Tracy Tam: Santa Command by Krystalyn Drown Read Free Book Online Page A

were the elves frantically pushing buttons in order to keep Christmas from collapsing?
    Tracy touched a finger to one of the dull, gray walls. It was solid. The room was no illusion. “This is it?”
    Beth pulled one corner of her mouth up in a smile. Tracy recognized that look as one her mother used when she meant, “You're gonna be surprised.” The last time her mom had used that look, it ended in a trip to the dentist and three fillings. Tracy hoped Beth did not share her mother's sick sense of humor.
    “Have a seat.” Beth nudged Tracy into the chair, then knelt beside her and shook the mouse. The computer whirred and grunted for half a minute before finally coming to life. When it did, only a pale blue desktop appeared. It wasn't even as fancy as the ones at school. They at least had an owl, the school's mascot, as the background.
    Tracy studied Beth, wondering what the woman was hiding. None of these puzzle pieces fit together. If Tracy didn't make sense of them soon, these people were going to ship her back home. She'd be no closer to helping Pim than she had been two months ago.
    “This is nice .” Tracy emphasized the word “nice” so Beth would know she was being sarcastic. “But when are you going to show me the real stuff?”
    Beth tapped the flat screen monitor with her pointer finger. “You don't think this is real?”
    “Oh, I think the computer is real, but you guys have jet propelled sleighs, television screens on windows, and an entire underground loading area. You're high tech, and this room is not. Whatever you're going to show me here will be just as fake as Santa Claus.”
    Beth paused for a moment. Her forehead crinkled like she was thinking very hard what to say next. “Tracy, I'm asking you to trust me. Can you do that?”
    Tracy didn't know Beth well enough to answer that, but she did know the room had been locked. It had to hold something important. Tracy turned back to the computer screen. “What's on this thing?”
    “Magic,” Beth said. When Tracy rolled her eyes, Beth clarified. “Or what other people see as magic. These are the…mostly…logical explanations for what you've seen tonight.”
    That was more like it. “My science teacher says I have a mind for logic.”
    Beth let out a soft laugh. “I totally believe that.”
    Tracy smiled at the compliment. She was beginning to like Beth. “So,” Tracy said as she settled into her seat, “are there only two Santas, or are there more?”
    “Later,” Beth promised. “First, we'll start with this.” She opened up Google Earth and pointed to the image of the planet from space. “Where do you think we are?”
    Tracy eyed Beth. “That sounds like a trick question.”
    Beth placed Tracy's hand on the mouse and said, “Go on.”
    Tracy shrugged and moved the pointer to where she thought the North Pole would be located. Somewhere in Canada maybe. But after zooming in, all she found were trees and a large chunk of ice. Beth shook her head, so Tracy zoomed in on a couple of other places. After three tries, Tracy finally gave up. “Well, it's around there somewhere. The building is invisible, so it wouldn't show up on a radar, would it?”
    “One of those statements is true.” Beth took the mouse, zoomed out, and rotated the globe toward the southern United States. When she found the right spot, she zoomed back in, focusing on a forest somewhere in northern…
    “Alabama?” Tracy exclaimed. “Why the heck are we in Alabama?” Then Tracy remembered she had no proof that's where they actually were. It wasn't like she could see the building. Tracy pursed her lips. “How do I know you're telling me the truth?”
    “Look at the evidence. You know it's not cold enough. You know those aren't the right kind of trees. You know there's been something off from the moment you woke up here. This,” she waved toward the screen, “is one of the explanations you're looking for. There are twenty four different Santa Commands in the