Benjamin Franklinstein Meets the Fright Brothers by Matthew McElligott

hundred years old. Which must mean—”
    â€œThat they’re members of the Modern Order of Pro-metheus!” Franklin said. “If these brothers did invent the airplane, they must have been remarkable men. It makes sense that the Order would have preserved them before they died.”
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    PLANS FOR THE 1903 WRIGHT FLYER 1

    â€œThat would explain why they were drawn to Scott’s harmonically charged radio,” Victor said, “just like you were.”
    â€œBut how come they’re acting like bad guys?” Scott asked. “You should have seen them ripping those bikes apart. That’s not what the Order is supposed to be about, is it?”
    â€œNo, it is not,” agreed Franklin.
    â€œPlus, they’re vampires. You’re not a vampire, are you?”
    â€œThey are not vampires !” Victor snapped.
    â€œWhatever they are, we need answers.” Franklin scratched his chin. “Our best strategy is to repair the damage I did to the electrophone. We must return to the laboratory at once!”
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    A COMPARISON OF HUMAN AND VAMPIRE TEETH

CHAPTER TEN
    A Close Call
    Before they could fix the electrophone, they needed new parts. That meant a visit to Ernie’s hardware store.
    Victor loved his cousin’s store. Sure, it was dark, musty, and completely disorganized. But if you were looking for just the right part to make your project work—and were willing to do a little digging—you could find it at Ernie’s.
    Franklin, Scott, and Victor found Ernie behind the counter, thumbing through an old copy of Popular Quantum Mechanics .
    â€œHey, cousin!” Ernie said. “What’s goin’ on, electron?”
    Victor smiled. “Hi, Ernie. You remember Mr. Benjamin, right? And this is my friend Scott.”
    â€œSalutations, brothers,” Ernie said.
    Ernie sported a ten-gallon cowboy hat. Dozens of loops were sewn around its hatband; they held pens, pencils, fingernail clippers, screwdrivers, a jeweler’s hammer, a small flashlight, and, of course, Tootsie Rolls.
    He popped one into his mouth and tossed one each to Victor, Scott, and Franklin. “So, Victor, what can I do ya for?”
    â€œWe’re working on a project and need a few things. Some freon metacoiling, an Ehlinger switch, a couple of strontium diodes—”
    â€œI’ll tell you what,” Ernie interrupted. “I was just about to step out and grab a bite. Would you guys mind watching the shop? Dig up whatever junk you’re looking for, throw it in a bag, and I’ll ring you up when I get back.”

    After about a half hour, they had found everything they needed. Victor and Franklin put it all in a bag. As they waited for Ernie to return, Scott played with a stapler he found behind the counter. “Staplers are cool.”
    â€œI couldn’t agree more,” Franklin said. “Throw it in the bag.”
    Victor’s cell phone rang.
    â€œThat’s odd,” he said. “Usually the caller’s name and number appear on the screen.” He pressed a button. “Hello?”
    It was a man’s voice. “I must speak with Dr. Franklin.”
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    FLOOR PLAN OF ERNIE’S HARDWARE STORE

    â€œWhat?” Victor was stunned. “How do you know—who is this?”
    â€œI must speak with Dr. Benjamin Franklin immediately,” the voice insisted. “This is the Modern Order of Prometheus!”
    Victor stared at the phone for a moment, then handed it to Franklin. “It’s for you. He says he’s from the Order.”
    â€œThe Order!” Franklin gasped. “Is it the same voice from the electrophone?”
    Victor shook his head. “I don’t think so. This guy has an accent.”
    Franklin took the phone and held it to his ear. “Hello? This is Dr. Franklin. Who is speaking?”
    A piercing siren blasted from the phone. Franklin’s face suddenly went blank. He stood