H. I. Larry - Night Raid

NIGHT RAID
ByH.I. LARRY

ILLUSTRATIONS BY
ANDY HOOK &ASHOSWALD

Night Raid
published in 2006 by
Hardie Grant Egmont
85 High Street
Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without
the prior permission of the publishers and copyright owner.

A CiP record for this title is available from the National Library of Australia

Text copyright 2006 H. I. Larry
Illustration and design copyright 2006 Hardie Grant Egmont
The moral rights of the author have been asserted

Illustration by Andy Hook & Ash Oswald
Design by Ash Oswald

Printed in Australia by McPhersons Printing Group

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

CONTENTS

It was one of the most embarrassing things that had ever happened to Zac Power. Every morning he caught the train to school and usually his dad dropped him at the station. But today his mum had driven him.

First, she had insisted on walking with him to the platform. Then, right there in front of his friends, she had given him a big, sloppy kiss.

Have a lovely day, sweetie, she said.

Zacs face went bright red. Behind him he could hear his friends sniggering.

It was at times like this that Zac wished he could reveal his secret identity. Imagine what his friends would think if they knew he was actually a secret agent working for the Government Investigation Bureau (known as GIB). They would be even more surprised to hear that his mum was one too! In fact, everyone in Zacs family was a spy. But this was top secret information. So Zac couldnt say anything.

And remember, his mum added as she left, youre helping your dad unplug the drain tonight.

The train tooted.

Come on, Zac! yelled his friends, jumping on. But as Zac tried to board he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Hold it right there! Zac turned and saw a ticket inspector. Show me your ticket, she said sternly, flashing her badge.

Zac pulled out his ticket. The inspector looked at it and then shook her head.

Come with me, she said.

His friends looked worried as the inspector led Zac away. But Zac wasnt worried at all. The badge the inspector had shown him wasnt really an inspectors badge. It was a GIB agents badge! Maybe Im about to be sent on a mission, thought Zac.

He didnt always like going on missions. They usually came up right when he was busy doing something fun. But today he had a maths test, so he didnt mind at all!

The agent led him to the end of the plat-form and stood at the top of the escalator.

Im Agent Shadow, she said. Listen carefully theres no time to waste. Youre expected at the GIB Training Centre immediately for a refresher course.

What? Zac was annoyed.

Wasnt the refresher course meant for spies who werent very good, like Zacs brother Leon? Zac was a good spy. No, Zac was the best spy: he was on top of the GIB Spy Ladder every week. Why did he have to go?

Unfortunately, one look at Agent Shadows face told him that there was no point arguing with her.

How do I get there? he asked.

Down, said Agent Shadow as she shoved Zac onto the escalator. She checked that there was no-one around. Then she pulled out a key and turned a lock on the side of the escalator. Instantly the stairs of the escalator folded down and Zac found him-self slipping down a giant slide straight towards the ground!

Zac quickly reached for his foldable grappling hook and searched for something to secure it to before he hit the ground. But out of the corner of his eye, Zac saw a panel at the bottom of the escalator slide open. He continued to slide down underneath the platform and came skidding to a halt at the bottom. He found him-self on what looked like an abandoned railway platform underneath the railway station. Cool, a secret platform! thought Zac.

No sooner had he arrived at the bottom than there was a whoosh of air and a shiny, silver train sped out of the tunnel. It stopped right in front of Zac and the doors slid open. Zac stepped onto the train as a voice came on over the loudspeaker.

Welcome aboard the GIB bullet train, Zac Power, it said. Next stop: GIB Training Centre.

The train took off at lightning speed. Outside the windows the tunnel walls were a blur. Zac checked his watch.

Surely it wouldnt take long to get to the training centre at this speed? But the train just kept going and going.

Finally, after two hours, the train drew to a stop. The doors opened and Zac walked out to find himself in an office bustling with GIB agents. An agent holding a clip-board came up to greet him.

Im Agent Tripwire, he said, handing Zac a padded vest. Put this on and then go to the simulator down the corridor.

As Zac walked towards the simulator, he wondered what exactly they were simulating that needed such a heavy vest?

The simulator had a strange red glow and Zac soon realised why. Fifty laser beams were sweeping the room!

Hi! said a voice beside him.

Zac turned and saw another boy. He was also wearing the training vest.

Im Agent Hawk, but my friends call me Ned, he said.

Im Zac, said Zac.

Zac Power? said Ned, looking amazed. Wow, I cant believe Im training with you!

Just then, Agent Tripwires voice came over the loudspeaker.

The task is to be the first agent to get through the laser field and reach the other side without getting hit.

Hang on, said Zac. I left my Laser Shield in my schoolbag.

GIB agents carried a foldable, light-weight Laser Shield at all times.

FOLDABLE LIGHTWEIGHT LASER SHIELD

No gadgets are allowed in the simulator, replied Agent Tripwire. You have to rely on your skills.

Fine, thought Zac, I can do this withoutany gadgets.

Your time starts NOW! yelled Agent Tripwire.

Expertly Zac stepped over the first laser beam. The next laser was waist high. Zac leaned backwards and did the limbo below it. Then he dropped to his hands and knees and crawled under the third beam. Zac checked to see how far behind Ned was. But he wasnt behind Zac at all.

He was in front!

Suddenly, Zac heard a buzzing noise. He looked around just in time to see a laser beam swinging towards him. He dived to the ground as the laser zoomed overhead.