Free The Impossible Race: Cragbridge Hall, Volume 3 by Chad Morris Page A

you’re going to tell us anything,” Maria said. “Let’s do this first.” The Crash practiced as a club a few times a week. They had taught Derick well and he was having a lot of fun, but he noticed they were giving him harder and harder challenges. Perhaps that was their way of getting back at him for not answering their questions.
    One of the falcons turned its piercing eyes toward Derick. “Would you like to know one of the coolest things about peregrine falcons?” Nia asked.
    “Right now, I’m just thrilled to be in one and able to fly,” Derick said.
    “Well, I’m not sure all of what you were doing was flying,” Piper said. “Some of it was flopping, and a little of it was falling.”
    “Falcons can fly up to sixty miles per hour,” Malcolm explained, “but that’s not in a stoop.”
    “What’s a stoop?” Derick asked.
    “A stoop is when a falcon dives for its prey,” Piper explained.
    “And then they can go up to 200 miles per hour,” Maria said, then whistled. “That’s fast! Shall we give it a shot?”
    “200 miles an hour? Is that safe?” Derick asked.
    “It’s not about being safe,” Malcolm answered. “It’s about hunting, getting food. It’s about being focused and not holding yourself back at all. It’s about really being a peregrine falcon.”
    “So amazing,” Derick said. He could only imagine what it would be like to dive at that speed.
    “And for you, it’s about keeping a secret from us,” Maria added, a bit of a kick to her voice.
    “I would try to defend you,” Rafa said, “but I think you can stoop.”
    “Just dive and don’t hold back,” Malcolm instructed in his Southern drawl. And then he leaped off the tower and dove. Two others joined him.
    Derick stared in awe as they rocketed toward the ground. Every fraction of a second they increased in speed. They fell faster and faster. At the last moment, they pulled up just above the ground, then glided up into the sky. It looked easy and graceful, but Derick knew it would be terrifying.
    Then Rafa and Piper stooped together. Again, the same reckless speed and again, they tilted their wings and ran parallel to the ground at the last second. Both birds glided in wide arcs until they had turned around and looked up at him.
    Derick looked down. This was crazy. It was awesome and amazing, but also crazy. Then the chanting started. “Stoop. Stoop. Stoop. Stoop.”
    So much for flying being a way he could relax and find peace.
    Derick wasn’t one to back away from a challenge, nor was he one that was easily scared, but his mouth was definitely dry. “All right, Hayabusa,” Derick whispered to his robot falcon. He liked to name his avatars. Hayabusa was the Japanese word for peregrine falcon, but also the name of a motorcycle that had been the fastest in its time. The second fastest had been named “Blackbird.” The company had named their bike “Hayabusa” because falcons hunt blackbirds. “Let’s give this a shot.” He leaned forward and dove.
    He had jumped off high dives before. He had jumped off cliffs into lakes. He had felt the tug of gravity, but this was different. This was embracing it, letting it drive you toward the ground with all it had.
    “Don’t try to get too close to the ground on your first go,” Nia said. “If you don’t pull up in time, you’re going to destroy the falcon avatar and be in serious trouble with Rafa’s mom.” Rafa’s mother not only invented the avatars, but was in charge of the avatar department at Cragbridge Hall and had to fix them when they were damaged.
    The wind ripped across his face, but with a beak and an aerodynamic head, it didn’t feel the same; he sliced through it. He was made for this, or more accurately, the robot falcon was. He tucked his feet in and felt himself careening toward the ground. Derick tried to let out an excited scream, but he lost most of the air from his lungs a few feet into the dive.
    “Yeah! He’s doing it!” Malcolm