Free Cosmic Boy Versus Mezmo Head! by Tony Abbott Page A

“Excellent helmet!” He tapped Jeff’s plastic head a couple of times. “I wonder who will get to play the Wiz—”
    Zzzzzzt! A sudden buzzing sound came from inside the X-RaysUs Medical Clinic.
    â€œThe big machine!” said Sean. “They’re using it!”
    The two friends looked through the window at a huge complicated machine with tubes and lights and wires and shiny metal parts. Bending over the controls was a man in a white lab coat.
    â€œThat X-ray machine has awesome power,” Sean whispered to Jeff. “It blasts nuclear energy right through people’s heads!”
    â€œAre you sure?” Jeff wrinkled his nose. “X-ray machines don’t really work like that, do they?”
    Sean shrugged. “That’s what I’ve heard.”
    Jeff nodded. “It reminds me of the sounds coming from my dad’s office when he works at home.”
    Sean turned to Jeff and frowned. “Have you ever actually seen that office, Jeff?”
    â€œIt’s in the attic. He doesn’t want me in there.”
    â€œA secret room in your house that makes noises?” said Sean. “Pretty zoney, Jeff. Come on, let’s go. We just have one short class, then tryouts!”
    It was then that Jeff noticed the sign in the X-RaysUs window. It said, CLOSED FOR VACATION. SEE-THROUGH YOU LATER!
    â€œWait a second,” Jeff said, grabbing Sean’s arm and pointing to the sign. “If the clinic is supposed to be closed, then who’s that guy using the machine?”
    Sean’s eyes widened as the man in the white coat continued to press buttons on the machine. The man still had his back to the boys.
    â€œAh, a mystery!” Sean whispered. He put his finger to his lips and tiptoed into the clinic. Jeff was right behind him.
    Suddenly— zzzzzt! —the X-ray machine buzzed loudly, exploding with large sparks.
    The room flashed with bright light.
    â€œWhoa!” Sean shouted. “He’s gonna zap us!” Sean turned to run just as the man in the white coat jumped away from the exploding sparks.
    Bweeeep! came a screeching sound.
    Jeff tried to move, but Sean slammed him hard and the man tumbled back into both of them.
    WHAM—WHAM—WHAM!
    The three people crashed into one another with the force of planets colliding!
    â€œWhoooomph!” groaned Sean as he drove Jeff out through the door to the sidewalk.
    In the instant before he dropped, Jeff turned to see the man holding a large green vegetable in front of his face.
    â€œWeird! Cabbage!” Jeff cried out, as he— umph! —slammed to the ground, his plastic Cosmic Boy helmet crunching down hard.
    â€œMy head!” he groaned.
    Then things went dark in that head.

2
    Class Brain
    T hump-thump-thump!
    When Jeff opened his eyes, he was facedown on the sidewalk outside the X-RaysUs Medical Clinic.
    His head throbbed. His ears throbbed. His eyes throbbed. Thump-thump-thump!
    â€œUhhhh!” Jeff groaned as he slid out from under Sean’s legs and got up. “Oh, man, my head hurts. My ears hurt. My eyes hurt!”
    Sean dusted himself off and got up, too. The two friends were alone on the sidewalk.
    â€œWait,” said Jeff, glancing around. “Where’s the guy?” He looked up and down and all around Main Street. “The guy in the white coat. I think I saw him outside my house this morning. And he had some kind of big vegetable …”
    â€œNever mind him,” said Sean, shaking his head. “We’re lucky we didn’t get zapped to death with nuclear-powered X-rays. Now, come on. Put your helmet back in the box and let’s go.”
    â€œI guess.” Jeff continued to look up and down the street. “It was a cabbage, I think. Big leaves.”
    Jeff slipped off the chin strap of his Cosmic Boy Space Helmet and pulled.
    â€œOuch!” A sharp pain went through his head.
    The helmet wouldn’t budge. Jeff tugged