Villain's Lair by Wendelin Van Draanen Read Free Book Online

sense. How could they possibly be on the side of a madman who caged them andthreatened them? Surely he could get them to help him recover the power ingots. Or at least escape.
    Sticky, had he been there, would most certainly have said, “Freaky
frijolesl
Are you crazy?” or perhaps “Are you a
loco bobol”
or “Chony baloney, don’t free those
rata-toniesl”
or simply “Hello?
Señor Estúpido?”
    But Sticky was not there. Sticky was deep in the dragon’s den, sneaking up the cape of Damien’s coat as the villain unearthed his most precious treasures and removed the little satchel of power ingots from among old gold coins, exquisite jewels, diamonds, and his favorite loot of all—tiger-eyes. (The stone, not the real thing. Although, with Damien Black, it is understandably confusing.)
    So, without Sticky to guide him, Dave decided: he would free the Brothers.
    But first, he thought, he should take a step of caution. He needed something to conceal him— to make him not so easily recognized or identified.But what disguise does a thirteen-year-old boy keep in his backpack? Sticky hadn’t slipped one in alongside the matches or the grapes, which just goes to show you how shortsighted a klepto-maniacal lizard can be.
    But what
was
in the backpack was his favorite ball cap. A dark red one with a diamondback snake design.
    He pulled it on, keeping the bill down as low as possible to cover his face. It wasn’t much of a disguise, but at least it was something.
    When the Bandito Brothers saw Dave round the corner again, they practically rubbed their hands in glee. In a moment, they would be free! In a moment, they would race across the pit, overpower the madman, and discover what riches he had stored in that dragon’s den.
    It would indeed be a glorious day in their lives.
    â€œHurry, friend!” Angelo whispered. “There is no time to lose!”
    â€œMe first!” Tito cried. “Me first!”
    â€œHush, Tito!” Pablo commanded, then turned to Dave. “Cool hat, dude. Now get busy!”
    â€œHow?” Dave asked, for there were big buttons, switches, and levers beside each crane.
    â€œThe levers!” Angelo said. “Pull the levers!”
    So Dave did.
    Thump
went Tito as the bottom opened up.
    Thump
went Pablo.
    And, finally,
thump
went Angelo.
    â€œThank you, friend, thank you!” Angelo said. And then, with a wicked, backstabbing, double-crossing look on his scary, scarry face, he pushed a button on the wall.
    A trapdoor beneath Dave’s feet fell open.
    Whoosh
, Dave slid down a slippery metal tube and landed in the sandpit.
    And before he could even stand, the flicking tongue of the Komodo dragon was coming his way.

Chapter 10
DOOMED!
    â€œNice dragon. Good dragon,” Dave said as the wagging head and flicking tongue came closer.
    Now, it wasn’t that the dragon was consciously bad or mean. He was just hungry. The cat-sized rat hadn’t filled the void in his stomach. Neither had the goose, which had been more feathers than meat. He was tired of snacks. He wanted a
meal.
    Dave tried to re-enter the tube he’d slid down, but it was far too slick to climb. He looked around madly. The walls of the pit curved inward—he couldn’t climb those! The barren tree in the center of the pit had no pegs or branches that he could reach. And it was scarred with deep claw marks. Even if he could climb it, so could the dragon!
    There seemed to be no way out.
    No dangling ropes.
    No catapults.
    No elevators (painted or otherwise).
    Dave backed along the wall, his heart pounding as the dragon lumbered closer. Flick, flick, flick went the dragon’s long tongue. Flick, flick, flick.
    Then suddenly
ka-thump, ka-thump, ka-
THL7MP the Bandito Brothers came tumbling out of the slippery tube and into the pit.
    Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why these three men would willingly slide into the Komodo