The Amazon Experiment

by Deborah Abela

  ‘Where are we going?’ Max clung to her seatbelt and guessed wherever it was, it wouldn’t be fun.

  ‘Not sure,’ Suave answered, as if he was on a joy flight. ‘But that’s the FZ-511. One of the finest choppers you’ll find.’

  ‘You mean the chopper that’s holding us prisoner and destroyed Quimby’s Heliocraft?’ Max looked at him sternly.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Maybe this is what happens when you die?’ Linden was feeling surprisingly calm.

  Max frowned. ‘A giant helicopter appears from the sky and carries us in a net to some kind of happy ever after?’

  Linden winced. ‘I knew it’d sound silly if I said it out loud.’

  The chopper thundered above as it carried them over the exploding plume of green jungle until it came to a gap in the trees. It then dropped the mutilated Heliocraft with a rude jolt before rising from the clearing and flying away.

  The four agents climbed out. Before them stood a sprawling two-storey mansion, settled deep within the jungle. It was painted stark white and was somehow out of place but curiously at home as well. Deep green vines crept up the two columns that proudly guarded the entrance. A set of marble stairs poured into a pebbled drive and led to a gently bubbling fountain. Shutters shielded each window and a broad veranda swooped around the lower floor, filled with chairs and tables like a hotel awaiting the arrival of a tour bus. The whole scene was surrounded by a perfectly manicured lawn jutting up against the tangled jungle.

  ‘Where are we?’ Max asked.

  ‘Not sure, but I don’t think solid ground ever felt this good,’ Linden said, taking a deep breath.

  ‘I agree with you there.’ Steinberger offered him a weak smile. He surveyed the surroundings and noticed a series of signal towers and satellite dishes positioned on the mansion’s roof.

  ‘Wherever we are, it is certainly well connected. Judging by their size, those towers and dishes are capable of picking up an incredible range of signals from great distances, and are equipped with a communication barrier to stop unwanted messages getting in and out or being detected by unwanted elements. I know because we had our communications systems updated to a similar setup only six months ago.’

  There was one device on the roof Steinberger wasn’t sure about. A large cannon-like object pointed towards the sky. Something bothered him about it, but he wasn’t sure what.

  Linden stared at the roof. ‘Which means they could have been the reason Frond’s message was corrupted.’

  ‘Very clever, Linden.’ Suave flashed a toothpaste smile.

  ‘So she’s here?’ Max asked.

  ‘Let’s hope so.’ Steinberger checked his computer and smiled broadly. ‘This is the place her directions lead to.’

  A low growl and stirring of trees was heard nearby.

  ‘You all heard that, right?’ Linden asked.

  ‘Yep. My guess is it’s dogs.’ Suave sniffed the air.

  He crouched to the ground and placed both hands on the soil. ‘Roger that. Dogs.’

  Three snarling dogs pushed their way through the dense undergrowth and slowly crept towards them. Their growling bit into Max’s nerves like giant mosquitoes.

  Ones that could kill you.

  ‘Is it just me or does it seem like these dogs haven’t been fed for a while?’ Linden looked at their salivating jaws and edgy pacing.

  ‘If we don’t make any sudden moves we should be all right,’ Suave stared at the approaching animals.

  That was it. Max had had all she could take of Mr Encyclopaedia — the calmness, the always knowing what to do, the never being scared. She spun round and threw her hands firmly onto her hips.

  ‘Are you going to keep being so perfect? This whole mission you have done nothing but do everything right and you haven’t even the slightest idea of how annoying that is.’

  Max took in deep breaths, knowing that Suave being so clever wasn’t the best excuse she had for yelling at him.

  Suave looked confused. ‘Sorry, Max.’

  ‘And stop apologising. That’s annoying too.’

  ‘Ah, Max?’ It was Linden. ‘I don’t think the dogs like you getting so upset.’

  Max felt hot panting against her neck. She turned slowly to see the long dripping fangs of one of the dogs. ‘Right. I’ll be still from now on.’

  A shrill whistle pierced the air and the dogs turned from salivating killers into puppies leaping and galloping towards the mansion steps. The click of stun blasters sounded behind the agents’ heads.

