Secret Security Squad E-Book

Robin Brande

• Herausgeber: Ryer Publishing
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Darby Langdon has a plan for taking out the bullies in her junior high.

But she'll need a team of specialists to do it: the gamer, the actress, the scientist, the football player, the inventor, and the bookworm.

Each of them has a secret that makes them perfect for what Darby has in mind.

Now if only her plan would go as perfectly...

Leseprobe

Secret Security Squad

Operation Erase

Robin Brande

Ryer Publishing

SECRET SECURITY SQUAD

OPERATION ERASE

(Book 1)

By Robin Brande

Published by Ryer Publishing

www.ryerpublishing.com

Copyright 2012, 2021 by Robin Brande

www.robinbrande.com

All rights reserved.

Cover art by Artursz

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Created with Vellum

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

About the Author

Also by Robin Brande

1

“So now what’re you gonna do?”

It’s hard to hear him with one of my ears pressed hard against the bathroom floor and the other partially covered by the dirty sneaker standing on top of my face. Not that my captor expects an answer anyway.

I stare at my phone—or really, the pieces of my phone—scattered across the room in the corner. I can’t call for help. No one knows where I am. I’m going to suffocate in here, my head crushed against a filthy bathroom floor that smells like it hasn’t been mopped in months. I’m supposed to be studying for a math test I have in the morning, but I guess that doesn’t matter anymore. Maybe I can look at the bright side.

“Where’re your little friends now?” my tormentor wants to know.

I try to think what Nicki Tesla would say—what she’d do. She’d probably come up with some great one-liner like, “Bite me,” or “Ooh, tough guy—picking on a little girl,” but the only answer I can manage is a muffled, “Frzz doan hrrmee.”

A couple of the boys laugh. “What’s that?” their leader asks. He must have motioned for the guy holding me down to ease up on my head a little, because pretty soon the pressure lets up just enough for me to clear my mouth off the disgusting tile.

Billy sticks his face down right in front of mine. “Now, what did you say, dog face?”

Nicki would spit on him. She absolutely wouldn’t cry. But I can feel my spirit breaking as I repeat what I’d tried to say before:

“Please... don’t hurt me.”

2

THREE WEEKS BEFORE

The letters went out at the beginning of October:

I KNOW YOUR SECRET. MEET ME AT 4:00 IN MS. HENNESY’S ROOM.

All five of them showed up, but you could tell they weren’t happy about it.

“Thank you for coming,” Carlos Rodriguez said. He looked nice: khaki pants, a white button-down shirt, black sneakers. Even though our school doesn’t require uniforms, he always dresses as if it does. Maybe he figures as President of the Student Council, he needs to set some standard. I’ve seen him on the weekends, and he’s not nearly so formal.

“What do you want?” one of the girls asked. Nicki Tesla, aka Gamer Girl. She had her black hair back in a messy ponytail and wore pajamas to school, as usual. Today they were blue with yellow moons on them.

“I just want to have a conversation,” Carlos answered.

“A conversation about what?” Tim Brewster wanted to know. Big guy, offensive tackle on the football team. Sweaty from practice. I wondered how he ditched midway through it.

Carlos Rodriguez smiled. “There’s something I’d like you all to help me with. But first of all, does everybody know each other?”

We’d all glanced around the room when we first came in, but nobody had really said anything to each other.

“Tyson LeGrande,” Carlos began, extending his palm toward Ty. “Science Specialist.”

Tyson seemed... what? Honored? Surprised? Suspicious? But he nodded just the same. I’ve known Tyson since elementary school. He’s not only a science star, he also does pretty well on the junior tennis circuit. Something about using his knowledge of physics to know where to hit a ball.

“Sky Wexler,” Carlos continued. “Information Specialist.”

Sky smiled and shyly ducked her head. I could tell she liked the title. I’ve known her since elementary school, too. She’s the only person I’ve ever met who’s spent more time in the library than I have.

“Nicki Tesla,” Carlos continued. “Computers and Gaming.”

“I don’t work for you, Carlos,” she snapped. “What’s this all about?”

“I know you don’t work for me,” he answered. “I appreciate you coming here anyway.”

“Blackmail,” Tyson LeGrande reminded him.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Nicki agreed.

Carlos ignored them. “Tim Brewster,” he continued. “Field Specialist.”

Tim seemed confused by that, as did most everyone else. Tim is a football player. A soccer and baseball player. If that made him a Field Specialist, then... okay.

“And finally,” Carlos said, “Lila Wu. Communications and Deception Specialist.”

