"It seems a dreary sort of place." That was her only comment.

Madeline grunted; it was hard to find good henchwomen these days. Still, she reflected she could have found a lot worse than Tabitha.

"Tabby, are you just going to complain? You'll get us caught."

"I will not!” Tabitha retorted

"Ugh! You're such a child!" She cursed. "I should not have brought you. I won't share the spoils if you give us away."

"Hey! It was my idea, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but I figured out how to do it, didn't I?"

Tabitha subsisted into angry muttering. Madeline paid it no mind: after being best friends for so many year-practically their whole lives now-she was used to her friend's mood.

As she peaked around the corner, she saw her goal, not too far off. A couple more sneaky steps and they would have it! But it wasn't alone.

"She's still there." Madeline hissed as quietly as she could. Tabitha nodded.

"Now, start Operation Distraction!"

Tabitha turned and stealthily moved down the hall. She reached the hall telephone and dialed. A moment later they heard, "ooh, I think I love you, so what are you so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm not sure of, a love there is no cure for!" Coming from the other room.

"Oh, now who could that be?" Drifted a voice from the kitchen. Maddy held her breath and then she heard it, the sound she'd been waiting for: soft shoes walking out the other door towards the singing phone. The noise of which would mask any sound she might make.

Quick as a flash, she sprang to her feet and darted to their prize. Seizing it carefully in her hands she darted back the way she came.

Tabitha saw her and barely restrained a squeal of glee. Together they raced the prize back to the safety of their lair, checking behind them to make sure they weren't followed.

They turned the corner and Madeline felt two strong hands seize her. She gave a startled scream but held on to the dish by the barest of margins.

"Well, what have we here?" Barked an unexpected voice.

"Nani!” Madeline gasped, the crushing weight of failure robbing her of breath. Feet pattered away but the older woman barked, "Tabitha Jones! You get back here."

Madeline heard Tabitha come back slowly.

She must be feeling the sting of failure like I am, she thought.

"Oh, Maddy." Nani sighed. "Just look at you. Sneaking around the house like that, and stealing your Mom's freshly baked pie? What are we going to do with you?"

"Why, have them sign up for the Company's training course, of course." Laughed a voice.

They all sound around to the front door, and there was her father laughing with a bag of groceries in one hand and his phone in the other. Beside him her mom looked annoyed and said, "Harold, don't encourage her bad behavior."

Her father set down his bag.

"Of course, dear. What could I have thought?" He said with a smile on his lips. "Oh wait, I remember now! I was thinking how my bold, beautiful girls (he always referred to Tabitha as one of his own, though actually she was their neighbor's daughter) put on an operation that would make our field agents envious, and almost got away with it. And would have too if I hadn't been watching." He shut down his phone with satisfaction.

Nani chuckled.

"I would have collared them before they had even a bite." She said. "After all, there's only one place they could go. Maddy's room."

Their father came over and picked up the pie.

"This will go better after dinner, don't you agree, dear?"

Her mother laughed.

"You are incorrigible, Harold. Here we find the children being naughty and stealing from their older sister, and you reward them with pie!"

"Only after a nutritious dinner of my famous chef's salad!" Her father said firmly.

"And we get the van unpacked and put away." He added. "Now everyone, march!"

He smiled some more as they filed out the door behind mom towards the elevator. Maddy heard him say, just before the door closed; "and to think they're only six! I can't wait to see what kind of agents they will become!"