18. Formation of a cunning calculation

Yeah, I'm back with another chapter of QTQ. Sorry, it took so long. College took a lot of my free time. At least we got another chapter. Speaking of chapters.

The winner of the 3rd poll of breaking the 4-WAY TIE IS…. SHY QT! Yep, a 4-way tie. She beat Sweater QT, Cristina, and Haiku by one vote. I would've simply written all them together, with each having their own parts.

Furthermore, I'll be taking a break from QTQ to write the Lemon story. I'm half done with the Girl Jordan chapter. Best case, it'll be submitted by the end of the month.

QOTD: A simple one. Who's your favorite Loud sister?

CapMorgan55: I'm creating a new story just for lemons

Dogspirit1: Rita's mother abandoned them then died. Well, you're not technically wrong with Lincoln going to the dark and doing something he regrets. I can't say much. Otherwise, I'll be spoiling MAJOR plot points.

TheMasterBlacksmith: Sorry I had Black Clover on the brain

Wollyworld: Glad that you're enjoying it.

Guest(1): The previous chapter is the start of Lincoln's character arc. Sue is an antagonist, but she respects the majority rule. We have some time before Stella & Ronnie Anne officially meet up. So hang tight for the time being.

Tristen: Yes, especially since we have some concept art out already.

DaleJr.88: Thank you for your support. Yes, the characters will have their ages adjusted to suit the chapter. Lincoln and the girl will be 16/17 at the bare minimum, especially if they're the same age group as him in canon. Otherwise, the females will be whatever age I deem appropriate for the chapter; for instance, Agnes Johnson can be in her mid-late thirties to early forties.

Given all of the crap, Lincoln has been through in seasons 1-2. It's not surprising that he has some level of issues. To answer your question. Yes, Rita's mother joined a cult, and they committed group suicide. Yep, it was one of those ones. You'll see why in this chapter. The Laws of Power is in the name. It's how certain people and groups stay in power even though they shouldn't. There's a good number of videos on Youtube, so I don't really have to/ For the Librarian and the mysterious person. That's for another day.

Oh, believe me, it's going to get messy.

Mr. Haziq: Perhaps

Guest 2 & 3: It's hard to say which is my favorite ship as they're all great. I have some scenes planned for Haiku in the next chapter...hopefully.

Claircrystal: You right about that

Today's the day. Lynn thought to herself in the early afternoon amidst the chatter on the team bus. It's the Royal Woods Squirrels against the Hazeltucky Hawks. Lynn squinted her eyes when she glanced at the window. Man, that sun is bright today. Lincoln was right about the forecast. Huh, what do you know? The weather forecast was actually correct for once. She hopes that the plan works. Margo gazed at her friend, looking at her hands in her lap with a blank expression.

"You good there, Lynn," Margo nudged. Lynn perked up at Margo's action turning in her direction.

"Oh uh yeah. I'm alright," Lynn stammered, rubbing her hands together. "Just a little nervous, that's all" Margo arched a brow.

"You? Nervous?" Margo questioned. She leaned in closer to her and whispered. "Is it game or catching whoever is messing with our games?" The entire team was on board with the plan. All the team has to do is play normally as possible. However, Polly and Margo had specialized roles in it. Whoever this dude is. They're going down. Margo's eyes scanned the bus making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. "Or is it Lincoln" She whispered.

"I'm okay with the match, but I know it won't be easy." Lynn adjusted her baseball cap. "The Hawks have been on a winning streak lately. I trusted my bros planning skills, but…" She paused for a brief moment and sighed. "This time. It was different" Margo tilted her head as the bus ran over some puddles. What does she mean by different? "Linc is no stranger to blackmail or trickery. You're an only child, so you won't get it," Lynn continued.

"You got me there," Margo replied. It's not easy being the only boy against ten girls who usually work together. "But why is it different."

"Margo. With the shit, we put my brother. He has every right to be pissed off at us," Lynn muttered softly. Margo remained silent as this was uncharacteristic of her boisterous long-time friend. "But we're his sisters, so he has to hold back even just a little bit," Lynn continued bringing her thumb and index finger mere millimeters apart. "Bumper Jr isn't family. He needs a good reason to let loose" They're almost to the softball field. "Like with Luan, but she had that coming for a while now."

"Didn't he break her foot with a watermelon trap or something" Margo brought up when the bus stopped near the entrance. Lynn nodded. "Hopefully, this isn't practice for something," She acknowledged as they exited the bus.

"I hope so too, Margo," Lynn replied with her gear in hand. "I really hope so," Maybe with a bit of luc-no. NO!NO!NO! Just...no. She shook her head and gave herself a few light smacks on her cheeks to get her head back into the game. No more luck. It's all skill and teamwork now. The rest of her team were already inside, getting ready. She needs to get prepared too. Lynn marched on the slightly muddy ground and tipped her baseball cap towards the stands. The Hawks should be here soon. Polly gave her a thumbs up. Her role is to scout out of the saboteur, which should be easy with her trusty pair of binoculars and walkie-talkie. The match is local. They can't possibly resist the chance.

"Man Lincoln you really are the man with the plan," Polly spoke to herself. She's right in the middle allowing her to have a clear view without the sun being in her eyes. Not low enough to move around to get a better view. Polly wasn't a part of Lynn's softball team. That makes her a wild card in the other person's plan as they don't know what to do with her. Even better. Her ears perked at the sounds of screeching tires. And there they are. Polly activated her walkie talkie seeing the blue and white uniforms of the Hazeltucky Hawks. Brief static popped up from her device. Polly's eyes scanned the area for any prying eyes. "They're here," She muttered into it.

