The Great Spy Showdown

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  Jessie laughed. “Benny, you can’t have your real name in your code name. It’s supposed to hide your identity, not tell everyone who you are. It should be a cool way for other people to describe you, kind of like a superhero name.”

  “Hmm…” Benny thought hard. “Well, you are supersmart. And you like to write things down. I think you should be Professor J. The J stands for Jessie.”

  Jessie smiled. “Thank you, Benny. I will be Professor J. What do you want to be?

  Benny thought hard again. “Hot Dog.”

  “Hot Dog and Professor J, huh?” Jessie said with a smile. She found a marker in her backpack and wrote Hot Dog and Professor J on two of the cards. “How about Henry and Violet?”

  “Hmm. Violet is a color,” Benny said. “What’s another word for violet? Purple?”

  “How about amethyst?” Jessie said. “She could be Agent Amethyst.”

  Benny lit up with excitement. “I like that! And Henry should be Cluemaster. He’s always using clues to solve hard puzzles.”

  Jessie wrote the code names on the place cards. “Cluemaster, Professor J, Amethyst, and Hot Dog,” she said. “We sound like quite the spy team. Now we’re all set for dinner.”

  The two closed up their room and followed Benedict’s directions to the dining hall. When they got close, Benny sniffed the air. Jessie did too.

  “Do I smell tomato soup?” Jessie asked.

  “Jessie!” Benny said, grabbing Jessie’s hand. “Tomato soup and avocado toast is Agent Ada’s favorite. Do you think that’s what we’re having?”

  Jessie laughed. “How perfect. And we get to eat supper in A.D. Ashton’s dining hall…I don’t think I can be disappointed, even if we don’t win the competition.”

  The dining hall was a wide room with another big fireplace and a long table. Slices of golden toast topped with avocado spread were arranged on a white platter, and a large kettle of soup was warming over an electric heater. It looked just like the pictures of Agent Ada’s suppers.

  Jessie and Benny took their seats and set out their name cards, leaving two empty chairs for Henry and Violet. Some of the other team members were there too, two from each team. Jessie guessed everyone else was still in the Gadgetry, where Henry and Violet were.

  “I can’t wait to eat. This looks so good,” Benny said, holding his stomach. “I guess we should wait until everyone is here though.”

  “Hello,” said the girl sitting across the table from Jessie. She was from Team Three, according to her place card. She looked like she was about Henry’s age, and she wore a pretty blue hijab wrapped around her hair and face. “I’m—well, my code name is InfraRed. Nice to meet you!”

  “Hello, I’m…” Jessie remembered to use her code name when introducing herself. “I’m Professor J. Dinner smells delicious, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, I can’t wait,” InfraRed said warmly.

  “Can you believe it?” said one of the boys from Team Four. His place card said Scott. He had fluffy brown hair and was smiling from ear to ear. “We are going to eat Ada’s favorite food in A.D. Ashton’s house!”

  A tall, older boy with dark hair near the head of the table, a member of Team Two, snorted and crossed his arms. His place card said Chameleon. He sat next to a girl whose code name was Leopard. She had her blond hair pulled into a bun. Neither of them was smiling.

  “Calm down,” Chameleon said. “This is a competition. But you might not have noticed that part yet, since you didn’t even write down a code name, Scott.”

  Scott’s ears turned red. He looked down at his shoes.

  “That’s not very nice,” Jessie said to Chameleon. “This weekend is going to be fun, even if we don’t win.”

  Leopard laughed, but it wasn’t very nice sounding.

  “I’m glad you think that, since you’re definitely not going to win,” she said. “After all, you’ve got a baby on your team.”

  “Hey, I’m six!” Benny said.

  InfraRed spoke up. “Come on, Leopard. There’s no reason to be mean like that.” She faced Chameleon and Leopard. Her partner, a younger boy who was just about Benny’s age, nodded. His code name was Gigabyte.

  “Yeah. You’ve been nothing but mean to everyone since you got here,” Gigabyte said. “If you’re not going to be a good sport, you might as well leave everyone alone.”

  Chameleon snorted again and turned away. Leopard rolled her eyes but said nothing.

