Thunder Raker Read Online Free PDF Page B

Alfie said.
    â€œMy co-pilot, Jerry Atkins,” the Chaplain explained. “Right then, today I’ve arranged a short assault course for you.”
    Several people groaned.
    â€œIt won’t be difficult,” the Chaplain went on. “Just twice round the field, then climb over those bales of hay over there. It’ll make men of you.”
    â€œI don’t want to be a man,” Alice said.
    The Chaplain peered at her. “Ah, yes. People then. Oh,” he remembered, “and you’ll have to crawl under that wire mesh over there.”
    â€œDoesn’t sound too bad,” Alfie whispered to Jack.
    â€œAvoiding the machine gun fire,” the Chaplain continued. “Then it’s a quick swing over the pond on the rope I’ve attached to that overhanging branch.”
    â€œWell, at least that should be all right,” Jack said.
    â€œBeing careful not to fall in and get eaten by the hundred or so piranha fish I’ve put in the pond.”
    As Alfie and the others watched, a duck flew down towards the pond. It hoveredjust above the water before landing, and gave out a contented quack. Then a blue lightning bolt of electricity zapped up and hit the duck, which fell lifeless into the water.
    â€œAnd the electric eel,” the Chaplain went on. He hesitated as he saw Class 3D was looking past him, their mouths open. “Problem?”
    The skeleton of a dead duck was tossed out of the pond and landed on the grass nearby.
    â€œGood,” said the Chaplain. “Right—off you go then.”
    Sam was allowed to whiz round the course in his wheelchair, since he couldn’t crawl under the mesh or swing on the rope.
    Beth’s satellite detector bleeped and booped as he moved.
    Alfie and Beth kept close to Sam. “Any sign of it yet?” asked Alfie.
    â€œNothing so far.” Sam waited while Beth and Alfie ducked under the mesh and crawled quickly through. The ground exploded round them.
    â€œSee if you can move out a bit,” Alfie suggested. “Cover a bigger area.”
    After they’d swung successfully over the pond, Alfie turned to Beth. “How close does the detector need to be to find the satellite?”
    Beth sighed. “It’s not easy to get long range with a portable, battery-powered detector you know.”
    â€œHow close?”
    â€œAbout a metre.”
    Alfie frowned. “But that means Sam will have to run over it.”
    â€œMaybe.” Beth looked a bit embarrassed.
    â€œWouldn’t he see it first?”
    â€œMaybe,” she said again.
    As he watched Sam whizzing back and forth across the playground at twenty miles an hour, Alfie wasn’t sure that Beth’s detector was going to be the best way to find the satellite after all.

Chapter 8
    â€œThat was very good, Alfie,” Miss Jones said as she handed back his homework the next morning. “In fact, yours was the only plan that the Homework Analysis Team gave a 90% chance of success.”
    â€œWhat did you do?” Jack wanted to know. “I only got a 45% chance of success. I never heard of anyone getting 90%.”
    â€œDid you pole vault over the electric fences?” Sam wanted to know.
    â€œStun the guard dogs with an electric shock gun you invented yourself?” Beth asked.
    â€œMaybe he dug a tunnel,” Alice suggested. “I did.”
    â€œNo,” Chloe told them, “a powered hangglider with sat-nav is best. My dad bought me one the other week. Bet you didn’t think of that,” she told Alfie.
    â€œI just shot all the guards and blew up the place,” Harry said glumly. “HAT said that didn’t fulfil the Mission Brief because I didn’t get hold of the vital plans. Only gave me 10%.”
    â€œSo come on,” Jack said, “how did you do it?”
    Alfie shrugged, embarrassed by all the attention. “I pretended to be a postman bringing the letters. Special delivery to be