travel so fast — better than any amusement park — but Ruby wouldn’t have minded slowing it down a little, taking some time to look at the scenery. In the blink of an eye they reached another rock face; this one seemed to be covered in petrified insects — sort of prehistoric-looking flies and insect fossils.
“We’re stopping here?” asked Ruby.
“Not exactly,” said Hitch, pressing one of the buttons on the control panel. What looked like solid rock suddenly corkscrewed open, and they entered a water-filled tunnel.
They navigated their way up the passage until they reached a dead end, a round pool. Hitch switched off the engine and a platform under the sub lifted them and their vehicle out of the water.
They had arrived.
Ruby assumed this entrance must be the latest way in to Spectrum HQ, since it was not unusual for the location to be moved several times a month.
“So this is Spectrum?” said Ruby.
“Not exactly,” said Hitch again.
“What does that mean?”
“This, kid, is Spectrum’s Sea Division, Spectrum 5. Sea Division, as the name would suggest, is always located somewhere at sea.”
“So, given that we work for Spectrum 8, what are we doing here?” asked Ruby.
“Spectrum 5 has been working on a case that might cross over with a case that Spectrum 8 has been looking into. LB thought it might be a good idea to join forces.”
As they walked, some of the slick white corridors became clear glass-tube passageways, and fish swam by on the other side — sunfish, rockfish, cardinalfish, garibaldi, stingrays, and a thousand others. It was sort of like being in a giant aquarium, though the fish might well conclude it was the
people
who were the exhibits here.
It was strange for Ruby to enter Spectrum as a fully paid agent in training. She stifled a smile, remembering that at the tender age of thirteen she had already achieved her lifetime ambition of becoming an undercover secret agent for one of the most undercover and secret of secret agencies in the world.
She looked around her at the huge domed space with its glass floor and sea life moving underfoot.
“Hey, kid!” shouted Hitch. “Want to look lively? LB’s waiting.”
Ruby had taken off her jacket and slung it over her shoulder so it was again possible to read the slogan written in bold letters across her T-shirt: excuse me while I yawn.
Hitch paused a minute. “Kid, my advice? Put your jacket back on and zip it right up. LB sees that and she might not find it so funny.”
“She not in a good mood?” Ruby called across the hall.
“I doubt that sincerely, kid. That diver who just washed up dead on the beach — he was one of ours, and losing an agent always puts a crimp in her day.”
HITCH LED THE WAY DOWN A STEEPLY SLOPING PASSAGE that wound around and around and seemed like it must spiral right through the seabed. When they reached a black circular door, Hitch punched in some numbers and they were admitted to a screening room.
The room was full of agents and Spectrum staff, sitting in cinema-style seats that all faced a large white screen. There was a buzz in the air, everyone knew something big had happened but few knew exactly what had gone down. Ruby tried to get her bearings, looked around — unfortunately straight into the eyes of Agent Froghorn (he of the silent
G
). He made much of pointing to his watch, indicating that it was way past her bedtime, and Ruby mouthed a word not to be repeated. Agent Redfort and Agent Froghorn were not likely to ever exchange birthday cards.
Sea Division headquarters had much in common with Spectrum 8 HQ, but there were some very obvious differences, the main one being when you looked out of the window you saw water. Agent Trent-Kobie, head of Sea Division, had been called away on urgent business, and so the briefing was to be given by the boss of Spectrum 8.
LB.
Dressed all in white, LB walked into the room — and instantly the chatting stopped. LB had this effect on people.
“We’re stopping here?” asked Ruby.
“Not exactly,” said Hitch, pressing one of the buttons on the control panel. What looked like solid rock suddenly corkscrewed open, and they entered a water-filled tunnel.
They navigated their way up the passage until they reached a dead end, a round pool. Hitch switched off the engine and a platform under the sub lifted them and their vehicle out of the water.
They had arrived.
Ruby assumed this entrance must be the latest way in to Spectrum HQ, since it was not unusual for the location to be moved several times a month.
“So this is Spectrum?” said Ruby.
“Not exactly,” said Hitch again.
“What does that mean?”
“This, kid, is Spectrum’s Sea Division, Spectrum 5. Sea Division, as the name would suggest, is always located somewhere at sea.”
“So, given that we work for Spectrum 8, what are we doing here?” asked Ruby.
“Spectrum 5 has been working on a case that might cross over with a case that Spectrum 8 has been looking into. LB thought it might be a good idea to join forces.”
As they walked, some of the slick white corridors became clear glass-tube passageways, and fish swam by on the other side — sunfish, rockfish, cardinalfish, garibaldi, stingrays, and a thousand others. It was sort of like being in a giant aquarium, though the fish might well conclude it was the
people
who were the exhibits here.
It was strange for Ruby to enter Spectrum as a fully paid agent in training. She stifled a smile, remembering that at the tender age of thirteen she had already achieved her lifetime ambition of becoming an undercover secret agent for one of the most undercover and secret of secret agencies in the world.
She looked around her at the huge domed space with its glass floor and sea life moving underfoot.
“Hey, kid!” shouted Hitch. “Want to look lively? LB’s waiting.”
Ruby had taken off her jacket and slung it over her shoulder so it was again possible to read the slogan written in bold letters across her T-shirt: excuse me while I yawn.
Hitch paused a minute. “Kid, my advice? Put your jacket back on and zip it right up. LB sees that and she might not find it so funny.”
“She not in a good mood?” Ruby called across the hall.
“I doubt that sincerely, kid. That diver who just washed up dead on the beach — he was one of ours, and losing an agent always puts a crimp in her day.”
HITCH LED THE WAY DOWN A STEEPLY SLOPING PASSAGE that wound around and around and seemed like it must spiral right through the seabed. When they reached a black circular door, Hitch punched in some numbers and they were admitted to a screening room.
The room was full of agents and Spectrum staff, sitting in cinema-style seats that all faced a large white screen. There was a buzz in the air, everyone knew something big had happened but few knew exactly what had gone down. Ruby tried to get her bearings, looked around — unfortunately straight into the eyes of Agent Froghorn (he of the silent
G
). He made much of pointing to his watch, indicating that it was way past her bedtime, and Ruby mouthed a word not to be repeated. Agent Redfort and Agent Froghorn were not likely to ever exchange birthday cards.
Sea Division headquarters had much in common with Spectrum 8 HQ, but there were some very obvious differences, the main one being when you looked out of the window you saw water. Agent Trent-Kobie, head of Sea Division, had been called away on urgent business, and so the briefing was to be given by the boss of Spectrum 8.
LB.
Dressed all in white, LB walked into the room — and instantly the chatting stopped. LB had this effect on people.
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