"Roger that Polly over," Lynn answered with a walkie-talkie she borrowed from Lincoln. He had like a dozen of them.

"We don't say that anymore," Polly responded in a deadpan tone.

"I know, but it sounds cool," Lynn chuckled. Polly rolled her eyes.

"And I thought your bro was a nerd," Polly shot back. Music began playing throughout the field on the intercom. Both teams marched onto the field, ready to start.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," The announcer spoke. "Today, we have our home team, the Royal Woods Squirrels, against the Hazeltucky Hawks" The crowd cheered for their respective teams. "We will begin momentarily" Idle chatter spread throughout the stands while some went to get snacks. Polly waited in line, gazing at the menu. She can seriously go for a corndog right now.

"Yeah, Bumper, the game hasn't started yet, so we have some time," A voice whispered, catching Polly's attention. Her eyes scanned in search of the culprit. She found him. Is that a crown or some weird cap? "Don't worry, it'll be a long match today. I have enough time," Drew said smugly with a mischievous smirk holding a grey school bag. Polly frowned. So this is the lackey that Bumper employed to get him to do the dirty work. She stepped forward in line. Polly will need to keep an eye on him.

The last few innings went relatively smoothly, with few hiccups here and there. Polly watched Drew and documented his actions. His main target was Lynn. He cheered when she missed and booed when she hit and got someone out. Both teams are tied with six points each. The Hawks called for a timeout.

"Alright, team, we're heading into the sixth inning in a few minutes," Lynn announced to the Squirrels. "The Hawks are going to be more aggressive now. They'll put that Sasha girl as the pitcher." They nodded. Sasha struck out several of their teammates in a row. She has a killer arm. "We have to stall her out. That'll tire her out."

"Yeah, she's been rubbing her shoulder a lot," Paula brought up.

"Good looking out there," Lynn pointed out. "Also, Marcy and Anne." Margo's stomach rumbled. She held it with a groan. Man, that chili dog isn't agreeing with her right now.

"Hey, Lynn, can I" Margo pleaded quickly.

"Just go. We have a few minutes," Lynn interrupted, waving her off. Margo smiled, clutching her buttcheeks heading to the bathroom. The rest of the team stared in bewilderment and blinked owlishly. Did Lynn actually let Margo use the bathroom during a game? Wasn't that against her luck rituals? Lynn got annoyed with their eyes piercing her back. "What? We don't need her shitting her pants when it's her time to bat."

Polly's relaxing in the stand during the intermission with her binoculars ready. Margo walking to the bathroom that's some distance away from the field. It's not far away, but it's definitely a bit of a walk. Why did they design it like that? The two gave each other a thumbs up. However, Polly wasn't the only one who noticed Margo's departure. Drew spotted her as well. This was his opening. Without Margo, the Squirrels are more likely to lose, and Lynn will blame them. He dialed a number. "What is it? I'm kinda busy right now," Bumper Jr's annoyed voice spoke from the other end of the line.

"Hey, they're on a break right now, and one of Lynn's teammates just left to go somewhere," Drew answered. "I think I have a shot right now."

"Well, hurry up and let me know what happened," Bumper Jr ordered. "Also, don't mess up" He hung up. Drew got his bag ready and sneaked towards the equipment room. He only had a few more minutes before the next inning.

"Now where is he" Polly muttered to herself, scanning the area with her binoculars. "Come on, it shouldn't be that hard fin-wait a minute" She saw his crown. He's hiding behind a tree surrounded by muddy puddles with his eyes shifting and poking his head around before heading to the...equipment room. She grabbed her walkie-talkie. "Yo Lynn, we got a hand in the cookie jar."

"Alright, continue with the plan," Lynn responded. Polly grunted in agreement and waited before making her way to the equipment room.

Drew can't believe his luck right. It was better than what he was expecting. The room's rusty door was unlocked. It allowed him to use his dad's sander, wood polish, and lubricant to smooth out the wooden bats making those stupid squirrels lose their grip and throw off their balance. That'll piss off Lynn when her team misses crucial swings. Even better, this place is pretty isolated from the rest of the field, with only the bathroom being nearby. He could always say that he was in the bathroom. The only drawback was that his shoes were caked in mud. Some of those holes were deep going down to his ankles. Overall this was way too easy.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING ARE HERE?!" Margo demanded with folded arms startling him. Seriously who was this kid? She glared at him with a sander in his hand on the floor, along with other items. His heart drummed into his ears as she continued to glare intensely at him."Is that our gear?!" She stepped forward with her shadow looming over him. How did she get in here without him noticing? That door was heavy and squeaky when he pushed it open. He didn't close the door behind him. Drew mentally facepalmed. What can he do?

"Um, nothing," Drew uttered pathetically despite being caught red-handed. Margo muttered an 'mhm," not believing a single word he just said. She took another step. His mind scrambled on what to do next. He checked his muddy shoes. There's one thing he can do. Escape. Drew swiftly flung some mud into Margo's face covering her eyes.

"Ah, what the hell" Margo yelped in surprise, attempting to wipe her face. Drew stood and charged out the door, pushing her out of the way on the ground. She squinted her eyes at his retreating form. Margo reached into her pants pockets while cleaning her face. "Lynn, we got a runner," She yelled in the walkie-talkie. Seriously Lincoln, how many do you have? "He's going behind the field towards the bus stop."

