What should happen next?

So, I'm writing a story about some teenagers who discover they have Psychic Powers and end up going to an academy for spies with psychic powers. But, after they get to the school, I'm kind of unsure what could happen next. They won't go on any missions because a. They're new and b. The school rarely sends kids out on missions anyways. So I was wondering what I could have happen to the characters so the story doesn't get really boring.

Have some sort of other shit go down in their lives that's not related to the school or the agency behind it but needs their abilities and whatever they've learned to date at school to resolve it.

e.g. Some stupid toerag from around the neighbourhood, not realising what they can do and what they're training for, decides to steal something from the family of one of these kids. They don't know who it is, police are overworked and not really interested in a burglary when there are more serious crimes to work with (they just take down details, provide a case number for insurance claims and put it in a file in case the item turns up in the course of another investigation), it's not within the agency's jurisdiction but the item is a treasured heirloom and the family member is gutted that it's gone so the kids decide to use their abilities/training to find out who stole it and get it back.

I'm not saying use that exact plot, but that's the sort of thing you could do, have something unrelated to their training/nature etc happen that they have to resolve and they can use their abilities and training to pull it off.

Thanks! I like the idea! It would have to be during the holidays though, because it's a boarding school.

The Famous Five had all their best adventures during 'the hols' when they all came back from their various boarding schools and gathered at Kirrin Cottage.

Setting it during the holidays would mean that they've at least got a school term or two of training under their belts rather being half-way through crucial lessons while the adventure is happening, so they can be expected to be at least somewhat competent in some areas.

Think about the sort of people around where they normally live. Gangs - quite conceivably involved in local thefts or moving/fencing stolen goods? Local drug ring pushing hard shit to the younger kids in the 'hood? Craft yourself a Big Bad - the gang leader, head of the drug network - and their network of assistants.

Gangs tend to be visible and the (patched) members known, the gang leader/'Prez' might be a known person, but they'd hide direct evidence that they were involved with stealing/fencing stuff and the kids would have to work to find out who took the item and where they have it/disposed of it.

Drug rings are a lot more secretive, a couple of pushers might be known but the kingpin and the manufacture/distribution network would be well hidden and probably more of a worthy challenge for a bunch of psychic spies.

edited 12th Mar '18 11:22:05 AM by Wolf1066

Time Skip between their entering the academy and getting sent on missions. Maybe Freshman Year > Junior Year.)

Sorry, kinda don't understand American high school year names. I'm British!

According to this site:

• freshman year = 9th grade = Year 10/GCSE 1st
• sophomore year = 10th grade = Year 11/GCSE 2nd
• junior year = 11th grade = Year 12/A Levels 1st
• senior year = 12th grade = Year 13/ A Levels 2nd