A (0:00)

Foreign. Hello, friends, and welcome to Sleep Tight Stories. Red spends a lot of time thinking about the note in her locker and does not sleep very well. She misses the bus after not sleeping, and as she is walking to her locker, she hears everyone talking about the notes. When Red meets Charlie, she finds out that a lot of people got notes. Alexa calls an emergency meeting of the Solving Mysteries Club to see if they can figure this out. The Transfer Student, Volume three, Part two. Red arrives at school Tuesday morning, the mysterious note still in her backpack. She missed the bus and had to get a drive with her mother, which also meant a lecture on getting up on time. In her defense, she mentioned that she had barely slept, but didn't mention that it was because her mind was constantly thinking of those symbols on the note. The circle within a circle. The symbol from Dr. Hart's caches. The peace faction symbol known only to Martians and Good Aid agents. How would a classmate at school know about that? The hallways are noisy with their unusual energy. Groups cluster near lockers, whispering excitedly. Red catches fragments. Got one in my locker. Weird symbols. Like code. Mine said something nice, I think. Kind of weird, isn't it? What? Other people got notes too? She spots Charlie at his locker, struggling with both his coat zipper and his backpack at the same time. His scarf is tangled in something. His nose. Red. From tissue abuse. Charlie. Are people talking about locker notes? Charlie abandons his zipper battle. Yes. Apparently a bunch of people found them yesterday. It's all anyone's talking about. Maya got one. And that kid from chess club. And someone in my math class. Like almost anyone I bumped into. Red pulls out her note. I got one. Did you? Charlie's eyes widen. No. I wonder why I didn't. What does it say? It's in code, but one of these symbols. It's something I've seen before. Something important. Charlie picks up on her tone. Important like mystery important or important important? The second one, Red says quietly. Oh. Charlie's face gets serious. Have you seen Senna? I didn't notice her on the bus. Not yet. I need to find her. Red makes a mental note to check if Senna got one, too. If someone's leaving notes with Martian symbols, Senna needs to know. Has anyone figured out what their notes say? Red asks. Emma texted. She decoded hers. Said it took her like 20 minutes. Charlie finally gets his scarf untangled. Why would someone leave coded messages in people's lockers? That's so much work. Before Red can answer, Alexa appears, moving through the hallway with purpose. She's carrying her tablet and has that look she gets when she's found something to organize. Red, Charlie, have you seen the notes? Red Got one, charlie volunteers. Perfect. We need to have an emergency meeting in the library right now. Alexa's already texting. We have a mystery to investigate. Right now? Charlie asks. First period starts in like 15 minutes. Then we have 15 minutes, Alexa says, already walking. Red exchanges a look with Charlie. Someone at this school knows about Dr. Hart, about the aid, about symbols that should only exist in secret Martian facilities. They both follow Alexa through a noisy hallway. Whatever's happening with these notes, the Solving Mysteries Club is officially on the case. In record time. The gang assembles in their library corner. The librarian barely glances up. She's used to them by now. Red, Charlie, and Alexa are seated when Rachel slips in quietly. Kurt rushes in, still in gym clothes and wet with sweat. I was at early practice. What's the emergency? She was almost out of breath. The locker notes, alexis says, opening her tablet. They're everywhere. Emma Vasquez arrives next, looking slightly uncertain. Charlie waves her over. I invited Emma. She got one of the notes too, and I thought she might have useful information since she knows more 8th graders. Emma nods, pulling a folded paper from her jacket pocket. Yesterday it was weird, but kind of nice. Took me forever to decode it. It said you, voice matters. She looks around the table, which is oddly specific since I'm literally the newspaper editor and I've been second guessing everything I write lately. Red and Rachel add their notes to the table. See? Alexa says. They're personal. Whoever's doing this knows about people. Kurt studies the notes. I didn't get one. Should I be offended? Maybe the note writer doesn't know you well enough yet. Alexa says. You're always on the move. Harder to observe. Red studies the three notes spread on the table. Different handwriting styles, different code system. Her note has the circle within a circle. Emma's uses the substitution cipher. Rachel's appears to be numbers. Okay, so here's what I know so far. Alexa begins, very much in her element. She pulls up a document on her tablet. I'm guessing, but at least 15 students received coded notes in their lockers yesterday. No one I talked to saw who delivered them. The notes appeared sometime during the school day. Most people found them after last period. How did you find all this out already? Kurt asked, impressed. When I got to school and noticed people finding notes, I started asking questions, alexa says matter of factly. People like talking about mysteries. What do they all say? Charlie asks, leaning closer to look at the notes. From what I saw, they're all different. Some seem encouraging. Some are just cryptic. And look. Alexa pulls up photos on her tablet. They're using different code systems. This one's