Free The Genius Files #4 by Dan Gutman Page B

As it is, I feel terrible about what happened to Archie Clone and Evil Elvis.”
    The twins grabbed onto a low branch and pulled themselves up the tree. Carefully, they helped the mustachioed bowler dude down. Meanwhile, his brother managed to climb up his parachute cord, unfasten his harness, and shimmy down the tree.
    â€œThe Genius Files program is dead,” he said when he reached the ground. “You’re free. You can live your lives, or be paranoid for the rest of your lives if you want to. It’s your choice. That’s all we came here to say.”
    The twins looked them up and down. Neither of the bowler dudes appeared to have a blowgun or any other weapon on him.
    â€œYou won’t bother us anymore?” Pep asked.
    â€œCross my heart and hope to die,” said themustachioed bowler dude. “We won’t follow you. We won’t chase you. All we ask is that you keep quiet so we can start new lives for ourselves without any fear of prosecution. Okay?”
    â€œOkay.”
    Coke and Pep took a few steps backward, watching the bowler dudes the whole time to see if they were going to try something. The dudes put their hands in the air, as if to say they were not going to throw anything, and they were not going to shoot anything.
    â€œGo, Pep!” Coke shouted, and they just about broke the land speed record running down Cavanal Hill.

Chapter 11
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MRS. MCDONALD!
    S o the coast was truly clear. The bowler dudes weren’t going to hurt them. Mrs. Higgins wasn’t going to hurt them. Dr. Warsaw wasn’t going to hurt them.
    â€œThis is the best vacation I ever had,” Coke told his parents enthusiastically. “I just wanted to let you guys know that I’m having a wonderful time.”
    â€œMe too,” Pep added brightly. “Driving cross-country is so much more of an enriching experience than going to some dumb theme park.”
    In the front seat, the parents looked at each othersuspiciously. Something had to be up. Neither of them could remember the last time the twins were so cheery and cooperative.
    After a fantastic dinner at Western Sizzlin in Poteau, the McDonalds pulled into the parking lot at the Holiday Inn Express.
    â€œHow is this place any different from a regular Holiday Inn?” Pep asked as her parents checked in at the front desk.
    â€œMaybe you sleep faster here,” Coke cracked.
    When they got to their room, Pep was careful to hide the birthday present she had gotten for her mother, a box of soothing bath salts she had picked up back in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Coke, who remembered just about every other thing he had ever experienced, never remembered anybody’s birthday. Pep knew her present would have to be from the two of them.
    â€œOnly a few more hours until the big day, Bridge,” said Dr. McDonald as he unpacked his suitcase. “Tomorrow, you’re in charge. We do whatever you want to do. You can boss us around all you want.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œSure,” said Dr. McDonald. “Do you want to go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner? Fine. You want to sit around the hotel pool all day? That’s okay too. Whatever your heart desires, honey.”
    Mrs. McDonald thought it over. The money she made from Amazing but True was paying for the trip, and she pretty much decided what they would do every day. But she was always conscious of the rest of the family’s boredom level, and tried not to drag them to places that wouldn’t interest them.
    But it was her birthday. All bets were off. This was going to be her day. She decided to make the most of it.
    â€œI can do anything I want?” she asked.
    â€œ Anything ,” said Dr. McDonald.
    â€œOkay,” Mrs. McDonald said. “Everybody needs to be ready to get on the road at seven o’clock.”
    â€œWhere are we going, Mom?” Pep asked.
    â€œYou’ll see.”
    While the others slept, Mrs. McDonald