  “Just ignore them,” Jessie told Benny.

  “You’re right,” said Benny. “I’m not going to let him ruin my avocado toast and tomato soup.”

  After a little while, the other members of the teams arrived. Jessie thought everyone seemed friendly enough, except for the members of Team Two, who quietly whispered among themselves.

  Once everyone was seated, Benedict came in and removed the lid from the kettle.

  “Dinner is served,” he said. The scent of the soup made Jessie’s mouth water. Moments later, everyone had a piece of avocado toast and a bowl of steaming tomato soup. The bread was crisp and buttery, and the soup was just a little spicy. Jessie had never tasted a better combination.

  “Do you think A.D. Ashton is going to join us?” Benny asked between mouthfuls of toast.

  “I don’t know,” Jessie said. “Come to think of it, the only adult we’ve seen so far is Benedict.”

  “A.D. Ashton is very secretive,” said Scott. Another member of his team, whose code name was Mina, nodded. It seemed all of the Team Four members had used their real names instead of code names.

  “No one even knows if Ashton is a man or a woman,” Mina said. She looked just as excited as Scott. “Oh my gosh! Can you believe we might actually be able to meet the author of Agent Ada? I’m so excited!”

  “If you couldn’t tell, we’re the biggest Ada-mirers,” Scott said. “But…I have to admit, we’re not very good spies. I guess you could tell from our code names. We couldn’t think of anything clever, so we just used our real names.”

  “I think your code names are great,” Benny said. “At least you won’t forget them.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Everyone except Chameleon and the rest of Team Two, that is.

  CONTINUE

  RENDEZVOUS

  Early the next morning, Henry and Violet showed Jessie and Benny the gadgets they’d been given for the competition: a drone with a camera, a tablet computer, two headsets, and a pair of mysterious glasses.

  “We’ve also got these cool spy outfits to wear,” Benny said, showing Henry and Violet the utility belts and black jackets that had been waiting in their rooms. “I can’t wait to see what our challenge is. Do you think we’ll sneak into a top secret meeting? Or maybe track down a villain?”

  Henry chuckled. “Who knows, Benny? We’ll have to wait and find out.”

  There was a knock on the door. A moment later, a white envelope was slipped under. Jessie picked it up and opened it.

  “‘Good morning, agents,’” she read. “‘This morning you will have your first mission. It will take place in Chester Hills. Meet in the lobby at nine o’clock sharp. Bring only your tablet and the sunglasses, and dress in the most normal clothes you have.’”

  “Normal clothes?” Benny asked. He wanted to wear his cool new spy jacket.

  “That’s all right, Agent Hot Dog,” Henry said, using Benny’s code name from the night before. “You can wear these. Dr. Sharpe, the technology lady, said someone from each team needed to have them on at all times. Think you can handle that?”

  Benny nodded solemnly and then put the sunglasses on.

  Jessie packed the tablet in her backpack. “Ready to go, Hot Dog, Amethyst, and Cluemaster?” she asked.

  “Let’s go, Professor J!” said Violet.

  The members of Team Three were already waiting. Jessie waved hello to the two with the code names InfraRed and Gigabyte, who they had met at dinner the night before. InfraRed introduce the other two members of the team: Jumpdrive, a girl who loo
ked to be about fifteen, and Wi-Fi, a boy about Violet’s age with dark red hair and freckles.

  “Jumpdrive, InfraRed, Wi-Fi, and Gigabyte,” Violet whispered. “They all have technology names. I remember yesterday in the Gadgetry, Wi-Fi was great with the drone.”

  “We’ll have to watch out for them when it comes to technology,” Henry said.

  A few minutes later, Team Two and Team Four entered the lobby. Scott, Mina, and the other two members of Team Four were still chattering about being in A.D. Ashton’s house. It seemed not even a night’s rest had dulled their excitement.

  Chameleon, Leopard, and the other two members of Team Two kept to themselves on the other side of the lobby, away from everyone else. They seemed to be sizing up the competition.

  “Do you think we’re going to ride in a spy car like Agent Ada’s?” Benny asked. “With the jet booster and the computer screen?”