a substitution cipher. This one's symbols. This one's numbers arranged in patterns. Red's mind is already racing. The symbols on her note aren't just random. They're specific Martian markers mixed with Earth geometry. Someone who knows both Rachel, who's been quietly examining the notes, split, speaks up. These feel personal, like whoever wrote them knows something specific about each person. Emma's talks about voice mattering, and Emma's the newspaper editor. Mine mentions stories and I read constantly. It's not random. That's what's bothering me, emma admits. How does someone know I've been doubting my writing? I haven't told anyone that. The group falls silent for a moment, the weight of that settling in. So what do we do? Charlie asks. We investigate, alexa says firmly. But first we should ask Senna if she wants to join. Officially. Emma perks up. The new girl? I've seen her around. She seems nice. She literally just started, rachel points out gently. She said yesterday she wanted to join, red reminds them. And she's smart. I'm in favor, emma says, though she adds with a slight smile. Not that I get a vote, since I'm just a guest consultant. Charlie grins. Important guest consultant. Agreed, alexa decides. Red, can you ask her at lunch? I can do that. Good. Today, everyone gathers information. Talk to people who got notes, what they said when they appeared. Anything suspicious, we compare at lunch. Emma, if you can, ask around the eighth grade. Emma nods. I can do that. The warning bell rings. Meeting adjourned. Report back at lunch and be subtle. We don't want whoever's doing this to know we're investigating. Emma stands with the others. Thanks for including me. I know I'm not technically in the club, but I'm happy to help however I can. We need all the help we can get, red says. Honestly. Red carefully folds her note and tucks it back in her bag, her mind already working through possibilities. Someone at this school knows about Martian symbols. Someone's watching students closely enough to know their private struggles. Are they trying to help? Or is this something more ominous? Red spends her morning classes distracted, her mind half on the notes and half on watching for suspicious behavior. In English, Mr. MacAskill is telling another terrible joke about Shakespeare, and Red is again the only one laughing, but she's barely paying attention. She sits near a girl named Maya, who Charlie mentioned got a note during group work. Red casually brings it up so you got one of those weird locker notes. Maya looks surprised someone knows. Yeah, it was so strange, just symbols and numbers, but I figured out it said don't give up, which is actually kind of what I needed to hear. I've been thinking about quitting piano lessons. They're getting really hard and I feel like I'm not good enough. When did you find it? Yesterday. After school. Just fell out when I opened my locker. Maya pauses. Kinda weird, though. How did someone know? Red files this information away and thanks her after school delivery just like hers. And somehow the note writer knew Maya was struggling with something private between second and third period. Red spots Charlie in the hallway, notebook in hand, talking earnestly with the chess club president. Alexa is near the water fountain, her tablet out, interviewing a nervous looking 6th grader. Rachel stands by the bulletin board, looking over the top of her book at the flow of students watching for some clue they're all working the case in science. Red partners with Marcus and learns he got a note too, something about being brave before a presentation he wanted to skip. By lunch, Red has talked to four recipients, same story every time. Notes appeared Monday after school said something personal and encouraging arrived exactly when needed. The cafeteria is its usual chaos. Loud voices, clattering trays, and the smell of something vaguely food like. Red spots Senna standing uncertainly near the entrance and and waves are over. Why don't you come to where we eat? Red says. They get their food and head to the gang's table, where everyone's already assembled, comparing notes, both literal and figurative. Papers are spread across the table alongside lunch trays. Senna, we have something to ask you. Red begins setting down her tray. The Solving Mysteries Club is officially investigating the locker notes thing. We'd like you to join for real, not just as a guest. Are you interested? Senna looks surprised, then genuinely touched. Really? You want me in the club? Absolutely, alexa says. Fresh perspective is valuable. Plus, Red says you're super smart. Then. Yes, senna says, smiling wider than Red. Seen yet? I want to help. Excellent, alexa says, making a note on her tablet. Consider this your official invitation. Welcome to the Solving Mysteries Club. Charlie produces a slightly crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. I made an unofficial membership card a while ago. You can have mine. I'll make another one. It's a hand drawn card that says Official Mystery Solver with a badly drawn magnifying glass. Senna accepts it like it's precious. Thank you, she says quietly. Okay, what do we know? Alexa asks, pulling up a new document. Let's compile findings. They spend the next 15 minutes sharing information. Red reports her conversations. Maya with piano, Marcus with the presentation. Charlie interviewed seven people and found similar patterns. Emma discovered three more note recipients in the eighth grade hallway. Rachel, in her quiet way, observe delivery timings