Locate secret submarine.
⢠Discover who is behind it
and what they plan to do with it.
END
Heâd got out of school, was piloting the coolest amphibious submersible ever and all he had to do was find some submarine? So far this mission was working out well!
CHAPTER THREE
One thing was for sure, thought Zac. The secret submarine would need to be tested in water at least 4000 feet deep . And that could only be a long way away from shore.
Zac was going to have to set a course right out to the middle of the ocean. And if that meant he could squeeze in a little joy ride on the wayâ¦well, that was almost part of the job.
Flicking the autopilot switch, Zac stuck his feet up on the dashboard. He plugged in his iPod and speakers and turned the music up really loud. His satellite GPS navigation software could handle the directions. It was made by Marine Tech. Zac knew this small company somehow always came out with the coolest sea technology just before the bigger companies did.
Zac typed in the coordinates for the middle of the sea, where the water was deepest. At least, he thought he did.
He must have hit the wrong button, because the next second the amphibious submersible was upside down and spinning round and round in circles.
The foghorn was blaring, the cabin lights were flashing on and off and the fire sprinklers activated.
Just then, Zac heard his SpyPad beeping.
He picked it up.
It was Leon calling! This was going to be embarrassing.
âZac here,â he said, trying to sound like he had things totally under control.
âWhatâs all that noise, Zac?â asked Leon anxiously. âAre you OK?â
âIâm fine,â Zac snapped, holding a bucket under the fire sprinkler and trying to muffle the foghorn with a towel.
â Sure you understand how to operate the submersible?â asked Leon.
âOf course!â said Zac, breezily. The submersible spun round and round. He was going to be sick any second.
âOK,â said Leon doubtfully.âListen, Iâve got new information about the mission from our mole at Marine Tech!â
âUh huh,â said Zac.
âIt looks like the theyâre behind the Sea Devil .â
âThe Sea Devil ?â asked Zac.
âThe secret deep-sea submarine!â said Leon, sounding impatient. âMarine Tech is going to use it to get to GIBâs Safe Talker, hidden on the floor of the West Sea!â
Leon went on. âWe thought the Safe Talker was secure because itâs 4000 feet down. But now that Marine Tech has invented the Sea Devil , they can easily bug it. Iâm working on deactivating the Safe Talker now, but itâs going to take at least 24 hours.â
Leon finally paused for air. Zac tried to make sense of what heâd said.
âLeon,â Zac said finally. âWhatâs a Safe Talker?â
âOnly GIBâs most important piece of technology ever!â Leon yelled. âSafe Talkers transmit all our secret communications. Theyâre in code, of course. But if anyone got their hands on a Safe Talker, they could switch off the encryption filter. All our communications would be in ordinary English.â
âSo theyâd understand every word,â said Zac.
âYup,â said Leon. âAnd our secrets are pretty high-tech stuff. The enemy could use them to build aircraft, subs, satellites â¦whatever! Then they could sell them for heaps of money.â
âIâve always thought itâs strange that a small company like Marine Tech invents the coolest stuff first, every single time,â said Zac slowly.
âThis must be how! They steal other peopleâs secrets,â said Leon.
Zacâs mind chewed over the mission. âIf Marine Techâs after our Safe Talker, wonât their sub testing station be somewhere close to it?â
âIâm sure youâre right, Zac,â said Leon. âGood spying. The Safe Talkerâs