George Edward Stanley - Swimming with Sharks

Text copyright 2003 by George Edward Stanley. Illustrations copyright 2003 by Guy Francis. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

www.randomhouse.com/kids

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stanley, George Edward.
Adam Sharp : swimming with sharks / by George Edward Stanley ; illustrated by Guy Francis. 1st ed.
p. cm. A stepping stone book.
SUMMARY: When the worlds ships start sinking, secret agent Adam Sharp investigates and discovers metal robot sharks are behind the attacks.
eISBN: 978-0-307-56044-5
[1. SpiesFiction. 2. ShipsFiction. 3. RobotsFiction.] I. Francis, Guy, ill. II. Title.
PZ7.S78694 Ah 2003 [Fic]dc21 2002151035

RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

v3.1_r1

To JoAnnthe best sister
a brother could have
G.E.S.

To Jake and Joey
G.F.

Red Alert!

Adam Sharp dribbled the soccer ball down the field. He left the other players behind. Even in his tuxedo and patent leather shoes, Adam ran faster than anyone else.

Friendly Elementary School was playing its rival, Smugg Elementary School. The game was tied 1 to 1. There were only two minutes left.

Suddenly, Adams watch beeped and a message appeared. He was needed at IM-8 Headquarters right away. That was because Adam wasnt just a student. He was also a secret agent.

Adam was still pretty far from the goal, but he had to score now.

He kicked the ball hard.

The crowd gasped.

The ball sailed over the head of the goalie and into the net.

Half of the crowd went wild.

Friendly Elementary School, 2! Smugg Elementary School, 1!

The referee blew his whistle. The game was over. Adams team started running toward him.

Adam ran the other way. He didnt have time to celebrate. Sorry! he shouted. I have to see the Gifted and Talented Teacher now!

There really wasnt a Gifted and Talented Program at his school. It was just a cover for IM-8.

Adam raced toward the school building. IM-8 Headquarters was in a secret room behind the janitors closet.

T was waiting for him there. T was the head of IM-8.

Adam brushed the grass off his tuxedo and straightened his bow tie. Whats the problem, sir? he asked.

The United Nations just called. Theres a Red Alert, T said. The secretary-general wants to see you right away, Sharp.

Adam shuddered. A Red Alert meant that the whole world was in trouble!

Im ready, sir! Adam said. Im sure Mrs. Digby will let me make up my spelling test next week.

Adam followed T to the IM-8 helicopter parked on the roof of the school. They flew out of Friendly, Maryland, toward New York City.

The secretary-general met them when they arrived. He took Adam to the General Assembly Auditorium.

Adam sat next to the ambassador from China. He waved to the queen of England. The meeting began.

One by one, the worlds leaders told their stories. Something was sinking ships around the world. But no one knew what!

A Spanish ship had lost tons of olives. A Chinese ship had lost tons of chopsticks. An Australian ship had lost tons of boomerangs.

Our ship lost tons of snowshoes, said the Russian ambassador. Now the people in Siberia cant leave their homes. Theyll have to stay inside all winter and watch reruns of I Love Lucy!

The worlds leaders groaned.

Just then, someone handed Adam a message. An American ship loaded with bubble gum is sinking off the U.S. coast, he read. The president wants you to find out why.

Its happening again! Adam thought. He raced out of the auditorium and to the roof, where T was waiting.

The world is counting on IM-8, T! Adam cried. We have to save the ships!

Made in Bermuda

The IM-8 helicopter lifted off. It headed toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Adam put on flippers, a face mask, and an oxygen tank. He always kept them in the rear of the helicopter just in case.

Fifty miles off the U.S. coast, T spotted the sinking ship. Bubble gum was floating on top of the water.

Wheres the crew? Adam asked.

Theyve already been rescued, T said. Theyre on their way back to port.

T lowered the helicopter until it was right above the water. Adam checked his gear again. He was ready.

Now! T shouted.

Adam plunged into the ocean. He started swimming underwater toward the ship. When he reached it, he saw why it was sinking. Three huge sharks were biting the bottom!

Adam knew danger lay ahead, but he swam closer anyway. Fear was a word IM-8 agents didnt know. In fact, Adam had even missed it on his last spelling test.

One of the sharks looked straight at Adam. It opened its big mouth. Adam had never seen such big teeth before.

The shark blew a big bubble and started swimming toward him. Adam pushed a black button on his watch.

It sent out a spray of shark repellent.

The shark kept coming.

I have to tell T we need a new shark repellent formula, thought Adam.

Adam aimed his watch at the shark and pushed a green button.

His watch sent out a message in shark language. It said, Danger! Get out of here!

The shark came closer. It didnt seem to understand.

Then Adam noticed something. This shark didnt look real. Adam could see where it was put together with rivets. These sharks were metal!

The shark did a somersault in the water. Adam gasped. There on its stomach were the words MADE IN BERMUDA.

Kay Largo

Quickly, Adam resurfaced. He saw the IM-8 helicopter hovering to his left. He pushed a red button on his watch. It sent a signal to T that he was ready to be picked up.