"Polly!"Lynn shouted towards the stands.

"On it!" Polly yelled back, jumping down from the stands and sprinting towards him. He wasn't getting away that easily.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap," Drew grumbled to himself as he continued with his escape. He grabbed his phone and frantically pressed on Bumper Jr's contact. "Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up," He muttered in a panic.

"Is it done?" Bumper Jr. replied in a bored tone.

"Kinda, but " Drew answered in deep breaths as his lungs burned with each step. "I got caught in the middle of it" He knows that one of them is chasing him. Drew did not want a horde of irate females with baseball bats after him. "What the hell should I do next?!"

"You weren't supposed to get caught, you fat idiot," Bumper Jr coldly belittled his associate or a helpful pawn in his case. "Figure it out for yourself. Bye," He immediately hung up and blocked the number. His mother was about to pick him soon from the tutoring center. Bumper Jr. took a deep breath and put on his family's iconic smile as he waited. Drew fulfilled his purpose. Now it's time to find a better and maybe even a more competent tool in his plans for revenge.

Drew stood still like a statue. No. A criminal handed the guilty verdict. His expression was all too common. A slack jaw and stunned widened eyes. Drew attempted to form words, yet none came out. He was cold stone shocked. His bewilderment morphed into fury and hate. Bumper Jr. ultimately used him and left him high and dry. What! The! All! Absolute! Fuck?! Drew urgently redialed the number to give him a piece of his mind. Beep. Beep. Beep. Nothing. He tried again. Beep. Beep. Beep. Same result.

"Fuck this shit! Where's the bus stop?!" Drew groaned loudly at his failed attempt. "Crap, I forget my stuff" He smacked his forehead. Drew started to turn back around when Polly tackled him to the ground. His face landed into the partially dried mud. He turned to glare at who attacked him. "Who the hell are-" Polly slammed her foot against his cheek, and another applied pressure on the center of his back, forcing him down. He attempted to push himself up, but Polly hooked her arm around one of his, jerking it upright into the opposite direction. Her other arm kept his steady at the elbow, ready to snap or dislocate if need be. He yelped in pain at his locked shoulder joint. "Okay, okay, uncle, uncle," His muffled voice pleaded.

"You're coming with me," Polly growled, keeping him and his arm in place. "I got him," She spoke into her walkie-talkie. Margo ran up to Polly and stared at Drew's downed form.

"Nice work there, Polly," Margo congratulated with streaks of mud stains still on her face. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, forcing him on his feet with her restraining the other arm. "Let's go. You have some explaining to do."

Lynn nodded as she placed her walkie-talkie down. It's her turn to bat as she marched to the plate. Sasha was pitching as expected. She had blonde hair in a ponytail with a lithe figure and a tiny horizontal scar under her left eye. Lynn assumed that she was prep like Lola or Leni, given her looks. The athletic Loud shrugged. None of her business. She waited for Sasha to finish rubbing her tense shoulder. This is what she gets for pitching in multiple innings. A few more shoulder rotations. Now she's ready to go. Both girls gave the other a determined stare. Sasha got her arm ready when a shrill screech from the intercom stopped her in her tracks. What's going on? They all thought.

"Attention everyone, we have received word of sabotage against the Royal Woods Squirrels," The announcer reported. Gasps and murmurs spread amidst the crowd, with Paula gave Lynn a nod. Lynn smiled. Fantastic work there, Paula. His co-announcer whispered to the announcer. "The culprit has been caught and is being brought in now" They turned towards Polly and Margo entering the gate with Drew, who had a bowed head and specks of dirt and grass on his face. The pair sat him down on a bench before walking off.

"Drew?!" Some members of the Hazeltucky hawks shouted in disbelief. They knew that he hated the Squirrels, but they didn't know that it was to the point of sabotage. Drew felt their piercing and judgmental glares.

"Since the damage was exclusive to the Squirrels." The announcer continued as the Hawks held their breaths. They believe they know what's going to happen next. "The game is canceled with Squirrels taking the win," The Royal Woods residents cheered at the statement. At the same time, Hazeltucky groaned and argued against it. Sasha threw her cap to the ground in frustration. "Also, the Hawks are disqualified and banned from the rest of the season until further notice" The complaints exploded as the Squirrels congratulated themselves. The crowds slowly faded away with the game's conclusion.

"I can't believe that actually worked," Paula stated with the rest of her team as they started to pack up.

"I know, right" Margo continued. "They don't call Lincoln the man with the plan for nothing" Lynn smiled at the compliments, yet a slight frown replaced it. Compliments that she probably never gave.

"Overall, we did a pretty good job today," Polly gloated. They had to agree. The saboteur was caught, and they got the win today. "I don't want to be him right now" She gestured towards Drew, being scolded by his parents. They were called while at their jobs and yelled at by some of the Hawks'. The Squirrels shivered. They didn't want to be him right now. "Not our problem" Polly shrugged at his situation. A car horn caught her attention. "Hey Lynn, your mom's here."

"Oh sweet, let's go," Lynn said as she walked with Polly and Margo to Vanzilla.

"Excuse me, are you Lynn Loud Jr." A feminine voice called out to her. They turned towards it. It was Drew's mother. She was a middle-aged fair-skinned woman of average height and a slightly chubby figure. Her attire was simple yet professional. A buttoned-up navy blue collared shirt with a knee-length ebony skirt and comfortable black flats. Minimal make-up from what Lynn can see.

