Bringing Down the Mouse by Ben Mezrich Read Free Book Online

not a trick. It’s math, chemistry, and a little physics.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThere he is. This should be fun to watch.”
    Finn pointed with a giraffe foot, and Charlie saw Magic leaning up against another counter. This game was just as familiar as the rest, a balloon-popping game that consisted of a high wall covered in brightly coloredballoons. Kids behind the counter, located about five feet from the wall, threw darts at the balloons, trying to pop them for prizes. Charlie counted four kids taking turns tossing darts, but no matter how hard the kids were throwing them, the results were always the same. The darts either missed the balloons, or hit them and bounced right off. As far as Charlie could tell, you had to hit the things straight on with enough force, and nobody seemed to be able to do so.
    Magic was standing a foot back from the other kids, just watching them throw. He had three darts in his left hand, down low against his side. He looked like he was waiting his turn.
    When there was a lull in the throwing, he stepped forward, passed one of the darts from his left to right hand, and took aim. His hand jerked forward, and the dart whipped through the air. It hit one of the balloons dead-on and there was a loud pop.
    All the other kids turned to look. Magic just smiled, took aim with a second dart, and tossed it just like the first. There was another pop, a second balloon bursting into nothingness. Before anyone could react, the third dart was in the air. And again, pop! A third balloon disintegrated.
    There was a moment’s silence, then applause. Thecarny running the game gave Magic a look very similar to the look Finn had gotten from the coin-toss carny, then yanked an identical oversize giraffe from the jungle hanging above his head.
    Magic grabbed the stuffed animal from him, slung it over his shoulder, and turned toward Finn.
    â€œHey, Billy,” he said, rather loudly. “Just finished up here. Mom and Dad are probably waiting in the parking lot, so we better get going.”
    He and Finn headed for the exit to the tent, giraffes in hand. Charlie had to skip to keep up, they were moving so fast. His mind was whirling. As the carny had told Finn, everyone got lucky sooner or later, sure. But was it just a double display of luck that he had just witnessed? Charlie’s number-obsessed mind was constantly calculating odds: little things, like what were the chances a particular color bird might fly by at a particular moment, or what were the chances of seeing someone he knew in a particular department store. Calculating these odds, well, it seemed really improbable. And the sure way both Finn and Magic had approached the games, the seeming ease in which they had thrown the coins and darts, it didn’t make sense. Then he thought back to what Finn had said right before they’d run into Magic. It’s math, chemistry, and a little physics . What did that mean?
    He caught up to the older kids just as they passed through the threshold of the tent, and cleared his throat.
    â€œYou use math to win stuffed animals?” he asked.
    Finn stopped, then turned and suddenly handed him the giraffe.
    â€œWe use math to win a whole lot more than stuffed animals. Or at least, we will. With your help.”
    Charlie felt his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea what the older kid was talking about, but he could feel the electricity on his skin, the way Finn’s words seemed to charge the very air between them. Before he could respond, Finn and Magic were moving away. Charlie finally found his voice.
    â€œWhy me?”
    The two seventh graders just kept on moving. Magic gave Charlie a little wave over his right shoulder as they went.
    â€œWe’ll be in touch, kid.”
    And with that, they were gone. Charlie was left standing, bewildered, at the entrance to the midway games, bathed in the colored lights of the circus tent, an oversize stuffed giraffe held tight against