Текст книги "NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society"

Автор книги: Michael Buckley

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 13 страниц)

Agent Brand and a team of scientists recovered the remains of Jigsaw’s satellite dish. With help from Dr. Badawi and the rest of the kidnapped scientists, they managed over the course of several weeks to move North America and Australia back where they belonged. Innocent people were killed in the chaos and the property damage was staggering, but all in all, things could have been worse for the world.

Dr. Jigsaw’s broken body was found on an icy cliff of the new mountain at the North Pole. Dumb Vinci’s body was never recovered. Neither was Heathcliff’s, though they did find his black skull mask floating in the icy waters.

“How will we explain it to his parents?” Jackson asked as the team assembled in the Playground.

“It’s drastic, but the parents have been given a medication that will cause them to forget him,” Agent Brand said. “It works much like Heathcliff’s own ability.”

Jackson was stunned. “So if I die on the job, my dad and brother will forget I was ever born?”

Ms. Holiday sighed. “I wish there was another way, but they would ask too many questions.”

Jackson hung his head. “This is my fault.”

Duncan shook his head. “No, Jackson, Heathcliff knew the world would change for him. As a grown man he could put all his days as an awkward kid behind him. He just didn’t want to wait.”

Agent Brand looked into the faces of his team. “You all did very well.”

“Is that all?” Ms. Holiday prompted.

“I’m very proud to be working with you.”

Before Brand could walk away, Ruby cleared her throat. “I think I can speak for the team—” Brand stopped in his tracks. “And say we feel the same way about you.”

Brand nodded then walked out of the Playground.

“He’s quite the chatty one,” the Hyena said.

“We’re working on him,” Ms. Holiday answered.

Jackson turned to the Hyena. “So, did you talk to him like I told you? I think you’d be great on our team. I can’t imagine what kind of upgrade Benjamin could give you for your laugh, but I bet it would be awesome.”

“I did talk to him,” she replied. “And he said no.”

“I can’t believe it. They wouldn’t even have to train you,” Jackson said.

“It’s fine, Jackson,” she assured him. “He offered me a job– doing something else.”

“Really? What?”

“Sorry, it’s classified, but—”

“But what?”

“But I’m not going to see you for a very long time,” she said. Jackson felt a crack in his heart.

“Don’t be sad, Nerdboy,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll be back someday. Maybe then you’ll have those horrible braces off your teeth.”

She turned and walked away. Jackson watched her step through the secret locker exit and disappear.

“Did she just kiss you?” Matilda asked.

“Gross!” Flinch shouted, his mouth full of chocolate and coconut candy.

“So, quarterback, how did it feel to save the world?” Ruby asked.

“No big deal.” Jackson beamed. “I’m sure I’ll do it again by Friday.”

“Don’t get a big head yet,” Matilda replied. “You’ve got a lot more training ahead of you. I’ve got some great ideas about how to beat you up with a watermelon.”

“So you want me to stay on the team?” Jackson said to them.

“Arghcheeww,” Flinch said, then turned the knob on his harness. “Ah, you’ve kind of grown on us.”

“It doesn’t hurt that you saved our lives,” Duncan said. “So, if you’ll come back to the team, we’d be happy to have you, Jackson.”

Jackson smiled and nodded.

Just then, the group let out a wicked sneeze.

“The signal,” Ruby cried.

The lunch lady rushed into the room. “Agent Brand wants you out in the parking lot, pronto.”

“The parking lot?” Duncan asked.

“Just go, children,” Ms. Holiday ordered.

In no time, the team was outside. Agent Brand was aboard a real school bus. The lunch lady crawled into the driver’s seat and beckoned the children aboard.

“What’s happening?” Jackson asked as the team found their seats.

“Welcome to the TB-48 Orbital Jet,” Agent Brand said. “Since we lost our rocket, Benjamin gave a real school bus an upgrade.”

“Buckle up, kids.” The lunch lady slammed a blue button on the dash, and the sound of grinding metal and moving parts filled the air. Jackson felt rockets blasting beneath him and watched as a wing extended from the side of the vehicle. A moment later the bus and the NERDS were blasting into the stratosphere.

Ruby looked over to Jackson. “Looks like you get to save the world again, Jones.”

He smiled. “We’re in the field, Pufferfish. Call me Braceface.”

THE FOLLOWING IS A

RECORDED TRANSCRIPT OF A

CALL INTERCEPTED BY NERDS

SATELLITE SURVEILLANCE

AND IDENTIFIED BY

FIELD AGENT THE HYENA,

A.K.A. MINDY BEAUCHAMP, AS

BEING BETWEEN SIMON AND

A GOON SHE REFERS TO AS

DUMB VINCI.

October 10, 09:15

Dumb Vinci:

Hello.

Simon:

It’s me. I see you survived the explosion.

Dumb Vinci:

Not quite. I lost a hand. I had a doctor clean it up. They put a hook on it.

Simon:

Cool.

Dumb Vinci:

It actually hurts a lot and I have to give up the piano.

Simon:

Oh. Your sacrifice is noted and appreciated.

