The Riddle Reveal

"How the fuck is Olena here?!" Whitney screeched.

"What's she doing here?" Sean asked aloud, stunned at the surprise appearance.

"Oh, she's here to fuck with me. That's why!" Whitney hissed, her eyes following the newcomer.

A long history existed between the Diamond and Olesky families in Honey Hollow. A century ago, they had been allies against the Wynwicks. However, over time jealousy and accusations got slung from the Olesky side, leading to a bitter hatred between the two families and their businesses.

Whitney never cared much for the Olesky-Diamond feud as she focused more of her attention on the longer, deadlier Wynwick-Diamond clashes. Yet, Olena made it her personal mission in life to destroy the more popular blonde. The current leader of The Bumble Girls, the offspring of the wealthiest and most influential blue-blooded citizens in Honey Hollow, seemed to concoct a neverending string of plans to humiliate or ruin Whitney. But, outside of minor successes, the schemes failed in their intentions.

Olena had dyed white hair, blue eyes, medium-sized breasts, and a toned ass. A two-faced teenager, she put on a friendly face that masked her manipulative and controlling ways. Most of the Honey Hollow High students didn't know about Olena's true persona. In fact, many thought they were friends with the somewhat quiet yet confident girl. However, Olena only had one true friend, Veronica Klass. And Veronica served more as a sidekick/minion, always available as an ear for Olena's gloating monologues.

"I mean, yeah, it's odd, but I don't see the big deal. Olena's a bit annoying in a harmless way," Iona remarked.

"Harmless?! Aren't you naive?" Whitney responded.

"I'm just saying, you Diamonds have beef with most families in town," Iona shot back.

"I used to think the same before joining the cheer squad," Rory said. "Afterward, I noticed something seemed off with Olena."

Daisy nodded as she looked over her notes.

"I'm more shocked that Jared showed up with her," Sean stated. "How the hell did that happen? It's not like they're friends."

"Well, their moms and ours were all cheerleaders together," Rory pointed out. "Maybe they're closer than you thought."

"No, no, I'd have heard. Aunt Gabby and my mom are close still," Sean protested, shaking his head.

"Hold on a fucking second! Where's the Blackbridge team with that future jailbird, Napoleon Pascoe? Anyone see him?" Whitney questioned. She half-stood up to scan the dining hall.

"I don't see him," Sean reported.

"Maybe the jailbird got jailed and sent to the state prison at Beakburg," Rory suggested.

"They don't send juvenile delinquents to The Birdcage," Iona scoffed. "Juvies are sent to--"

"Something's happening," Wesley interrupted, motioning toward the Hardaways.

"It's great to see our seventh team, The Widow's Webs, finally arrive," Rex began. "Their slot has been a cross between bad luck and unfortunate circumstances. Our original selection, Napoleon Pascoe from Blackbridge, had an unforeseen health diagnosis. Unfortunately, this sad news came after he sent in his team list. So it was too late to contact one of our alternate selections. Fortunately, Napoleon's cousin, Olena Olesky, surprised us with an intriguing team roster. It's an unusual situation that brings a never-before-seen dynamic to the YSC."

"Fucking bullshit!" Whitney roared.

Quite a number of people in the dining hall turned to face the Honey Hollow table while Rex showed a momentary scowl before it vanished from his face.

"Yes, it is somewhat unorthodox," Tish remarked, seeking to ignore the outburst. Her expression also showed she wasn't as sold on The Widow's Webs as her husband.

Sean reached over to cover the irate blonde's mouth before she could scream again.

"Keep it down," the team captain pleaded.

"Fine," Whitney hissed. "But it's still fucking bullshit. Napoleon Pascoe is not Olena's cousin."

"Do you study Olena's family tree, princess?" Iona challenged. Then, her face showed disbelief as Whitney smirked back. "You do?"

"I know every member of the Olesky and Laffont families. Olena does not have a cousin in Blackbridge on either side of her family, nor are there any shirttail relatives with that name," Whitney declared. "Besides, wouldn't that have been the first thing I learned from Napoleon's file."

"Oh, man. This is bad," Wesley moaned.

"If they aren't cousins, how did she score his invitation?" Rory queried.

"Bribery or ****. And after seeing Pascoe's file, I'd go with ****," Whitney claimed.

"C'mon! You make her sound like some evil mastermind," Iona scoffed.