"Yes," Lynn raised an eyebrow at the adult woman.

"I'm Drew's mother, and I want to apologize for my son's actions today," She said remorsefully.

"What happened today" Rita interjected, walking to Lynn's side.

"Oh my son, he uh" Drew's mother glanced at him with her husband, a semi-muscular middle-aged man with hair similar to his son in denim jeans, heavy-duty boots, periwinkle shirt, and a safety vest. He was discussing with the coaches and periodically gazed sternly at their son. "Had a grudge against your daughter for some time now."

"Seriously, that was like months ago, probably almost a year," Lynn complained. Yeah, it wasn't one of her best moments but come on, dude. "I realized I messed up at that moment, and I let him go."

"That's it?" Rita questioned her daughter.

"Yes," Lynn answered, stretching her hand out. "This is literally the first time I've seen him since then."

"He needs a hobby," Polly brought up. Who holds a grudge for that long when you only met the person once? "Or a girlfriend."

"Oh, don't worry, Drew will have plenty of time to find one since he'll be grounded until we say so," Drew's mother acknowledged. She thought for a brief moment. "He mentioned someone named Bumper Yates Jr." So he fessed up, huh? "Do you know him by any chance"

"The Yates?" Rita commented. "They live down the street from us, and they're a wonderful family," Lynn, Margo, and Polly shared a look. All expect Bumper Jr. apparently

"I thought as much. I can't be my own son would lie to us like that," Drew's mother said in a soft yet heartbroken tone. Rita gave her a sympathetic gaze. "He even said that he was going to get paid by the end of it."

"Yet I'm the one who got mud in their face," Margo added. Ugh, she can still taste it a bit. The mother can only sigh.

"Again, I'm sorry what happened. Have a good day" Drew's mother bid her farewell. Her husband was taking him home as she had to head back to work.

"Come on, girls, let's get a Flippee," Lynn offered up.

"Please, I want to get all this dirt out my mouth," Margo replied with her tongue slightly out.

"What were you thinking, Drew?" His father ranted during the drive home as he stayed silent in the back seat. "You took some of my tools and damaged sporting equipment, and for what?" He gazed in the rearview mirror. "To get back a girl, you haven't seen in like a year or something" Drew opened his mouth to defend his case. "I don't want to hear any excuses, but it seems that what she did was a one-time thing and never didn't it again," His father interrupted him. They stopped at a red light. "Even worse, you're blaming a good man's family, claiming that you were being paid to" He turned around. "Then where's the money" Drew sank further down into his seat. "I thought so" The light turned green. He pushed on the gas pedal. "Let's say it was true, but you still did it anyway and got nothing in return. He got what he wanted. Now you're here dealing with consequences of his actions alone." His father sighed, wondering what he was going to do with his son. Drew slumped deeper into his seat with folded arms. He glanced out the window. There he was. Bumper Yates Jr. exiting out the family van with his mother and siblings. Time slowed down for both of them as Bumper Jr sensed Drew digging holes in his head. He turned towards Drew, who savagely snarled at him through the truck window under his breath, avoiding more of his father's ire. Bumper Jr. gave Drew a mocking version of the Yates' signature smile while subtly giving him the bird before walking inside his home. Drew gritted his teeth before relaxing his jaw with a bleak expression. He gazed emptily at the car floor. Bumper Yates Jr played him. And there's nothing he can about it.

Lincoln was reading one of his comics in the living room fully clothed this time. It must be a special occasion. Leni was in the dining room assisting Lisa with an art project. Lisa would've preferred Lincoln's assistance, yet their styles are somewhat conflicting. Nevertheless, Leni is remarkably skilled in crafts. The two sisters are making eggshell geodes. Simple yet elegant, and it still fits Lisa's science aesthetic.

"We're back, and we won," Lynn shouted upon entering her home with a raspberry Flipee in hand. Margo with a watermelon lime. She really needed to get that mud out of her mouth. Polly chugging her blueberry burst. Finally, Rita sipping her mango mash. The girls placed their gear near the front door while Rita went into the kitchen.

"How did it go?" Lincoln asked, looking up from his comic. Lynn sat down next to him on the couch with a smile on her face. "I take it that it was a success" Lisa's and Rita's heart skipped a beat. What was a success? Polly placed herself on the other side of him, hooking her arm around his neck, drawing him close. Lynn gave Polly a blank look.

"You know it, dude," Polly smirked. "He ran away just like you said he would" She took a sip of her drink. "Didn't see me coming when he got a face full of mud."

"Seriously, Lincoln, how do you do it?" Margo asked, taking a seat next to Lynn. Thank god she got the extra sour lime. "And it took you an afternoon or something."

"Years worth of practice and my psychology classes helped" Lincoln turned to the next page. "Also, Lynn helped too because I don't know the layout of the field."

Lynn's eyes shifted around the room. "What's the next step?" She whispered. Lincoln closed his comic

"Follow me to my room real quick," Lincoln softly replied in a distant tone as he stood up. "Then we can talk" They did what he asked, following up the stairs.

"Taking three girls up to your room already? You sure work fast," Polly teased with a smirk. "Although I was your date for the Sadie Hawkins dance," Lynn cringed at her mishap. "At least take a girl to dinner first like with that Ronnie Anne girl" Margo smacked her the back of her head as Lincoln blushed at the memory. "Ow! What?" Polly rubbed her head. Lincoln opened his room door allowing the girls to enter first. He turned his head to scan the hallway. The coast is clear as he shut the door.

