Born To Spy

By Jayde Scott

My name's Thom Gonzo and I know something's up. My dad has been missing for several days now and I've just found out he's been working as a spy for a secret organization. Everyone keeps saying he'll be back soon, but my gut feeling tells me something bad has happened and he needs my help.

I'll do whatever it takes to save him.

In this new teen series, a teen trio must spy, conceal and hack their way to the truth as they go searching for answers while their lives are in danger. As they reveal the truth, they realize Thom's missing father is the least of their worries. Someone has been watching them for a long time…

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Reed
• Release date: Sep 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393553410

Jayde Scott

Jayde Scott is a British writer and the creator of the Ancient Legends series. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine and chocolate muffins, and talking about her characters with anyone who will listen.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Dad had been gone for a whole day when I finally plucked up the courage to pick the lock. Trouble was I had no idea how to do that because no one bothered to teach us something that useful at school. So I called my best mate Danny to help.

What's up, Thom? Danny asked, standing in the doorway, a baseball cap covering his huge forehead. His sister, Hilary, towered behind him, chewing gum as she looked down on us, bored as usual.

What's she doing here? I hissed.

Hilly? Danny shrugged. Mum wouldn't let me go without her.

What if she tattles?

Tattle what? Hilly asked. Do you think I'm five years old? Who uses the word 'tattle' anyway? You know I have better things to do than hang around with my baby brother and his silly friend.

At least we don't carry a hideous purse that looks like it's going to slither away any minute, I said.

Quick, grab a stick before it bites! Danny shouted.

It's Mum's, you dummy. Snakeskin purses are all the rage right now. I read in Cosmopolitan the snake of the season is Python.

Danny glared at her. Did you steal Mum's stuff? You're so dead. I'm telling.

She looked at me. And you thought I was the tattle? So, tell me, why am I adding criminal activity to my résumé?

I need to find my dad, I said.

Miss your daddy? She smirked.

Was it obvious? I'm tired of spoiled milk, okay? I snapped.

I rubbed the back of my neck, praying Dad would miraculously appear so we needn't go through with it. But nothing happened, and so I saw no other option than to do the one thing that could get me grounded for a month. Or a year. Or until I turned eighteen. Oh boy.

Come on before I change my mind. I led the way down the stairs to the basement and pointed to the metal door clearly marked DO NOT ENTER.

I should've worn my black ski mask. This is like breaking into a bank, Hilly said.

I laughed. If only it were that simple. More like the White House or Buckingham Palace.

Whoa, that's high-tech stuff, Danny said. And it was, all control panels, countless digits and blinking lights.

Hilly inched closer to inspect it. What's down here anyway? A secret lab? I hope your dad's not going all weirdo and building a Frankenstein army or something. And there'd better not be body parts in jars because that will freak me out. Nobody's taking my brain.

Who'd want it? Danny nudged me and laughed.

I chuckled. You don't have to worry about mad scientists. But you'll have to worry about me camping on your couch for the next year if you don't get to work.

She stuck out her tongue. Gag me. Let's find your dad then. Every single lock can be picked.

What're you going to do? Danny asked. Cut it? Drill it? Kick the door down? Bust the lock open? Want me to grab a sledgehammer?

I nodded. Yeah, we have one of those in the garage. I'll get it.

No, silly. You think too hard. Hilly snorted and pulled out her mother's purse with plenty of credit cards.

I swallowed. Can you do it?

With or without a blindfold? Hilly asked with grin. She slid a credit card into the lock and jiggled it. Several minutes and grunts later, the door swung open and I set foot into what my dad would never let me see: any amateur spy's dream.

Hilly barely raised her eyes from her iPod as she scanned the semi-darkness. This is like some geek's paradise and the last place I'd ever want to be seen at. It'd totally ruin my reputation.

A female computerized voice cut Hilly off. Welcome to Skylark, Mr. Gonzo. Lights will be activated in 10 seconds. 10-9-8-7...

Bright light flooded the room and I jumped.

Holy cow, Danny said.

I could second that. Can you believe this place? It's the coolest lab I've ever seen.

Seen many? Hilly asked.

I scowled. Hey, I watched Agent Cody Banks. Glancing around, I slowly took in the blinking lights, chattering computers, and control panels lining the walls. This was more like a mission control centre where NASA launched astronauts and spaceships.

Danny's voice boomed behind me. We could play football in here. We could fit everybody, and I mean everybody, like the players, the coaches and all the screaming fans. Sweet!

I smiled. You're forgetting something—the cheerleaders.

Definitely, Danny said.

He took a step forward when I grabbed his arm, pulling him back. Wait! What if the floor's bobby trapped with landmines?

