Free In Search of the Time and Space Mach by Deborah Abela Page B

far, in the short time we’ve been in London, we’ve managed to spook the people in Francis’s building, freak-out the receptionist in the Department of Science and New Technologies. And when we were leaving there, I got the feeling that someone was looking at us.’
    â€˜You really have seen too many spy films,’ said Max. ‘We’ve got the perfect cover. We’re kids. Why would anyone think we were up to anything funny?’
    â€˜I guess you’re right,’ Linden said, not really convinced. But he told himself Max knew what she was talking about. They were just kids. The perfect cover, like she said.
    Max looked down at the address the receptionist had given her: Hartfield School, Salisbury Road, Bleechgrove E7.
    â€˜This must be where she works.’
    Linden frowned.
    â€˜But she used to be the head of an important Government department. What would she be doing working at a school?’
    Max took the London A-Z from her backpack as they made their way to the nearest Underground station.
    â€˜I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.’

    Alex Crane clung to the roof of the high-speed luxury train and adjusted the earpiece of her Micro Descrambler Watch, listening for what was coming next. Inside was the brilliant Madame Des Arbres, the self-made billionairess, who owned the largest multinational botanical company in the world, and was in the middle of a very secret, high-level meeting with her henchmen regarding the final stages of another evil plan.
    Spyforce had uncovered Des Arbres’ secret scheme to unleash into the world’s forests a virus that would stop trees everywhere from being able to reproduce. Whole countries would be forced to buy her seeds in order to plant more trees, ruining whole economies and making her the richest person in the world.
    Alex adjusted the frequency of the Descrambler, which could translate any language in the world, and listened as Des Arbres’ French became fluent English.
    â€˜If countries don’t buy my seeds, wholeecosystems will collapse and they will have no one to blame but themselves.’
    Alex heard the squeal of arrogant laughter from Des Arbres, as her final detail of dastardly planning was about to be put into place.
    â€˜It will not be long now,’ the Descrambler translated for Alex. ‘Everything is in order. All we have to do is begin the launch of the planes to all the major forestry sites of the world and spray our lethal Des Arbres Mist all over them to make them mine.’
    Des Arbres launched into another annoying cackle as Alex switched off the Descrambler and put it into her backpack. The wind rushed by her like a cyclone as she made her way carefully along the roof of the speeding silver train, clinging to every protrusion and handle she could find as she made her way to Des Arbres’ carriage. She had with her Spyforce’s newest invention, the Neuro Reversal Spectron. With one zap of this powerful device, she could reverse the thinking patterns of all who came under its spectrum of influence. All she needed to do was reach Des Arbres’ window, aim the Neuro Reversal Spectron at her and her buffoons, and the world’s forests would not only be saved, but would have Des Arbres as their most devoted greenie, dedicating the rest of her life to saving the trees.
    But just then, Alex’s foot slipped. She lost her hold and dangled from the careering train like a leaf in autumn. She tried to regain her foothold but the force of the wind pinned her against the train so she was unable to move. As she looked around for something to hold onto, she saw the narrow mouth of a tunnel ahead, hurtling towards her like a hungry giant. She had about ten seconds to avoid certain doom. Would this be the end of Alex Crane? Would she be able to regain her foothold and avoid her fast-approaching demise? Would the world’s forests be wiped out by

    The train jerked as it came to a