  Violet giggled. “I hope so. But probably not. I think we’re supposed to fit in to our surroundings on today’s mission.”

  A honk sounded from outside, and all four teams stepped out into the cold. Parked on the driveway was a short school bus that reminded Violet of the kind she’d taken for field trips. She heard Benny give a little sigh and nudged him with her elbow.

  “I know it’s not a spy car,” Violet said. “But think of it as a spy…bus!”

  Benedict honked the horn again, and all sixteen children boarded the bus. Benedict closed the door, shutting out the chilly air. A moment later they were heading down the road.

  Chester Hills was a short drive away. It was a small village with a main street filled with shops, many of which sold ski and sledding equipment for travelers who had come to visit the resorts. There were a few markets, a barbershop, and even a pet store with puppies and kittens playing in the window.

  Benedict slowed the bus and opened the door. “Team One, this is your stop,” he called.

  Henry got up, and Jessie, Violet, and Benny followed him to the front of the bus. Just as they were about to step out, Benedict said, “Agents, remember to stick to the script.”

  Before they knew it, the Aldens were standing on the sidewalk as the bus drove away. They looked up and down Main Street. A gentle snow had begun to fall, lit by the bright morning sky.

  “It’s pretty bright out. I’m glad I’m wearing sunglasses,” said Benny.

  “Stick to the script, huh?” Henry repeated what Benedict had said. “Wonder what that means.”

  “And I wonder what we’re supposed to do now,” Violet said. “We weren’t given any instructions at all, except that we’d need the tablet and the glasses.”

  Jessie wasn’t worried. “Agent Ada doesn’t always know what her secret missions are. I bet it’s part of our job to figure it out.”

  “You’re right,” said Henry. He headed down the street at an easy walk. “Benedict dropped us off here for a reason. Let’s see what’s going on around us. Benny, are you coming?”

  Henry, Jessie, and Violet turned back. Benny had fallen behind and was peering at the brick wall of one of the shops.

  “I’m trying to read something,” Benny said.

  “But there’s nothing there,” Violet said. All she could see were the orange and red bricks.

  “There is too,” Benny said. “It says, ‘The M-O-L-E…’”

  “M-O-L-E?” Violet repeated. “Mole? Benny, where are you seeing those words?”

  The Aldens gathered around where Benny was looking. Henry snapped his fingers.

  “Aha! It’s got to be those sunglasses,” he said. “They were an important part of today’s mission, remember? Benny’s the only one who can see the letters because he’s wearing the glasses—the message must be written in some kind of invisible ink!”

  Jessie took the tablet out of her backpack and handed it to Violet, along with the writing stylus. “Here, Violet. Benny, spell out the letters you see, and Violet will write them down. Then we’ll know what it says.”

  Benny did just that. Violet wrote down the letters Benny said, using the tablet the same way she might use a notebook and pencil. When they were done, they had a mysterious sentence written down: THE MOLE IS OUT OF THE BOX AND READY FOR THE RAIN.

  “What does that mean?” Benny asked. “It’s not raining; it’s snowing. And what’s a mole?”

  “It’s a little animal, kind of like a mouse or rat,” Henry said.

  “Do you think it might be a kind of pet animal?” Violet asked hopefully. “I saw a pet shop down the street when we first got into town. Do you think we should go there and see if there are any clues about what our secret mission is?”

  “Good idea,” Jessie said. “Let’s walk that way.”

  The walk down Main Street was pleasant. The clouds and snow cleared, and the sun came out. It wasn’t nearly as cold as the day before, so the Aldens were able to enjoy the walk, taking in the sights and the fresh mountain air. Benny looked around with his sunglasses but didn’t see any more messages.

  Violet tugged Jessie’s sleeve. “Don’t look now, but there’s a man who looks a little suspicious across the street,” she whispered.

  Jessie looked carefully. A man in a trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat sat on a bench in front of a theater. He had large sunglasses on, which covered almost all of his face. Jessie thought he looked just like an old-fashioned spy from some of the black-and-white movies Grandfather liked to watch. Jessie tapped Henry on the shoulder and whispered for him to look. Then he quietly told Benny what they’d seen.