"Huh, I thought your room was smaller," Margo acknowledged as she looked around. There was enough space for all four of them. It had all of the essentials with a bed, desk that can be used as a dresser with a chair, a mirror, and a few shelves. Lincoln has a lot of sci-fi items in here.

"All of our siblings can fit in here with no issue," Lynn answered as Lincoln put up his comics. Got to organize them.

"All of them?" Polly interjected as she sat on his bed. Hey, it's kinda comfy. Lincoln nodded. "Yeesh" Man, all of your siblings cramped into your room. "So what's the plan."

"We can't talk here" Lincoln turned towards them. Polly and Margo shrugged. Why though? "The walls have ears" He tapped on one of the walls. They heard each hollow tap. "And the shadows have eyes."

"Lucy?" Margo queried. The Loud siblings nodded. Lincoln opened his circular window and handed Lynn a grappling hook. It had a three-pronged hook attached to a robust beige rope. "You have a grappling hook?!" Seriously Lincoln, you have at least a dozen walkie-talkies and a makeshift grappling hook.

"Wait, you don't" Lincoln tilted his head before checking outside. Lynn was making her way down to the driveway

"No," Margo stated. "No, I don't" Who has a grappling hook at the ready? It was Polly's turn.

"You probably should," Lincoln replied. Margo rolled her eyes. She wasn't even going to question it as she climbed out the window. Lincoln waited for a few seconds, holding a small orange capsule in hand. No thuds or scurrying in the vents. No weird chill up his spine. It's go time. He tossed onto the floor and vanished in a poof of blinding orange smoke.

"Seriously, Lynn, sometimes I worry about your brother," Margo chatted, holding tight on the rope as she lowered herself with her feet against the side of the house. Lynn and Polly were waiting for her.

"Why," Lynn chimed in. Well, she's right, given all of the crap Lincoln's been through since season 1. There are still two more seasons until we're officially caught up with the canon story.

"Grappling hook, spare walkie talkies, and wanting to be left alone away from your family to the next phase of the plan," Polly listed off. A cloud of orange smoke escaped from the opened window. "The hell was that?" She whispered and pointed at it.

"What's taking you girls so long" Lincoln interject, startling the girls. So this is how Lucy feels.

"Oh crap, oh crap," Margo mumbled in fear as she lost her grip. She closed her eyes to brace herself for the impact. Yet, she didn't feel anything. Something or better yet, someone caught her.

"Are you okay, Margo?" Lincoln asked as he held her princess style. Margo's face warmed up at her situation. She's being held like a princess by her best friend's adorable little brother. Wait, did she just called him adorable?

"Um, uh, I'm fine, thanks," Margo stammered as he released her allowing her to stand on her feet.

"Let's go," Lincoln told the group. They followed him to the backyard gate.

"Yo Lynn, when did your bro become a Chad" Polly whispered in a hushed tone.

"Don't look at me," Lynn gestured to herself. They were in the backyard. Lincoln led them to a large steel flat top cone style entrance with a moderately sized hatch similar to those found on submarines near the shed leading to the underground. Polly and Margo had bewildered looks on their faces as Lincoln entered a code. Where the hell is he taking them? He stepped on it and turned the handle. The entrance to Lisa's underground bunker was theirs to use.

"Are we supposed to go down there?" Margo pointed to the ladder.

"Yep, but first," Lincoln answered. He pulls out a slingshot, loading it with a circular marble-sized projectile. Lincoln launched it at the outside vents and another one under the front pouch. A flash of orange light and clouds of orange dust erupted from them. "Now we can go" Lincoln placed his slingshot back into his pocket and climbed down. The girls had so many questions, but he'll answer them later. They followed him down as Lynn closed and locked the hatch. Lisa observed the entire interaction from the kitchen window. She needs to report this to her maternal unit.

"What is this place?" Margo observed her surroundings. The design was utilitarian, with solid dark grey concrete forming the basis. There was a bench to the right of her. She wiped her finger across it. No dust. This has been used frequently. Polly sat on the other one with a sturdy shelf above her. Numerous provisions surrounded them with a television in front of them near a door.

"This is Lisa's underground bunker," Lynn explained.

"Why would her sister need a bunker of all things?" Polly questioned. The girl was like four years old. The Loud siblings gave each other a blank and knowing look.

"Luan's April fools day pranks," The two stated.

"Trust me, Luan is nuts," Margo spoke, interrupting Polly's question. "How much did this cost."

"This is the basic one of 2000 sq feet so around," Lincoln calculated in his head. "$35,000 according to Lisa," Margo whistled. That's the size of an average American family house for a fraction of the price.

"Huh, that's not a bad deal since" Polly paused for a quick moment. "Where the hell did your family get the money for it?" No one has money lying around in a family of thirteen plus pets.

"Lisa bought it herself," Lynn explained. That still didn't answer her question. "Grants, some government funding, and what she has leftover from competitions" What is up with the Loud family?

The door urgently. A pair of soulless eyes stared at them. It's an amalgamation of recycled parts and appliances standing taller than a man. Who or what is this creation?

The creation wheeled forward. Huh? It was almost comical. "Intruders detected" The machine blank mechanical voice pointing its scissor hand at Margo and Polly. A faint buzzing emerged as its eye glowed a bright red. Todd fired a warning shot into the solid concrete piercing a tiny hole in it effortlessly with a trail of smoke floated into the air. Margo and Polly sat utterly still with fearful eyes and tightened throats. That could've been them. That will be them. "Identify yourselves or face the consequences," He threatened in a deep tone with his laser ready to disintegrate these inferior organic life forms

"TODD, they're with me" Lincoln calmed Lisa's robot down.

