The Amazon Experiment Read Free Page B

darkened places or coming up against invisible objects.’
    â€˜Have you got any of those sensors for Max?’ Linden asked with a grin that was trying to break into a laugh.
    â€˜It can be arranged.’ Quimby wasn’t so successful and let loose a small chuckling gasp.
    â€˜Hello, everyone.’
    At the sound of that voice Max felt like her whole body had been bungy jumped. Her pulse quickened, her mind scrambled and her mouth, as usual in these situations, stopped working.
    â€˜Hi, Alex,’ chorused everyone except Max.
    â€˜Excellent to see you, Alex.’ A piece of long dark hair fell into Quimby’s eyes and she tried to tuck it into her scarf, with very little success. ‘Ready for the demonstration?’
    â€˜Absolutely.’ Alex Crane was the best agent in the Force and had the ability to look professional and casual at the same time. ‘Hello, Max. Nice to see you again.’
    Alex was intelligent, good-looking and always in control. Max, on the other hand, had trouble just trying to stand up. ‘I … ah … it’s …’ She andAlex had last been together on a mission to save the Annual Spy Awards Night from a volcano Mr Blue had made active. They did it, but not before Max almost got them both killed. 3
    Everyone was looking at her, including Alex, waiting for her to say something. Say anything, she ordered her brain. ‘Ah … um … nice shoes.’
    Alex looked down at her Spyforce-issue trainers. ‘Thanks.’
    â€˜Let me show you what we’re really here to see.’ Quimby turned to continue the demonstration but she was overcome by a yawn. ‘Excuse me. I’m terribly sorry. There’ve been a few late nights trying to get the vehicles ready for your visit. Follow me.’
    â€˜It’s Alex,’ Max whispered to Linden.
    â€˜I noticed,’ Linden replied easily.
    â€˜She said it was nice to see me.’ Max’s admiration for Alex had the ability to make her disappear into a cloud of very non-Max behaviour.
    â€˜Max,’ Linden protested, ‘I always think it’s nice to see you.’
    â€˜Did you hear her say it?’ Max was beaming.
    â€˜Yeah.’ Linden gave up for now.
    Quimby took a small red rubber cube from herlab coat. ‘This is going to revolutionise travel for Spyforce agents everywhere. We’ve been working on it for years and now it’s finally ready. Agents, I give you the Felani.’
    Linden stared. ‘It’s a little small, isn’t it?’
    â€˜Watch.’ Quimby held out the rubber cube as if it were a rare diamond. She gave her hand a shake and threw the cube into the air. It unfolded balloon-like into a sleek sportscar beside them.
    â€˜Isn’t she beautiful?’
    Linden breathed a quiet sigh. ‘I’m going to be so hard to impress for the rest of the day.’
    â€˜You might want to close your mouth before the wind changes,’ Max cautioned him. ‘I’m not having a spy partner who could double as a fly catcher.’
    Linden closed his mouth and smiled.‘Good joke.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ Max shrugged proudly.
    Quimby continued. ‘The Felani is part of a new range of Inflatable Foldaway Vehicles we’ve invented and is for your more stylish encounters. Capable of ultra-high speeds, its wheels contain countless brush-like projections, much like the toes of a gecko, that create friction, enabling super grip on all kinds of surfaces,’ and here Quimby flashed a wicked grin, ‘as well as the ability to navigate non-horizontal surfaces.’
    Linden’s mouth dropped open again. ‘So … it can scale …’ His mind filled with the possibilities. ‘Walls, buildings, bridges?’
    â€˜For starters.’ Quimby’s mischievous smile got even cheekier. ‘But that’s not all.’
    The agents followed Quimby as she walked over to a line of other vehicles parked