Astrid Maxxim and Her Amazing Hoverbike Read Online Free Page A

Astrid, what is going on ?” demanded her mother.
    “ Look at what your daughter has done to my little girl ,” demanded Mrs. Diaz, clutching Robot Girl 7 closer.
    “ Sofia, our daughter is right over there ,” said Mr. Diaz.  “ Sh e’ s fine . ”
    “ Yes Mama, I’ m over here . ”
    “ Is that RG-7 ?” asked Dr. Maxxim, catching sight of the silver girl.  “ Amazing, Astrid.  Oh, you have really done it this time . ”
    “ Roger !” barked Mrs. Maxxim.
    “ Astrid, you have really done it this time ,” he said, in an entirely different and much sterner way than before.  “ But, we should still get it back to the lab to run some tests . ”
    “ Mama, do n’ t let them take me !” cried the robot.
    “ You will not touch a hair on my daughte r’ s head !” hissed Mrs. Diaz.
    “ Mama, I’ m over here ,” said Valerie again.  “ And she does n’ t have any hair . ”
    “ You will not touch a hair on either of my daughter s’ heads ,” finished Mrs. Diaz.
    “ Astrid, Roger, go wait in the car ,” demanded Mrs. Maxxim.  “ Sergio, you and I will discuss this.  Cooler heads must prevail . ”
    Dr. Maxxim took his daughter by the hand and led her outside and to the car, into which they climbed.  Astrid took the back seat.  They sat without speaking for ten minutes until Mrs. Maxxim joined them.  She gave a nod to her husband, which he took as a signal to start the drive home.
    “ What about my robot ?” asked Astrid.
    “ For the time being, the robot will remain in the custody of Mrs. Diaz, with the understanding that it embodies the intellectual property of Maxxim Industries, with all the rights and privileges inclusively thereby associated . ”
    “ What does all that mean ?” asked Astrid.
    “ Sh e’ s keeping it . ”
    Astrid was required to stay home all day Sunday, and even though her parents had never used the ter m“ grounded ,” she had a feeling that she knew just what that felt like.  She did her chores, finished her homework for the next two weeks, and practiced her oboe.  About every five minutes, she answered a text from Denise, but she heard nothing from Valerie.
    On Monday, she shot out the door after downing seven bites of oatmeal and found Toby, as always, waiting for her at the edge of the yard.  He leaned casually against the last poplar tree and laughed when she bounded up to him.
    “ Have an eventful weekend ?” he asked.
    “ You know ? ”
    “ The whole town knows, Astrid ,” he replied.  “ I just wish I could have seen it.  Where is it, anyway ? ”
    “ What?  You mea n …”
    “ Yes, the robot girl.  Where is it ? ”
    “ I’ m not really sure ,” replied Astrid.  “ Tha t’ s one reason I really want to see Valerie this morning . ”
    They found both Denise and Christopher waiting for them at the corner of Acacia and Fourth, but Valerie was not at the usual spot in front of her home and she did n’ t show up when they waited for her.  Finally Toby went to the door of the Diaz home and rang the bell, but no one answered.  They continued on their way, reaching the monorail station and taking the train to school.
    Astrid found her seat in English Composition class and took out her textbook and her digital tablet.  Denise plopped into the desk to her right.
    “ Sh e’ s here ,” she said.
    “ Valerie ?” asked Christopher, who sat on the other side of Denise.
    “ Yes, I saw her in the program five team room . ”
    “ Where was she ?” wondered Astrid.
    “ She came in early.  Her mother is enrolling her in school . ”
    “ A different school ?” asked Christopher.
    “ No, this school . ”
    “ She already goes to this school ,” said Astrid.
    “ No, not her ,” explained Denise.  “ Sh e’ s enrolling the robot in school . ”
    “ What ?” exclaimed Astrid.  “ Tha t’ s crazy ! ”
    “ It kind of makes sense ,” said Christopher.  “ You gave her all the knowledge of a ninth grade girl.  She needs more,