Lila sat up straighter. “Excuse me, what?”

Carlos smiled. “Actress.”

Lila relaxed a little. She even seemed flattered. “Oh. Okay.” But she still gave Carlos a wary look.

“Now,” Carlos said, “we’ve got a situation. Something I’d like your help with.” He nodded to the short, red-haired kid standing next to him—Vice President Monroe. “Mitch, would you give them the folders?”

Just then the door to the classroom opened. One of the 7th-grade teachers stuck her head in.

“Oh. I was looking for... what are you kids doing in here?”

“Student Council meeting,” Carlos answered smoothly. “We’re planning the school Halloween party. We still need a teacher sponsor—would you like to volunteer?”

“Oh, well, no... I’ve, uh, got to go find Ms. Hennessy. You kids have fun.” She couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

I stifled a smile. Carlos is so good.

He nodded again to his Vice President, who pulled a stack of folders from his backpack and started handing them out.

“Wait a minute,” Tim Brewster said, accepting his. “You didn’t finish. Who’s she?”

Unfortunately, he was pointing at me.

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to say too much during the meeting, but Carlos gave me an encouraging smile. It looked like I didn’t have a choice.

“I’m... Darby Langdon.”

Nicki Tesla gave me a hard look while she blew a giant bubble. Then she asked the question that was probably on everyone else’s mind.

“So what’s your ‘specialty’ supposed to be?” She said it like she couldn’t believe I had one.

“I’m... well, it’s kind of...”

“Darby is our Chief Strategist,” Carlos answered for me. “She’s the reason you’re all here.”

3

I didn’t think it was going to come out so soon, but I guess I should have expected it. None of those kids was stupid.

I’d recruited all five of them, in a way. Or at least identified them so Carlos could. I’d been watching each of them since the start of school, gathering as much information as I could.

We’re all 7th-graders—the low tier. Carlos and the rest of the Student Council are in 8th. Historically, no 8th-grade power player has ever had anything to do with the 7ths, but Carlos wanted things to be different. Wanted to start a new society. Wanted to weed out the problems, make the school nicer, safer, happier—create a kind of junior high utopia, as if anything like that were even possible.

But you know what? I believed—I still do. I believed because if anyone could do it, Carlos Rodriguez could. I’ve known him since I was little—he’s my brother’s best friend—and even though my brother is a year older than Carlos, and already in high school, the two of them still hang out on the weekends, usually over at our house.

Which is how I came to be involved. Because over the summer as Carlos and my brother Patrick talked about Carlos’s big plans for his year as Student Council President, I started dreaming his same dream. Started believing that maybe—just maybe—this was the time and this was the person who could change everything.

And maybe I could be a part of all that.

And that’s where it comes in handy to be Invisi-Girl. What am I a specialist at? Not being noticed. Not mattering. Not drawing attention or having an opinion or being in any way on anyone’s radar. I’ve made it through six grades of being the girl that kids look at in their class picture and wonder, “Now, who’s she again?” I see no reason for that track record to end.

When you’re Invisi-Girl, people talk around you. They do things around you. It never occurs to them not to be themselves—not to do what they’d do when they were alone, with no one watching. I’m like a hidden camera housed in this short, nondescript 12-year-old body. I dress boring, I act boring, and all the while I’m like a high-powered vacuum, taking it all in.

Which is how I knew that these five kids were the ones Carlos Rodriguez needed to make his dream a reality. He and Vice President Monroe did their own recruiting at the 8th-grade level, but I was in charge of 7th. Which suited me just fine.

“Now,” Carlos said to the group, “please take a look at what’s in your folders.”

Four photographs, of four very recognizable guys.

Sky Wexler gave a little gasp, then quickly slapped her folder shut like she was afraid the pictures might get out. I couldn’t blame her. The guys in those pictures were the worst of the worst—bullies who spent all their time perfecting the craft of bullying. And out of all of us, Sky was the smallest, the most vulnerable-looking. She had a good reason to be scared.

But even a big guy like Tim Brewster looked worried. Which wasn’t very comforting, considering that Tim routinely tackles guys twice the size of Sky and me put together. If he looked nervous, then we really were in trouble.

“Know these fellas?” Carlos asked.

“Of course we know them,” Nicki Tesla said. “Scum of the earth.” She spat her gum in a perfect arc that landed right in the middle of the nearest wastebasket. Impressive. “But what do those psych-wads have to do with us?”

“It’s simple,” Carlos said. “I want you to help me take them out.”

