Tim Shoemaker - The Code of Silence Collection: Complete Series

ZONDERKIDZ

Below the Surface

Code of Silence copyright 2012 by Tim Shoemaker
Back Before Dark copyright 2013 by Tim Shoemaker
Below the Surface copyright 2014 by Tim Shoemaker

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zonderkidz, 3900 Sparks Dr., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ePub Edition March 2015: ISBN 978-0-310-75123-6

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published in association with the literary agency of Hartline Literary Agency, 123 Queenston Drive, Pittsburg, PA 15235. www.hartlineliteracy.com

Zonderkidz is a trademark of Zondervan.

Cover design: Sammy Yuen

Interior design: Ben Fetterley

Illustrations: David Conn

Printed in the United States of America

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 / DCI / 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

Psalm 34:1213

C oopers leering opponent inched closer, fists raised and ready to strike.

Hes moving in for the kill, Coop, Gordy said.

Cooper didnt budge. Cmon, you big moron. He tapped the joystick. One more step.

The muscled fighter advanced. Swinging the control stick, Cooper drummed the punch and kick buttons on the arcade video game.

Yes! Gordy thumped Cooper on the back. Nice move!

Staggering backwards, the hulking villain wobbled and teetered.

With a whir of the forward control knob, Cooper smacked the buttons in a memorized sequence. Say bye-bye, big guy. The stunned champion dropped face-down.

How do you do that? Gordy said, clamping both hands on Coopers shoulders and giving him a little shake. Youve got all these secret moves and combinations.

Wiping slick hands on his cargo shorts, Cooper turned to face his cousin and smiled.

I wish I could do that! Gordy jumped and casually slapped the Order Here sign hanging from the ceiling.

Cooper glanced up at the swinging sign. And I wish I could do that. Dozens of finger smudges bordered the bottom edgebut none of them belonged to Cooper. Not that he hadnt tried when he thought nobody was looking.

Gordy brushed past him and tapped the joystick. Just once Id like to drop that thug.

Cooper looked up at him and smiled. Drop a quarter in the slot, and Ill teach you.

Hiroko Yakimoto stood from the table next to them and closed her English book. It looks like we wont get back to studying anymore tonight. Time for me to go. She slid her books into her backpack and wiped the table with a napkin. I dont see why you two love playing that stupid old game every time we come here.

Stupid? Cooper stepped over to the table and picked up his monster shake. The game is a classic.

Classic waste of time. She smiled slightly and raised one eyebrow. Youre both thirteen years old, right?

Cooper clutched at his chest. Ow, owwww, Hiro, that really hurt.

Its nothing but pointless violence.

Cooper acted like he couldnt believe what he was hearing. Pointless? Lifting the plastic lid off the quart-sized cup, Cooper stirred the chocolate shake. If youd ever make the effort to check this out, youd see this game is all about the forces of good fighting the forces of evil in mortal combat. He pulled the straw out, slid it across his tongue, and stuck it back in the cup. If you think about it, the Bible is full of this kind of stuff.

Hiro tossed her dark braid over one shoulder. Oh, I get it now. Gee, maybe they should buy a few of these games for church.

Gordy snickered and grabbed a handful of fries.

Frank Mustacci shuffled around the corner from the ordering counter. Something about the owner of Frank n Steins Diner always made Cooper smile. If Frank grew a white beard to match the hair rimming his balding head, he could get a job as a Santa in any mall. Dont let these boys give you a hard time, Hiro. And tell your mom she can have her old job back any time she wants. I miss her around here.

Hiro smiled and nodded. Sometimes Cooper thought Frank treated Hiro like she was his own granddaughter.

I ever show you this? Frank held out a worn 4 x 6 photo with half a dozen tack holes at the top.

A glance confirmed exactly what Cooper expected. The picture taken nearly two years ago at Frank n Steins Halloween party. And yes, he had shown it before.

Frank stood front and center wearing his white apron over a cheap Santa suit. Hiros mom stood to his right, dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono. Hiro stood in front of Frank, swimming in her dads leather Chicago Police jacket her rich black hair woven into a single braid. Her smile lit up the entire pictureeven though it had been the roughest year of her life.

Gordy stood to Franks left. His white-blonde hair got washed out by the flash and was way shorter than he wore it now. Cooper stood next to him, hands tucked in his jeans. Both of them too cool for costumes. Except for Coopers darker hair, they could have passed for brothers. Same lean build. Same height. Dead even. Eye-to-eye.

But that was before Gordys growth spurt. Cooper was still waiting for his, which is why Cooper wouldnt mind so much if that picture accidentally fell into the fryer someday.

Frank tried to get a group photo at the last Halloween party. Thankfully Cooper avoided getting in the picture by being the designated photographer. He didnt want to look like Gordys little brother.

I love that picture, Frank, Hiro said.

Me too. He slid the picture in his pocket. You kids stay and finish your game. He held up a ring of keys and shook it like sleigh bells. I just gotta lock the front door while I clean up.

Coop. Hiro stepped into Coopers line of sight. I think we should leave.

Her playful teasing look had disappeared. Something else seeped into its place. Cooper stared, trying to figure her out. Sometimes her mood could swing faster than a punch from the fighter on the video game.

Frank needs us out of here, she said. She nodded her head toward the door. Her eyes pleaded.

Frank wiped a greasy handprint off the front door glass. Nonsense. You wont be in my way. I like a little company. You know that. And I have to put up Halloween decorations anyway. Frank turned the key in the lock and dropped the keys in his pocket. Mind if I hit some of the lights? He doused the lights to the eating area without waiting for an answer. Otherwise somebodys liable to pull up to the drive-thru. He flipped over the CLOSED sign next to the door and nodded toward the windows. The neon gives plenty of light.

BURGERS, FRIES, HOTDOGS, ITALIAN SAUSAGE & BEEF, and MONSTER SHAKES. Every window featured a different illuminated sign. Together they splashed enough colored light around the room to see clearly.