A. N. T. I. D. O. T. E. Read Online Free PDF Page A

the ceiling with EXPLANATION written in big, black letters across the top! Anyway, it didn’t happen.
    ‘What about your mum’s desktop PC?’ Nosh piped up from behind me. ‘Maybe that has some info on it that would help.’
    I considered, then shrugged. It was worth a try. We walked into the back bedroom which Mum used as her work room. There, on a large pedestal table against one wall, was Mum’s all-singing, all-dancing PC. To be honest, I was really proud of Mum’s machine. It was a lot better than the ones we have at school. It not only played all sorts of CDs and DVDs but it also let you upload digital videos or stills from a camera – and you could edit them as well. What’s more, you could get TV channels on it, but Mum had disconnected that facility. She said she didn’t want to encourage me to watch even more TV than I did already, especially when I had to use her computer to do my homework. Next to the screen was a scanner which looked a bit like a small photocopier. All you had to do was put in a document, a page at a time, and the information was automatically transferred to a file or the screen, which meant you didn’t have to type the whole document again. You could also talk to the computer through a microphone – just dictate to it in a normal voice - and the computer would type out your words like some kind of robot secretary. In fact Mum said the only thing her machine couldn’t do was make the beds and that was just a matter of time!
    ‘We’d better make this fast before Dad comes knocking on the door to find out where we are,’ Nosh warned.
    I switched on the machine and sat down. Nosh dragged a chair next to mine and we watched as the machine booted up. In less than a minute, we were into the word processor and a file called ANTIDOTE. CONFIDENTIAL. The file came up automatically, so it was obviously the last thing Mum had been working on.
    ‘This must be the memo that Uncle Robert gave to Mum,’ I said. ‘Mum must’ve scanned it into the computer.’
    Nosh and I both leaned forward for a closer look, then we looked at each other.
    ‘So it’s really true. Someone at ANTIDOTE is working for Shelby’s. I’ll print out this letter so that we have a copy of it,’ I said, hitting the key.
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    SHELBY AND PARDELA PHARMACEUTICALS
    Electronic Memo: Page 1 of 1
    To:     Joshua Shelby – JSHELBY
    From:   Marcus Pardela – MPARDELA
    cc:
    Status: Strictly Confidential
    SUBJECT: ANTIDOTE
    For goodness’ sake! It’s all under control. ANTIDOTE are a minor but necessary annoyance – nothing more. You know that as well as I do. Just remember whose idea all this was in the first place. Now stop bombarding me with e-mail messages. I’ve already told our ‘mole’ at ANTIDOTE to focus that organization’s attention elsewhere. Failing that, we can always implement phase 2 of our contingency plans.
    Pardela
    PS Delete this message as soon as you’ve read it.
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    ‘But how do we find out who? And how does that help us find out what’s going on with your mum? And how will we …?’
    I raised my hand to stop Nosh’s questions. I didn’t have any immediate answers any more than he did and I didn’t like feeling so feeble. I picked up the print-out of the memo and studied it again.
    ‘I wonder what that bit means?’
    ‘Which bit?’
    ‘“Just remember whose idea all this was in the first place …”’ I pointed to the relevant section of the letter.
    ‘Hhmm! No idea.’ Nosh shook his head.
    ‘It’s a strange thing to say. I wonder what idea he’s talking about?’ I mused.
    ‘We’ll never know,’ shrugged Nosh. ‘And besides, that’s not the important bit of the memo. What’s important is, you have proof about the Shelby agent.’
    ‘So now what? We must do something,’ I said, frustrated.
    ‘Like?’ Nosh sat back, his arms folded across his chest as he waited for me to answer.
    ‘We have to prove that Mum didn’t break into Shelby’s,’ I