Return of Mega Mantis by Laura Dower Read Free Book Online Page B

the others at our lockers. Our dads had given us a major clue. We had new information and we had to adjust our plan of action. The four of us headed to the library to look up Dr. Von Rosenhof’s address in Riddle. We found it in the white pages. Stella recognized the street and house number right away.
    “I know exactly where he lives!” Stella said. “You can’t really see the house from the road because of this tall fence but he has these bright spotlights on the property.”
    “Okay,” Ranger asked. “What now?”
    “Let’s go to Von Roffenfoffer’s place!” I cried.
    Stella knuckle-noogied my shoulder. “It’s Von Rosenhof, Molloy. If you can’t even get his name right . . .”
    “Von Rosenhoof, Von Foofenpoof,” I groaned. “What difference does it make? We wouldn’t even have his name if I hadn’t asked Dr. Ranger . . .”
    “Let’s call! Stella, you have a cell phone,” Ranger said.
    Stella dialed his phone number, but no one picked up. Not even an answering machine.
    “So now what?” Lindsey said.
    “Plan B,” I said.
    “We’re already on Plan B, Molloy,” Stella moaned. “Enough planning. Let’s pounce!”
    “Stella’s right. We should figure out a way to beat the bugs on our own,” Lindsey said. “Just in case Dr. Von Rosenhof doesn’t turn up before we have to face them.”
    “What about using one of those zappers Walter had at the castle?” Ranger suggested. “We could zap the bugs into a radioactive coma.”
    “I don’t think zappers are what we need,” Stella said. “We need explosives! Let’s blast the bugs into bits.”
    “And blast ourselves, too?” Ranger said.
    “Have we completely given up on the space laser thing?” I asked.
    “That’s it!” Lindsey cried. “We don’t have a real space laser but we could invent a bug weapon of our own.”
    “We can certainly try,” Ranger said. “My dad’s laboratory is open. He has a bunch of tools and supplies we could use.”
    “After we do that, we need to lure the bugs somewhere,” Stella said.
    “We can totally lure them. This is a great plan!” Lindsey cried.
    Everyone lifted their palms for a group high five. On contact, Ranger pulled his hand away and wiped it on his pants. He looked right at me.
    “Damon, what is wrong with your hand?”
    I looked down. My hand was so super-duper sweaty, it was dripping.
    “That’s disgusting, Molloy!” Stella cried, shaking her own hand out.
    Lindsey smiled at me. “ Really disgusting. Good one.”
    “Squad for one and squad for all!” I fake-cheered.
    If only my clammy palms could defeat Mega Mantis. Then we’d really be in business.

CHAPTER 12
    BUG VS. BUG
    For someone who couldn’t stand the sight of a fly one week earlier, I was getting used to the B-Force bugs.
    Dr. V would have been really helpful right about now. He could have lectured us on the weaknesses of the average mantis. But he still wasn’t answering his phone and we didn’t want to show up at his place unannounced. It wasn’t like Leery Castle, where we knew we were welcome to just walk in and snoop around.
    Instead, we headed for Ranger’s dad’s laboratory. When we parked our bikes outside, I noticed lots of spiders around the place. I guess B-Force attracts eight-legged creatures the same way it attracts six-legged ones.
    Mr. Ranger’s lab was full of amazing stuff. He’s working on a special machine that can wash your clothes while you’re still wearing them. I don’t really understand how that’s possible, but it sure sounded cool.
    Mr. Ranger wasn’t around; Jesse gave us the grand tour.
    “What are we looking for?” Lindsey asked.
    “Helpful gadgets,” Stella said.
    “Like this?” Lindsey held up an oversized swatter. “S’wat do you think, Damon?”
    “Buzz off!” I joked back.
    Everyone laughed except for Stella. She was in one of her serious moods.
    Bins and buckets were crammed into every corner of Mr. Ranger’s lab. Objects had been neatly stored and labeled