  ‘Won’t you come in?’

  Max immediately knew it was Kronch’s beefy voice behind them. She also knew they had no choice but to do as he said.

  They were marched across the pebbled driveway, up the marble steps and into a pristine foyer, with light filtering through the many windows in speckled waves. Chandeliers hung like clumps of diamonds from tall ceilings and the walls were covered in grand paintings that stood above carved stands with ornate vases. It was hard to reconcile this peaceful European-style palace with the sweltering heat and animal-filled jungle outside.

  They stood in their wet, crumpled clothes as a cool air-conditioned breeze wafted over them, sighing in relief as if they’d been plunged into a deep crystal-blue pool. Their relief, however, was cut short by a voice from the top of the stairs.

  ‘I decided we’d had enough fun toying with you and it was time to invite you in.’

  ‘Blue! I knew you were behind this,’ Suave announced.

  Really, Sherlock? Max grumbled silently before turning to Blue. ‘If this is an invitation, I’m busy and have to get going.’ She threw out her chin until she felt the point of the stun blaster in her back.

  ‘Maybe we could stay for a bit?’ Linden suggested. Letting Blue have his way for now would give them time to think of a plan.

  ‘Excellent. I have so many things to show you I think you’ll find interesting.’

  Blue had this creepy habit of finding out secret information few people knew and Max had a feeling he had done it again and had every intention of using it against them.

  ‘Besides, Steinberger and I are old friends. It wouldn’t be right for us not to have a chance to catch up. Talk about old times.’

  Max saw Steinberger’s face harden. She knew Blue held Steinberger partly responsible for his dismissal from Spyforce. Maybe he’d even use this chance to get his revenge.

  ‘Where’s Frond?’

  ‘Who?’ Blue spoke with an irritating innocence.

  ‘Frond. Where is she?’ Steinberger tensed up, his voice cold and hard.

  ‘It’s been a long time since I was on the Force,’ Blue pronounced pointedly. ‘If you’ve misplaced one of your agents, that’s hardly my problem.’

  Steinberger knew he was lying and moved forward to make him tell the truth, but was held back just in time by Linden. ‘He’s only trying to upset you.’

  Steinberger calmed down. He would find Frond with or without Blue’s assistance. For now, though, they’d have to play along with his games.

  ‘Drinks, anyone?’ Blue clapped his hands and a white-suited waiter pushed through a swinging door holding trays of tropical drinks.

  ‘No thanks. I think I’ll pass on being poisoned for today.’ Max was trying to stay calm but there was something about Blue that always made her furious.

  The swirling heat of the jungle had dropped to a bearable level in Blue’s mansion but those drinks sat before them like little islands of gold. Knowing how much they would have loved one, Blue reached for a glass and slowly sipped every last refreshing drop of a sweet, cold mango juice.

  ‘Perfect.’ Blue ushered the drinks away and Linden only just held back from running after them. ‘Since you’re in such a hurry, we’d better get on with the tour of my new enterprise.’

  With Kronch and his meat-headed friend behind them, the four agents followed Blue up the winding staircase. Max ran her hand along the banisters, which were carved into creeping vines and led them to a large o
rnately decorated corridor linedwith framed paintings of crops and plantations.

  ‘We mainly grow coffee, cocoa and soya beans. We also have cotton, rice, cassava and mangoes, as well as a very healthy rubber plantation.’

  ‘So you’ve traded evil for the life of a farmer?’

  Blue turned his head slowly. ‘Oh Maxine, I do miss your fiery little ways when we’re apart.’

  Max tensed. ‘It’s Max,’ she said through clenched teeth.

  Linden knew Max hated being talked down to and gently squeezed her hand to calm her down. He also knew what Max was getting at. Blue was much too cunning to simply be planting crops.

  Blue opened a large wooden door that led to a dark room. Floral wallpaper lined three walls, while the fourth was covered by a long curtain of deep red. Small tables holding bowls of fruit and chocolates sat between giant leather lounges. In one corner was a control panel filled with knobs, lights and buttons, and above this were positioned several security cameras showing views all around Blue’s property.

