A week had passed since Olivia's party and the incident involving her sister stealing her medal, and Olivia remained grounded. Meanwhile, Mason and Mackenzie were downstairs enjoying lunch when their parents entered with an important announcement.

"Hey, kids," they said.

"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" replied Mackenzie. "What's going on? You look like you have some news."

"You’re not pregnant, are you?" Mason asked, half-joking.

"No, dear, I’m not pregnant," their mother said, "but we do have something to share. We’re very proud of all you’ve done for the community and the way you’ve helped so many people, including Olivia. As a reward, we’re going on a cruise!"

"Wait, seriously?" Mason exclaimed.

"Yes, and we leave in just a couple of days, so you both better head upstairs and start packing," their father added.

"Awesome!" said Mason, making his way upstairs.

"Hold on a moment, Mackenzie," their dad said.

"Yes, Dad?" she responded.

"There’s something we’d like to discuss with you. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. It’s about your brother," he said.

"Is he in trouble?" Mackenzie asked, concerned.

"Oh no, it’s nothing bad. Actually, we’ve noticed he’s been a bit down since he hasn’t been able to see Olivia. So this cruise isn’t just a reward for you two for helping her and the community; we thought it might also help take his mind off being separated from her, at least for a little while."

"But she’s only grounded for two weeks. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal," Mackenzie replied.

"Yes, we understand that, but we’re still a bit worried about him."

Mackenzie headed upstairs to pack, but was halted again by Mason.

"What did Mom and Dad want?" he asked.

"I probably shouldn’t say this," Mackenzie replied, "but they’re worried about you. They’ve noticed you’ve been feeling down since Olivia got grounded. I told them it’s only for two weeks and you’d be fine, but they’re still concerned."

"I haven’t exactly been keeping my distance from her," Mason confessed.

"What do you mean?" Mackenzie asked, puzzled.

"Mason, have you been sneaking out to see her?" she probed.

"Yes, I know it’s a foolish thing to do," Mason admitted.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Mackenzie exclaimed. "You could get her grounded for even longer, or worse, end up grounded yourself if Mom and Dad find out. And now that you’ve told me, I might get into trouble too for knowing about this and not saying anything. Do you have any idea what kind of position you’ve put me in?"

"I know, and I’m sorry. I’ll tell Mom and Dad, I promise, but please wait until after the cruise. If you tell them now, they might not let me go."

Mackenzie pondered for a moment. "Fine, but you have to promise me that you will tell them as soon as we get home from the cruise AND accept any punishment they give you. Understood?" she said firmly.

"I promise I will tell them as soon as we’re off the cruise. You have my word," Mason assured her.

Once they had finished packing, the twins carried their luggage downstairs and placed it by the door, waiting for the time to leave for the cruise. A few days passed, and soon it was time to head to the airport. They loaded their bags into the car and drove off. Upon arrival, they checked in their luggage and passed through security. With several hours to wait until boarding their flight, they settled in for the wait. 

While they were sitting there, the twins overheard a woman expressing her frustration about her daughter losing her carry-on bag. Eager to take on any case that came their way, they decided to offer their assistance, much to their parents' chagrin.

"Okay," their father began, his tone serious, "we weren't going to mention this until we were on the cruise, but there is one important rule we need to establish. We’re heading into unfamiliar territory, so no mystery-solving of any kind during this trip. Is that understood?" 

"Yes, Dad," they chorused. 

"This trip is meant for fun," their father continued firmly. "If I catch either of you investigating anything while we’re away, you’ll be grounded in your cabin for the remainder of the cruise. Understood?"

"At least let us help this lady, and I promise no more mystery-solving for the duration of the trip," Mackenzie pleaded. 

"Fine," their father conceded, "you can help this one time." 

"Thank you, Dad!" Mackenzie replied, and they approached the distressed mother to see how they could assist.

"Excuse me, ma’am, is everything okay? We couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with airport security," Mackenzie said kindly.

"Oh, hi! You’re the kids who stopped that smuggling operation!" the mother exclaimed. 