"Oh, then why didn't you say so, Lincoln" TODD replied in a blank tone putting his magnet hand at him.

"You didn't give me a chance too," Lincoln answered

"Oh, you're right," TODD stated before rolling towards the frightened girls who edged closer to the ladder. "I apologize for my actions" He bowed his head to the girls. "I was following one of my directives."

"Hey TODD, the Dreamboat is back on," Another robotic but more childish voice called out to him. TODD left rapidly, leaving skid marks on the ground into the room. They missed the last episodes and didn't want any spoilers. The four peeked into the room. There are two other robots were sitting on an old green couch. The voice they heard came from a child-sized modern, perhaps even futuristic toy-like robot.

"Saved you a seat, TODD," The last robot replied with a more mature-sounding voice patting a spot on the couch with his two metallic fingers sipping on a can of oil. He had a mailbox for a chest and tank treads for feet. They look at the toaster in the corner of the room. Why is there a toaster?!

"Is that a dog house" Polly whispered and pointed to the other corner of the room.

"Greetings," Mr. Reinforced Titanium Alloy Arms gestured towards the group. "Welcome back, Lincoln."

"Hey guys, what's up" Lincoln greeted the robots with fistbumps.

"Just bingeing Dreamboat," Friendbot answered. "I'm betting on Gwen," Mr. Alloy Arms spat out his drink.

"Gwen, out of all people," Mr. Arms exclaimed. "She's a total downer with no personality besides hating anything bright or cheerful."

"Still better than Courtney, who's a total control freak," Friendbot shot back. "If she mentions that she was a CIT. I'm going to shortcircuit" His antennae flash red for a fraction of a second.

"Bridgette should win," TODD brought up. "Her open-mindedness, charming personality, and well-structured physique make her a prime candidate for procreation and relationships," He explained. Toaster shot up a burnt piece of toast in response.

"AH WHAT!/NO WAY! HER OF ALL PEOPLE!/YOU KISS YOUR MOTHERBOARD WITH THAT MOUTH!" The other robots are exasperated at Toaster's choice. The humans closed the door leaving them to their shipping war.

"Um, Lincoln, Lynn," Margo asked softly as they approached another wall. "Can I ask you something"

"Sure" Lynn leaned against a wall as Lincoln entered a code into a keypad

"Yeah, um, what the fuck was that" Polly muttered, gesturing to the arguing robots.

"Oh, those are Lisa's robots," Lynn simply stated.

"And the dog house" Margo wanted to know if it's loose or something.

"Oh, that's Tentacle," Lynn said. Margo and Polly's eyes widened.

"Who's Tentacle?!" They shouted.

"One of Lisa's weird chimera experiments," Lynn explained. Wait, one of Lisa's experiments?! "He's fine...for now," She whispered that last part. That didn't ease them in the slightest.

"Access granted," A feminine digital voice spoke up. A steel door revealed itself opening a path into a hallway. Lincoln gestured for them to follow him. Lynn didn't know about this section of the bunker. It was always that tiny area with the ladder. Numerous lights activated as they walked down the path. He sighed and opened the door turning on the lights. They arrived at a simple living area similar to a studio apartment. Everything is in a single area divided into sub rooms. Of course, the walls were orange with traces of blue. A bathroom was to the immediate left of them. Both the living room and kitchen were separated by a simple black rug. The bed was in the corner of the room against the wall, hidden by a large mahogany dresser with a nearby privacy screen. A functional desk area was stationed next to it. They walked past a wardrobe and a bookcase. Numerous items were scattered around, such as a cobalt bean bag, tv, camping gear, smoke detector, books, cards, board games, school, and office supplies. This place was a minimalist dream, yet it was a nightmare for Lincoln. He stayed here when his own family declared him as bad luck. No. No. This wasn't the time for that.

"Please have a seat," Lincoln asked with less emotion than the robots. Lynn sat down on the grey trundle who was still looking around. Polly grabbed the bean bag. Lincoln went to his sleeping area and brought two seatings. One for him and Margo. A coffee table separated them. "Welcome to my lair."

"Sweet place you got here, dude," Polly announced. It was clean, well furnished, comfortable, and practical. "How much did this cost."

"Don't know," Lincoln struggled. "Lisa already had it made for me." That statement pained Lynn's heart. Already had it made?

"Was this before or after the incident?" Margo asked quietly. Lincoln looked off to the side.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Margo," Lincoln lied. He knows what she's talking about.

"Linc, they know," Lynn admitted. Lincoln brought a hand to his face and sighed. Man, he's going to sound like Lucy at this rate. "But seriously, when did Lisa make the extensions."

"Probably after we tried to do that homeschooling thing," Lincoln answered after thinking for a moment. "Mine was the easiest one since I'm used to having the smallest room."

"When's the rest of the family going to get their stuff" Polly shifted into her seat. "This is a lot of stuff to get away from someone for a few hours."

"Lisa uses this for some of her experiments and storage," Lincoln explained. "She'll make a full-blown lab before she makes accommodations for us."

"Weirdly, she rejected a chance to be at that institute a while ago," Lynn added to his statement. "Maybe she has more human emotions than we thought" She chuckled.