  ‘Please, come in. Make yourself comfortable.’

  Max would never get used to his creepy smile or the lilting tone of his voice that dripped with pure malice. Being comfortable in Blue’s presence was something even his own mother must have found hard to do.

  Blue strode to a throne-like chair with painted gold borders and floral embroidered cushions. Behind him was a life-sized portrait of himself, sitting in an eerily similar position.

  Max, Steinberger, Linden and Suave sat on two lounges opposite, with Kronch and his friend standing guard at the door.

  ‘During my time at Spyforce,’ Blue said, ‘I happened to find out that Harrison Senior was experimenting with the creation of an elixir of life that could allow a person to live for hundreds of years. The experiment was of course very hush hush, but as soon as he’d finished his elixir, he realised it was one of the greatest moments in the history of science. Harrison Senior also knew that it could lead to untold problems, such as overpopulation in an already crowded world, so he destroyed it, but not before recording the recipe in a top secret location.’

  Blue selected a chocolate from the bowl beside him and took his time with every savoured chew. ‘They taste so much better when they are made from fresh cocoa beans.’

  Suave was losing patience with Blue’s speech. ‘What does any of this have to do with us?’

  Blue licked his lips. ‘You’re just about to find out. You see, I also know that Harrison’s father had an assistant in his experiment.’

  Blue pressed a button on his armchair and the curtain slid aside. Below them a vast laboratory was operating behind the thick shield of glass. Steinberger, Max, Linden and Suave stood up to get a better look. There were lab-coated technicians moving amongst boiling glass cylinders, inspecting rows of test tubes filled with multicoloured substances and stirring giant vats and barrels bubbling with steaming concoctions.

  ‘This is my distillery. You see, the people of the Amazon have been creating natural cures for their ills for hundreds of years and we plan to take that knowledge to the world. Essentially we take plant and animal matter from the jungle and extract powerful cures and potions. From plants, bark, fish eggs … even bugs.’

  Max and Linden gave each other a quick look.

  ‘And you thought you’d just waltz in and take the knowledge of centuries for yourself.’ Max was indignant. It was obvious Blue’s tour was to prove to them that he was the one who had placed the sleeping sickness in Spyforce.

  ‘Maxine,’ Blue smiled sweetly as he moved beside them. ‘I’m not going to rise to your chiding. I’ve been on quite a successful anger management course and even you will not be able to rile me. And I must admit that being among the simple purity and serenity of nature has made me a different man. More harmonious, more in tune with life, more …’

  ‘Full of it?’ Max scoffed.

  Linden smirked but immediately remembered where they were. He wasn’t sure he wanted to test the limits of Blue’s newfound serenity.

  ‘Ah, there she is. The most important item I wanted to show you.’

  The agents looked down into the lab. Kronch and his bulbous partner giggled at the alarm pasted to their faces.

  It was Frond.

  Dressed in her bright red coat, with her distinctive beehive hairdo.

  ‘Frond!’ But it was no good. Max couldn’t be heard behind the thick glass. Frond busily moved about Blue’s lab as easily as if she was at home in her Plantorium.

  Steinberger pressed his hand onto the glass and stared down at the Spyforce agent seemingly working for the enemy.

  ‘With her knowledge of plants, she is my perfect companion in the Amazon. So many rare and as yet unknown species to work with. It’s been said that the people of the forest know cures for diseases we never thought possible. I knew with such a vast and unlimited array of plants to work with, Frond would only be too happy to come and work with me.’ At this he stood directly beside Steinberger. ‘And we did get along famously when I was at Spyforce.’

  Max saw Steinberger’s cheeks tense as he clenched his teeth.

  ‘She’s a loyal little thing …’ Blue paused for effect. ‘When it comes to her work.’ He threw it out as a challenge, daring Steinberger to contradict him.

  ‘Frond would never agree to work with you!’ Max shouted.

  Blue eyed her with pure enjoyment. ‘Thing is, Maxine, she already has.’

  Something about this last sentence sent tremors through all four agents. Max knew what she was seeing, but she also knew Frond would never choose to work with Blue.

  ‘Can you see anything else of interest?’ Blue said casually.

