The Caped 6th Grader by Zoe Quinn Read Free Book Online Page B

operators. For a minute, I thought maybe it was a joke.
    “To whom am I speaking?” I asked.
    “This is Thatcher.”
    “Thatcher who?”
    “I am only authorized to introduce myself as Thatcher,” the voice informed me cheerfully. “Sorry, but rules are rules.”
    “Um … how did you get this number?”
    “Well, technically, it's not a number, it's a wavelength, but that's not important now. I am a dispatcher at the Superhero Federation's central communications hub.”
    So I was talking to Thatcher the Dispatcher? Oh, brother.
    “What can I do for you?” I asked, still not sure why this guy was contacting me.
    “Well, I haven't had my lunch, so if you wouldn't mind picking up a pepperoni and anchovy pizza and speeding it over here, I'd be very grateful.”
    I frowned. “You want me to bring you a pizza?”
    At that, Thatcher cracked up. “Only kidding, Zoom. That was just a little dispatcher humor.”
    “Oh.”
    “Actually, I'm sending you on a mission.”
    “Really? When?'
    “Now.”
    “Now?”
    “Yes, now. Right now.”
    A million thoughts hit me at once. I was about to go on my first mission without Grandpa Zack anywhere around to help. Itwas exciting, it was terrifying, it was …
really bad timing!
What was I supposed to tell Electra? And what if she came downstairs and heard me talking to Thatcher?
    “Zoom?”
    “I'm here. What's the mission?”
    “There's a cat stuck in a tree.”
    I blinked. “Excuse me?”
    “I said there is a cat stuck in a tree and you are being dispatched to rectify the situation immediately, if not sooner.”
    What was sooner than immediately? I wondered. And wasn't this a job for the volunteer fire department?
    “You're kidding.”
    “Nope.”
    Well, I'd been hoping for something big, and boy, was this
not
it! But I was a superhero, and I was bound by Federation rules to undertake any and all missions assigned to me. Even the stupid ones.
    “Fine,” I grumbled, pulling the rest of my Super getup out of the backpack. “So where exactly is this tree with the cat stuck in it?”
    “Would you prefer latitude and longitude or the address?”
    Well, since I'm not Christopher Columbus …
“The address, please.”
    “Forty-seven-thirty-six Applegate Boulevard, Sweetbriar.”
    “Got it.”
    “Proceed with caution, Zoom.”
    “Thanks, Thatcher.”
    I returned the communication device to my tool belt, stuffed it into the backpack, and went back to the studio.
    Electra was bent over the storyboard, finishing up the super-absorbentcape.
    “I have to go,” I blurted out; then, remembering that this was not a friendly visit but an actual job, I said, “I mean, would it be all right if I left early today?”
    Electra looked up from her drawing, concern in her eyes. “Is anything wrong?”
    Well, there's a cat stuck in a tree
, I thought wryly. “No. It's just that I remembered something. I have a dentist appointment today. My mom made it way before we knew about the work-study program, and I forgot to tell Mr. Diaz about it. And, well, it's one of those big-deal appointments—something to do with my molars, I think. Or was it my wisdom teeth? Well, either way, it has to do with the really important teeth, not just the regular ones, so it would be kind of a problem if I missed it.”
    I thought I saw a smile tugging at the corner of Electra's mouth.
    “Of course, I know it's also kind of a problem to leave work early, and some bosses might get really mad and fire a person, even if their molars
were
in danger.…”
    Electra held up a hand to stop me. “Go,” she said with a smile. “Believe me, I understand about … molars. More than you know.”
    I turned and hurried out of the room, taking both sets of stairs two at a time. On the main level of the house, I ducked into the powder room and was in my supersuit within seconds. On the front porch, I paused to get my bearings, deciding on the best and most discreet route to forty-seven-thirty-six Applegate Boulevard.