"Olena is far worse than you can imagine," Daisy stated, finally looking up from her notes. "None of you--including Whitney--know what she's capable of or has already done during our high school years."

"Please. I know precisely what that bitch--"

"No, you don't. We learn many things at The Buzzy Bee. Ramsey dismisses them as teenage nonsense, but the pattern of Olena's schemes is there to see," Daisy continued.

"Wait! We didn't know Miss Graff was going to be here. Do you think she helped Olena get the invitation?" Rory wondered.

"No. No way. Fawn wouldn't do that," Sean replied, dismissing the idea outright.

"I can fully guarantee that Fawn didn't help nor keep Olena's selection secret," Daisy proclaimed.

"How can you be so sure? She, Eoin, Peyton, Barney, and Finn all kept their roles secret," Iona pointed out.

"Fawn's role on the staff wasn't wholly unknown. I knew," Daisy revealed.

"You knew!?" three people at the table exclaimed simultaneously.

"Why did Fawn tell you and not--" Sean questioned until Wesley interrupted.

"Sean, it's your turn!"

"Huh?"

"Stand up and wave!" Wesley ordered. He'd kept an ear on the proceedings enough to know it was Sean's turn to be introduced as team captain.

Automatically, Sean followed the command. Then, sitting back down, he asked, "What the hell was that?"

Whitney and Iona also glanced around in confusion.

Sighing, Wesley explained what had been going on. He motioned to the final captain standing up.

"Shit, we missed them!" Iona swore.

"Wonderful. I already don't know any of these people except the bitch," Whitney grumbled.

"And Jared," Rory pointed out. Then, another thought hit her, "Hey, who are the other people on her team?"

"Based on the reactions from the other tables, I'd say four of them came from the same hometowns," Sean speculated.

"All except these people," Iona recounted, jerking her thumb at the table closest to them.

"Ah, that's The Clue Coterie from Cherry Cove, the Hardaways' hometown," Wesley disclosed. "They're definitely the frontrunners for the YSC."

"Why?" Whitney challenged.

"They're currently the most famous and successful teen mystery-solving group around. Everyone talks about them. I mean, that's the reason they've been ranked number one for the past fourteen months," Wesley explained.

"Talk?" Rory repeated.

"Hold on! Did you just say ranked?" Iona questioned.

"You know, I'm shocked that no other eligible ranked teams are here," Wes said more to himself than the others.

"What fucking rankings are you babbling about, March?" Whitney demanded.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," Sean said, attempting to change the subject.

"You didn't...Didn't any of you do research?" Wesley questioned in bewilderment.

"Act as if we didn't," Iona responded.

"It really doesn't matter," Sean argued until Whitney returned the favor and covered his mouth with her hand.

"Tell us," Whitney requested.

"I'm talking about The Wanton Riddle rankings. It's the only place that rates teen detective groups from around the country."

"Wanton, what?" Iona asked.

Daisy merely shook her head and began gathering her things.

"Explain to us like we're idiots, March," Whitney instructed after dropping her hand from Sean's mouth in shock.

"The Wanton Riddle is kinda like an online newspaper," Wesley started to explain.

"Humph," Daisy sounded softly.

"It covers all the teen detective news. Such as who solved a crime or who's currently investigating one. They upload local news articles mostly. However, they do have a couple of volunteer reporters in cities such as Cherry Cove. Basically, it's the reason why anyone knows about the subject or even the YSC."

"You knew about this, Tarver, and didn't say anything?" Whitney questioned, glaring at him.

"It's not really like that. The Riddle is more a trashy tabloid than newspaper," Sean remarked, shaking his head. "There used to be a better site. A more serious attempt at a newspaper, but it went under."

"Alright, I'll agree the subscriber section behind the paywall is a bit over the top, but the free section is still solid. That's where you have the news and serious rankings," Wesley argued.

"What the hell are these rankings? And who else here is on it besides the Clue Cherries?" Iona inquired.

"Are we on it?' Rory asked.

"No, we aren't. We've never solved a case," Wesley whispered that last part. Then, raising his voice to normal, he explained. "Every month, The Wanton Riddle conducts a poll. Based in part on that and the criteria its staff considers, they issue a ranking of the top five teen mystery-solving groups. Any additional teams that receive a baseline of points are listed as honorable mentions. Strangely, The Clue Coterie is the only ranked team here. I assumed the Sea Sleuths from Oceanview would be here. They're ranked number three, and Sonnet Sangsom's brother is a member. Possibly The Bloodhound Brothers as they're at number five. But it's usually the two of them with an occasional friend helping out. I doubt they wanted to put together a six-person team."

