‘Go get ’em, cowboy,’ Max mumbled to herself, but it was exactly what she’d wanted to say as they were pinioned by the goons and led away from Frond and into the clutches of Blue’s latest loathsome plan.
‘You know you’ll never beat us,’ Suave declared as they were led away from Blue. ‘We’re Spyforce agents and we always complete our mission.’
‘Now he’s sounding like a Canadian mountie,’ Max sighed.
The four agents were led down a series of hidden passageways, through dusty and forgotten rooms and moist and clammy cellars. Max flung herself about wildly to be as annoying as she could but, catching Linden’s eye, was reminded to keep her temper and not make the goons upset.
Kronch had removed their packs and thrown them into a garbage compactor just outside the kitchen. He then stayed at the rear, his stun blaster jamming into Steinberger’s back every chance he got.
The other thug remained at the front. His hulking body swayed from side to side as he thumped his way through the passages to a set of muddy steps. He stopped before a splintered and roughly hewn door and, placing a large key into a rusting iron lock, led the agents to their final destination.
‘Don’t worry, agents, I have a plan,’ Suave announced confidently.
The room was dark and moist. The ground was spongy and slippery and smelt of damp earth and mouldy food.
‘One of your best guest rooms, is it?’ Max couldn’t help it. She knew it was better to stay quiet but she couldn’t let these goons get away without any attitude. Kronch and his partner didn’t answer as they tied the agents to a wooden pole in the centre of the room.
‘Are you going to leave us here until we sprout mushrooms?’
Kronch let loose a snort-ridden laugh.
Max was confused. Until she looked up.
Above them was a giant metal chute with a transparent cover, behind which were imprisoned thousands of heaving worms.
‘Worms?’ Max thought Blue could do better than that.
‘Did someone say worms?’ Suave didn’t look up.
‘Thousands of them,’ Linden sighed as he too saw the mass of slippery creatures wriggle and slime above them. ‘I never thought I’d end my life as compost.’
‘Worms? Thousands of them? What are they doing here? And what do we have to do with them?’ Suave was sounding increasingly agitated. His voice lost its controlled edge and his pitch got higher and higher.
Max ignored him. ‘Compost. That’s it, Linden. We’re about to become part of the world’s biggest worm farm,’ she deduced.
‘Small … slimy … thousands.’ Suave was really starting to lose it.
Kronch and his friend left the room and closed the door with a hammering thud. They took turns to keep watch through a small observation window.
‘Why worms?’ It was Suave again. ‘Do you really think they’ll release them?’
‘Yep. Things tend to get like this when I’m on a mission.’ Max squelched in the spongy ground.
‘We don’t have much time,’ Steinberger announced. ‘We must work out —’
But Steinberger was interrupted by something strange.
‘We’ve got to get out of here!’ Suave yelled. He thrashed about in his roped position, trying to break free. ‘We’ll die! Smothered by thousands of moist, slimy, miniature feeders of death. Crawling over the dead and rotting, eating their way through the earth, ruling the very soil we walk on, making our last moments on earth a simple food fest!’ He thrashed about some more, and finally, after all they’d been through, his hair became ruffled from its perfect, sculptured coiffure.
Max stared, sure she couldn’t really be seeing what she was seeing.
‘I don’t want to die! I don’t want to become worm food. Please … I don’t want to die! Mummy! Mummy!’
And with that, Suave fainted.
‘Suave?’ Steinberger nudged the limp body of Suave next to him.
‘At least that’ll keep him quiet for a while,’ Max murmured.
Just then the transparent cover of the worm chute started to slide open.
‘This is going to be really messy.’ Linden braced himself as the first worms fell on his head and quickly disappeared into his propeller-shaped hair. ‘Uh-oh. They could be in there for days.’
‘Oh dear,’ Steinberger’s fear of bugs found new life. ‘Do you think any of our bug repellent survived the waterfall?’
‘Doubt it.’ Max blinked as a worm fell on her face and quickly slid off. When she opened her eyes she saw Steinberger once again trying to be brave. ‘Are you going to be okay with them?’
