Danger Dan Traces the Perilous Poison

by Monica Lim

  “Can you please focus, Danny? We need to stop the Sinister Spyder!” Melody patted her M-shaped silver hair clip. It was actually a mega futuristic computer that could find and process information via Melody’s brainwaves. “I couldn’t find out much about the poisoning because the press was ordered to keep the details a secret. But I did manage to find out that it happened this evening and it was due to a poisoned glass.”

  Melody continued as they made their way past a few blocks of HDB flats. “I did more research and I think I know which glass it is. The Queen will be visiting two flats—one in Block 53, followed by another in Block 54. Mr Thomas Pung, the man living in Block 54 will offer the Queen a drink. Whenever the newspapers write about the Queen’s visit to his flat, they mention the glass. So I figured the Sinister Spyder must have read about it and gotten the idea to poison it.”

  From her inner jacket pocket, Melody stealthily pulled out a glass that was decorated with pink flowers. Danny gasped. “You have the poisoned glass?” He looked cross. “If you already have it, what do you need me for? To keep it safe? To wash it for you? To poison the Sinister Spyder?”

  “What? No!” said Melody impatiently. “This isn’t the actual glass that’s poisoned, qwirkle-head! I bought one that looks like it. We can exchange the poisoned glass with this one.” She put the glass back into her pocket. “Come on, it’s already 3pm. The Queen will arrive in Toa Payoh in about an hour. We don’t have much time.”

  They continued walking until they reached the heart of the HDB estate. The tall buildings looked spanking new. Already, a crowd was starting to form along the corridors of Blocks 53 and 54. Those blocks were familiar to Danny as they still existed in his time. They just looked a lot newer at the moment.

  “This mission is getting serious,” said Melody. “We can’t just stop the poisoning. We have to stop the Sinister Spyder once and for all.”

  “How are we going to do that?” Danny shivered when he remembered how frightening the villain was when they had met him in 1819.

  “He’s too strong for us but I’m thinking we don’t actually have to overpower him,” said Melody. “We just need to get his spider watch. Then he won’t be able to time-travel anymore.”

  “Okay, Melody,” said Danny decisively. “Here’s the plan: you pounce on the Sinister Spyder and I’ll grab his watch.”

  “What? No way! YOU pounce on the Sinister Spyder and I’ll grab his watch!”

  “Your aim is terrible!” justified Danny. “You’ll probably MISS his watch! Anyway, Danger Dan gets to make the plans. Gadget Girl has to do what he says.”

  “Ggggnnnnhh! You aggravating boy! I—”

  Melody suddenly stopped short and grabbed Danny’s arm. “What?” he asked irritably. She pointed at a crew of special security officers who had just arrived at the scene. Among them was a Chinese man with a thick black moustache. Both Melody and Danny caught glimpses of a metal watch peeking out from the man’s sleeve.

  The Sinister Spyder!

  “Do you think that’s him?” Danny tried to get a better look but his view was blocked by the other security officers.

  “Who else could it be?” replied Melody. “Disguising himself as a security officer is a stroke of genius! It means he can get into the flats without any trouble.”

  Danny and Melody trailed the security crew from behind, keeping a safe distance so that they wouldn’t be seen by the Sinister Spyder. The security crew walked towards Block 54.

  Danger Dan and Gadget Girl are hot on the heels of the Sinister Spyder! They have to stop the villain from harming Her Royal Highness. The Sinister Spyder pauses. He glances back, right in Danger Dan’s direction.

  Danger Dan ducks behind a wall to avoid detection. The Sinister Spyder is about to enter the flat. Time to foil his treacherous plan! Danger Dan and Gadget Girl creep closer. The Sinister Spyder advances...and walks right past Tower 54?

  The security crew reached the foot of Block 54 and separated. A man opened the door to a first floor unit in Block 54 and a few officers entered the flat. The rest of the crew, including the Sinister Spyder, walked on towards Block 53.

  “Why isn’t he going in?” asked Danny, thoroughly confused. “I thought you said the glass was in Block 54?”

  “I don’t know.” Melody bit her lip and frowned. “Maybe he decided to use another glass in Block 53? Never mind, let’s follow him!”