"Well, she's four" Margo offered up a suggestion as she looked around. "Like seriously, how many people can fit in this bunker and the price tag."

"Lisa has been reading Dr. Stone and the Fallout series," Lincoln explained.

"We don't know what those are," Lynn said. Lincoln frowned. Plebeians.

"Fallout is in the name. It takes place in an alternate history of the USA where the main character has to survive after a nuclear holocaust. Vaults were created to house fragmented parts of the population so the US can repopulate in the future, but" Lincoln continued.

"And there's the but," Polly called out. There's always a catch to these things. "I can see where this is going."

"Lots of corruption, mismanagement, and embezzlement," Lincoln responded. Polly lifted hands, signaling 'Boom.' "Also, 17 of the 122 publicly known vaults were designed properly while the rest were...experiments" He used that term loosely. "Yeah, they were bad."

"Oh, how bad were they, bro?" Lynn scoffed. She deals with Lisa, Luan and Lucy daily. Just how bad can these experiments from one of his nerdy video games be? Lincoln listed some of them. Okay, she was absolutely wrong! They were horrible. Segregation. Human experimentation. Tampering with life support systems. Total isolation with nothing but puppets. A eugenics program. Yearly sacrifices. Being the only female while surrounded by hundreds of dudes for years.

"Jesus Christ," Polly squeaked out. "Please, this Dr. Stone has less of a... I don't know, messed up story" The girls nodded in agreement.

"Oh, it does," Lincoln told the girls. Oh, thank god. They thought to themselves. "A worldwide known as the Petrification occurred turning all of humanity except those in the ISS into stone for 3000 years allowing nature to completely take over," He explained.

"They weren't conscious for the whole time, right?" Margo brought up.

"The vast majority weren't," Lincoln continued. "That's where Senku comes. He's like Lisa, insanely smart while their classmates were learning their ABCs & 123s. He was doing NASA experiments as an afternoon past time" It's an anime, don't question it. "Senku kept himself focused by literally counting down the seconds he's been petrified" They winced at how absurd that number has to be.

"How did he get out?" Lynn questioned. This Senku was a statue for 3000 years.

"His body washed up in the Cave of Miracles. The nitric acid in bat guano helped freed him, and he used it in his revival serum to break others free," Lincoln revealed.

"Guano?" Margo and Polly wondered what it was. Lincoln and Lynn whispered in their ears. "Ew!" It's bat poop.

"So yeah, he wants to rebuild the world with science to get everything back normal, but it's never that easy," Lincoln admitted. They leaned in a bit closer. "One of his classmates, Tsubasa, didn't want to go back to where things were. He saw modern technology as a plague upon the world, believing that humanity should stay as hunter-gatherer societies with him as the ruler of the Kingdom of strength," Lincoln concluded.

"I take it he didn't last that long," Lynn analyzed. Lincoln shook his head. He explained that Senku and his Kingdom of Science were already in the iron age with some modern technologies like steam engines, electric generators, and cellphones. Tsubasa was still using stone-tipped spears and arrows.

"Enough of that now" Lincoln's tone shifted from enthusiastic to cold and professional. His eyes sharpened. "Let's get down to business" Talk about flipping a switch.

"To defeat the Huns?" Polly chuckled, trying to lighten the moment. The girls facepalmed.

"Are you proud of that?" Margo groaned.

"Yep," Polly remarked, leaning back into her bean bag. Margo rolled her eyes. Let's get this over and done with. Her parents should be arriving soon.

"There's not much to talk about," Lynn commented, lying down with her hands supporting her head staring at the ceiling. She tilted her head towards them. "We caught him red-handed. He already snitched on Bumper Jr. It should be smooth sailing from here."

"No, it won't," Polly countered, adjusting in her seat. Lynn frowned. What does she mean? "We caught this Drew guy red-handed. Bumper Jr. is still got away scot-free."

"I have to agree with Polly. Drew was the one who messed our stuff," Margo argued and pointed at her face. "Also, he threw mud in my eyes."

Lynn leaned back up, crossing her legs. Her gaze focused on her brother, who remained silent, analyzing the details. "Come on, bro, tell them that we're basically done with this"

"We ain't done yet," Lincoln contributed to the conversation. "Bumper Jr. used Drew as a scapegoat allowing him to keep his slimy hands clean," Polly smirked at Lynn for her small victory. "What happened, he confessed" There has to be something he can use.

"He said Bumper Jr. paid him to do it," Margo recalled when his parents were called in. "No one believed him" Lincoln put his hand under his chin to think. "Your mom said that the Yates is a great family."

"That doesn't surprise me," Lincoln declared. He placed his hands on his lap. "Reputation is the cornerstone of power."

"Huh?" Lynn spoke, tilting her head. What's he talking about?

"I'll use you and me as an example," Lincoln clarified. He pointed at his sister. "You're Lynn-sanity. A complete utter beast and star player whatever sport you play. Your opponents are going to have a tough time competing against you. Also, you're quite aggressive and superstitious. They don't know a single thing about the real you. Only what others think of you," Lincoln explained before placing a hand on himself. "I'm the Man with the plan, so people will think that I'll have a plan or solution for anything. Rusty even thought that I planned everything when I met Stella on the bus" Polly let an annoyed groan hearing his name.