‘Yes,’ Steinberger shuddered. ‘Quite.’
‘You know, Steinberger,’ Max smiled. ‘I think you’ve been great on this mission.’
A few worms slimed down Steinberger’s blushing face. ‘I guess you don’t know what you can do until something you love is taken from you.’
‘Something you love?’ Linden spat a worm from his lips.
‘Yep, you don’t easily forget someone who has given your life meaning, who has lifted you from what you are to what you could become and shown you how wonderful the world really can be.’
Linden gave Max a wink. He was finally going to do it. After years of not admitting it to anybody, Steinberger was finally going to admit his feelings for Frond. ‘That must feel pretty amazing.’
‘Yes, well,’ Steinberger blushed. ‘Spyforce is an amazing place.’
‘Spyforce?’ Linden and Max spluttered.
‘Spyforce is the only family I have. I was six, and an only child, when my parents and I were driving up a beautiful mountain path in New Zealand. About halfway up, a huge storm hit and swept the car off the road and into a ravine. I can still remember the green and white snow-covered trees flashing past as our car bumped and turned to the bottom. Then it stopped. I called to my parents but they didn’t answer. I was there for three days before the storm passed and a driver found and rescued me.’
Max blew a worm from her nose and stretched a rope-bound finger towards Steinberger. ‘We’ll save Spyforce, Steinberger. I know we will.’ A bunch of worms slopped onto his shoulder.
As Suave continued to slump beside them, passed out in worm fear, Max desperately tried to work out what was going on. Again and again she saw the image of Frond working in Blue’s lab like she belonged there. Like she was happy to be part of his team. It wasn’t right.
‘I guess you can’t always believe what you see.’
‘Yep.’ Linden agreed as a swamp of sucking, writhing worms was starting to build around their feet. ‘Frond working for Blue, Dretch’s fingerprints on the cabinet,’ and here he looked at Max. ‘Suave being perfect.’
Max looked away. ‘I guess even perfect people have a weak spot.’ She felt bad about suspecting Suave was bad and for being angry with him when all he was trying to be was a good agent.
‘What should we do now?’ she asked, closing her lips just in time to avoid a mouthful of worms.
‘Find and destroy the mind control satellite, rescue Frond and the manual and meet the Goliath to take us back to Spyforce.’
‘Great,’ sighed Max. ‘Simple, but where would Blue keep the device?’
Steinberger’s ponderous look brightened. ‘There’s a cannon-like device on the roof of this mansion that is pointed directly into the sky. I didn’t know what it was earlier, but after all we’ve learnt, I’d say it’s feeding directly off a satellite and using the installed DNA samples to track down a person’s location before invading their minds and controlling their thoughts.’
‘I think you might be onto something, Steinberger,’ Linden said proudly as the pool of worms rose up his legs.
‘But if Frond is under Blue’s control, how could she have sent us details of where she was?’
‘My guess is this.’ Steinberger squinted, concentrating hard. ‘Blue used the device to make Frond take the book and leave Spyforce. She was brought here and then Blue turned off the machine hoping Frond would want to w
ork for him, that she would finally fall for his charms. He would be vain enough to think she would. That’s when she sent us the messages. When she wouldn’t cooperate Blue knew he had no choice but to use the device again.’
‘But how did she get through the Spyforce lock-down?’ Max shrugged a worm out of her ear.
‘Frond was in charge of the lock-down for the Plantorium. With the mind control, she would simply have walked through.’
‘How are we going to get out of here?’ Some worms had crawled inside Linden’s shirt and were starting to tickle.
‘Like this.’ Steinberger wriggled his hand into his pocket and slowly took out his Hypnotron. ‘I’m not good with packs — I have a tendency to lose them. So I put a few of Quimby’s smaller gadgets in my pockets.’
He programmed a time limit. ‘An hour should do it. It’s time to complete Mission Triatoma.’
Kronch and the other goon had their backs to the observation window. ‘We need to get their attention.’
