Free Deep Waters by H. I. Larry Page B

Locate secret submarine.
    â€¢ Discover who is behind it
and what they plan to do with it.
    END

    He’d got out of school, was piloting the coolest amphibious submersible ever and all he had to do was find some submarine? So far this mission was working out well!

CHAPTER THREE
    One thing was for sure, thought Zac. The secret submarine would need to be tested in water at least 4000 feet deep . And that could only be a long way away from shore.
    Zac was going to have to set a course right out to the middle of the ocean. And if that meant he could squeeze in a little joy ride on the way…well, that was almost part of the job.
    Flicking the autopilot switch, Zac stuck his feet up on the dashboard. He plugged in his iPod and speakers and turned the music up really loud. His satellite GPS navigation software could handle the directions. It was made by Marine Tech. Zac knew this small company somehow always came out with the coolest sea technology just before the bigger companies did.
    Zac typed in the coordinates for the middle of the sea, where the water was deepest. At least, he thought he did.
    He must have hit the wrong button, because the next second the amphibious submersible was upside down and spinning round and round in circles.
    The foghorn was blaring, the cabin lights were flashing on and off and the fire sprinklers activated.

    Just then, Zac heard his SpyPad beeping.
    He picked it up.
    It was Leon calling! This was going to be embarrassing.
    â€˜Zac here,’ he said, trying to sound like he had things totally under control.
    â€˜What’s all that noise, Zac?’ asked Leon anxiously. ‘Are you OK?’
    â€˜I’m fine,’ Zac snapped, holding a bucket under the fire sprinkler and trying to muffle the foghorn with a towel.
    â€˜ Sure you understand how to operate the submersible?’ asked Leon.
    â€˜Of course!’ said Zac, breezily. The submersible spun round and round. He was going to be sick any second.
    â€˜OK,’ said Leon doubtfully.‘Listen, I’ve got new information about the mission from our mole at Marine Tech!’
    â€˜Uh huh,’ said Zac.
    â€˜It looks like the they’re behind the Sea Devil .’
    â€˜The Sea Devil ?’ asked Zac.
    â€˜The secret deep-sea submarine!’ said Leon, sounding impatient. ‘Marine Tech is going to use it to get to GIB’s Safe Talker, hidden on the floor of the West Sea!’
    Leon went on. ‘We thought the Safe Talker was secure because it’s 4000 feet down. But now that Marine Tech has invented the Sea Devil , they can easily bug it. I’m working on deactivating the Safe Talker now, but it’s going to take at least 24 hours.’
    Leon finally paused for air. Zac tried to make sense of what he’d said.
    â€˜Leon,’ Zac said finally. ‘What’s a Safe Talker?’
    â€˜Only GIB’s most important piece of technology ever!’ Leon yelled. ‘Safe Talkers transmit all our secret communications. They’re in code, of course. But if anyone got their hands on a Safe Talker, they could switch off the encryption filter. All our communications would be in ordinary English.’
    â€˜So they’d understand every word,’ said Zac.
    â€˜Yup,’ said Leon. ‘And our secrets are pretty high-tech stuff. The enemy could use them to build aircraft, subs, satellites …whatever! Then they could sell them for heaps of money.’
    â€˜I’ve always thought it’s strange that a small company like Marine Tech invents the coolest stuff first, every single time,’ said Zac slowly.
    â€˜This must be how! They steal other people’s secrets,’ said Leon.
    Zac’s mind chewed over the mission. ‘If Marine Tech’s after our Safe Talker, won’t their sub testing station be somewhere close to it?’
    â€˜I’m sure you’re right, Zac,’ said Leon. ‘Good spying. The Safe Talker’s