Andy Roid and the Missing Agent Read online

  As Farrient rushed to her and hugged her tightly, the General faced Andy.

  ‘Well done, Andy,’ he said. ‘You’re the reason that the professor is alive. You should be proud that you fought so hard to stay on the case, follow your instincts and pursue Boris Mueller. But your cover is blown now so we’re taking you off this mission. You’ll be sent back home first thing in the morning.’

  Andy nodded. He had expected it. But it didn’t feel good. He felt like he’d failed and really wished he could stay on the assignment.

  ‘So, what about Judd?’ he asked, hoping to find out how much the General knew. ‘I bet he’s feeling bummed.’

  The General took Andy by the arm and marched him out of earshot of the nearby agents. Andy could see that he was on edge.

  ‘Have you spoken to him, Andy?’ he said. ‘We’ve lost all contact with him. He took Sara to her friends’ band rehearsal, and told her that he had to go away for a few days, and that he’d be okay. Do you know what he’s up to? Did he say anything to you about what he was planning and where he might be?’

  Andy thought about what Reggie had said, about Judd saying that he owed him. Judd had almost lost his job and his life helping Andy save his dad from Dr Baffi. Now the tables had turned.

  ‘Andy! I want you to be straight with me,’ the General said, rubbing his hand across his beard. ‘Do you have any clue where he might be going?’

  Andy shook his head. ‘Sorry, I don’t,’ he lied.

  It was clear to Andy what he had to do. He had to find Judd himself.

  ● ● ●

  ‘I just can’t believe it! I mean, I can. . .but never in my lifetime. . .’ Farrient gushed over Andy’s bionic powers as Andy, Agent Granny, Sara and the General all sat around the dinner table in their safe house that night. ‘You are a technological work of art, a scientific miracle.’

  ‘Papa, please!’ Sara interrupted him. ‘Give poor Andy a break. It’s been a long day for you all. I’m sure he’s tired of you acting like a fanboy.’

  ‘No, it’s okay,’ Andy said politely, even though it did feel weird.

  ‘Yes, yes, okay. I did get a little bit carried away,’ said Farrient. ‘Let’s change the subject. Did you know that my beautiful daughter here got the top mark at her school in History last week? I’m so proud of her. It’s remarkable how much she knows.’

  Sara blushed. ‘Papa, stop. You’re embarrassing me. . .’

  ‘There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Sara. You should be proud.’

  ‘Papa, you have to stop telling everyone about my marks.’

  Farrient and Sara slipped into a heated exchange in French. Andy watched them and suddenly missed his mum and dad. He even missed arguing with them.

  The General excused himself from the table to take a call on his mobile. Andy wondered if it was news about Judd. He figured that the General probably had every spy in Europe out looking for him.

  ‘Andy!’ the General waved him over after ending his call.

  Andy excused himself and walked over to join him.

  ‘Intel has confirmed that the Blaireau Corporation know what you are and they’re trying everything to find you,’ he whispered. ‘So just in case you were thinking of going after Judd. . .I don’t recommend it. You can’t do this on your own. The Blaireau have technology and weaponry that will make Dr Baffi’s robotic suit look like a child’s toy.’

  ‘Me, um, no, I wasn’t going anywhere. . .’ Andy said, a little too quickly. ‘I’m looking forward to going home.’

  ‘Good,’ said the General, sternly. ‘But you should know that we have measures in place to stop you leaving, just in case.’

  ‘I wouldn’t. . .seriously,’ Andy said, as if the General was crazy for even thinking such a thing.

  ‘Well, then,’ he said. ‘We can all sleep soundly knowing that two of our finest agents are on guard tonight, complete with night vision and motion sensors, can’t we?’

  Andy nodded. Sneaking out and beginning his own search had just got much harder.

  Finally everyone went to bed. Andy opened the door just a crack. He scanned the upstairs hallway.

  He gently closed the door and video-called Judd. His friend wasn’t picking up. He tried Reggie.

  ‘Hi, Andy,’ Reggie said, his worried face popping up on Andy’s palm screen. ‘Any news?’

  Suddenly a small ball of fur shot across the screen.

  ‘What was that?’ Andy said.

