Whiz Kids

"What is going on here?" Athena demanded lightly, after pushing open the door to her children's room just at three in the morning. 

She was startled to see the dim glow from a laptop illuminating the faces of her children, Kate and Nate. They were huddled together, surrounded by an explosion of papers, wires, and tiny hard drives, looking like little ruffians caught at a caper.

Her side caught a sleeping Kendra, unaware of the twins' schemes.

Meanwhile, the twins immediately froze at their mother's voice, their eyes wide as they looked at her, unsure whether to appear innocent or guilty. 

After a moment of awkward silence, Nathaniel spoke up, the words tumbling out. "Mom, we were… uh, working on something." 

"What kind of 'something' requires you to stay up this late?" Athena asked, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "You should be sleeping, not plotting in the dark."