  The agents scanned the area, until Linden saw something that made his heart jolt.

  ‘The Spyforce manual,’ he breathed. Frond was carefully turning its well-thumbed pages under a small lamp with a pink light bulb — the device needed for reading its secret experiments written in invisible ink.

  ‘Yes!’ Blue pronounced excitedly.

  ‘But how …’ Linden stared at the book that was the key to Spyforce.

  Steinberger’s fingers slowly flexed before curling into two rigid fists.

  Max knew Blue was toying with them like a bully about to pull the wings off a fly.

  ‘Oh, that part is such fun — and it was only possible with the help of a few of the wonderful agents of Spyforce itself.’

  Max shot Suave a hard look. Maybe it was now that she would discover he was the crooked agent.

  ‘You see, many years ago I accidentally walked in on Frond, Harrison and his father recording something in the back of the Spyforce manual, and I knew by the way they guarded it so secretively that it was something very important and that, therefore, I had to have it. But before I could investigate further, I was rudely expelled from the Force.’ He turned to Steinberger. ‘I won’t go into those details now, as Steinberger knows that story only too well, seeing as he was a central part of the whole dirty business.’

  Steinberger eyed Blue carefully. He wasn’t going to bite at his flawed retelling of history.

  ‘For years I’ve been trying to infiltrate Spyforce, but with CRISP doing such a fine job keeping it impenetrable, I thought if I can’t get in, I’ll get someone inside to do my work for me.’

  ‘So the stolen manual was an inside job, just like Dretch said,’ Linden deduced.

  ‘Ah, Dretch,’ Blue smiled. ‘He was simply excellent. He slipped in that poisoned food sample and didn’t flinch once when he retrieved the manual. He really is one top notch but neglected agent.’

  ‘Dretch is one of Spyforce’s most loyal agents and would never do what you’re suggesting.’ Steinberger was standing firm.

  ‘Loyalty is no match when it comes to my new invention.’ Blue sniggered quietly.

  Max and Linden shifted nervously.

  ‘My Mind Control Frequency Satellite.’

  The declaration hung in the air like just delivered bad news.

&nbs
p; ‘And Frond is …’ Steinberger looked forlornly at his beloved Frond, a stab of jealousy eating into him, as he now realised she too was under Blue’s control.

  ‘Yes.’ Blue’s eyes flared. ‘Her too.’

  ‘How is it possible?’ Suave asked, not sure what to believe.

  ‘It emits a high frequency signal that invades a person’s thinking and alters it to do exactly as I dictate and all I needed to achieve this brain breakin was a DNA sample from my lucky chosen few. With Dretch, I still had a postcard he’d sent me from a holiday he once took in Sweden. His DNA was perfectly preserved on the stamp.’

  ‘And Frond?’ Linden asked warily.

  ‘Well, you see, I had a very special fondness for Frond when I was at the Force, even though the feeling never seemed to have been reciprocated.’

  ‘It’s because she has something called taste,’ Max spelt out.

  Blue ignored Max’s comments and went on. ‘One day I came across her handbag and inside was a comb with one of her beautiful strands of hair. I took the hair and have kept it in my wallet ever since. Clever, if you really think about it.’

  ‘Creepy is what I’d call it.’ Max shivered at the new level of weird Blue had just reached.

  ‘So I had Dretch steal the manual and leave it in the Plantorium. Once I’d begun the mind control on Frond, she took the precious book, wrote her farewell note and brought it directly to me. No fuss, no bother and no messy kidnap scenes. They can be such a bore. And now I really have been talking too long. I must get back to my new recruit and see how her work is coming along.’

  Blue could hardly contain his joy at having Spyforce’s Administration Manager in his hands. If this was his way of getting revenge, by the hurt look on Steinberger’s face, it seemed he’d succeeded.

  ‘Take them away.’

  Blue’s two thugs latched themselves onto the agents, like guard dogs waiting for the command from their master.

  ‘And relieve them of their packs. They won’t be needing those where they’re going.’

  ‘Whatever you have in mind, Blue, nothing will stand in the way of us accomplishing our mission.’ Suave struggled in the thick arms of his captor.