"Boom! My mind is blown," Iona remarked while opening her closed hand for effect.

"No shit," Whitney agreed before asking another question. "How come you aren't surprised about the second and fourth-ranked groups?"

"The Flatfoot Five has serious internal strife. Rumor has it that two of their members cheated on their boyfriend and girlfriend in the group with each other. They've already dropped down the rankings to fourth, and everyone expects them out of the top five by next month," Wesley recounted.

"Um, okay. And the third place team?"

"The Three Tattletales?" Wesley chuckled. "They may be the next big thing, but they're only fourteen, Whitney."

"Fourteen?!" Rory repeated.

"Yeah, that's also a controversial subject among readers of The Riddle. Most people don't like the requirement that YSC team members must be exactly eighteen to participate. Not when it only takes place every three years. With that rule in place, The Three Tattletales won't be eligible next time as they'll be seventeen. People have demanded changes for years."

"Have we been kidnapped and transported to another world? My brain hurts," Iona moaned, rubbing her temples.

"Yes, it's weird," Whitney agreed before turning to face Sean. "Now, why did you call it trashy? And what's with being so secretive about this tabloid?"

"Uh-oh! I think we've finished," Wesley announced.

The Magnifying Bees glanced around in surprise, with concern following as they saw everyone standing up.

"Fuck! You just know we missed something important," Iona grumbled.

Sean nodded until a voice startled him.

"Well, well, well, this must be the Honey Hollow table with Sean Tarver," a nerdy-looking teenager who had been sitting at the Cherry Cove table said. "Funny. I never heard of a teen detective group from Honey Hollow. How many cases have you solved? Oh, wait! I have heard of Sean 'Token' Tarver. What was the article in The Wanton Riddle called, Spud?"

"Something like 'The Case of the Unworthy Invitee,' I think," a short teenager recalled. He had dark blond hair and brown eyes. Spud snorted a laugh before walking away.

The nerdy-looking young man stayed while he adjusted his eyeglasses. With his messy brown hair, brown eyes, and scrawny build, he didn't strike any of the Bees as having reason to act so cockily and condescending. Still, no one called him on it. Instead, Whitney, Iona, and Rory all sat in shock after the implication that Sean had been the subject of an article in this newly-learned of online newspaper.

"We never claimed to be a teen detective group. The Magnifying Bees are a book club," Sean stated, looking embarrassed.

The nerd barked out a laugh.

"Like I didn't know that. The whole mystery world is a buzz over this year's selections. The Hardaways sure cleared a path for The Coterie with a bunch of amateurs. Rex acts like his new golden boy, that Bishop kid, is going to be the second coming of his father. And you? Hahaha! How does it feel to be selected only because a past champion demanded it as a condition for working as a staff member?"

"T-That's not true," Sean said dismissively, yet unsure.

"I think you're the one with your facts wrong," Whitney stated, finally snapping out of her funk. "Sean might not have solved any crimes yet, but he has solved mysteries around town. Maybe not news-grabbing cases, but he's helped people."

Sean turned abruptly in bewilderment to face Whitney. While he had no clue what Whitney meant, the cheerleader captain referred to small things like finding Marcie Huff's lost dog in eighth grade."

"Is that so?' the Cherry Cove captain queried with a smirk.

Iona clenched her fist, ready to knock that smirk off his face.

"And Sean's grandfather is a legendary private detective in our area. Seamus Fallon has taken on a ruthless gang, corrupt cops, broken up a sex cult, and caught The Corner Slasher. And which piggy bank thief did you catch?" Whitney challenged, back in her snarky grove.

"Well, aren't you something, Miss..."

"Diamond; Whitney Diamond."

"Diamond? Any connection to Diamond Corp?"

"Yes, it's my family's business. I see you've heard of us."

"A batch of Diamond Corp's genetically-altered seeds provided a vital clue in one of our cases. Perhaps you heard of The Sinful Scarecrow Affair. My deductions during it have been called brilliant," the cocky nerd bragged while looking Whitney up and down. "Do you like seeds, Miss Diamond? Let's head back to my cabin to discuss seeds and planting them. I'm confident you'll enjoy my seeds. Women of all ages do."

