Authors: Gary Paulsen
Project
The doctor turned back to the table and brought the needle up next to Jim’s arm. Before Jim could protest, the little man jabbed the wide tip into his arm and pushed something under his skin.
“Wait a minute!” Jim grabbed at the syringe and jerked it out of his arm. “What do you think you’re doing? You’re not taking blood.”
The doctor stepped back, clasped his hands in front of him, and quietly observed his patient.
Jim tried to stand up. The room was whirling around him. He let go of the table and tried to take a step.
The floor was coming closer.
Suddenly everything went black.
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YEARLING BOOKS
are designed especially to entertain and enlighten young people. Patricia Reilly Giff, consultant to this series, received her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College and a master’s degree in history from St. John’s University. She holds a Professional Diploma in Reading and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Hofstra University. She was a teacher and reading consultant for many years, and is the author of numerous books for young readers.
For a complete listing of all Yearling titles,
write to
Dell Readers Service,
P.O. Box 1045,
South Holland, IL 60473.
Published by
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
a division of
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
1540 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
Copyright © 1996 by Gary Paulsen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
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®
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®
are registered in the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.
eISBN: 978-0-307-80398-6
Series design: Barbara Berger
Interior illustration by Michael David Biegel
v3.1
Dear Readers:
Real adventure is many things—it’s danger and daring and sometimes even a struggle for life or death. From competing in the Iditarod dogsled race across Alaska to sailing the Pacific Ocean, I’ve experienced some of this adventure myself. I try to capture this spirit in my stories, and each time I sit down to write, that challenge is a bit of an adventure in itself.
You’re all a part of this adventure as well. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of talking with many of you in schools, and this book is the result of hearing firsthand what you want to read about most—power-packed action and excitement.
You asked for it—so hang on tight while we jump into another thrilling story in my World of Adventure.
HAPTER
1
“We’re almost there, Jimbo.” Jim Stanton’s father grinned at him in the rearview mirror.
His mother turned sideways in the front seat of their old brown station wagon and gave her sandy-haired son an encouraging smile. “Mr. Kincaid says Folsum is a great place for kids.”
Jim didn’t look up. He had his baseball cap pulled low over his forehead, and his lanky body was slumped miserably in the seat.
He knew he was being very selfish but he couldn’t help it. After all, it was asking a lot of a guy to give up everything.
His father had just received the job of a lifetime—a post at Folsum National Laboratories in New Mexico. He had been handpicked by the company’s president, Jefferson Kincaid, and would be making three times the salary he had earned back in California.
The problem was, Jim had to leave all his friends, and worst of all he had to give up his position as pitcher in his hometown summer league with a perfect no-loss record and only two games left to play.
“Don’t worry about him, Mom.” Laura, Jim’s eight-year-old sister, scooted forward and whispered loudly to their mother in a teasing voice. “He’s just having Heather Atkinson withdrawal.” Laura fell back against the seat and covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.
Jim thought seriously about jerking one of Laura’s long blond braids. But he didn’t. The truth was he did miss Heather. She wasn’t his girlfriend or anything, but who knew … if only they weren’t moving.
He raised his cap a little and stared at his
father’s back. Robert Stanton was a research scientist. He worked hard to support his family, and his big chance had finally come. The Wellington Foundation, along with Folsum Laboratories, had heard of the project Dr. Stanton had been working on dealing with a new plastic that could withstand tremendous heat.
The family would live in the small, elite community of Folsum, nestled at the base of New Mexico’s Sacramento Mountains, while Dr. Stanton completed his research. Jim’s mother had read Jim the brochures the company sent and had shown him the pictures of their new house. To her it was all incredible. For the first time in their lives they would be living in a really nice house in an equally nice neighborhood.
“Oh, look, Robert—there’s the school.”
Jim watched his mother grab his father’s arm excitedly. She had gone on and on about the dumb school. It boasted the highest grade-point averages and the most distinguished alumni in the state, possibly the nation.
“Wait till they get ahold of the Ditz Brain,” Jim mumbled just loud enough for his sister to hear.
She wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at him. “You’re the one who can’t spell ‘cat.’ They probably won’t even let you in the front door of the school.” Laura folded her arms smugly.
Their father looked in the rearview mirror. “That’ll be enough of that.” He turned the corner and drove down a short street with houses on either side. He pulled the station wagon into the driveway of a large two-story brick house.
“You can get out now, kids. We’re here.”
HAPTER
2
Jim slammed the car door. He had to admit, the house was impressive. The lawn was perfectly trimmed and the shrubs looked as if they had been manicured. Not one blade of grass was out of place. The other houses on the block looked almost exactly the same—except that they all had late-model cars sitting in their driveways.
“Must be a retirement community,” Jim said. “I don’t see any kids around.”
His mother hugged him playfully. “Don’t worry, kiddo. They’ll probably be around
later, after we’ve had time to unpack and get a few things in place.”
“Everything’s already in place.” His father reached for a suitcase on top of the station wagon. “The company took care of it.”
Jim’s mother looked puzzled. “You mean they put away our dishes, clothes, and everything?”