Dumb Vinci:

I’m sorry about the plan, boss.

Simon:

(Laughing)

Dumb Vinci:

Boss? Are you OK? It sounds like you’re laughing.

Simon:

Your concern is amusing, my friend, but completely unnecessary. You see, Jigsaw and his little machine were just part of a much bigger plan, one that is going exactly the way I want. Take care of yourself. I’ll contact you when I need you again.

Mr. Dehaven sat at his desk looking through the Nathan Hale yearbook. He was putting an X through Jackson’s face and smiling when there was a knock at the door. It opened, and Jackson’s father appeared.

“Hello, Mr. Jones, it’s good to see you.”

Jackson’s father sat down at the desk. “Mr. Dehaven, I’ve come to you in hopes that you’ll reconsider my boy’s failure.”

Mr. Dehaven shook his head in disapproval. “Absolutely not. Your son will have to repeat the fifth grade. It’s for his own good.”

“Mr. Dehaven, I was never a smart kid. When I was around Jackson’s age, I got it into my head that my only chance at success was sports. Truth is, if I had buckled down and cracked a book from time to time, I might have been ready when I hurt myself on the football field. Luckily, Jackson’s days as an athlete have come to an end early, so he has a real chance at taking a different direction before it’s too late. And I think with a second chance he’ll do it. Jackson is a hard-working kid. He’s smart and has a lot of potential, and he’s got his father’s can-do spirit in him. And, to be fair, he has more responsibilities than most kids—more than you can even imagine. It’s taken him a while to adjust but he’s back on track. I couldn’t be prouder of him, and I think that if you can let him move on, you won’t regret it. He’s a special kid. He’s going to change the world.”

Mr. Dehaven smiled. “Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones. Are you sure we’re talking about the same Jackson Jones? The one I know is constantly tardy and disrespectful, and lacks commitment to his work. Listen, I appreciate you coming down here, but Jackson is a failure in my book and he’s run out of chances.”

“I was afraid you would say that, so I brought someone else who is hoping you’ll reconsider,” Jackson’s father said.

Jackson’s father put his fingers into his mouth and blew a shrill whistle. A second later, Butch raced into the room and came to a halt in front of Dehaven. He eyed the man and let out a low, threatening growl.

“I’ll just let you two talk,” Jackson’s father said as he got up from his chair, walked out, and closed the door behind him.

Ten minutes later Jackson Jones moved on to the sixth grade.

WELL, YOU MADE IT! I CAN’T

BELIEVE IT. NO ONE CAN

BELIEVE IT, BUT HERE YOU ARE.

THE REST OF THE TEAM HAS

ASKED ME TO CONGRATULATE

YOU. YOU’RE NOW AN OFFICIAL

MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL

ESPIONAGE, RESCUE, AND

DEFENSE SOCIETY.

THERE’S ONLY ONE MORE THING

WE NEED FROM YOU …

YOUR CODE NAME. YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT IT IS, BUT NO ONE ELSE. OKAY. GOT IT.

THAT’S IT.

THE BOOK IS OVER.

REALLY, THERE’S NOTHING

MORE TO TELL.

GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY.

YOU NEED SOME FRESH AIR.

Acknowledgments

Many people helped me bring NERDS to life. Revealing them will put their lives at great risk, but I still feel they deserve a hearty thank-you. First and foremost, my editor, Susan Van Metre (code name: Bookworm). Her imagination was just as important to this book as mine. I also want to thank my wife and literary agent, Alison Fargis (code name: Brainstorm), who demanded that I write it. Jason Wells (code name: Headliner) deserves a lot of credit for his tireless efforts to get these books into the right hands. I’d also like to thank Ethen Beavers (code name: Comicstrip) for his amazing art and for agreeing to come on this roller coaster with me. Joe Deasy (code name: Dr. Jeopardy) continues to be an amazing sounding board, and much awe and admiration to Chad W. Beckerman (code name: Masterpiece), whose inspired art direction produced a truly one-of-a-kind book. Special thanks to Howard Sanders and Lauren Meltzner (code names: Holly-Mood and Vine) at UTA. I also want to thank all the bullies who picked on me when I was a skinny, nervous kid. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have hidden in the library and found my true calling.

About the Author

Michael Buckley a former member of NERDS, now spends his time writing. In addition to the top secret file you are holding, Michael has written the New York Times bestselling Sisters Grimm series, which has been published in more than twenty languages. He has also created shows for Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., TLC, and Nickelodeon. He lives with his wife and their son, but if he told you where, he’d have to kill you.

This book was art directed and designed by Agent Chad W. Beckerman. The illustrations were created by Agent Ethen Beavers.

FINE. I’LL GIVE YOU

A PEEK AT THE NEXT

NERDS CASE FILE.

BUT YOU HAVE TO

BUY THE REST!

M is for Mama’s Boy

By Michael Buckley

Read NERDS: Book Two today!