"I...Wow, I mean, just wow! I am so pissed that I didn't think to pull out my phone to rec--Thank you, Daisy!" Whitney said, noticing her teammate recording the scene. "I can not wait to show my friends back home your boldness."

"Fame brings benefits. Feel free to brag to your friends about our one-night stand."

"I'm sorry. What's your name?" Whitney inquired.

"You know my name, dollface."

"No, I don't. That's why I asked. I want to put a name to your ridiculous attempt to fuck me for when I show my friends the video."

"I'm Plato Quest, captain of The Clue Coterie. Voted the detective of the year by The Wanton Riddle," he announced toward Daisy's phone, still thinking Whitney joked.

"Sorry, we never heard of you, Pluto," Iona apologized.

"Plato," the Cherry Cove captain corrected. "Are you people seriously clueless? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as 'Token' Tarver can't be expected to select a proper unit."

"Excuse me," Rory drew Plato's attention while holding her hand up as if asking a question. "Yes, I'm a bit perplexed as to why you call Sean 'Token' when referring to him."

"Apparently, obviousness doesn't exist in Honey Hollow. Sean Tarver is a token legacy selection. He's done nothing to earn his spot at the YSC."

"Ah, okay. It's just with your condescending attitude, southern accent, and hometown; I keep getting racist vibes when you use the word token," Rory stated.

"W-What? I-I'm not racist!" Plato denied. "And your captain is white."

"Sure, Sean is, but one of my best friends is black. And you remind me of a few pieces of shit that once hurled slurs at her. So I'm having flashbacks here."

"You know, I'm seeing it now too," Iona agreed.

"I am not racist!"

"Huh, I think we found our first case, gang. The Mystery of Whatever Happened to That Nerd Who Thought He Was Hot Shit. Oh, that's right, he lost his top ranking after getting found under his white hood," Whitney sassed. "Now, get the fuck out of our faces."

Finally, at a loss for words, Plato backed away from their table.

"Damn, I wish Delilah was here to have done that," Rory said, wiping a tear of laughter. "Or better yet, I wish Marcus could pull one of his jokes on that obnoxious douchebag."

"Struck a nerve, didn't we?" Iona chuckled.

"Based on several of The Clue Coterie's cases, I highly doubt any bigotry on their part...still, that was enjoyable," Daisy commented with a grin.

"Alright, March, you seem to know these people. Is this Plato really popular?" Whitney inquired.

"Actually, he is. Plato and The Clue Coterie are the hottest group of the last few years. People call them the true successors to The Question Society, and not only because they live in the same town. Plato is considered a crime-solving genius. It will be a major upset if they don't win The Spectacled Sleuth Cap."

"Who else is on their team? Like that short fucker that ran his mouth," Iona asked.

"The CC has clearly defined roles in their group. Spud Wheeden is their inside man. His small stature leads him to break into locations to gather information," Wesley revealed. Then, he pointed toward an athletic-type guy and a girly-girl brunette. "That's the Carrington siblings. Champ's a multi-sport star in their state. He's usually brought in late to subdue the crooks. His sister, Chardonnay, is the CC's fashion, makeup, and perfume expert. You'd be shocked at how many cases involve those three areas."

"I'm not surprised one bit. A knowledgeable person can spot a fraud in seconds based on what they wear," Whitney declared. I might need to show this Chardonnay who's the real fashion expert.

"Those final two girls comprise the rest of their team," Wes said, nodding at a geeky brunette and a sexpot blonde. "Myrtle May is the science expert, while Venus Vavoom is often used as bait or distraction. They also happen to be two of the most drooled over girls in the mystery world right now."

"I can see Big Tits Blondie, but the other girl?!" Iona questioned.

"Myrtle's the goddess of geekdom. She's probably more popular than Venus."

"Kind of a shame that Paige couldn't come. I'd love to see her unleash one of her tirades on the geeky it-girl," Rory remarked.

While The Magnifying Bees discussed The Clue Coterie, the rest of the teams mingled with introductions happening all around the dining hall.

"Alright, back to you, buster," Whitney stated, turning to face Sean. "Why didn't you tell us about The Wanton Riddle, and is there really an article about you?"

