H. I. Larry - Shockwave

SHOCK WAVE

BY H.I. LARRY

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAN McDONALD

Shockwave
published in 2007 by
Hardie Grant Egmont
85 High Street
Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia
www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au

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 2007 H.I. Larry
Illustration and design copyright 2007 Hardie Grant Egmont

Cover and illustrations by Dan McDonald
Based on original illustration and design by Ash Oswald
Typeset by Pauline Haas

Printed in Australia by McPhersons Printing Group

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CONTENTS

Zac Power was not happy. First of all, it was raining. If that wasnt bad enough, it was also really cold. But to top it all off, Zacs class was doing a cross-country run.

Why cant I be somewhere warm and dry,instead of here? thought Zac, picking up his running vest. The vest felt really heavy as he pulled it on over his head. Great, he sighed to himself. My vest feels like its madeof lead, and I have three kilometres to run!

BANG! The starter pistol sounded and the runners took off.

Zac struggled not to streak in front of his classmates. He was a really fast runner, but he knew he had to fight the urge to speed ahead. His dad always gave him the same warning before a race.Look ordinary, Zac! You mustnt let people see what you can really do.

Because not only was Zac an excellent athlete, he was also a top spy. In fact, everyone in his family was a spy, even his geeky brother Leon. But all their spy training, special missions and high-tech gadgets were top secret. Not even Zacs closest friends had any idea that he was the number one spy for the Government Investigation Bureau, or GIB for short.

Soon Zacs sneakers were wet, and he was covered in mud up to his knees.

The sooner this race is over, the better! Zac muttered to himself. The rain seemed to be getting heavier by the second.

Then Zac had a really weird feeling. It felt like an invisible force was pulling him off-course and into the bushes. I must belosing my balance, thought Zac, making a mental note to do some extra balancing poses in his next karate class.

He ran back onto the path and kept jogging. But there it was again! He felt like he was being pulled towards a magnet. Zacs spy senses tingled. Somethings up!

He looked down at his rain-speckled vest. Its just like everyone elses, isnt it?

Then Zac took a closer look. Hang ontheyre not raindrops, he realised. TheyreLEDs! I must be wearing an ImpelloVest.

Zac had heard about this latest GIB gadget from Leon, who worked with the GIB inventions squad. ImpelloVests were designed to pull the wearer in a particular direction.

Zac stopped fighting the pull of the vest. He didnt know where he was going, but he figured hed find out sooner or later.

Sure enough, the vest steered Zac towards a car that was partly hidden by some bushes. Zac recognised the small GIB logo on the number-plate.

GIB must have a mission for me, thought Zac. Often going on missions was annoying. But today he didnt mind. Im going to misshalf the cross-country run! Even better, mumwont be able to hassle me about tidying myroom this afternoon.

But as Zac got closer to the car, his grin faded. As GIBs top spy, he was used to the best gadgets, the fastest subs, the latest technology. So why was there a clapped-out old car waiting for him?

The car was huge, rusty and really dirty.

Zac took a deep breath, and tried not to be too disappointed as he opened the car door.

A good spy is never caught off guard, but Zac was totally surprised by what he saw. It may have been rusty on the outside, but inside the car was another story.

The entire cabin was lined in super-plush carpets and leather. Covering the windows were latest-design computer screens showing location, outside temperature, and distance to GIB headquarters. One window was constantly showing new release movies. Built in to one of the car walls was a vending machine, with a long list of food and drinks on offer.

RustBucket outside, dream-machine inside, thought Zac, impressed. What a perfectdisguise!

Good afternoon, Agent Rock Star, said a computerised voice. A robotic arm reached out from a side panel, holding a towel and some clean clothes. Please make yourself comfortable. We have a long drive ahead of us.

Zac dried himself off, and quickly changed into the cargos, hoodie and cool new sneakers.

Then he sank into the RustBuckets deep, comfortable leather armchair. There was no question that GIB knew how to do things. There was also no question that Zac was about to be sent on yet another dangerous mission.

So really the only question was, hot chocolate with marshmallows or milkshake with sprinkles?

Are you ready for your StratoLance training, sir? inquired the computerised voice, as the car drove off.

Totally ready! replied Zac.

The StratoLance was the GIBs latest, fastest scramjet. Leon couldnt stop raving about it.

Youll find the flight simulation disk in the pocket of your cargo pants.

If I pass the simulator training, maybe theylllet me fly the real thing! thought Zac.

He grabbed a packet of M&Ms from the vending machine and then slipped the game disk into his SpyPad. The SpyPad was the personal computer, gameboy, electronic communicator and personal assistant issued to all GIB spies.

WHIRRR! KER-LICK!

A safety harness and flight joystick suddenly snaked out from the back and arms of Zacs swivel armchair. He strapped in and put on a set of headphones.

The computer screens lining the cabin now displayed a picture of the runway of GIBs top-secret airfield. Overhead panels slid back to reveal aircraft gauges and dials. The cars interior now looked like the cockpit of a StratoLance!

This is the most realistic flight simulator Iveever used! Zac thought, as he fired up the jet engines. He pushed the joystick forward. Instantly, the virtual StratoLance felt like it was taking off.

As he whooshed upwards, strong G-forces plastered Zac into his seat. He didnt fight them. Gradually the G-forces pulled back, and the computer display sky turned from blue to deep purple. Everything that was not bolted down began floating around the car.