Astrid Maxxim and Her Amazing Hoverbike Read Online Free PDF Page A

looking at you ,” replied Christopher.
    “ What are they looking at then ?” asked Robot Valerie.
    “ I meant regular Valerie ,” said Christopher.  “I’ m pretty sure they are looking at you, Robot Valerie . ”
    “ Is there something on my face ?” she asked her human twin.
    “ No, is there something on mine ? ”
    Christopher looked at Astrid and rolled his eyes.
    They climbed aboard the train and took their seats.  Within two minutes, they were speeding on their way to school.
    “ You said your dad bought you bunk beds ,” said Denise to Valerie.  “ Are you on the top or the bottom ? ”
    “ Neither one of us is on the top ,” said Valerie.
    “ We had him put them side by side ,” said Robot Valerie.
    “ We were both afraid of being crushed ,” they said in unison.
    The rest of the day was a fairly average school day.  Astri d’ s mind was only half on her school work however, because it kept being drawn back to the presentation she was going to make to the Board of Directors on Thursday.  She had been inventing things since she was three, but she had only made one similar presentation.  While most of her inventions were important, they usually became components of other things.  Her batteries would be something that could be produced and sold, and something that Astrid hoped could change the world.
    On Wednesday, it was announced that the ninth grade would be going on a field trip the following Tuesday which was the first day of spring.  Most classes were incorporating the trip into their lessons and each student received a list of the cross-curricular activities in which they would be involved.  At lunch, they compared their lists.
    “I’ ve got a paper on the geology of the desert ,” said Christopher.  “ I have to consult with my Geology, Chemistry, and English Composition teachers.  And I’ m supposed to make a rock collection . ”
    “ Me too ,” said Astrid.  “ Min e’ s biology instead of geology though . ”
    “ I’ ve got to do a paper and give a speech ,” said Toby.
    “ That does n’ t sound so bad ,” said Christopher.
    “ None of you have it bad ,” said Denise.  “ Valerie and Valerie and I have to do a project on Botany.  How are we supposed to do that?  Ther e’ s nothing but cactus out there . ”
    “ You know tha t’ s not right, Denise ,” said Astrid.  “ The desert is a vibrant and important ecosystem . ”
    “ Just because you saw it on the Magic School Bus , Astrid, does n’ t make it true ,” returned Denise.
    Leaving school the next day just after Biology class, a full two hours early, Astrid arrived at the Maxxim Business Offices Complex just before 2:00.  She met Mr. Brown just outside the boardroom.  He had a cart full of mockups.  She declined when he asked if she needed any help, so he headed back toward the station and the train to his own offices.  He had just left when Astri d’ s mother stepped out of the boardroom and directed her to come inside.
    All nine members of the Maxxim Board of Directors were seated around a very large oval table.  Astri d’ s mother left her to take a seat at the far end, leaving Astrid to face the entire group, and she was feeling very small.  The girl inventor knew how it worked.  Those at the table did n’ t own all the shares of Maxxim Industries.  In fact, she herself had quite a large block inherited from her grandmother.  But these nine had been chosen by the shareholders to oversee the operations of the company, so they had tremendous power.
    “ These will be the new line of Maxxim Supercell Batteries ,” Astrid started, lifting the cover off of the cart full of mock-ups.  Mr. Brown had outdone himself.  There were more than 30 different battery sizes represente d— everything from tiny button batteries to large, square lantern batteries.
    “ Are n’ t there already lots of battery manufacturers ?” asked Astri d’ s aunt Lauren, usually her harshest critic on the