and locker locations. Alexa updates her document. At least 18 confirmed note recipients. The count keeps growing. All notes appeared Monday afternoon, most found after school. Different codes, substitution ciphers, symbols, number patterns, geometric shapes. Messages range from encouraging to cryptic to oddly specific. No one saw the note writer Recipients seem to be people going through something difficult. Rachel adds her observation quietly. Every person I talked to said the note came exactly when they needed it. Like someone was watching and knew the perfect moment. That's either really kind or really creepy, kurt says. I can't decide which. Maybe both. Rachel suggests someone trying to help but doing it in a weird way. Can I see your note, Red? Sena asks quietly. Red pulls it out and shows her. Senna studies the symbols carefully, her expression shifting from curious to concerned. She traces the circle within a circle with her finger. These definitely look like Senna catches herself glancing at the others. Really complex symbols. Like someone who knows advanced mathematics or astronomy. Maybe Red understands what Senna's not saying. The others don't need to know. It's specifically Martian. So whoever's doing this either knows a lot about different symbol systems, Alexa theorizes. Or they're using reference books from somewhere. Or. Or they're really smart, charlie finishes. And really observant, rachel adds. To know all these personal things about people. The lunch period bell rings. 5 minutes left. Keep gathering information, Alexa instructs. We'll meet the same time tomorrow. As they're clearing their trays, Senna touches Red's arm. Can I talk to you just for a second? They hang back while the others head to class. Red, sena says quietly. I need to tell you something. I got a note, too. Red's stomach drops. When? This morning. It was in my locker when I got to school. Senna looks genuinely scared. It said, welcome home, Little Red Planet. Red feels the world tilt slightly. Red planet? That's what Earth people call Mars. That's a direct reference, Red whispers. I know, senna said. Red, whoever's doing this, they know about us. After school, Red walks with Senna to the lockers. The hallway is crowded with students grabbing coats and backpacks, making weekend plans despite it only being Tuesday. They reach Senna's locker. She opens it to grab her math textbook for homework. Another folded paper falls out. Both girls stare. That wasn't there this morning, senna whispers. Someone put it in there during the day while school was in session. Senna picks it up and unfolds it carefully. More symbols, simpler this time. Red can read them immediately. You are not alone. They stand there for a moment, the hallway noise fading into background static. Two notes in one day. Someone's not just watching Senna, but they're focusing on her specifically. We need to figure out who's doing this, red says quietly. Fast. Red gets home and goes straight to her room, both notes from Senna spread across her desk alongside her own. She photographs all three and texts the image to Senna with a message. Don't worry. We'll figure this out. Her phone buzzes almost immediately. SENNA Easy for you to say. Red doesn't have a good response to that. Because Senna's right. Someone is watching them. Someone who knows they're Martian. Blue pokes his head in her door without knocking, as usual. Why do you look like someone stole your lunch? Go away, Blue. Are you working on a mystery? Can I help? He spots the notes and invites himself in. Ooh, codes. Are these from that locker thing? Red sighs. Fine. But this is serious, okay? No jokes. I'm always serious. Blue lies flopping on her bed. Send me the photos. Red sends images of all the notes, including ones from the group chat. Blue studies them intently. After a minute he sits up. Okay, these are really interesting. This one's a basic Caesar cipher. Super simple. This one's substitution. But these. He zooms in on Red's and Senna's notes. These are way more complex. Whoever made these knows advanced mathematics. And is this astronomical notation? Could be, Red says carefully. And this symbol? Blue points at the circle within a circle. I've seen this before. In that Dr. Hart stuff, right? Yeah, similar. Blue looks up, unusually serious. Red, why do you look so worried? It's just coded notes, right? Red hesitates. Some of the notes are really personal. Blue. Like whoever's writing them knows things they shouldn't know. Blue studies the photos again. Whoever made the simple notes probably looked up codes online, but whoever made these complex ones, they actually understand code theory. This isn't copy paste. This is someone who knows what they're doing. Can you figure out who? Maybe give me tonight? Blue looks at her seriously. But Red, whoever made the complex notes is probably really smart. And I know, Red says quietly. Do you want me to tell mom and dad? No, Red says quickly. Not yet. We're still investigating. I don't want to worry them over nothing. Blue doesn't look convinced, but nods. Okay, but if this actually gets dangerous. You have to tell them. Promise? Promise. He heads for the door, then pauses. Hey, Red. Be careful, okay? I will. After he leaves, Red looks back at the notes spread across her desk. Two different notes for Senna in two days. Whoever's doing this is watching her way more closely than anyone else. The question is, who would know? Both girls are Martian. And what do they want? And that is the end of this part. Good night. Sleep tight. Sa.