  They continued shadowing the Sinister Spyder. He and the security officers reached Block 53. Danny spotted two more guards stationed at the lift, which the Sinister Spyder and his team entered. After the lift door closed, Danny and Melody ran up to the lift.

  “Sorry, kids,” said a security guard. “This lift is reserved for the Queen’s visit. You’ll have to take the stairs.”

  Curses! The Sinister Spy has reinforcements. He’s got the whole place surrounded! How are Danger Dan and Gadget Girl going to infiltrate Tower 53?

  The two children stepped back. Melody tapped her hair clip a couple of times and said, “He must be going to the 18th floor. The flat that the Queen will be visiting is on that floor.”

  “What?” said Danny. “I’m not climbing up 18 floors!”

  “The stairs will take too long anyway. Come on, I have another idea.” Melody led Danny to the back of the HDB block. It was deserted as the crowd had gathered along the front of the building. She pointed to the top of a vertical row of windows. “The flat is the one right up there.”

  “And how are we going to get there?” scoffed Danny. “Fly?”

  “Well...not exactly, but pretty close. Are you afraid of heights?”

  “Not really,” replied Danny. “Are you?”

  “Are you kidding? I live on the 21st floor.” Melody detached two purple strips from her belt. She slapped one onto Danny’s wrist.

  The purple strip curled around his wrist to form a wristband. He felt a strange sensation and found himself floating upwards. His feet pulled away from the ground as he rose higher and higher.

  “It’s an anti-gravity wristband. You’ll float to the top.” Melody cautioned, “Don’t remove the wristband when you’re up there or you’ll fall right to the ground!”

  Danger Dan has new-found flying powers! Together with Gadget Girl, he soars like a mighty eagle towards the top of Tower 53. They sail past the floors. Five...six...seven! This is all too easy! Ten...11...12!

  Danger Dan gazes down and sees the ground slowly retreating into the distance. There’s no turning back now. They’re on their way to stop the Sinister Spyder! Just three more storeys...two storeys...one...one...one?

  Danny realised that he had stopped floating. He was hovering just below the 17th floor. He flapped his arms. He kicked his legs. He even did the freestyle, thinking he could swim upwards. Nothing happened. He remained stationary.

  “Melody! I’m stuck!”

  “What? It must be your bag! It’s too heavy!”

  “What do I do now? Should I let go of my bag?”

  “NO! That could be killer litter! Hang on!” Melody was holding onto a bamboo pole holder outside the 18th floor window so that she wouldn’t float away. She removed the bamboo pole from the holder and extended it to Danny. “Grab on, I’ll pull you up.”

  Danny reached out for the pole. Right at that moment, an innocent sparrow flew by and landed on another bamboo pole holder in front of Melody.

  The sparrow looked at Melody and chirped happily.

  “AAAARRGGHHHH!!” shrieked Melody.

  “What? What?” Just then, Danny spotted the sparrow. A chill came over him. He vividly recalled Melody’s fear of birds. “It’s just a teeny little bird, Melody,” he gulped in trepidation. “It won’t hurt you. Please don’t freak out! Melody? Melody!”

  Melody didn’t hear a word Danny had said. She acted like she’d just seen Godzilla. “Nooo! Go away! GO AWWAAAAAAAAYYY!” Melody swung the bamboo pole towards the bird, missing Danny’s head by a whisker. Danny covered his head.

  Melody was like a gir
l possessed. She waved the heavy bamboo pole around wildly. By chance (and extraordinary luck), she avoided smashing any windows. However, her bad aim also meant that she missed the sparrow completely.

  Melody’s hysteria reached a new peak. She gave the pole a giant swing and accidentally hit Danny’s bag.

  “Aaarrgghhh!” Danny fell backwards. He spun through the air, the world around him in a blur. The next thing he knew, he was free falling into nothingness.

  Danny flailed his arms as he hurtled downwards. He felt his stomach lurch up to his throat as he fell one storey down.