  Reggie grinned. ‘Oh, that’s just Brad. He can ride a remote-control motorcycle now. He can stunt jump it clear over to the other side of my room and land safely on my bed. It’s awesome!’

  Andy’s pet rat was partly bionic, an old lab rat of his parents. Reggie’s hobby was teaching Brad some pretty cool tricks.

  Andy smiled. ‘He looks like he’s having fun,’ he said. ‘But, Reggie, can you do me a favour?’

  ‘Oh, no, I don’t like the sound of this,’ Reggie sighed, taking Brad off the mini bike. He scurried into Reggie’s shirt pocket. ‘You’re going to search for Judd and you want me to cover for you as well, don’t you? I’m going to get into deep, deep trouble.’

  ‘Please, Reggie? Just give me a day or two. I need a head start, okay?’

  Reggie sighed heavily.

  Even Brad squeaked as if he didn’t like the sound of Andy’s plan.

  ‘Yeah, all right then. . .but no longer than that,’ Reggie said reluctantly. ‘I’m worried that Judd’s put himself in a seriously dangerous situation, Andy. The mission his parents were on when they died needs top security clearance. I can’t get anything on it. Nothing! Even with your powers, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. . .’

  There was a gentle tap at the door. Andy hung up on Reggie and leapt under the covers of his bed.

  The door creaked open. It was Sara. ‘Hello, Andy?’ she whispered. ‘Are you awake?’

  ‘Sara?’ Andy said. ‘Yeah, I am. Come in.’

  ‘Sorry to disturb you,’ she said, sitting on the corner of Andy’s bed. ‘I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to say I’m sorry about Judd. He’d been acting strangely all day. I should have told someone.’

  ‘How could you have known?’ said Andy. ‘Don’t blame yourself.’

  ‘Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I can’t tell what’s going on around me,’ said Sara. ‘I “see”, but in a different way from everyone else, with my other senses and through my intuition. For instance, when I placed my hands on yours the other day, I knew your skin was different from the way ordinary skin feels. I knew you were. . .’

  ‘Some sort of freak?’ Andy said.

  ‘No! I was going to say special,’ said Sara. ‘I pick up on things that other people miss. I could tell by the tone of Judd’s voice, the way he shuffled in his chair, the time he took to answer me, that he had something on his mind, that he was impatient to leave. I could tell tonight at dinner that you had something on your mind. . .like how to get out of here and find Judd.’

  ‘No way,’ Andy said. ‘I’m going home in the morning.’

  ‘Really?’ Sara smiled. ‘So that’s why under your covers you’re dressed, shoes and all?’

  ‘Huh?’ Andy felt caught out. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘I can hear the rustling of your jacket and the sound of your shoes against the sheets. Don’t worry, I understand. Judd sounded really stressed about whatever he was planning to do, even though he was trying to act all brave.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. He’s acting really weird. My friend Reggie told me he said to be “brave and loyal”. I guess that means he wants me not to tell anyone and follow him. I’m pretty sure he’s headed to Lucerne. I just wish I knew where in Lucerne to start looking.’

  Sara’s face lit up. ‘Maybe what he said isn’t about you at all, Andy.’ She sounded excited. ‘I think it’s meant to be a clue! “Brave and loyal” like a lion. . .like the famous Dying Lion.’

  ‘The what?’

  ‘It’s a stone statue in Luce
rne, a monument of a dying lion dedicated to the Swiss Guards killed during the French Revolution. And, carved above it, it says in Latin, Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtutui, which means. . .’

  ‘To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss. . .’ Andy translated, grateful for the language app in his right temporal lobe.

  ‘Yes!’ Sara was impressed. ‘That’s amazing!’

  ‘So, thanks to you, I guess I know where to find Judd, but I don’t have a clue how to get out of here without being seen. If there was only some way I could distract one of the agents. . .’

  Sara smiled. ‘Maybe I can help with that, too.’

  Andy and Sara waited until just before dawn. They waited in the dark and listened to the heavy snoring coming from the bedrooms upstairs.

  ‘Whoa, talk about senior snore-fest! That’s some serious wheezing,’ Andy whispered. ‘Your dad?’

