Double Vision Read Free Page A

on the porch. “You can sit now.”
    I felt a jolt of irritability run up my spine. “I’m okay standing, thanks. So what does the government want with me? Did one of those chickens make it across the state line or something?”
    Agent Fullerton gave me a laugh, high and fake. “Funny. No, Lincoln.” He dug into his breast pocket and pulled out a photograph. Handed it to me.
    â€œWhat’s this?” I looked at the grainy picture of a kid, in black cargo pants and a black polo shirt. He had dark hair, blue eyes—and he looked just like me, just a lot more serious. “There’s this blond streak down the front of his hair, but …”
    â€œLooks just like you, right?” Agent Fullerton looked excited. “Uncanny.”
    â€œWhat? Everyone has a double.” I handed the creepy picture back and sat down in one of the plastic lawn chairs. “Why are you here?”
    â€œOne of the kids from your class stuck a video of you at the chicken farm on YouTube. Our scanning software has been searching for a match, but we didn’t think you’d be this close.” Agent Fullerton tucked the picture back in his pocket. “We’re here to make you an offer. The kid in the picture is Benjamin Green. He’s one of Pandora’s top secret agents—and he’s gone … missing.”
    â€œThat’s a real bummer,” I said, hoping to sound tough. “But what does that have to do with me?”
    Agent Fullerton glanced at Agent Stark, and she gave him a nod. “Ben is part of an undercover operation we’ve been running, very hush-hush. We were ready to take down a dangerous criminal organization when he went missing.”
    â€œMissing how?”
    Agent Fullerton hesitated. “He last reported to me near the Louvre Museum almost two days ago. We don’t know what happened to him.”
    â€œThe point is,” Agent Stark said, sounding impatient, “Benjamin Green was supposed to deliver … a package. And then the receiving party would give him something in return.”
    â€œSo it’s a trade.” These two agents made everything sound complicated.
    â€œRight.”
    â€œWhat’s in the package?” I asked.
    â€œThat information is distributed on a need-to-know basis.” Agent Fullerton coughed. “You see the bind we’re in, right? Without Benjamin Green in place, the exchange is off, and we have to start all over. Hundreds of man-hours—poof.” He raised his hand, like an explosion. “Wasted.”
    â€œSo you want me to pretend to be this junior government agent Ben kid. Like a double agent—no, an agent double.” It was confusing.
    â€œBenjamin Green, yes. Just until the exchange is done.”
    â€œAnd he’s missing, probably taken by some guy he crossed on this case you’re talking about. Right?” I watched lots of crime shows with my grandpa, so I thought I knew a thing or two about bad guys.
    â€œForget it, Fullerton,” Agent Stark said, startling us both. She tucked her small yellow pad inside her coat pocket. “The kid doesn’t want to do it. And he couldn’t do the job anyway. This is a bad idea.”
    â€œIt is.” Even I knew that.
    â€œBut you’ll be great—you have to do this!” Agent Fullerton said, looking desperate to convince his partner and me. “Plus, I never told you what you would get in return.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œNever mind the deal.” Agent Stark shook her head. “You don’t want to do this, so why should we divulge any more highly classified information?”
    â€œWait, what’s the deal?” I stood up from my chair, making it fall down on the porch floor with a thud, stopping both government agents in their tracks.
    Agent Fullerton looked at his partner, then stepped closer. “You do this, we’ll take care of your chicken farm business. Our intel