  “Over here,” Henry said. He turned down an alley. From there, they were out of sight, but they could still see the man in the long coat.

  “We’re spying! We’re spying!” Benny said.

  “Do you think we’re supposed to talk to him?” Jessie asked. “After all, he might not have anything to do with the competition. If that’s the case, we shouldn’t spy on him from an alley.”

  “Look—there’s Scott and Team Four,” Henry said. “Let’s see what they do.”

  From the alley, the Aldens watched Scott, Mina, and the rest of Team Four walk up to the man in the trench coat. Scott held the tablet, but none of the four were wearing the sunglasses. Scott waved and said something, but the man did not respond. When Scott tried again, the man gave him a blank look and shook his head. It looked like the man didn’t know what Scott wanted. And he didn’t seem interested in having a conversation. After a few seconds, Scott and his teammates turned away, scratching their heads in confusion.

  “It doesn’t look like that went well,” Henry said.

  “Did you notice none of them were wearing the sunglasses?” Violet asked. “Maybe they forgot. Or misunderstood.”

  “Just like how they misunderstood making code names,” Benny said. “If they didn’t use the sunglasses, they probably didn’t see any secret message about the hamster.”

  “Mole, Benny,” said Violet with a grin.

  “Well, team,” Jessie began, “we’ve got a decision to make. We can try to talk to that man and see if we get different results than Team Four. Or, we can keep going to the pet shop to see if they know anything about the mole in the secret message. What do you think we should do?”

  IF THE ALDENS GO TO THE PET SHOP, PRESS HERE.

  IF THE ALDENS SPEAK WITH THE MAN IN THE TRENCH COAT, PRESS HERE.

  THE PET SHOP

  “We already saw what happened when Team Four tried to talk to the man,” Henry said. “And just because he’s dressed like a spy doesn’t mean that he is one. Let’s go to the pet shop and see if they know anything about the mole.”

  The Aldens continued down the street toward the pet shop. On the way, they passed InfraRed and the rest of Team Three, who were headed in the opposite direction. Gigabyte was wearing the sunglasses. His goofy grin matched Benny’s, and they high-fived as they passed.

  “Good luck,” Gigabyte said.

  “You too!” said Benny.

  After Team Three had passed, Violet sighed and wrung her hands
nervously.

  “Do you think it’s strange that they’re going away from the pet shop?” she asked. “They’ll pass the man in the trench coat soon if they keep going in that direction, and Gigabyte was wearing the glasses.”

  “Hmm, and from that smile on his face, I bet they found a secret message too,” Jessie said. “Maybe they were already at the pet shop and found a clue. In that case, we should hurry up. I get the feeling all four teams are supposed to reach the same goal, and the last team to reach it will be eliminated.”

  “We’re almost to the pet shop,” Henry called from up ahead. “If we’re wrong and need to talk to the man in the trench coat, we can go and talk to him after.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Violet said.

  The pet shop door jangled as they entered, and inside was even louder. Parrots and parakeets chirped and sang and squawked. Hamsters and ferrets played in their pens, and near the window a half a dozen puppies yipped and yapped excitedly at the people walking by outside.

  “Boy, it sure is loud,” said Benny. He had to raise his voice just so the others could hear him.

  “I’ll go talk to the manager about the mole,” Jessie shouted. She made her way through the parrot cages toward the counter, but there was a line. Jessie knew they were in a rush but did not want to draw attention to herself, so she waited.

  Finally, she reached the front of the line. “Excuse me—” she began.

  “What’s that? I can’t hear you!” said the woman, putting her hand around her ear.

  Jessie hesitated. The shop was small. All the customers would hear her if she raised her voice. She did not want others to know about their mission. But if she didn’t speak up, there was no way the manager would hear her over all the barking and yowling and squawking. She tried again, speaking a little louder.

  “Excuse me, do you know anything about—” she began.

  “Speak up, I still can’t hear you!” the manager shouted.

  Suddenly, Benny pulled off his glasses, stepped up to the counter, and yelled, “Do you have any rats wearing raincoats!?”