4

Sky Wexler shoved the end of one of her long brown ponytails into her mouth and gave it a quick, nervous chew. “What do you mean,” she said, “‘take them out’?”

“I mean they’ve become a problem,” Carlos answered. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Nicki Tesla snorted. “Of course they’re a problem. Half this school’s a problem. What do you think you’re going to do about them?”

“Not just me,” Carlos answered. “All of us.”

“Yeah, right,” Nicki said. She stood up and headed for the door. “Good luck with all that.”

Vice President Monroe moved to block the door.

“Hey, Carlos,” Nicki said without turning around, “unless your little pal here wants to lose a limb, you should probably tell him to get out of my way.”

“Mitch, let her go if she wants,” Carlos told his VP. “But Nicki, I’m asking you to stay. You’d be doing me a big favor, and I’d really appreciate it. I promise you I won’t forget it. Please stay if you wouldn’t mind.”

Something about his voice, his manner, and how reasonable he always sounds—I swear, that guy could talk a lion out of eating someone’s head even if it were already in its mouth.

Nicki Tesla eyed him grumpily, but then she turned and went back to her seat. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Fine. Go. Talk.”

Carlos held up the first photo in the file—the one of Billy Teff. “We all know this gentleman, right?”

“Gentleman,” Tim Brewster scoffed. “Right.”

“Anyone have a problem making him one of our targets?” Carlos asked.

“Not as long as I can run over him with my bike,” Nicki Tesla answered. “While the rest of you hold him down.”

“No violence,” Carlos said. “That’s the first rule.”

Sky Wexler seemed relieved about that. So did Lila Wu. I couldn’t tell with Tyson and Tim.

“Hugs for thugs?” Nicki asked. “We going to love them to death?”

“Every option is open,” Carlos answered. “Except physical violence.”

Nicki made a point of yawning. “I have things to do. ”

Carlos glanced at the clock above us. “Two more minutes.”

He held up the remaining three photos, one by one. “Anyone disagree with me that these gentlemen need to be neutralized?”

“You know, you say things like that,” Nicki answered, “and I get all excited, but then you tell me no violence, and...”

“Neutralize how?” Tyson LeGrande, the scientist, wanted to know.

“I’m open to all of your suggestions,” Carlos answered. “Although our Chief Strategist has already come up with one of her own.”

Everyone looked at me.

Carlos gave me a nod.

I cleared my throat.

“Okay, so... we erase them.”

5

“What’s that supposed to—” Nicki started to say, but then the door opened again. This time an 8th-grader slipped in and took a seat.

“Thank you for joining us, Brian,” Carlos said.

Brian Bender nodded. He held some sort of a device in his hand—something that looked like a pager. But knowing Brian, and his own particular specialty, I knew it had to be more than that. Brian is the greatest inventor I’ve ever met.

Carlos turned back to the group, just in time to see Lila Wu close her folder. She had been sitting there quietly the whole time, but now the actress spoke.

“Thank you,” Lila said, “but no.” She got up gracefully from her chair and handed the folder to Vice President Monroe. “I’m late for rehearsal.”

“Sit down, Lila,” Vice President Monroe said, moving to block her way.

“No, you sit down, Mitchell. Whatever you boys are cooking up, it has nothing to do with me.”

“Let her go, Mitch,” Carlos said. “I guess we were wrong about Lila.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.

Carlos smiled. “Like the letter said, I know your secret.”

“So what?” Lila said. “You think I care?”

“Yes,” he answered quietly, “I do.”

Lila glared at him for a moment, then she rolled her eyes and groaned. She spun around and returned to her chair. She crossed her legs and let the top foot bounce.

“So that’s it?” Nicki Tesla asked. “You’ve got something on all of us, and you’re going to try to make us work for you? Forget it, Carlos. I don’t care what people think. Tell them whatever you want.”

She stood up again. But this time she didn’t make it even two steps to the door before the newcomer, Brian Bender, stopped her with three words: “Reinstatement. Full pay.”

Nicki paused. She glanced to the side, where Brian sat calmly assessing her.

“Says who?” Nicki asked.

“Says me.”

“You’re Bender?” she asked.

“You know who I am.”

Nicki hesitated a moment more, then returned to her chair.

I let out a breath. Two recruits down, three to go.

The others—Tim, Sky, Tyson—look worried, but they didn’t look ready to bolt just yet. Still, I couldn’t be sure. The best I could say was they seemed curious. And curiosity was good—at least it was a start.