"13 - Alien Invasion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pike Christopher)

'Well. Yes.'
'Yes what?'
'Yes. It's special to have special friends.' Adam swallowed. 'And you are one of them, the special one.'
'What are you trying to say?'
'Nothing.'
'You must be trying to tell me something?'
'No.'
Cindy finally chuckled at his discomfort. 'You're not sure about girls yet, are you, Adam?'
'No. I think girls are nice.'
Cindy laughed our loud. 'I suppose that will have to do for now.' She patted him on the back and headed for her front door, calling over her shoulder. 'Don't worry too much about George. They don't let just anyone become a teacher. Mr Snakol can't be that bad. George is probably down at the arcade, with the others.'
'You're probably right,' Adam called after her.
But he did not believe his own words.


Four

At home Adam had trouble concentrating on his homework. For English he was supposed to write a three page paper describing what he had done over the summer. But he realised if he put down half of the adventures he had experienced, he would be sent to a mental hospital. Also, he kept expecting George to call, but the guy never did. Finally, however, Adam ended up calling George's house. But all he got was George's worried mother. The lady was thinking of calling the police. Adam didn't tell her that going to the police in Spooksville for help was like expecting the Easter Bunny to show up with jelly beans and chocolate eggs. It just wasn't going to happen.
When Adam met his friends at the cinema, he tried to talk them out of seeing the movie. For the second time he explained his fears, but now he wanted to do more about it than just talk.
'What can we do?' Sally asked, impatient to see the movie. 'We already checked the classroom. There was no one there.'
'We just glanced in the windows,' Adam said. 'There are back rooms connected to that room, where supplies are kept. I want to check there.'
'You want to break in to the classroom, in other words?' Watch said.
'If we have to,' Adam said. 'It is a fact that George has vanished.'
Bryce was thoughtful. 'I have a lock picking kit. We can probably break in without having to wreck a window.'
Cindy was interested. 'Can we run by your house and get the kit?'
In response Bryce pulled a small leather kit from his back pocket. He opened it to reveal an assortment of metal hooks and knives. 'I like to keep it handy in case of an emergency,' he explained.
'And I bet you can pick any lock,' Sally said with a trace of sarcasm.
Bryce nodded with a straight face. 'Yes. Any mechanical lock on this planet.'
'Let's do it then,' Adam said.
Sally was reluctant to miss the movie. 'But what are we looking for?'
'Anything,' Adam said with a note of desperation in his voice.
It was close to sunset when they reached the campus. The shadows were long across the courtyard, and the sounds of their steps echoed through the empty halls. They all crept towards the science room.
'Does this school have any security?' Adam asked.
'A couple of janitors,' Watch said. 'But they're both working on doctorates Ч online. They should be in the computer room most of the night.'
'I still don't know what we're doing here,' Sally complained.
'I can't understand you,' Cindy snapped. 'George must be in danger. Isn't that enough reason to come to his aid?'
Sally yawned and acted bored. 'I have spent my life rescuing people like George from the evils of Spooksville. I hardly think I am required to rescue one more on my one night off.'
'Shh,' Adam warned as they reached the door of the science room. 'Let's not attract any more attention then we have to.' He nodded to Bryce, who was taking out his kit. 'How long will you need?'
'Five seconds,' Bryce replied as he slid a fine metal wire into the lock, along with a stiff silver hook. He was not exaggerating. A few seconds later they heard the dead bolt slide open. But it was Adam who actually opened the door, carefully. It was very dark inside.
'Maybe I should go in alone,' Adam suggested. 'There is no reason all of us should get in trouble.'
'Good idea,' Sally said. 'If you run into difficulty you can always let out a blood-curdling scream.
'No,' Watch said firmly. 'We go together or we don't go at all.'
It was decided then. As a group they stepped into the dark classroom. Watch cautioned them not to turn on the light. The place appeared empty but ever so faintly they could hear a sound coming from the back room. Practically holding their breath, up on their tip-toes, they crept towards the room. Once at the back door they paused and stared at each other.
'There is someone in there,' Adam whispered.
'Or something,' Cindy gasped quietly.
'This is crazy,' Sally hissed. 'We can't just barge in on whoever it is.'
'Why not?' Watch asked softly.
'Let's crack the door slightly,' Bryce suggested. 'See what we can see.'
'I will do it,' Adam said. Taking hold of the doorknob, he slowly turned it and peered through the narrow crack. But the back room was even darker than the classroom. He whispered to the others as he turned his head away from the crack. 'I can't see a thing.'
Bryce paused and listened. 'I don't hear anything any more.'
'I'm not sure we heard anything to begin with,' Sally said.