Georgia's Greatness by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

who kidnap real teachers don't get automatic respect... not if they squander it."
    In that moment, we thought that Invisible Georgia was the most gloriously gorgeous person we'd ever not seen.
    Then there was a huge tearing sound—Invisible Georgia had ripped the pocket off Crazy Serena's dress!—followed by the jangle of many keys.
    "Give me those back!" Crazy Serena shouted as Invisible Georgia yelled, "Annie! Catch!"
    As Annie raced for the door, keys in hand, we didn't need Invisible Georgia to tell us what to do next.
    We fell on Crazy Serena, figuring we'd sit on her for as long as it took Annie to get someone to help us.
    It didn't take Annie long to find the help we needed. She unlocked all the many locks and threw open the door, and there stood Pete.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    "What are you doing here?" Annie asked, more stunned than she'd been by anything yet.
    "Do you know this house is soundproof?" Pete asked. "I've been out here banging for hours." He raised his fist. His knuckles were raw.
    "But how did you get here?" Annie asked. "How did you know?"
    "Oh, that," Pete said. "It was that schoolmate of yours, the little redheaded one."
    " Mandy? " Annie said. "Mandy Stenko? "
    From our position on top of Crazy Serena, we could just barely see Pete's shrug.
    "I dunno," he said. "I suppose that's what she's called. Anyway, just as I was leaving, she grabbed me and she told me she thought this substitute teacher of yours might be A Bad Person and that she got worried when she saw you lot getting into her car. When she told me that, I naturally jumped in my pickup and followed you here. But the teacher got you all inside before I could stop you, and then it didn't matter how much I pounded and yelled. I guess that when you're outside of this house, no one inside can hear you scream."
    Just then, Pete caught sight of the McG, whom he'd met before when we'd gotten in trouble that one time.
    "Oh, hullo, ducks," he said, tipping an imaginary hat as he stepped into the house. "Nice to see you again."
    "You're the Eights' uncle, aren't you?" the McG said, as though wondering if wonders would ever cease.
    "Er, yes," Pete said, "yes, I am, Mrs. McGillicuddy."
    "Please feel free to call me Hilly," Mrs. McGillicuddy said.
    Hilly? But we thought the McG's first name was Phyllis!
    "It's a nickname," the McG added. "My mother used to call me that because—"
    "What is this?" Crazy Serena shouted. "Old Home Week? Let me out of here!"
    "Did this lady hurt you?" Pete asked us.
    Eight heads nodded, plus the McG's.
    "To be perfectly exact," said Georgia, who'd popped back into view just before Pete crossed the threshold and who was now sitting on Crazy Serena's back, "she hasn't really hurt us, not yet. But she wanted to."
    "And she did keep me hostage here for two weeks," the McG added.
    "You were right to fear me," Georgia said with satisfaction to Crazy Serena. "I am always the most trouble. You really should have kept a better eye on me." Then she laughed. "Too bad you couldn't."
    Crazy Serena sneered a sneer that would have done Rebecca proud, but we weren't bothered by it.
    "Leave the lady to me," Pete said.
    Then he indicated that we should get off her.
    We were reluctant to do so. We felt as though we were safer with all of us sitting on her back, her arms, and her legs. But we did trust Pete. So one by one, we each peeled ourselves away.

    Crazy Serena scrambled to her feet, but before she could do anything, Pete grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. Then he hustled her through the door and out onto the street.
    "Get out of my town," he told her, "and stay out. And don't even think about coming back, because if you do, if you ever bother the Eights again, I will know it, and what I will do then, you will not like."
    Then he turned her around so she was facing away from us and gave her a slight tap on the shoulder blade with one finger. It was like starting an old wind-up toy working. At first, Crazy Serena just took a stumbling step