Astrid Maxxim and Her Amazing Hoverbike Read Online Free

is n’ t moving ,” observed Denise.
    “ I t’ ll take hours and hours for its processors to map out all that data.  Ther e’ s a lot of information in a human brain . ”
    Valerie and Denise spent an hour texting each other, while Astrid compiled the final results of her experiment.  Then the three of them had fun running and then sliding down the slick floor of the hallway outside in their stocking feet.  They took the monorail home, stopping at the Malt Shop, run by Mr. Richards, Denis e’ s other dad.  They each ordered a chocolate malt and then drank them as they walked home.  Denise and Astrid dropped Valerie off at her home, and then they split at the corner near Denis e’ s house, Astrid walking the last bit by herself.
    Astrid was asleep when her phone rang.  She wiped her eyes and looked at the clock.  It was almost eleven.  Picking the device up off its charger, she pressed the answer button.
    “ Hello ? ”
    “ Astrid, help me ! ”
    “ Valerie ? ”
    “ Yes, i t’ s me.  Something has happened . ”
    “ What?  Wha t’ s going on ? ”
    “ I do n’ t know.  I do n’ t know what to do . ”
    “ Where are you ? ”
    “ I’ m in your lab . ”
    “ My lab?  What are you doing there ? ”
    “ I do n’ t know, but yo u’ ve got to help me, Astrid.  Yo u’ re the only one that can . ”
    “ Hang on, Valerie.  I’ ll be right there . ”

Chapter Four: Robot Valerie
     
    Astrid hurried from the monorail station to the R&D building.  She could see from the outside that the lights in her lab were on.  Just as she stepped up to the front door, she was bathed in the headlights of a security patrol car.  She stood blinking as the red lights on the ca r’ s rooftop began flashing and the drive r’ s side door opened.  Out stepped Captain Sergio Diaz, Maxxi m’ s head of security and Valeri e’ s dad.
    “ Wha t’ s going on here, Astrid ?” he asked.
    “ I do n’ t know ,” replied the girl inventor.  “ I got a call from Valerie, saying she was in my lab . ”
    “ I got a similar call, but I checked and Valerie is asleep in her bed.  I might think this was an attempt to kidnap you, but then why call me ? ”
    “ I think I might know what this is about ,” said Astrid.  “ Come with me up to my lab . ”
    “ Perhaps I should go investigate while you wait in the car.  It might be dangerous . ”
    “ You can protect me better if we say together ,” she pointed out.
    They entered the building and took the glass elevator up to the fourteenth floor.  As they unlocked the door and stepped inside, something came flying across the room, grasping Mr. Diaz around his waist.
    “ Poppy, Poppy, thank heavens yo u’ re here ! ”
    “ Wha t …”   The security chief peeled the form off of him and pushed it away.  “ What is this ? ”
    “ I t’ s me, Poppy ! ”   It was Robot Girl 7, only she was awake and very, very animated.  “ I t’ s me.  Astrid turned me into a robot, just like I was afraid she would . ”
    “ Just what have you done ?” demanded Mr. Diaz, frowning down at Astrid.
    An hour later they were all in the living room of the Diaz home.  Astrid and Mr. Diaz stood on one side of the room while Mrs. Diaz stood at the other side of the room with her arms around the robot.
    “ How could you do this to our little girl, Astrid ,” she said.
    “ I did n’ t do anything to her.  Look, sh e’ s sitting right there on the couch . ”
    “ I’ m fine, Mama ,” said Valerie, who was indeed sitting right there on the couch.
    “ Look at her ,” continued Mrs. Diaz.  “ Sh e’ s trembling, sh e’ s so frightened . ”
    “ Tha t’ s probably one of her servos readjusting ,” said Astrid.  “ It will go away in a little while . ”
    Just then there was a knock at the door, which Mr. Diaz went to answer.  He returned a minute later with Dr. and Mrs. Maxxim.  The latter looked none too happy.  The former mostly just looked sleepy.
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