B.A.S.E. Camp Read Online Free PDF Page B

thecrawl,’ panted Gareth, who was already bent double.
    Fortunately for all of them, the tunnel became a little higher and also drier as it began to climb upwards, before coming to an abrupt halt.
    â€˜Dead end?’ said Eddie, staring at the wall in front of them. ‘It’s been bricked up.’
    â€˜Must be a way out somehow,’ said Adam. ‘Start lookin’, gang.’
    They probed the tunnel walls until Tom found a small lever tucked into a recess in the rock. As he gave it a tug, two things happened. First, all the lights went out and the boys were plunged into blackness – then a welcome shaft of daylight appeared as a section of the brick wall began to creak open. The relieved group scrambled through the gap and along a short tunnel, which emerged in a wood.
    â€˜Looks like an old mineshaft,’ observed Gareth, glancing back at the overgrown exit. ‘It’s well camouflaged. You’d be lucky to find it again amongst all these trees.’
    â€˜Belt up, GG!’ said Adam. ‘I can hear voices.’
    They all listened.
    â€˜Coming from over there,’ Gareth said, pointing to the right. ‘Let’s go and see.’
    â€˜Think we should?’ Eddie whispered. ‘I mean, we don’t want to get done.’
    â€˜
Done
?’ Adam repeated. ‘Who’s gonna
do
us, Wonder Boy?’
    Eddie shrugged. ‘Well, we could be trespassing on private property.’
    Adam ignored him. ‘Just break off some branches as we go through the wood so we can follow the trail back here,’ he ordered before striding away.
    It wasn’t long before their progress was halted again – this time by a high, mesh fence with lengths of barbed wire stretched along the top.
    â€˜Guess they don’t want anybody to get in,’ said Gareth.
    â€˜Or out,’ muttered Adam.
    The boys followed the line of the fence as best they could, though they were hampered by the undergrowth, which was full of nettles.
    â€˜Look!’ cried Eddie when they gained their first clear view. ‘Another track!’
    They stared through the fence at an athletics track, where a group of young runners were training.
    â€˜You sure we haven’t somehow stumbled back to B.A.S.E. Camp?’ said Tom.
    â€˜Positive. Our track has six lanes,’ Eddie told him. ‘This one’s only got four.’
    â€˜So who are
these
guys?’ Adam demanded.
    In response, Eddie let out a gasp of surprise. ‘Well, for a start, there’s that kid who got me into all that trouble.’
    â€˜Which one is he?’ asked Tom.
    â€˜The one out in front, of course.’
    â€˜Thought you didn’t get a good look at him,’ Adam sneered.
    â€˜Not his face, but I’d know that running style anywhere. That’s definitely him.’
    Adam had recognised somebody, too. ‘And I know the one who’s behind him!’ he said, nodding.
    â€˜Who is it?’ asked Gareth.
    â€˜Jacko.’
    â€˜What’s
he
doing here?’
    â€˜Dunno,’ Adam muttered, ‘but I sure intend to find out.’

Chapter Seven
A.C.E
.
    The four boys kept out of sight among the trees as they watched the runners finish their training and flop down for a brief rest not far from the fence. The presence of a coach, however, made an attempt at contact too risky.
    Led by Adam, they crept along the fringe of the wood instead, until they came to a single-track road and padlocked gates.
    â€˜There’s a notice on the gates,’ said Eddie.
    â€˜Advanced Centre of Excellence,’ Tom read out. ‘Huh! The initials spell A.C.E.’
    â€˜Sure puts us in our place at B.A.S.E. Camp, eh?’ Gareth muttered. ‘These kids here must be a cut above.’
    â€˜They’ll have to prove it first,’ said Adam.
    â€˜I think one of them already has,’ Tom said, winking at Eddie.
    Before Eddie could respond, Adam came to a decision.