‘Max? I think this calls for your expertise,’ Linden smiled mischievously. ‘Brace yourself, Steinberger.’
Max took a deep breath and let out a huge scream. One of those girly screams that should come with a health warning for your ears. She did her best act of flinging herself about and being petrified of worms as the goons looked in and smiled, enjoying every minute.
‘You won’t think this is so funny.’ Steinberger pointed the Hypnotron at the goons and an intense golden beam was directed into their eyes. After thirty seconds it stopped. ‘That should do it. Come in,’ he called.
The goons obediently opened the door and waded through the squelching waist-high worm goo towards them.
‘Cut the ropes.’
They both pulled out their knives and did as they were told.
‘Where is Blue?’ Steinberger asked.
‘In the observation deck looking at the lab,’ Kronch intoned.
‘And the FZ-511 chopper? Where’d you land that?’
‘On a helipad at the end of a small track behind the mansion,’ the other goon answered.
‘Keys?’
Kronch handed them over.
‘Now.’ Steinberger looked towards Suave. ‘We have to wake him up.’
‘I know how.’ Max smiled broadly then looked at Kronch. ‘Take off your sock.’
Kronch bent into the wriggling worm bath and after a few seconds held up a worn and muddied sock.
‘That’s a hard life for a sock,’ Linden cringed.
‘Hold it here.’ Max pointed beneath Suave’s nose.
‘I know Suave has annoyed you,’ Linden conceded, ‘but does he really deserve this?’
After a few seconds, the agent spluttered to life. ‘Wha … what is that … errr.’
‘Suave,’ Steinberger said in his calmest voice, ‘we’re in a room full of worms, but don’t worry, we’re about to escape and I need you to stay calm.’
Suave opened his eyes and had the same about-to-panic look as before. ‘Did someone say worms? What’s been happening?’
‘We’ll explain on the way.’
Max smirked. ‘But for now it’s probably best if you don’t look down.’
Steinberger looked at the goons. ‘Stay here,’ he ordered, motioning to the others as he led the way out of the squirming bog.
Max was the last of the agents to squelch her way to worm freedom, but before she left she couldn’t resist one last command. ‘Why don’t you two give yourselves a good slap?’
The goons slapped themselves across their cheeks.
Max giggled. This was fun. ‘And … again?’ They did as they were told.
‘And now …’
‘Max?’ Linden’s voice called.
‘Coming.’ She left the thugs in their rising worm compost, where she thought they looked right at home.
In the damp and darkened corridor leading away from the giant compost room, Max, Linden and Suave wiped off a few stray worms and began covering themselves in invisibility cream Steinberger had pulled from another pocket. Steinberger explained the rest of his plan.
‘Max and Linden, you go to the roof and destroy the mind control device. Suave, once you’re invisible, go to the distillery and get me a lab coat. There were some hanging just inside the door. That way I can masquerade as a scientist and save Frond.’ He looked down at his Amazon-soaked, worm-slimed suit. ‘And I may be a little noticeable dressed like this.’
‘As good as done.’ Suave was back to his normal Suave-self now they were worm free.
‘Next, do you think you can fly Blue’s helicopter?’
‘The FZ-511? It’ll be my pleasure, sir.’
‘Excellent. Here are the keys. She’s on a helipad at the end of a small track behind the mansion. We’ll all meet you there in twenty minutes.’
‘Will that be enough time?’ Max asked as her legs and waist became invisible.
‘It has to be,’ Steinberger said sombrely. ‘Once Blue knows Frond has gone, there’s no telling what he’ll do.’
Max, Linden and Suave applied the last of the cream to the visible parts of their bodies.
‘Max and Linden, you’ll need your super-grip gloves, so retrieve your bags from the compactor outside the kitchen. Once you’re on the roof, I’ll send you a signal on your palm computers to destroy the mind control device with your lasers. But wait for my signal. I will need to keep Frond calm as she comes round and lead her out of the lab with the minimum of fuss.’
Steinberger gazed proudly at where his team would be if he could see them. ‘I am prouder of you than any Spyforce mission leader has ever been.’