"That’s us," Mackenzie replied proudly. "I’m Mackenzie, and this is my brother Mason. We’re The Mystery Twins, and we noticed you might need some help." 

"I certainly do," the mother said, her voice tinged with worry. "My daughter lost her carry-on, and we’ve been searching for it for most of the day."

"I understand," Mackenzie responded. "Can you tell us your name?"

"I'm Linda, and my daughter is Savannah," the mother replied.

"Linda, are you boarding a plane or deplaning?" Mackenzie inquired.

"We’re just getting off," Linda explained.

"And did your daughter have her carry-on when you got off the plane?" asked Mackenzie.

"Yes, I made sure she did," Linda assured her.

"Could you describe the carry-on for us?" Mason asked.

"It’s purple with stickers and flowers on it," Linda answered. "She had it last when we got off the plane. We stopped at the restroom, and she still had it then, but after that, we went to get something to eat, and that’s when it went missing."

"Did you go back to the restaurant to check if it was still there?" Mason inquired.

"No, I went straight to airport security to report it lost," Linda explained.

"I believe we should visit that restaurant," Mackenzie suggested. "Do you remember which one it was?" she inquired. 

"Yes, it was that chicken restaurant right over there," Linda replied.

"Then let's head over," Mackenzie said. "But first, I think you should inform your daughter about what’s happening." 

Linda returned to her seat to check on her daughter. "Savannah, sweetheart, Mommy is going to look for your bag. I need you to stay right here and not move, okay?" 

"Yes, Mommy," Savannah responded.

"Good girl. I'll be back shortly," Linda assured her. 

"Mackenzie," Mason interjected, "maybe I should stay with Savannah to keep an eye on her. She might be able to share some clues about her bag that could help us in our search."

"I think that’s a great idea," Mackenzie agreed. "Is that okay with you, Linda?" 

"Of course," Linda replied. "Now, let's head to Fred’s Famous Chicken and see if they have any information about Savannah’s lost bag."

With that, Mackenzie and Linda made their way to the chicken restaurant while Mason stayed behind to babysit Savannah and glean any information she might have about her lost bag.

At the restaurant, Mackenzie approached the counter to speak with the clerk. "Excuse me," she said politely, "a little girl lost her bag. Have you seen it? It’s purple with flowers and stickers on it."

The clerk responded, "Actually, I think I may have seen someone leaving with a bag that matches that description."

"And you didn’t think to report this?" Mackenzie asked, frustrated.

"I didn’t think much of it," the clerk replied. "I assumed it was either his, or he intended to return it."

"You said it was a man who took it? Are you sure?" Mackenzie pressed.

"Yes, I’m quite certain," the clerk assured her.

"Did you see which way he went?" Mackenzie inquired.

"That direction, towards the other side of the airport," the clerk indicated.

"Thank you; you've been very helpful," Mackenzie said. "Let’s check back in with Mason before we head to the other side of the airport."

They returned to where Mason and Savannah were sitting. "Mason," Mackenzie said, "we may have a lead on what happened to Savannah’s bag. Was she able to tell you anything?"

"Actually," Mason replied, "she mentioned that while they were eating, a man kept staring at her as if he were waiting for something."

"Linda, is that true?" Mackenzie asked.

"Now that you mention it, I do remember feeling like someone was following us," Linda admitted. 

"Can you describe him?" Mackenzie asked.

"He was a tall, thin man of Hispanic descent, and he had facial hair. His name is George," Linda explained.

"Did you report this to airport security?" Mackenzie asked.

"I thought I was just being paranoid, to be honest. I didn't think much of it," Linda confessed.

"We need to find this guy, and fast," said Mackenzie. But before they could move, Mason pulled his sister aside to share something important he had discovered. "Mackenzie, I don’t think Linda can be trusted," Mason warned.

"Why do you say that?" Mackenzie asked, puzzled.

"When I was talking to Savannah, she revealed much more than just what happened to her bag. Then, when I looked inside Linda's bag, I found this," Mason said, brandishing a missing person's poster featuring Savannah's face.

