"Yep,” said Adam.
"Deal." Jimmy looked pleased.
"Do you think you can get it today?" asked Adam.
Jimmy cringed a little. "I'll try. Town Hall is open every second Saturday, but not today, so Mom's at home.”
Adam looked confused. “Yesterday Jeff said your mom was working today.”
Jimmy laughed. “If it wasn’t for my mom, Jeff wouldn’t know what day of the week it is. She wasn’t there yesterday, and Jeff never comes in on a Saturday during work hours, so he has no clue.”
Adam seemed satisfied with the answer. “If she’s at home, won’t that make it tough to get the keys?” he asked.
“She always goes out for groceries on her Saturday off. Usually around 10 or 11 am. That’ll give us about half an hour."
"That would work. The hardware store is only a block from your house, so we can do it quick. Does anyone have any money to pay for it?" Adam asked, slightly embarrassed.
The others emptied their pockets and came up with a few dollars.
"Are we planning on going back in tonight?" asked Mark. The others nodded yes. "Ok. I'll get a couple of good flashlights."
"I want to get in at least an hour earlier tonight. I know it's still light out, but we want to get everyone home in time for their curfews," said Adam.
There was general consensus in the group.
"We're going to check the files tonight. Wandering through the tunnels will likely get us lost, or caught. We need to find some information about the symbol and why the town and tunnels were built. Hopefully something will tell us what is going on around here," added Adam.
"Can I take a look at the pin?" asked Jimmy, "I haven't had a good look at it yet."
Adam placed the pin on the table and Jimmy picked it up.
Adam continued, "I think that we should have a lookout at the top of the stairs just-in-case someone comes in Town Hall. Just a precaution. The other 3 can go through the files without worrying that someone is sneaking up on them." Adam was remembering Jeff's surprise earlier.
"I'll be the lookout," said Kevin before anyone else. "I’d rather do that than look through paperwork."
"Buuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrp.........," Mark let out a deafening belch, then slammed down the empty Coke can.
"Gross," said Jimmy, "I think I saw chunks of your breakfast fly out!"
Mark grinned, happy with himself.
"Here's your pin back," said Jimmy as he placed it on the table.
As soon as he set it down, the Coke can flew across the table and stuck to the pin.
CHAPTER TEN
"Cool, it's a magnet!" exclaimed Mark.
Adam, more than the others, understood the significance. His face showed he was confused and surprised.
"That shouldn't happen," he said, almost to himself.
Jimmy looked at Adam. "Aren't Coke cans made of aluminum?" he asked.
"I haven't heard any different," Adam replied.
Mark looked confused. "So?"
Adam answered, "Aluminum isn't attracted by any magnet. At least, none that anyone knows about."
Adam stood up and walked toward his tools. He began digging through a pail full of parts, setting aside a few items.
"Maybe they changed the material in the cans," stated Kevin.
"We're gonna test your theory right now," said Adam, returning to the table holding a few items. "Mark, pull the pin off that can and keep them apart until I ask for them."
Mark did as was asked while Adam set two items on the table and another on the floor. The first item on the table was a large bolt. The second looked like a lowercase 'h', but missing the lower left leg. The third item on the floor looked like a metal hockey puck.
"Mark, hang on to the pin and put the can on the table here." Adam pointed to an open spot near the end, making a line out of the three items on the table.
"So, I have a strong magnet on the floor that I found. The bolt is made out of typical steel that is very magnetic. The second thing is the crankshaft of a bicycle; the part that the pedals are mounted on. It's made of pure aluminum. Last, the Coke can. We'll test all three with the magnet, then the pin, sound good to you?" Everyone agreed.
Adam sat next to the table and picked up the magnet. He brought it near the bolt. Ding! The bolt stuck to the magnet as soon as it was close. Adam pried the bolt off the magnet and set it back in its original position. He looked at his friends and nodded.
Next, he brought the magnet near the crankshaft. Nothing happened, even when he touched the magnet directly on the part. Adam tapped the magnet against it a few times to make sure and then moved on to the can.
