The Nightmare Vortex Read Online Free PDF Page B

the recess bell rang she didn’t know if she should be relieved or run away and join the circus.
    She sat under a tree with Linden eating a giant salad roll.
    â€˜Oh no,’ Max moaned. ‘Here comes Toby.’
    â€˜Who’s your new friend, Max?’
    She didn’t answer. Hadn’t the morning beenbad enough?
    Linden stood up. ‘Linden Franklin.’ He munched into his roll.
    Toby was shocked. Usually kids were more scared of him.
    â€˜Not too hard for you, our city exam? Guess none of it made sense coming from the country.’
    â€˜It was easy. We did plant structures and food chains last year. I guess we must be ahead of you.’
    Toby knew Max was enjoying every minute of this, but he wasn’t finished yet.
    â€˜So you have spy adventures with Max?’
    Max freaked. She hadn’t told Linden about Toby stealing her spybook. ‘They’re just stories, lamebrain. As if we’d really be spies.’
    â€˜Yeah.’ Linden beamed at Max. ‘We couldn’t be spies, we’re just kids.’ They collapsed into a squall of laughter as the school bell rang and Toby was left wondering what was so funny.
    On the way to class, Max’s palm computer vibrated in her bag with a message. She and Linden ducked behind a tree.
    â€˜Ben? How are you calling us?’ she asked.
    â€˜We’ve got palm computers too.’
    â€˜Since when?’
    â€˜Years now. Sorry to call you at school, but we’ll pick you up after training. We’ve got great news to tell you.’
    â€˜Is it about the Time and Space Machine?’ Linden asked.
    â€˜We’ll tell you everything tonight.’
    Ben zapped off the screen as Max suddenly forgot all about her exam. ‘I bet it’s finished!’
    Max looked up and saw the last of the kids pile into class and knew they couldn’t afford to look suspicious. ‘We better go.’
    She put the palm computer in her pocket as they stepped out from behind the tree. Toby watched them from across the yard. He knew they were up to something but he hadn’t seen clearly enough to know what.
    â€˜You’re up to something, Remy. I know it and I’m going to watch you real closely to find out what.’

Despite being determined to prove she was a good spy, Max’s next training session only confirmed she had the most clumsy, malfunctioning body that was ever built and from Alex’s silence, she thought the same thing too. After spending the night falling, tripping and tumbling, Max fell to the floor from the vibrating horizontal ladder for what felt like the hundredth time. ‘Why couldn’t I have been given a body that actually works?’ she moaned into the foam mat.
    Alex looked at her like she was a pet that couldn’t be trained. ‘That’s all for this evening.’
    Max stood up, her arm sore from banging against the wall of the Simulated Earthquake Chamber. ‘Bye, Alex.’
    She kept her eyes on her computer and muttered, ‘Bye.’
    Max turned, dragging her bag behind her like it was made of lead.
    â€˜Well how was that then?’ Ben asked when they got in the car.
    â€˜Good,’ said Linden, trying not to be too enthusiastic. He was still being brilliant at everything Alex asked him to do.
    Ben read Max’s silence. ‘Tough, eh? Don’t worry. It gets easier.’
    It better, thought Max. Or someone’s going to have to scoop me up with a shovel after the next session. Then she remembered. ‘What’s your great news?’
    â€˜We’ll tell you when we get to the lab.’ Francis grinned cheekily.
    After the usual shower cap, white suit, cleansing and temperature check procedures at the lab, Max, Linden, Ben and Francis stood in front of the new and improved Time and Space Machine.
    â€˜Australian scientists have been studying the technology needed to create a Time and Space Machine for years. With everything that