  Suddenly, Danny stopped, saved by the antigravity wristband. It felt like he had slammed into an invisible barrier. He took a deep, painful breath. His heart was pounding hard against his chest as he slowly bobbed back to the foot of the 17th floor.

  Melody was still wielding the pole like a deranged kung fu master. Danny tried to grab the pole and cried out desperately, “Stop! Melody! STOP! You’re going to get us killed!” He saw that Melody was about to take another swing. The pole was coming right towards him again! He closed his eyes in terror and braced himself. Then...nothing.

  Cautiously, Danny opened one eye. Melody had gone quiet. The pole was just inches from his face. The sparrow was gone! Thank goodness! It had probably grown tired of watching Maniacal Melody.

  “Are you done behaving like a lunatic?” scolded Danny. “You’re making me afraid of birds too! Now every time I see a bird, I’ll think I am going to die!”

  “Don’t you think that’s a bit of an exaggeration?” said Melody. At least she had the decency to look shamefaced. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” She lowered the pole down towards Danny and pulled him up.

  The two children hovered just below the 18th floor window, clinging on to the bamboo pole holders to prevent themselves from floating away. Slowly, they raised their heads and peered into the flat.

  Danger Dan and Gadget Girl scan the room for the Sinister Spyder. The Sinister Spyder is near! Danger Dan can feel it in his bones. “I think I see him,” whispers Gadget Girl.

  Squinting his eyes, Danger Dan looks for the Sinister Spyder. He sees a few security officers. A little boy is sitting in the living room. He looks in Danger Dan and Gadget Girl’s direction. They duck back down.

  Drats! Have their covers been blown? But the Sinister Spyder could be leaving any moment now. Danger Dan is not about to let the opportunity pass! He has to risk a second look. He straightens up and peers through the window again. “Get back down!” hisses Gadget Girl. “You’ll be seen!” Danger Dan pays no heed to her. He stares into the flat.

  There he is! The Sinister Spyder! The villain has his back to Danger Dan. He’s not holding a glass though. Just then, he turns around, giving Danger Dan a clear view of his face. Danger Dan gasps and freezes.

  The man had a fine moustache alright. Probably one of the most magnificent in Singapore.

  But Danny had never seen the man before. He was NOT the Sinister Spyder!

  “It’s not him!” said Danny in dismay.

  “WHAT?” Melody popped her head up to have a look. “Darn it!”

  “Well, that’s great! I just risked my life for nothing!”

  “Come on, we’ve got to get back down,” said Melody, as she pulled her right sleeve back to reveal her grappling hook watch. “I’ll shoot the line at that tree so we can pull ourselves down.”

  She aimed the watch downwards and pressed the watch’s purple button. A silver grappling hook shot out, along with a wire attached to it.

  The grappling hook hit a lamp post.

  “You know that’s not a tree, right?” said Danny. Melody glared at him as she pressed the purple button again to retract the wire. “I know, qwirklehead! I missed, okay?”

  Danny stretched out his hand. “Some things never change. Give it to me.”

  Danger Dan takes the compact cannon in hand. He aims it at the tree and fires the arrow. It shoots out and pierces a strong branch. A perfect shot as usual!

  Danger Dan and Gadget Girl begin their descent! Holding on to the line, they lower themselves towards the tree. Once they have a steady hold on the tree’s branches, they take off the Anti-Gravity Wristbands. Danger Dan removes the arrow and retracts the line. He leads Gadget Girl down the tree. He is thankful there are no birds around.

  Danger Dan is glad to be on firm ground again. But now is not the time to rest. Danger Dan and Gadget Girl have to get to Tower 54. The Sinister Spyder could be there right now!

  “You never told me what happened after the Queen was poisoned,” asked Danny, as they hurried back to Block 54. “How did that affect Singapore?”

  “Oh, the visit became an international disaster,” said Melody. “It made headlines everywhere! The world was outraged. The British were so mad that they banned all things British in Singapore. We were not allowed to drink English tea or eat English muffins.”

  “Phew! I don’t like English tea and I don’t know what English muffins are.”

  “They also banned us from playing football and tennis!”

  “Football? No!” Danny wailed in distress. “They can’t ban my favourite sport! What do they expect me to play? Table tennis?”