His eyes moistened with tears and as much as Max knew it was an important moment, it wasn’t time for any crying.
‘May the Force be with you,’ she announced.
‘May the Force be with you,’ the others sang musketeer-style.
Suave opened the door to the corridor and quickly made his way to find a lab coat, while Max and Linden hurried to the compactor and found their packs. They were smothered in soggy food and sauces. ‘I should have guessed,’ Max moaned. She had a habit of attracting garbage while on missions.
They wiped the packs down as best they could and began to apply the invisibility cream to them, just as an aproned man came out of the kitchen and witnessed the disappearing bags. They rubbed the cream in faster and within seconds both had vanished.
Max and Linden held their breath, standing as still as they could, waiting to see what the man would do. He stared at the space where they were crouched.
Please go away, Max pleaded silently.
The man shook his head. ‘I think I need a holiday,’ he said before walking back into the kitchen.
‘Now let’s get out of here,’ Linden breathed.
They snuck past a group of suited men laughing to each other importantly, and made their way out the front entrance.
‘Feel that heat,’ Max sighed quietly to Linden as the jungle temperature hit her.
‘It’s a scorcher, all right.’
It wasn’t Linden who answered.
Max flung her head to the right to see a burly guard standing beside her. She held her breath, not knowing what to do.
‘What?’ a guard to the left side of them asked.
‘Feel that heat. Isn’t that what you said?’
‘Wasn’t me.’
Max and Linden stood frozen between the two guards, who looked suspiciously around.
‘Must be getting to me.’ The first guard wiped his brow as Max and Linden tiptoed past and made their way silently into the front yard.
Linden stopped. ‘Max?’
‘Ooph.’ Max head-butted Linden’s pack. ‘Did you have to stop so suddenly?’
‘I wanted to make sure you were there,’ Linden whispered. ‘And not back there making conversation with the guards.’
‘Funny,’ Max answered. ‘Let’s go round the corner where they won’t hear us. And before you kill me with your hilarity.’
; After putting invisibility cream on their supergrip gloves and slipping them on, they were about to start climbing when they were interrupted by something they’d forgotten.
‘The dogs!’ Linden stared at the two growling animals, circling them and sniffing the air. He ran to the corner of the mansion to see if the guards had noticed. ‘We’ve got to quieten them down before the guards hear.’
‘The Hypnotron?’ Max suggested.
‘Will it work on animals?’
‘We’re about to find out.’
Max took her Hypnotron out of her bag. The dogs whimpered at the small marble-sized device seemingly floating before them. With one small squeeze, a blast of golden light shot into their eyes.
Linden looked at the guards. They were talking to each other but stopped when they heard the dogs whining even louder. ‘They’re coming.’
‘Quick,’ Max pleaded to the device as the thirty seconds ticked closer.
The guards surveyed the area as they thudded towards the whining dogs.
‘Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine …’ Max counted.
‘Thirty,’ Linden whispered. ‘Lie down.’
The dogs did as they were told. The guards came up and stood beside an invisible Max and Linden.
‘What’s up, fellas?’
Max and Linden barely breathed.
The guards looked around to see what had upset the dogs.
‘Must have been a snake,’ one suggested.
‘Think they’d be used to them by now.’
‘Are you?’
‘Nope. Things give me the creeps. Let’s get back.’
Max and Linden waited until the guards had turned the corner before they made their move. Max placed one hand on the wall. ‘Here goes.’ She then placed another and, taking a deep breath, hoisted herself up. ‘Hey, these are great.’
Linden started climbing beside her. ‘I bet this is how Spiderman felt when he first got his spider powers. You going to be okay with the height?’
Max smiled. ‘Sure, all I have to do is not look down.’
‘That’s a great idea, I wish I’d thought of it.’
‘Stick with me and you’ll learn all sorts of things.’
They quickly made their way to the top of the roof and, finding the mind control device, contacted Steinberger. ‘We’re in place,’ Max typed.
The Amazon Experiment Page 12