He brought the magnet closer and closer to the can. Again, he was able to touch the can with the magnet, and it was clearly not attracted.
"That's exactly what I expected would happen. Now let's try the pin." Adam held his hand out to Mark who handed it over.
There was nervous anticipation in the garage as Adam started the second half of his experiment. They had all learned in school that what they were doing was called the "scientific method", although it seemed natural to Adam.
He brought the pin to the bolt slowly, not sure if there would be any attraction. Closer and closer he moved, until the two were touching. There was no obvious attraction.
"Nothing. Not even a weak pull," Jimmy stated.
"Yeah, zero," replied Adam. "Now, the part I've been waiting for!"
He brought the pin slowly toward the crankshaft. At nearly four inches away, the pin pulled from his grip and stuck itself to the crankshaft. The nearby can was sucked into the group as well.
Four faces registered amazement. "Well, Doctor McTaggart, your experiment is a success!" said Jimmy, half-kidding and half-serious.
Adam now understood how the pin worked as a key. "What an easy way to keep a door locked. Just use science people don't realize exists. All this pin does is magnetically attract some aluminum to unlock a latch."
"How can you know so much about this stuff and suck at school,” said Mark. “Even Kevin has better marks than you."
Adam shrugged off the comment. "It takes a lot of effort to barely listen in class and still pass."
"Not that I don't enjoy teasing Adam, but doesn't this just bring up more questions?" Kevin asked, looking at each of them as he spoke. "I mean, it makes me wonder what we're discovering."
"Yeah, I know. If George saw any of this, he'd be freaking out," added Mark.
Adam’s mind was in high gear again. After that discovery, the possibilities streamed through his thoughts as he narrowed them down to a few realistic scenarios.
“Seeing this, I’m sure there has to be some sort of scientific discovery hidden in Grayson. I’d put money on that, and you know I don’t have much to bet,” said Adam.
The others didn’t know if they should laugh.
“Do you think that’s why someone is destroying towns? They’re trying to find this discovery?” asked Kevin.
“That makes sense,” said Jimmy.
“Yeah, but how are we supposed find it?” asked Mark.
“It’s gotta be in those tunnels somewhere,” said Jimmy.
“I agree, but where? Those tunnels are confusing. Without a map, I don’t want to go wandering through there again,” said Kevin.
“Maybe there’s a map in the file room,” said Mark.
Jimmy thought about it and agreed. “Yeah, you’re right. If we don’t have a map, we could get stuck in the tunnels until someone rescued us. We’d be in huge trouble if that happened. Let’s look for a map before we go in there again.”
"First, you need to get the key," Adam looked at Jimmy who reluctantly nodded, "and we need to help Jimmy any way we can."
"What are we standing around here for!" said Mark, heading for the door.
"Someone's excited about something other than a video game," said Kevin, jerking his thumb in Mark's direction.
"Hey, you had all the fun yesterday. My turn," Mark turned and stepped out the d
oor.
The remaining boys filed out of the garage, smiling at Mark’s excitement.
After a short walk, they arrived at Jimmy's house. Jimmy led the way through the back door and into the kitchen.
"Hello," called Jimmy, "Mom, are you here?"
"I'm in the bedroom. Be out in a minute," came the reply from down the side hallway.
Soon, Mrs. Jones stepped into the room and found the boys seated around the table. "Oh, hello. I didn't realize you were all here. What are you boys up to today?" she asked.
"Not sure, we're just discussing options," replied Jimmy. "Are you headed out for groceries this morning?"
"No, I did that yesterday on my day off. I'm just going to work around the house today."
The boys snuck disappointed glances at each other, followed by awkward silence.
"Is it ok if we hang out in the basement for a while?" Jimmy asked.
She nodded approval and they sauntered into the basement, dragging their feet in a lazy fashion.
