a bag without a bathroom...I think my support goes without saying." Leo says, sitting behind Chase.

"Okay, here we go. Twenty seconds." Chase says. Bree's phone starts to ring and she answers it.

"Hello?" Bree says. "What?! Oh, no!"

"What?" Chase asks.

"What is it now?" Adam asks.

"Caitlin just broke up with Rodney!" Bree says. Adam gasps, and I roll my eyes.

"Bree, this is serious!" Chase says.

"I know! They've been dating for, like, three months!" Bree says.

"Oh. Hey, can I talk to her for a sec?" I ask. Bree hands me her phone, and I throw it out of the train. Adam, Chase, and Leo laugh.

"Nice one!" Leo says, giving me a fist bump. We all focus back on the mission.

"Okay, guys, five seconds. Four, three, two, one!" Chase shouts. We all started to scream as we held tightly onto the rope.

"Guys? What's happening?" Mr. Davenport asks as he hears us screaming. The lights turn off once the train starts slowing down.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Lens cap!" Tasha says as she and Roger stand outside of the train. "I'm Tasha Davenport reporting live, and I am standing in front of the runaway train, which has miraculously stopped. In a totally unrelated story, the Reid-Bennett Bridge has completely collapsed. Looks like your morning commute is gonna be a doozy!"

Inside the train, we all wake up as the lights turn back on.

"We're alive! You guys did it!" Leo says.

"We completed our first mission!" Bree says.

"Yes!" I say excitedly. Chase and Adam give each other high fives.

"Ow! Rope burn!" Adam winced. "Anybody see the first aid kit?"

"Well, we did it. That includes you too, Leo." Chase says. "If you didn't waste your life watching cartoons every day, we might all be dead right now."

"So, what's our next mission? A runaway rocket or a sinking battleship?" Leo asks.

"How about trying to explain this entire thing to your mom?" I say.

"That's a mission we'll never return from," Leo says. Mr. Davenport enters the train. "Big D!"

"Ah. Thank goodness. The train is okay." Mr. Davenport says. We all give him a look. "And you guys, you guys are okay, too. Yeah, that's good. All right, first one back to the lab gets a food pellet smoothie!"

"Yes!" Adam shouts as we all run out of the train.

"I'll catch up! I haven't whizzed since Reno. I'd like to avoid another disaster." Leo says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"We have got an exclusive interview inside the runaway train. Maybe we'll even meet the person who stopped it." Tasha says as she steps inside the train. She stops when she sees Leo and they both scream. "Leo! Uh..."

"Hey! Am I on TV?" Leo asks, pointing to the cameraman. He waves. "Hi, mom!"

"Wherever your mother is right now, I am sure she is very angry, yet...relieved that you are okay," Tasha says. "I am here with..."

"Leo "Danger" Dooley!"

"How does it feel to be a...hero?" Tasha asks.

"Well, uh, Tasha, was it? I wouldn't exactly explain myself as a hero...actually, I would. I am a hero." Leo says.

"And will you celebrate your accomplishment by spending two weeks in your room without television or video games?" Tasha says.

"I think it should be one week or this exclusive interview goes straight to Linda Montieres!" Leo says.