The Problem with Marcus Webb

Marcus caught Nadia's eye across the corridor on Wednesday morning. He gave her a nod. She gave him one back. They both knew exactly what the other one was doing, which was the problem.

Marcus Webb was twelve years old, wrote three posts a week for the Millfield School Blog, and had the investigative instincts of a small determined terrier.

He had broken the story about the missing science equipment (turned out to be in the wrong storage room but still). He had exposed the canteen's secret policy of serving smaller portions on Fridays (confirmed by three separate sources and a photograph). He had published a very thorough piece about the broken heating in the maths corridor that had resulted in actual repairs being made, which even the teachers had admitted was impressive.

"We cannot let him publish a piece about the Blue Blur," Oz said. They were walking to English, keeping their voices low. He had the hoodie back on. "My parents will find out. Everyone will find out."

"You cannot stop him publishing," Nadia said. "That is not a reasonable thing to do to a person."

"I could be very fast in his vicinity and deny everything."

"That would make it worse."

"What if I told him it was someone else?"

"Who?"

"I do not know. Someone taller."

"You cannot frame a taller person for being a superhero, Oz."

"What if the taller person was fine with it?"

"Name one taller person who would be fine with that."

Oz opened his mouth. Then closed it.

"Right," Nadia said. "So. We need a different approach. What does Marcus actually know versus what does he suspect?"

"He suspects I am the Blue Blur," Oz said. "He cannot know for certain because the Blue Blur moves too fast to be properly identified. The news footage is all blurry. That is actually quite useful."

"So he has a suspicion and no proof," Nadia said. "Which means if we can give him an alternative explanation for the things he has noticed, the speed and the disappearances and the heroic expression."

"The heroic expression?" Oz said.

"You absolutely make a heroic expression when you come back," Nadia said. "You have to stop doing that, it is extremely incriminating. You look like someone who has just saved the day because you have just saved the day."

"I will work on it," Oz said, looking wounded.

"Work on it urgently," she said. "Now. Alternative explanations. What if Marcus thinks you are training for something? Athletics? A speed competition?"

Oz thought about this. "I have never shown any interest in athletics."

"You could develop an interest," she said. "Suddenly and enthusiastically."

"People will think I have lost my mind."

"People already think that slightly," Nadia said. "You wore the hoodie today in twenty-three degree heat."

They reached the English classroom. Through the small window in the door Nadia could see Marcus Webb sitting in the front row with his notebook open, his pen already moving, and she had a strong feeling that whatever he was writing was not notes about the lesson.