Home Alone 3 by Todd Strasser, John Hughes Read Free Book Online Page A

chip. He compared the two serial numbers.
    They were identical.
    Son of a gun!
    Stuckey looked up. "Are you married, Rogers?"
    Agent Rogers scowled. "Yes, sir, why?"
    "Because you're about to call your wife and tell her you won't be home tonight," Stuckey said, sliding the fax into the Axus Defense file.
    "May I ask where I'll be, sir?" Rogers inquired.
    "You'll be on a flight to Chicago with me," Stuckey replied.

30
    The next morning, Alex sat by his window and watched Alice, wearing her jogging suit, come up the street walking the dog. The gang was starting its attack bright and early, just as he expected. He went over to his dresser and opened a drawer, pulling out a silver dog whistle.
    Back at the window, he blew hard on the whistle. He couldn't hear the sound the whistle made, but the dog's ears instantly perked up. Alex smiled to himself. It worked.
    He left his room and went into his parents' room. He could hear his mother in the shower. Molly and Stan had already left for school. Alex unplugged the phone jack and went back out.
    Downstairs, he hid behind the living room curtain and watched Alice come up the walk and onto the front porch. She pushed the doorbell, but no one inside heard it because Alex had wired it into the phone lines.
    Meanwhile, Alex blew the dog whistle.
    The dog got up and came toward the living room.
    Alex jumped up and dashed into the dining room where he blew the whistle again.
    Now the dog trotted over to the dining room, making a loop with the leash around Ahce's legs.
    Alex repeated the process.
    Now the leash looped twice around Alice's legs.
    Alex smiled to himself. It was time to free the hostages. He snuck out the back of the house and
    around to the side of the porch. Alice was still standing there waiting, unaware that the dog leash was now looped twice around her ankles.
    Alex blew as hard as he could on the dog whistle.
    Woof! The dog barked and took off.
    "Ahhhhh!" The leash went tight around Alice's feet.
    Wham! She hit the porch floor and was dragged down the steps and through the shrubs by the excited dog. Finally he broke away from
    the leash, leaving Alice in a pile of snow at the far end of the driveway.
    Alex dashed arouad the back of his house and inside, locking the door behind him. He went back to the living room window and peeked outside. Alice staggered to her feet and spit out a mouthful of pine needles. Her face was muddy, her hair was a mess, and her jogging suit was ripped.
    Alex was fascinated by the elaborate concoction of cables and wires and electronic devices that poured out of one hole in her suit. He'd never seen anything so high-tech.
    "Did you watch the weather for me like I asked?" his mother asked.
    Alex spun around. His mom was coming down the stairs, dressed for work.
    "Sure did, Mom," Alex said. "It shouldn't be a problem."
    "Good." His mother went to the front closet.
    "Wait, Mom, your coat's on the chair," Alex said.
    "I want to wear my nice coat today," she said.
    Alex couldn't let her open the closet. He dashed across the foyer and beat her to the closet door. "Why don't you go fill your commuter cup with yummy hot coffee," he said. "I'll bring your coat to you."
    His mom stopped. "That's sweet, Alex. Thank you." She turned and headed for the kitchen.
    Alex breathed a sigh of relief. He carefully opened the closet door, then jumped away as an old leather boxing glove shot out. He got his mother's good coat, then "reloaded" the closet and closed the door.
    Alex brought the coat into the kitchen.
    "Thanks, hon." His mom finished her coffee, then took the coat and pulled it on. Alex followed her to the back door. His mom kneeled down in front of him.
    "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry about this week," she said, softly stroking his head. "It breaks my heart that I have to keep coming and going like
    this. It shouldn't be this way."
    "It's okay," Alex said. "It's not you. It's the times."
    "This is for you," his mom reached into her pocket and took out a