  ‘No,’ giggled Sara. ‘He whistles when he snores. Sounds like a pig with a recorder stuck up its snout.’

  They both covered their mouths to stop from laughing out loud.

  ‘Well, it can’t be the General. He’s in the room at the end of the hall. It has to be Agent Granny!’

  Andy wished that Judd could be there. He’d be sure to think this was hilarious. Andy remembered how Judd and Agent Granny interacted with each other, and knew his friend would never let her forget it.

  ‘It’s time,’ said Sara, picking up her cane and walking towards the door, completely confident in the total darkness. ‘Let’s get this escape started.’

  Andy turned on his night vision, moved over towards his bedroom window and looked down. One of the agents was sitting in a car parked directly in front of the house. Andy knew the other one was around back.

  A few minutes later, Andy saw the front door open and Sara stepping out into the driveway. It didn’t take long for the agent to get out of his car and approach her.

  ‘I’m having trouble sleeping,’ Andy heard Sara say to the agent. ‘And I thought I’d make some warm milk. But I don’t know my way around the kitchen. Could you come in and help me, please? I don’t want to wake the others up.’

  The agent agreed. Once he stepped inside with Sara, Andy opened the window and jumped out. It was about a five-metre drop – which was nothing for Andy’s bionic spring-powered legs.

  He landed on the ground with a soft thud and sprinted down the driveway.

  Within seconds, Andy was out of sight of the farmhouse. Bolting at an average speed of 70km/h, it took him no time at all to reach a lakeside medieval town called Yvoire. He slowed and walked the short distance down to the water’s edge.

  Now I just have to get over to the other side of the lake, back to Switzerland, and catch a train to Lucerne. Simple, he thought. As long as I lay low and don’t get caught by the Agency or the Blaireau. I could swim it, but I don’t want to be travelling in wet clothes. . .so how else can I do this? he wondered.

  Andy’s eyes drifted towards the town’s marina. He smiled.

  ‘Perfect,’ he said, already running along the boat moorings. ‘I’ll do what any secret agent would do. Hot-wire a speedboat!’

  ● ● ●

  Cutting through the water in an amazing 16-foot Cuddy speedboat, Andy headed back towards Switzerland.

  The full moon broke through the clouds and reflected brightly across the lake.

  Andy sighed. It was spookily breathtaking. He felt anxious, excited and free, all at the same time.

  Andy looked at his GPS and turned the boat eastward towards Lausanne.

  Then, because he knew the General would call as soon as he found out Andy was missing, he disabled the communication applications.

  He sat back in his chair with one hand on the steering wheel. The cool night breeze was fantastic.

  Everything was going to plan.

  EE-AWW EE-AWW

  Andy almost slipped off his chair, startled by the siren. He turned to see another boat fast approaching him.

  ‘THIS IS THE WATER POLICE! SWITCH OFF YOUR ENGINE. . .NOW!’ a voice blasted through large speakers.

  Andy shook his head. He couldn’t believe it. If he tried to outrun them he’d have the entire Swiss police force looking for him.

  He switched his engine off, as the police boat cruised up alongside. There were two officers onboard. Andy decided he would try to talk his way out of it.

  ‘What are you doing speeding out on the lake at this time of night?’ asked one of the officers, stepping on to Andy’s boat. He looked a bit startled to see that Andy was just a kid.

  ‘Um, I’m out fishing,’ said Andy, in perfect French. ‘My dad’s out on a dingy close by.’

  The officer smirked and turned back to look at his partner in the cabin of the police boat.

  ‘Really? Fishing? Okay. . .so what type of fish were you hoping to catch?’ he asked.

  ‘Um, you know. . .’ Andy had no idea what species of fish lived in Lake Geneva. He wasn’t even sure if there were fish. ‘Hopefully big fish,’ he said in English. ‘Des grands poissons!’

  The officer snorted with laughter, before his expression hardened. ‘Right! Enough of these games, boy! I want your name, address and age.’

  Andy’s heart was racing. He made up a name and address, but he could tell the officer wasn’t buying it.

  ‘You’re coming back with us to Nyon,’ he ordered. ‘I’ll drive this boat, which I suspect is stolen, and you can go back in the police boat with my partner.’