Simon’s plan was not going exactly the way he wanted. He was trapped on a tiny ledge on the side of an enormous ice mountain at the top of the world—the North Pole, to be exact. The temperature was just above negative 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and in all directions there was little more than glaciers and drifting ice sheets. Firm ground was nearly a mile above, and the deadly cold waters of the Arctic Ocean were far below. He had been stranded on the ledge for two days, freezing, starving, and desperate for water. No, things were not going as planned at all!

Still, Simon (formerly known as Choppers, formerly known as Heathcliff Hodges) refused to ask his goon for a rescue. In his effort to become an evil mastermind, Simon had read many books, including one by business tycoon Donald Trump. It had argued that you should never let your underlings know you need help. It undermined their respect for you. No. He would save himself.

He pulled himself to his feet and balanced precariously on the tiny ledge. He searched the surface of the mountain for a handhold just as he had done so many times before, and once again he found nothing. Was he doomed to die? He went over everything he had ever been taught during his time as a secret agent. The NERDS headquarters was filled to the brim with gadgets that would save his life: grappling guns, antigravity sneakers, and much more. He had no gadgets with him. Right now he’d have settled for something as simple as a rope.

He thought of his former teammates, especially Duncan. He would be able to stick to the ice and climb to the top with ease. What good were Simon’s huge front teeth when there was no one around to hypnotize? But what had the hopelessly incompetent Agent Brand said to the team? “You don’t need gadgets. You are the gadgets.” That was it! Simon was the gadget. He slammed his face into the ice, driving his enormous front teeth deep into the mountain. Alternately using his teeth and the heavy cleated boots he wore, he began to slowly climb the mountain.

Perhaps Simon should have been grateful for his amazing upgrades and his many hours of training, but that wasn’t how he felt. He was boiling mad. Sure, being a member of NERDS had been exciting, but because the work was secret, when the young spies weren’t out on a mission, they went right back to being picked on by their classmates. He and the others had suffered hundreds of wet willies, power wedgies, and flicked ears, but had they ever fought back? NO! They had to protect their identities and the work they did around the world. Well, it was all bunk! What was the point of having superpowers if you couldn’t fight the bullies who tormented you? One day, while the school’s resident meanie was dunking his head in a toilet, Simon realized that knuckleheads would always torment people like him. The only way to change it would be to change everything. He decided to destroy the world. With society in shambles, people would be forced to rely on those with great intelligence—namely, himself. Once again, reading and learning would be held in high regard and people like Simon would be admired rather than abused and humiliated.

But his brilliant plan had been foiled by his own teammates. Of all the people in the world, he was sure his former friends would join him. They were misfits, outcasts, spazzes—they’d been bullied, stuffed in lockers, and forced to hand over their milk money on a daily basis. But Simon had failed to see the effect Duncan Dewey had on the others. The chubby kid had always been a walking ball of positive energy. The abuse he suffered time and time again seemed to roll right off his back. And his grating optimism had infected the team. They acted as if Simon had betrayed them!

Simon’s thirst for revenge kept him going through the painful climb, and after several hours he was close to the summit. At the top, he hoped to find the remains of Dr. Jigsaw’s secret fortress, or at least some clothing and food. But when he was only a few inches away from the top, the mountain shook violently. He bit hard on the ice with what was left of his strength, knowing full well the source of the tremors. Jigsaw’s continental-shift machine was still active and was forcing the mountain farther into the sky. There was another quake, and this time his teeth could not hold on. The next thing he knew he was falling—down, down, down into the sea. He hit the waves with a painful splash and, exhausted, he sank into the icy black abyss.

For Simon, death seemed immediate, but fate had another plan for him. It flash froze him like a fish stick. His heartbeat slowed to an almost undetectable rhythm, as did his brain function. Every molecule in his body crystallized, and a block of ice quickly formed around him, turning him into an ice cube of evil. For weeks he floated south with the currents, bumping into ice floes around Iceland and Greenland, drifting past Canada and right down the eastern seaboard of the United States. Several lobster boats tried to reel him in, but the block was simply too heavy, and by the time Coast Guard officials got there to investigate, Simon had drifted away. The cube shrank a bit as it bobbed along in the warm waters of the Florida Keys, and on down past Cuba. Eventually, what was left of the chunk of ice washed ashore on a tiny, uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea.

The waves hurled it onto a pebbly beach where it was met by a squirrel with huge front teeth. Shocked by the cube’s sudden appearance, the squirrel fled into the jungle and didn’t return for three days. By then, the ice had melted considerably. When the squirrel mustered enough bravery, it hopped on top of the cube. It licked the ice and then spat the salty water out. Then, just as it was sure the ice posed no danger, nor any benefit, it peered into the crystal cube and saw Simon’s giant buckteeth. It let out a startled squeak and then began to dig at the ice with its little claws. Its excited chirps brought dozens of squirrels out of the jungle, and together they scratched and chipped at the ice, attempting to free the boy. Squirrels are not big thinkers, as a rule, but if one had read the minds of these particular squirrels, one would understand that they thought they had stumbled upon their god.

ARE YOU SATISFIED NOW?

GOOD! GET OUTTA HERE!