"Did you, though" Margo questioned. Lincoln shook his head

"Nope. I pretty much winged it. It's going much better than I expected," He replied in his usual tone before switching back. "The Yates have a reputation of being well-rounded" Lincoln drew a circle in the air. The Loud siblings shivered at that word. "Plus, they're genuinely decent people. Who are people going to believe?" He spread out his hands. "A wonderful family that recently interacts with the community or someone that held a grudge for months who's willing to sabotage," Lincoln arises from his seat folding his arms behind his back. "But we can use this."

"How? He got caught, and no one believes him," Lynn probed, raising one of her hands. "Plus, he hates me, so I doubt he'll be working with us."

"True, but he hates Bumper Jr. more," Lincoln assured them, giving a robotic smirk. "Ever heard of the prisoner's dilemma" They shook their heads. "It states that two completely rational adults might not cooperate even if it's in their best interests," He explained. "For example, plea deals whenever a group gets caught. If they all remain silent, they all get, let's say, a year in jail," Lincoln held up a finger to demonstrate. "However, the deal states that if one of them confesses, they get to go free while the others get 5 years," He continued as they slowly became intrigued with the concept. "But if they all confess, then they get 2-3 years," Lincoln concluded his explanation. "Self-preservation is a powerful motivator, especially for those in trouble. He'll agree with our demands."

"He won't listen to me or Lynn for obvious reasons," Polly commented as she checked her phone. Sweet there's wifi in here.

"That's why Margo will do the talking. Drew hates you the least," Lincoln answered straightforwardly. He lifted Margo's chin with one of his fingers staring into her eyes. "And you'll use your feminine charm if need be," someone snickered. Oh no, that was loud. Lynn held her breath to avoid making a sound

"WOW! WOW! JUST WOW! Really?" Margo exclaimed at her friends snickering. She's more feminine than them. Several knocks were on the door. Who is it?

"Lincoln, our creator, told me that dinner will occur in the next hour," Friendbot announced through the door.

"Thank you," Lincoln shouted before turning towards the girls. "We'll wrap it for the" They placed everything back in its original place. "Oh, I almost forgot your questions" What questions? Oh right, the renovations. "Lisa said it'll be in 2020, but she'll make further adjustments because some of our sisters will leave the house," Lincoln answered. They shrugged; that makes sense.

"You got a spot for us right," Polly suggested. It's never a bad idea to know someone that has a fully functional bunker.

"Based on the schematics that I saw along with the available space," Lincoln began calculating in mind. "My personal best guess is 60 people at the bare minimum, with 300 being the max give or take. And the cost…" He started to estimate the price tag: Provisions, entertainment, medical facilities, food, living conditions, sustainability, and all Lisa's equipment. "Around 3.6 million dollars," Lincoln answered to the best of his abilities.

"HOLY FUCK, NUGGETS!" Margo, Lynn, and Polly shouted at the price tag.

"Probably more. I don't know" Lincoln shrugged as they approached the door. Polly turned off the lights before Lynn closed the door behind her. They never noticed the faint buzzing of the recording device hidden in the smoke detector.

The group was back in the entrance area where the robot's living room door was open. Friendbot was grabbing some oil from the top of the shelves. The girls climbed the ladder first, saying goodbyes to the machines. Lincoln stopped and stared blankly and intensely at Friendbot. His face screen added several sweat drops as Lincoln continued to pierce in his soul or circuitry or power source. Lincoln shrugged. He was probably overthinking again and climbed up the ladder. Friendbot watched as he closed and locked the hatch. His antenna beeped. "Yes, he's on his way back home, creator. Did you receive anything that was required" He muttered.

"Yes, excellent job as always. Enjoy your programming," Lisa replied via text. He grabbed the containers and went back to his brothers.

Lisa, Rita, and Lucy were in Lisa's room monitoring the conversation Lincoln just had. Rita had her head in hands as Lucy, with orange stains on her pale skin, comforted her. Thankfully these stains can be washed out with water. Lucy never knew that Lincoln can be so precise. Rita breathed out of her nose for a moment. It's official. Her baby was changing and not for the better. She should be proud of his intelligence. She indeed did, yet she's terrified at what's his becoming. Lisa joined Lucy in comforting their mother. Lucy wondered if reading Lincoln's fortune had a hand in his development. The trio remained in silence as Rita wrapped her arms around her two daughters.

"Hey bro, me and Belle are about to do some rock opera" They heard Luna's voice coming from downstairs. "You want to jam with us for a bit," Luna offered.

"Sure, let me get my cello," Lincoln agreed as he went to the basement to receive his instrument. The three watched from on top of the stairs. Lincoln, with his Cello, Luna, and her guitar and Belle Yates carrying her violin, journeyed towards the garage.

"Lisa, please be honest with me," Rita pleaded softly to her scientific daughter. "What's going to happen with Lincoln" She wanted to know. Rita wanted to do something. It's her right as a mother. Lisa calculated all possible results. She has his statistics and diagnosis along with any hypotheses that can assist her. Figuring out these predictions is a tremendous effort. It's completely different than what she's used to. Nevertheless, she reached a conclusion. Lisa uttered an absolutely disheartening and concerning sentence.

"I don't know."

Christ, that took a lot of me. This chapter went longer than I expected, but it's finished, and hopefully, it was worth the wait. So yeah, it's the last chapter for a while, but you'll get your lemons and maybe other projects that I've meant to get to. QTQ is my most popular story, but I need to break out for a little bit.

Thanks for reading. Follow and Favorite if you enjoyed the story. Leave a review for any questions, concerns, queries, and/or theories. Contribute to the Tv tropes page if you can. Thank you, and have a great day.