  Andy sighed. So much for talking.

  There was no choice but to resort to what he did best. . .

  FLICK!

  Andy snatched the officer’s gun out of his holster and tossed it far into the lake.

  SPLASH!

  Before the officer could react, Andy grabbed him, lifted him clear above his head and catapulted him out of the boat.

  SPLLAAASHHH!

  ‘DON’T MOVE! OR I’LL SHOOT!’ cried the second officer, bursting out of his cabin and pointing his pistol at Andy.

  Andy just leapt onto the police boat with a single hop, landing right in front of the man.

  ‘You’re not going to shoot a kid. Policemen are the good guys,’ Andy said confidently, snatching the gun.

  He lifted the officer up and tossed him into the lake in one swift movement.

  ‘Sorry, officers,’ he called and threw two life jackets into the water. ‘You can take the speedboat back.’

  He ducked into the police-boat cabin and turned the key.

  Andy couldn’t believe what he’d done. It was like a scene in a Hollywood action movie – but this was the real deal.

  He knew there would be a police report out on him by morning. Now there was one more group of people out to catch him.

  He would be in even bigger trouble from the General if the Agency found him.

  Now there was definitely no turning back, but Andy didn’t want to go home. He’d never felt so exhilarated and terrified in all his life.

  Stealing a police boat and speeding off into the night was just so James Bond.

  Andy was jolted out of a deep sleep when the passenger sitting next to him pulled a bag down from the shelf above their seats.

  Andy snuck a glance at the time on his palm screen – 9am. He had been asleep for two and a half hours. He looked out the window and saw that they were already pulling into Lucerne station.

  Andy’s palm was flashing red, which meant he had missed incoming calls.

  He ducked into the toilet, latched the door behind him and looked at his messages – they had come in the form of 3-D holographs.

  ‘Andy. Return to the farmhouse as soon as you get this message!’ The figure of the General hovered over Andy’s palm. He looked worried, but also really angry. ‘Don’t be foolish. If the Blaireau find you, they’ll have you killed! Get back here now. This is an order!’

  The next message was from Andy’s mother.

  ‘Andy. . .What do you think you’re doing? Your father is beside himself.’ Andy’s m
other had her hands on her hips. ‘I know you want to help Judd, but you’re putting yourself in grave danger. Please call!’

  Andy felt a wave a guilt wash over him, but he couldn’t let Judd down either.

  ‘This better be worth it, Judd,’ he muttered as he walked back into the train carriage and to the open doors.

  There were two policemen standing on the platform. Andy quickly ducked behind a large man carrying suitcases and cautiously stepped out.

  The General had said that the Blaireau would be on full alert and out looking for him. Andy knew he had a huge target on his back.

  He managed to slip past the police, but he was suspicious of everyone he passed. For a moment he thought the old man at the pretzel stand near the entrance to the station was staring at him, and that the woman in front of the magazine store was talking about him on her mobile. Were they with the Blaireau? Or were they fellow agents? Or maybe they were undercover Swiss government authorities who had been informed of his run-in with the Lake Geneva water police? Andy didn’t even know who to watch out for.

  He had crossed the street by the station and took a moment to get himself oriented.

  The city of Lucerne was built around a number of huge lakes, next to some beautiful snow-capped mountains, but Andy had no time to sightsee. He had barely left the train station when he spotted a face in the crowd of streaming commuters. He recognised the man immediately.

  Oh no, Andy thought. He’s one of the General’s agents. He was guarding Judd, Reggie and me at the Agency’s safe house when were we looking for Dr Baffi. What was his code name? Um, Agent. . . Agent. . .Got it! It’s Agent Gatekeeper.

  Leaning against a street lamp just ten metres ahead of Andy, Agent Gatekeeper was pretending to be glancing down at his phone. But it was obvious to Andy that he was in the Agent’s sights.

  Andy abruptly took a sharp right and stepped into a busy department store. He glanced back. He saw Agent Gatekeeper shove the phone in his pocket and run after him.

  I’ve gotta lose him, thought Andy, but using my powers in public is going to be tricky. I can’t draw any attention to myself.