Benjamin Franklinstein Meets the Fright Brothers by Matthew McElligott Page B

bottom of this, before someone gets hurt,” Victor said. “Ben, did you recognize that voice? Do you remember anything at all?”
    â€œOnly rage . . . confusion . . . It felt as if someone other than I was controlling my actions.”
    A bell rang and the front door opened. Ernie walked in, holding half a cheesecake in his hand.
    â€œHey, guys. Thanks for watching the place.” He stopped and looked around the room, stunned. “What happened here?”
    â€œErnie, I can explain everything,” Victor began. “You see, we had a minor—”
    â€œIt looks fantastic!” Ernie said, a broad smile on his face. “Thanks for tidying up. No charge for the stuff.”
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    OTHER USES FOR A BATHTUB BESIDES THROWING IT

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    A Mysterious Message
    By the time they got back to Victor’s house, it was late afternoon and they were exhausted. Franklin needed to recharge his battery belt, so they agreed to meet after dinner in the basement laboratory. Scott biked home to ask his parents if he could sleep over at Victor’s.
    Around seven o’clock Victor grabbed the equipment he had collected at Ernie’s and headed downstairs to Franklin’s apartment. He pulled open the secret bookcase, lowered the bag of parts down the shaft with a rope, then climbed down the ladder. Franklin was busy at the workbench poring over a book on the history of famous inventors. It was open to a chapter on the Wright brothers.
    â€œLook at this photograph!” Franklin mused. “Can you imagine the thrill the first time their invention actually took flight? They must have felt like gods.”
    Franklin handed the book to Victor. The men in the picture were younger, but there was no mistaking their similarity to the brothers in the bicycle shop.
    â€œSuch a fantastic machine!” Franklin continued. “It saddens me to think that they may be using their genius to do the world harm.”
    â€œI know,” said Victor. He emptied the bag of parts onto the workbench and began to sort through them. “But I can’t help feeling there’s more to the story. If we can just get the electrophone fixed, maybe the mysterious voice at the other end can help us figure it out.”
    â€œBut can we trust the voice on the electrophone?” Franklin asked. “After what happened to me at Ernie’s—”
    â€œNo, the voice on the cell phone was different, I’m sure of it,” Victor said. “The voice on the electrophone is on our side. Plus, I’ll be here to turn it off if anything goes wrong.”
    For the next hour, Victor and Franklin worked on the electrophone. Scott arrived with his backpack and sleeping bag as they were finishing up.
    â€œSorry I’m late. My dad came home and tried to squeeze through the front door wearing his bicycle seat costume. We spent an hour pulling him free. He says hi.”
    â€œYou’re just in time,” said Victor. “I think we’ve got the electrophone fixed, and we’re about to turn it on.”
    â€œDo you think it’s safe?” Scott asked. “The bad guys might still be listening in.”
    â€œI fear we have no other choice,” Franklin said. “The urgency of our situation demands we try.”
    â€œWe’ll keep it short,” Victor agreed. “Ben, I think you should speak this time. The voice specifically asked for you.” He opened the broadcast valves and cranked the charging wheel. Franklin picked up the copper speaking cone and held it in front of his mouth.
    â€œThis is Dr. Franklin,” he announced. “We need to speak to you urgently about the Wright brothers. Are you there? I repeat: are you there?”
    The speaker bubbled and crackled. For several minutes, they listened to the empty static. Finally, a faint voice said, “Mérida, Mexico.”
    The three looked at one another. Mexico?
    â€œI’m not sure I