Base Camp by H. I. Larry Page B

gadget carried by every GIB agent. He slipped the disk inside.
    CLASSIFIED
CURRENT TIME 1:04PM
WEDNESDAY
    PHASE ONE:
An unknown BIG agent has
discovered GIB’s top-secret
base camp in the Black Jungle and
is holding six agents captive.
    YOUR MISSION:
    Fly to the Black Jungle, and locate
and rescue the captured GIB agents.
You must discover the identity of the
mystery BIG agent and complete this
mission as soon as possible.
    TOTAL MISSION TIME REMAINING:
4 days, 10 hours, 56 minutes.

    The limo pulled to a stop outside Zac’s house. Agent Big Boss pressed a button and Zac’s door popped open.
    â€˜Agent Tech Head is waiting inside to brief you,’ said Big Boss. Agent Tech Head was the code name of Zac’s brother, Leon.
    â€˜OK,’ said Zac, moving to get out of the car.
    â€˜Agent Rock Star,’ Agent Big Boss said quietly, ‘this is the biggest threat that GIB has ever faced. We’re all counting on you. If you can’t track down this agent and keep him from setting off BIG’s Tech Blaster…’
    Big Boss didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to. The point was clear.
    If Zac failed, it would be the end of GIB.

CHAPTER
THREE
    The limo sped away and Zac jogged up the path to his house.
    â€˜There you are,’ said Leon as soon as Zac walked in the door. ‘Quick, come with me.’
    Leon was older than Zac, and really geeky. He was a GIB agent too, but he didn’t go out on missions. He worked on the gadgets and technical stuff.
    â€˜Where are we going?’ said Zac, but Leon was already halfway up the stairs.
    Zac followed his brother upstairs and into his bedroom.
    As usual, Leon’s room was spotless. It looked like something out of one of their mum’s Home and Garden magazines.
    â€˜You know,’ said Zac, ‘it’s really not normal to keep your room this tidy.’
    But he knew there was no point saying it. Leon was the kind of guy who kept all his socks organised by colour.
    â€˜Get into my wardrobe,’ said Leon, reaching under his bed and pressing a button.
    â€˜What?’ said Zac.
    â€˜Come on,’ Leon said. He grabbed Zac by the arm and pulled him in between two school shirts.
    â€˜Leon,’ Zac said, rolling his eyes, ‘what are you – arrrgh!’
    WHOOSH!
    The floor beneath Zac’s feet slid away, and suddenly he was falling down a long dark tunnel. He reached out frantically for something to grab on to, but his fingers scraped on cold metal walls.
    Leon was falling next to Zac, but he looked completely calm.
    â€˜Leon!’ Zac shouted. ‘What is this?’
    Suddenly, a jet of compressed air shot up from underneath them, slowing their fall. Zac and Leon floated down the last few metres to the ground.
    Leon landed lightly and walked out through the doorway at the bottom of the tunnel. Zac, caught by surprise, landed awkwardly. He staggered out after Leon.
    Rubbing his eyes, Zac stepped into a giant underground laboratory. It was filled with computers and half-built gadgets and mountains of spare parts.
    There was even a vehicle in the corner of the room that looked like some kind of spacecraft.
    â€˜You built a lab under our house?’ said Zac, amazed. ‘How did I not know about this?’
    â€˜What, you think you’re the only one with secrets?’ Leon grinned. ‘Come on, let’s get you prepped for the mission.’
    â€˜Right,’ said Zac. ‘So, who are these people I’m rescuing anyway? What are they doing out in the middle of the jungle?’
    â€˜Agent Big Boss wouldn’t tell me,’ Leon replied. ‘He said it’s all really top-secret.’
    He reached over and picked up what looked like a steel football.
    â€˜That’s why they’re all the way out in the jungle,’ Leon continued. ‘They’ve hidden their base camp to make sure their work stays secret. Not even Big Boss knows the exact