by Mark Powers
Dan shrugged. ‘So reprogram me. Make me less strong.’
The technician shook his head. ‘Much too fiddly to reprogram a single microchip. More trouble than it’s worth, I’m afraid. Far easier to take you apart and start from scratch.’
‘Take me apart?’ Dan’s robotic heart suddenly thumped with fear.
‘Don’t worry,’ said the technician with a sickly smile. ‘It won’t hurt. Well, not much.’ He pointed to a large yellow ‘X’ painted on the floor of the room. ‘Kindly stand on the X for me, Dan, if you would.’
Dan shuffled over to the X. His furry brows knitted in confusion. ‘Why here?’
‘Because that’s where the trapdoor is.’
CHAPTER TWO
DOLL EAT DOLL
Dan found himself tumbling down a dark metal chute. He bumped and rattled against its sides for a short time until finally it spat him out on to a cold stone floor. He stood up, brushing the dust from his fur.
‘Erm, I’m Dan,’ said Dan. ‘Hi. I’m a Snugaliffic Cuddlestar.’
He was in an enormous darkened room. The floor was littered with old bits of cardboard, cogs, springs and broken pieces of electronic circuitry. Strange, indistinct shapes were moving all around him. The air was filled with a sickly mechanical humming sound.
‘Hello?’ he called nervously. This didn’t seem like a happy place. There were probably people around who could do with a nice big hug, he thought. Then he realised what might happen if he did hug someone. He shuddered. He would have to remember not to do any hugging if he could possibly help it.
A tall figure strode towards Dan out of the gloom. ‘You! Identify yourself!’ it barked. Dan jumped in alarm. The figure was a SuperTough Army Dude soldier toy, dressed in a smart uniform and carrying a toy rifle, his sturdy plastic body rippling with muscles. Dan could not help but notice that the soldier had no head. Instead, a large foot protruded from his neck.
‘Erm, I’m Dan,’ said Dan. ‘Hi. I’m a Snugaliffic Cuddlestar.’
‘Dan, sir! Pleased to meet you, sir!’ announced the soldier brightly, facing slightly to the left of where Dan was standing and holding out his hand for him to shake.
Dan waved. ‘I’m here. Can’t you see me?’
The soldier shook its head (or rather the foot it had for a head) sadly. ‘Apologies, sir! My eyesight is not 100 per cent effective due to a slight error during my manufacture. I have, as you may have noticed, a foot where my head should be.’
Dan reached out his paw and shook his hand but the soldier quickly snatched it away. ‘Pleased to meet –’
‘Yowch!’ cried the soldier. ‘You have quite the grip, sir! You nearly took my hand off!’
‘Sorry,’ said Dan. ‘I’m too strong. That’s my problem. It’s why I’m down here. I take it this is where they keep the faulty toys before they … ?’ His voice tailed away.
The soldier nodded its foot. ‘Indeed, sir. But have no fear! You and I shall be out of here in no time!’ He reached into his coat and produced a scroll of rolled-up paper tied with a blue ribbon. ‘Here, sir, is a map showing the secret exit to this dungeon! And at long last I have met someone with good enough eyesight to read it for me! Observe!’ He untied the ribbon and spread out the map on the dusty floor.
It was then that Dan saw that it wasn’t a map at all, but an old chocolate bar wrapper.
‘Well?’ asked the soldier excitedly. ‘Can you see the way out?’
‘Erm,’ said Dan awkwardly, ‘not really, no.’
‘Why not, sir?’ demanded the soldier. ‘The plastic duck I acquired it from assured me it was the very best map available. I exchanged my entire kitbag and spare batteries for it! Surely it must tell us something of the local geography?’
‘I think you’ve been conned, pal,’ said Dan.
A sudden booming growl filled the air, followed by the pounding of immense feet. Dan looked up, startled, and saw a huge shape advancing on them …
‘What did you say, sir?’ yelled the soldier above the rising din.
‘Never mind!’ called Dan. ‘Just run! Quick! Before it’s too …’
HAVE YOU READ DAN, ARABELLA AND FLAX’S SECOND ADVENTURE?
WHO SAID YOU HAD TO
PLAY NICE?
The secret code that controls every toy’s mind has been stolen!
It’s up to the SPY TOYS – Dan, the super strong teddy bear, Arabella, the doll with a serious temper, and Flax, the gadget-crazy robot rabbit to get it back before toys everywhere turn BAD!
But who is the EVIL MASTERMIND behind this plan? And can the SPY TOYS stop them in time?
PLAY THE FREE
SPY TOYS GAME APP!
Download now from the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.
And for more SPY TOYS action,
check out spytoysbooks.com
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi and Sydney
First published in Great Britain in February 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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This electronic edition published in February 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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BLOOMSBURY is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Text copyright © Mark Griffiths 2018
Illustrations copyright © Tim Wesson 2018
The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted
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ISBN: 978-1-4088-7090-7 (PB)
ISBN: 978-1-4088-7091-4 (eBook)
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