Secrets of Bearhaven by K.E. Rocha Page B

computer for a project at school. I’m supposed to put it back together and give a report on it.” He paused. His schoolwork was definitely going to pile up while he was gone; Ramona and Cheng would have to fill him in on a lot when he got back. And he’d have a lot to tell them about Bearhaven, too. Cheng would go nuts hearing about the BEAR-COMs . . . He pulled his thoughts back to the computer project and Professor Weaver, who was looking at him with interest. “Anyway, it took way longer than I expected, because I kept getting stuck looking at every detail. I wanted to figure it all out, you know?”
    “I do know,” Professor Weaver answered.
    “The BEAR-COMs and everything”—Spencer dropped his voice to a whisper—“the Lab wall and the technology there . . . you made all of that?”
    Professor Weaver laughed. “Not alone, but yes, I developed the BEAR-COM, and even the lab’s security, which apparently we need to adjust.” The bear cocked his head and shot Spencer a playfully reprimanding look before continuing. “But the BEAR-COM was before Bearhaven. My mentor and I developed the first version together.”
    “You lived at Gutler University, right?”
    “Yes, after the first Professor Weaver adopted me,” the bear replied. “I lost my mother to a bear trap in the forest when I was still a cub, no older than Kate, really. I hadn’t had much exposure to humans at that point, but I knew that whoever had created the trap had to have a way to openit once it snapped shut, so in desperation, I figured out the mechanics and released my mother. But she didn’t survive, even once I’d gotten her out.”
    “I’m so sorry,” Spencer said quietly. His parents had told him lots of stories about the intelligence of bears. He’d loved the fact that they were known to pick locks at zoos and use rocks as tools in the wild, but he’d never considered how their intelligence could be so much like humans’, driven by emotions as real as wanting to save their mother.
    “It’s all right, son,” Professor Weaver said. “It was a very long time ago. I ended up with Professor Weaver, a wonderful mentor, and it all led me here. The professor was doing work in the field at the time and happened upon me. He took me in and raised me as his own. We created the BEAR-COM together, a bit selfishly at first. We thought of ourselves as family, and we wanted to understand each other better, but then we started to realize what the BEAR-COM could do for other bears. If we could communicate, bears and humans that is, perhaps we could avoid so many misunderstandings.” Professor Weaver threw his front paws up in the air. “Can you imagine? The number of bears who could be saved if they could just explain . . . Anyway, your parents came to the professor regarding the mascot situation at Gutler. The rest is history, as they say.”
    Before Spencer could ask a single question, bears started piling into the dining room, surrounding Spencer and Professor Weaver in chatter as they filled the seats and covered the table with loads of food.

Aldo plopped down onto the bench beside Spencer. “Pinky might have some glasses at the rehab center that you can borrow,” he said. “I hear your eyes aren’t so dependable .” Spencer froze. When he’d lied about spotting Kirby on the surveillance screen to escape Aldo earlier that day, he hadn’t realized he’d be having dinner with the bear that night. Aldo started to chuckle. “I’m only kidding, little man.” He laughed, seeming to forgive Spencer for the trick. Kate sat on Spencer’s other side, also elevated, and took advantage of it by making faces at Jo-Jo and Winston, who sat across the table, a little bit lower without cub cushions.
    Beside Jo-Jo and Winston sat Fitch, who introduced himself as Professor Weaver’s protégé-turned-son-in-law, an introduction that prompted various comments from the others.
    “Pro-té-gé?” Jo-Jo piped up. “Nice try with the