"That just sucks. I forgot that she did her shopping yesterday," said Jimmy, disappointed at himself for the lapse. He plopped down on the old sofa against the wall. The others found an old rocking chair, a beanbag chair, and another part of the sofa to sit down. They sat for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Mark, go tell Jimmy's mom about one of your video games. That'll put her to sleep for a couple of hours," Kevin joked.
"Why don't you go weed her garden, farmboy," Mark snapped back.
"Actually," said Jimmy, "Mark has a good idea. Mom's been complaining that she needs her garden weeded for the last week. What if we offer to do it for her…for pay, of course. Just a couple of bucks each?"
"How does that keep her outside?" asked Mark, skeptical about any manual labor.
"We just keep asking her 'Is this a weed?' and make her look at the plants. I need less than a minute to get the key and I'll slip it to one of you. That person goes and makes the copy."
"Let's give it a try. How do we decide who works and who goes for the key?" asked Kevin, never afraid to work.
"I'll go," offered Mark.
"No, you should stay. You'll be the most important person for this task. Mom will believe you don't know the difference between a carrot and a dandelion." Jimmy's natural smooth talk nearly slipped the outright insult past Mark. Being told he was the most important person for this job made Mark let the comment pass.
"Let Adam go," said Kevin, "I don't mind doing the work."
Adam opened his mouth to protest, but stopped when he saw Kevin's stern face.
"Ok. We'll only have to keep her occupied for a couple of minutes until I give Adam the key, and then again when he gets back. Everyone give him your money so he can pay," said Jimmy. They dug in their pockets and handed him some change and bills.
"Now, what do we tell her about Adam leaving and coming back?" Jimmy wondered out loud.
"Tell her there's still something wrong with the bike you're selling and Adam is going to fix it for you, but he needs to test drive it first," said Mark.
Jimmy face broke in a wide smile. "I like the way you think. Some of my charm is wearing off on you."
Mark's face broke into a wide smile as well. "I wouldn't call it 'charm'. It rhymes more with bull spit."
Adam and Kevin laughed at the insult. Jimmy's smile changed from mischievous to embarrassed, which made the others laugh even more.
"Ok, everyone remembers what they're doing?" asked Jimmy, changing the subject. The others assured him yes and followed him up the stairs.
Mrs. Jones was walking into the kitchen at the same time as the boys.
"Mom, I have a deal for you," said Jimmy, sounding like a cross between a game show host and a salesman at a used car lot. Mrs. Jones barely batted an eye, having heard that opening countless times.
Jimmy continued, "For a small fee, my friends and I will pull all the weeds in your garden."
She eyed him closely. Jimmy had made her an offer that caught her interest. "How much is the 'small fee'?" she asked.
"Whatever you are willing to pay," Jimmy replied, poker-faced.
Mrs. Jones picked up her purse from the kitchen table. After rifling through it she pulled out some money. "Here. This is what you'll get when I'm satisfied the job is done.” She pulled the money away as Jimmy reached for the bills and shook her finger at him. "You guys must really be bored," she added.
"Just one little thing, though," said Jimmy, "while we're pulling weeds, Adam is going to take another look at my old bike. It's making a noise that'll make it hard to sell. I'm paying him to fix it for me."
Mrs. Jones turned to Adam, "You make sure he pays you well for your work, ok?"
Adam nodded.
Jimmy jumped in, "I'll pay him fair...why don't you take them out to the garden so they can get started? I'm just going to change into work clothes." He pointed at Mark and Kevin.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mrs. Jones looked at the three boys who weren't doing the talking. They all nodded yes.
"Alright then, follow me," she said, leading them out the back door.
Jimmy took the opportunity to run down the hallway while Adam stayed in the kitchen waiting. Jimmy returned, walking while pulling on a new shirt, and slipped a ring of keys into Adam's hand. It had more keys on it than Adam expected.
"It's the gold key in the middle. It's worn more than the others," Jimmy whispered to Adam. "Get back here as quick as you can."
Adam agreed as the two stepped outside. Jimmy opened the shed and Adam pulled out the bike he was supposedly fixing.
