Blockbuster by H. I. Larry Read Free Book Online

CHAPTER ONE
    It was 4.30pm. School was officially over for the day. So why was Zac Power still stuck in a classroom, pretending to look interested in fractions?
    Stupid Homework Club , he huffed to himself. Kids whose parents worked late went to Homework Club and finished their homework while they waited to be picked up. But really, Zac didn’t need any teacher watching him while his parents were working. After all, he was a top international spy who’d been on heaps of missions by himself .
    Zac’s brother Leon and their parents were spies, too. They worked for the Government Investigation Bureau, or GIB for short. Zac’s parents were taking an advanced code-breaking course. So Zac had to attend Homework Club all week, even though he was twelve years old.
    Ms Tran, Zac’s teacher, was supervising Homework Club that day. Zac heaved a gusty sigh and flicked open his maths book. Ms Tran looked over at him and smiled. Isn’t learning maths fun? her eyes seemed to twinkle.
    Zac tried to keep his eyes open, but it was so hot in the classroom. The air stank of ripe bananas and other people’s feet.
    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and it swung open to a stern figure in a skirt and suit jacket. Mrs De Souza, the school principal!
    â€˜Zachary Power,’ said Mrs De Souza. ‘Please step outside for a moment.’
    Zac sat bolt upright. Zachary? This must be serious. Only his parents called him Zachary, and even then, only when he was in big trouble.
    The other kids stared as Zac leapt up.
    Zac racked his brains for what he could have done. He’d missed a lot of school lately. He’d been so busy on important international missions! But he didn’t think he was failing or anything.
    â€˜Well, Zac,’ said Mrs De Souza, closing the classroom door. ‘I don’t usually interrupt Homework Club, but the young girl who delivered this insisted that I give it to you straight away.’
    Phew! He wasn’t in trouble after all – but what was she giving him?
    â€˜What was her name again? It started with C…’ said the principal, vaguely. ‘Never mind,’ she finished, handing Zac a glittering gold envelope.
    Splashed across the front in curly black letters were the words:
    For the urgent attention of
Mr Zachary Power.
    His next mission from GIB? It had to be! Although it was weird that everyone was calling him Zachary all of a sudden…
    Zac didn’t think about it too long. A mission would get him out of Homework Club, and right now that was all that mattered.
    Zac tore open the envelope. But it wasn’t a new mission. It was something even better.
    To thank you for so many spying missions accomplished, GIB invites you to the premiere of a blockbuster movie,
    COVERT OPERATIONS
    Where: Nightshade Theatre, Hollywood.
    When: 5pm tomorrow
Dress: Formal
Transportation: Provided
    Awesome! Zac was getting out of school, and he didn’t even have to stress over any difficult spy work. This time, things would be strictly Mission: Fun.
    Zac looked at his watch. He had to get a move on if he wanted to get to Hollywood. The premiere was in 24 hours!

    Mrs De Souza asked him how the Homework Club was going, and Zac smiled politely. But he wasn’t listening. Zac had noticed a strange sound – a kind of low hum unlike anything he’d heard before.
    It was a bit like an engine, but it didn’t growl like the fighter jet Zac had trained on. It wasn’t an ordinary passenger plane either.
    â€˜I should probably get going,’ Zac said, waggling the gold envelope at Mrs De Souza. She nodded and stalked away.
    Zac fished around in his pocket for his SpyPad, the mini-computer that all GIB spies carried. It had heaps of cool functions, including a powerful mini-telescope. If there was some weird aircraft in the sky, Zac was easily be able to spot it.
    Zac raced outside. He looked up, SpyPad at the ready. But Zac didn’t need a telescope