Danny peered at me, wide-eyed. The whole room could be heat sensitive. The last thing we need is a spike popping up.

You're big chickens. Hilly stomped to the middle of the room and spun around. It looks like I'm still alive.

Danny and I exchanged glances.

Okay, then, it's safe, I said.

Hilly started to gag and wrapped her hands around her neck, moaning like a sick dog.

Are you okay? I asked, sprinting over. Maybe it was a bad idea coming down here. What if lethal invisible gas poured out of the ducts? With a thud, Hilly fell to the ground and I gasped. So did Danny.

Suddenly she jumped up and laughed. I got you!

I let out a breath. I wanted to get her back for that one, but for now I had more important things to do such as poking my nose around. It's like The Hall of Justice from the Super Friends.

Danny turned and his eyes widened. Check this out! There's even a giant computer and screen that the Super Friends use to analyse clues. Do you think your dad works with Batman and Robin?

Don't know but I bet you and Hilly could be the Wonder Twins, I said.

Wonder Twin powers, activate! Shape of a... Danny held a fist up to Hilly.

She rolled her eyes. Shape of a...moron. I'm so out of here. This is beyond lame. Why am I wasting my time with you idiots when I've got a gorgeous hunk waiting for me?

See you, Danny said.

Pulling Danny's arm, she yelled, No, you're coming with me. We did our part and got him in. The rest's not my problem. Now, let's go. I can't keep the boy of my dreams waiting, can I?

If he knew any better, he'd be running for the border, Danny said.

She slapped him on the head and pulled him out by his ear. Ouch. That probably hurt. Boy was I happy not to have a sister.

I've got to go, Thom, Danny said in a high-pitched voice. Love the hide out! I really wish I could stay and helped you fight all the bad guys with Aqua Man and the rest of the gang. The Hall Of Justice totally rules!

I locked the door behind them, and then returned to the basement. Dad had always claimed to work as anything from a sales clerk to a doctor, but seeing his Spy School diploma hanging on the wall and all the whirring monitors I knew what he really did for a living. And so I vowed to find him by borrowing his identity. From now on I would no longer be Thomasius Anastasius Gonzo—yeah, that name got me kicked in the butt a few times. From now on I'd be Alex Gonzo, Royal Spy.

Chapter 2

I would've loved to sit down with Danny and brainstorm a plan to find Dad over a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows. But Hilly missed her boyfriend of two weeks, and so Danny left right after discovering Dad's hidden spy centre with the promise to call that evening.

With a sigh, I made myself a cuppa and carried it down to Dad's lab, placing it on the gleaming steel counter. He'd disappeared in the past, but it wasn't like him at all to leave without a trace—or a babysitter to watch over me. The fridge was filled with enough food to feed a whole family including the neighbours and their dog for a week. But I figured, at thirteen, a teen shouldn't be staying on his own, and so I started rummaging through the drawers, searching for clues that'd give away his whereabouts.

Most of the stuff was maps and papers covered in numbers and scribbled notes. It didn't take long to find a page torn out of a book with a painting on it. Since it wasn't even a particularly pretty sight—just the ugly head of a woman dressed in a garish black gown—I tossed it aside only to grab it a few seconds later. Dad had never been the artsy type, so what would he need this for?

Turning it around, I noticed the words typed on the back: Mona Lisa. The famous painting hanging in a museum in France? Yeah, we learned about it in school. I can't say it was much fun though. Maybe Dad decided to pay the Louvre a visit, so I put the picture aside to think about it later. Next came the pin wall hanging near the maps. Among the countless sticky notes, I found a picture of my schoolteachers, which had me puzzled even more than the Mona Lisa. Ms Reeves' head—hovering in the background as usual, her bulging eyes hooded to shield her from the glaring brightness of the camera—was circled with a red felt pen. We moved to Boring Ville, as I like to call our tiny village on the outskirts of London, three months previously. Naturally, Dad wouldn't be acquainted with the teaching staff just yet. Still, why would he hang up a photo and choose circle the art teacher's head? She was pretty all right, but, with her mouse-brown hair and oversized cardigans, she didn't strike me as Dad's type. Maybe she played the bad guy and we only moved here so Dad could watch her?

Still musing, I sipped my now luke-warm chocolate when a phone rang. It was Dad's high-tech cell, buried under a pile of loose files. I reached it in time to see the caller ID marked as anonymous, and then it stopped. Dad would never leave the house without it. He wouldn't even switch it off when he went to bed. Disappearing without it was certainly strange.

Leaving it there, I headed for the door, when the ringing started again. Before I could snatch it, the caller hung up. Maybe it was some sort of code and Dad would