Mackenzie gasped, horror flooding her. "I think Savannah is being kidnapped. They’re not getting off a plane; they’re getting on one," he asserted.

"If that's true, then for Savannah's safety, we can't let Linda know that we’re onto her," Mackenzie said, her voice steady but urgent. "And without definitive proof, we can’t go to airport security."

"Send a text to Jose, and let him know we’re at the airport and that there’s a kidnapping in progress, but do it discreetly. He'll know how to handle it," Mackenzie instructed. "In the meantime, we’ll continue to work with Linda to look for Savannah's bag as if this were a regular investigation."

"Right," Mason replied as he swiftly typed a message to Jose. "If I remember correctly, the clerk at the restaurant mentioned that the guy who took your daughter’s bag went toward the other side of the airport."

"Then that’s where we should go," Mackenzie urged, glancing at her watch. "We better hurry; boarding time is approaching."

They rushed to the far end of the airport, where they spotted the man Linda had described, waiting to board a flight.

Mackenzie approached him confidently. "Excuse me, sir, may I take a look at that bag for a moment?" 

"Why don’t you go home and play with your Barbies, kid?" he scoffed.

"Excuse me?!" Mackenzie exclaimed, taken aback.

"You heard me, kid—scram," he shot back.

"Maybe I should call security and tell them you're trying to abduct me," Mackenzie threatened.

"You wouldn’t dare," the man challenged.

"Try me," she said defiantly.

"I wouldn’t argue with her. When she makes a threat, she means it. Trust me, I live with her," Mason chimed in.

"Now, are you going to hand over that bag or not?" Mackenzie demanded.

"Here, take it," the man relented, clearly unnerved. 

Mackenzie opened the bag to discover an array of sparkling jewels inside. "I knew it," she declared triumphantly, "and I suspect these are stolen. The bag wasn’t lost; it was left at the restaurant for Linda to pick up. I knew something was off when you knew the name of the guy you claimed was following you. Tell me, Linda, how did you know his name was George? Unless you two are in cahoots."

"But how does Savannah fit into all of this?" Mason inquired.

"That’s simple," said Mackenzie. "George kidnapped Savannah and was trading her at the restaurant for these jewels."

"And we would’ve gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling twins," Linda spat, her facade crumbling.

"Actually, you would have escaped detection if you hadn't reported the bag missing; that's what led to your downfall," Mackenzie retorted. "Did you catch all that, Jose?"

"Every word," Jose replied. "Don’t worry; we’ll handle it from here. We’ll get these two into custody and return Savannah to her real parents. Great work, you two."

"Mackenzie, we need to go. Our flight is about to board," Mason reminded her.

"Bye, Jose, and thank you," Mackenzie said as they hurried off to catch their flight. Just in time, they reached their gate, where their parents awaited them.

"Hey, you two! You made it just in time—we're about to board," their dad said, relieved.

"Sorry, the case took an unexpected turn, but we’re back now. You have our word that the rest of the trip will be nothing but fun from here on out," Mackenzie assured them.

"That’s good to hear," their dad replied. "Now let’s go before we miss our flight."

"Before we board," Mason interjected, "I have a confession to make."

"Mason, are you sure you want to do this now?" asked Mackenzie.

"Yes, I can't keep this secret for the whole trip; it wouldn’t be right," Mason affirmed.

"It's okay, Mason, we know. You've been sneaking out to see Olivia," their mom revealed.

"Wait, you knew?" Mason asked, stunned. "Why didn’t you say anything?"

"Because we didn’t want to force a confession. We know how you get under pressure. We wanted you to tell us when you were ready," their mom explained.

"So, does this mean I'm not grounded?" Mason asked hopefully.

"Oh, you’re grounded alright," their dad said, "but not until after the trip. I think that’s fair, don’t you, dear?"

"I agree," their mom replied. "Now let’s hurry and board the plane so we can have some fun!"

"Thanks, Mom and Dad," Mason said gratefully.

With that, they all boarded the plane, and the vacation officially began.

TO BE CONTINUED