Jimmy turned toward the garden when he heard his mother say, "Not that one Mark, it's a carrot...." He grinned and waved 'go' at Adam. Adam hopped on the bike and pedaled out of the driveway.
The Hardware Store was half a block up and a block west of Jimmy's house. It was one of the newest buildings in town. It was also a place Adam loved and hated. He loved seeing all the tools and parts on the shelves, and often imagined what he could build with them. He hated it because he couldn't afford anything in the store, even the cheapest tools.
He parked the bike between the Hardware Store and post office, so that it was hidden from passer-by's, and ran into the store. He needed in and out fast because Kevin didn't know how to work slowly and there weren't many weeds in the garden.
Adam sped to the main counter. He could see the key-cutting machine behind it but no one was manning the counter.
"Can I help you," came a young girl's voice from behind, startling him. He turned around.
Lacey Lang stood with her hands on her hips, looking at Adam. She was a plain girl who was more comfortable wearing jeans than a skirt. People in town said she knew her way around the store and was pretty handy with the tools as well. Being a year younger than Adam, he didn’t know her much, except for seeing her at school.
Hoping Lacey didn't notice she startled him, Adam said, "Uh...is your dad around?"
Lacey looked at Adam, "No, I'm the only one here at the moment."
Adam looked disappointed.
"Well, what do you need? Maybe I can help you?" Lacey asked. The tone of her voice showed she was tired of people underestimating her abilities.
Adam sensed that, which was odd as he never usually sensed people's feelings, but being underestimated was something he knew. "Cut me a copy of this key," he said, holding it out to her.
Lacey took a second to process what Adam had said. Whenever someone wanted something at the store, they always asked for her dad and then her mom. Rarely would customers give her the chance to prove her abilities, so Adam's request took her off guard.
She took the key and smiled. "Ok, it'll just take a minute."
She checked the key against the blanks hanging on the wall and found a matching one in a short amount of time. She took both keys and bolted the original into the left side of the key cutter, and the blank into the right. After checking the alignment of both keys and the travel of the cut, she turne
d on the machine and it started working.
"What do I owe you?" asked Adam over the hum of the machine. She told him, and Adam realized he had more than enough money to cut a second key. He handed her all he had and asked for another key, insisting she keep the change. Lacey beamed, happy to be taken seriously and given a tip as well.
When the keys were finished, Lacey handed them to Adam. "The original key is pretty worn. The copies may be a little bit small, so you might have to jiggle them in the lock," she pointed out.
Adam thanked her and left the store. He felt proud of himself, as his actions made Lacey happy. She had copied the keys with more skill and speed than Adam expected, which was a pleasant surprise.
He pedaled into the driveway at Jimmy's and parked the bike outside the shed. As he stepped to the edge of the garden, Mark spotted him. Mrs. Jones was facing Mark with her back to Adam.
"Ooooh...now I see the difference. These are peas, and these are weeds...," said Mark.
Jimmy was smirking as he walked over to Adam. "Did you get it fixed?" he asked, giving a wink.
"All fixed," he replied. "Can I wash my hands in your house?" He winked back at Jimmy.
Jimmy caught on. "Follow me. Mom, I'm just taking Adam in to wash his hands," he called. She nodded her approval.
In the house, Adam handed Jimmy the keys and Jimmy ran down the hallway toward the bedrooms. Adam followed and decided to wash his hands in the bathroom anyway.
He washed them quickly and was starting to dry them when Mrs. Jones walked past the bathroom door. She was supposed to be outside! She was going to catch Jimmy!
Adam stepped into the hallway behind Mrs. Jones as Jimmy stepped out of the bedroom, nearly bumping into his mom. Adam's stomach tightened.
"What are you doing in my room?" asked Mrs. Jones, startled.
Jimmy was taken by surprise as well, and was lost for words.
"He was trying to find something to get the grease off my hands," said Adam, hoping there was a bathroom in the master bedroom.
Jimmy followed along, "Doesn't Dad have that hand cleaner for mechanics in your bathroom?"
Town Secrets (The Book of Adam 1) Page 7