"As I said, I find The Riddle trashy and tawdry. However, I didn't know about the article until last night. After what my mom revealed about my aunt, I decided to see if they had anything about Brandy and the Hardaways. So I checked last night while at the motel," Sean revealed. "When I saw the article, I felt humiliated. Somebody leaked my name as a team captain to The Riddle. In some ways, I don't blame their criticism. What have I done to earn my spot?"

"You earned your invitation precisely as Whitney said," Daisy responded. "You might have done small things, but you helped people in doing them. Not to mention you learned detective skills from your grandfather. That's essentially the same as your aunt, who helped win the YSC a dozen years ago. I won't speak for Fawn's role. However, she isn't the sole reason for your selection."

"You ain't a pussy like that Plato dick implied either," Iona began before Rory cut her off.

"Undoubtedly. Sean, you're one of the few people willing to stand up to my brother. Most don't want to upset the star quarterback. I know how many people don't have the courage to do what's right."

"And I might tease you, but only because I know you can take it," Iona finished.

"We'd never have formed a mystery club or kept it together without your leadership," Wes added.

"Hey, you guys are supposed to be socializing with the other squads, not sitting around like this is a funeral," a smiling college student with sandy brown teased, walking over.

"Finn!" Sean exclaimed, standing up. He ignored Finley Singer's outstretched hand, giving him a hug instead.

"Geez, here I worried that you'd attack me like somebody did to Eoin," Finn chuckled after breaking the hug. "I barely have a minute, but I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is Peter Zander, one of my YSC co-workers."

A young man with short brown hair, green eyes, and a kind face stepped forward to shake Sean's hand.

"Nice to meet you. Finn's been chatting up a storm about you."

"Did you also compete last time with Finn?" Sean inquired, sensing something familiar about Peter. Maybe Finn or Peyton mentioned his name.

"No, no, I wish. I'm only twenty, so I wasn't eligible last time," Peter explained. Then, he turned around to find a person nearby.

"See?" Wesley whispered to the other Bees.

"Yeah, yeah, come here," Peter encouraged a younger-looking kid with dark-brown hair. "I thought you were behind me?"

"Sorry, Pete. Ashley wouldn't let me leave until she finished," the teen explained sheepishly.

"Those Woodsen sisters," Peter remarked, shaking his head. Next, he motioned toward Sean. "Zack Bishop, I'd like you to meet Sean Tarver. Finn and I couldn't believe how much you two have in common, so we just knew you guys had to meet."

"Hello," Zack greeted, offering his hand.

"Hey," Sean responded, shaking it.

"Sean's the grandson of a legendary private detective from his town," Peter revealed.

"Yeah, his grandpa once broke up a sex cult and took down a serial killer," Finn added, causing Zack's eyes to widen with interest.

"Really? That's so cool!"

"You probably heard Rex mention that Zack's dad won the first ever YSC," Finn continued.

"Damn, it must be super special to compete this year," Sean remarked. "You've probably wanted to do this your whole life."

"My dad never gave away many details. He liked to be mysterious about the YSC," Zack explained. "But I didn't send in an invitation."

Sean assumed that Zack meant he wasn't required to as the son of a past championship captain. Immediately, he learned otherwise.

"Taylor and I sent it in. That's Zack's sister. We suspected he wouldn't do it himself," Peter revealed.

"Zack! Zack, get over here!" a voice called from the other side of the dining hall.

"Uh, hold on," he replied, holding up his finger.

"Now!"

Shaking his head at the order, Zack offered an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I have to go. It was nice meeting you. We'll have to find the time to talk later."

"Yeah, sounds good," Sean replied, fist-bumping his rival team captain.

While Zack and Peter walked away, the rest of The Magnifying Bees stood up. It seemed they better go and mix with the other competitors.

"It's crazy how much Pete and I have in common. He was also chief editor of his school newspaper. And even weirder, his two best friends are girls that sort of remind me of Peyton and Lana," Finn relayed, shaking his head while chuckling.

"Finn, can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Sorry, buddy. I have to go. The Hardaways still have me running around for them," Finn replied, already starting to walk away. "We'll talk later."

"Yeah, same with Peyton," Sean mumbled disappointedly.

"Um, excuse me. Are you Sean Tarver?" a feminine voice inquired from behind him.

Sighing, Sean feared the worst.