  “Er...table tennis is British too,” said Melody. “It’s terrible, I tell you! I won’t be able to play Virtual Jetpack Tennis any more! Somehow, Virtual Jetpack Taiji isn’t quite the same. And there’s loads more. We won’t have Cadbury, Kit Kat or Ribena!”

  “No way!” Danny couldn’t imagine a world without all his favourite goodies.

  Melody continued dishing out the bad news. “And we won’t be allowed to eat fish and chips or watch Mr Bean on TV. In fact, that Wall’s ice cream you were eating earlier is British.”

  “What’s wrong with the Sinister Spyder?” Danny mumbled to himself. “No football! No fish and chips! What a nuisance!”

  Melody finally located the flat in Block 54 that the Queen was going to visit. It was on the ground floor. People were already lining up at the front of the building in anticipation of the Queen’s visit. Melody led Danny to the back of the flat and pointed to a shuttered window. “That’s the unit,” she said.

  The metal shutters gleamed. Melody noticed that they were open a tiny crack. She went over and gingerly eased open the shutters a little more.

  Danny and Melody peeked into the room. It was a small kitchen. Nobody was in it. “There! By the sink!” whispered Melody.

  Danger Dan spots the poisoned goblet on the counter. It’s just across from the window. The compact cannon is still in Danger Dan’s hand. He takes aim. He shoots the arrow through the half-open window. The arrow flies straight and true towards the poisoned goblet.

  The grappling hook clamped precisely onto the glass. Danny retracted the wire and gently pulled the glass out of the window.

  “Qwintastic!” said Melody delightedly, removing the substitute glass from her pocket.

  Danny grinned smugly. He handed the watch back to Melody and took both glasses in his hands. “Wow, you really did a great job finding an exact match for the glass. I can’t tell them apart!”

  “Thanks!” replied Melody. “You did a great job yourself. Now all we need to do is replace it with the other glass!”

  “Right! How do we do that?”

  Melody looked surprised, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to her. She looked at the grappling hook watch in her hand. “Hmm...I didn’t...I think we might have a problem...”

  Danny stared at Melody incredulously. “What? You had this fabulous plan to switch the glasses and you didn’t think about how we were going to PUT THE GLASS BACK?”

  Melody looked agitated. “You can’t expect me to think of everything, okay?”

  “Use one of your gadgets!” urged Danny.

  Melody frantically checked her pockets. She unzipped her jacket and examined the many gadgets hooked onto her belt. “None of them can replace a glass!”

  Danny looked at the two glasses in his hands in a panic. �
�Someone will think I stole these! Here, you take them!” He hurriedly thrust both glasses into Melody’s hands.

  “HEY! Don’t just push them to me!” At this moment, Danny and Melody heard a roar of cheers coming from Block 53. The Queen had arrived in Toa Payoh! That meant it wouldn’t be long before she came to Block 54.

  “Quick, think of something!” squealed Melody.

  “Okay, okay! Give me a minute.”

  Danger Dan closes his eyes and frowns. He rubs his temples, deep in concentration. Nothing. Blank. Think, Danger Dan, think! He needs to come up with something fast or else…aha! Danger Dan spots a big tree and runs over to it. He picks up a slender fallen branch at the foot of the tree and hurries back to Gadget Girl.

  “Okay, give me the glass!” commanded Danny.

  “Which is the one that’s not poisoned?” asked Melody.

  “The left one!”

  Melody passed the glass in her left hand to Danny.

  Danger Dan inserts the branch into the goblet. With the goblet hanging from the branch, Danger Dan carefully steers the goblet through the window. Little by little, he delicately guides the goblet towards the countertop and...the branch is not long enough!

  Time is running out! Her Royal Highness will be arriving any minute now. Danger Dan will have to risk it all! He edges the goblet as close to the countertop as he possibly can. He gives the branch a light shake. The goblet slides down the branch and leans precariously over the edge of the countertop. Only the mouth of the goblet is supported by the branch.

  Now for the moment of truth! Danger Dan deftly flicks the branch upwards. He holds his breath as the goblet tips onto the countertop.