False Bottom Read Online Free

a couple of days to get a replacement.’
    â€˜This is a BIG airport.’ said Amy thoughtfully. ‘And we’ve had to wait an hour already!’
    â€˜Yes, if someone wanted to delay the plane, they could mess with the INS,’ said Christopher excitedly.
    â€˜ Hey, you don’t know that’s happened,’ said the man.
    â€˜But who would want to stop the plane for a while?’
    â€˜That’s the million dollar question.’

    â€˜An announcement for passengers flying to Singapore on Flight Q9. Please proceed through security.’

Chapter 6
Beep! Beep! Beep!
    Beep! Beep! Beep!
    Christopher felt eyes on him.
    First came the security scanner. It was shaped like a door frame. Some people made it beep. Others didn’t. Beyond the security control stretched an ocean of grey-blue carpet leading to gate lounges. They all had numbers.
    â€˜Come on, Christopher!’
    Three security officers stood around the scanner. They watched the line of passengers moving through. One stared at the security monitor. Another helped passengers put their hand luggage on the moving belt. The woman security officer just watched.
    Christopher glanced around. Was a hidden security camera watching them too? Nervously he nibbled the fingernail of his little finger. Would his nail-biting habit be on the security camera for ever?
    He looked up. Near the ceiling was a grey bubble. Was it a smoke detector? Or something else?
    â€˜Come on, Christopher!’ repeated Amy. ‘Put your bag on. And that pencil case.’
    Amy dropped her backpack onto the moving belt. She noticed a porter wheeling an elderly man around but not through the scanner.
    â€˜Why wasn’t he checked?’
    â€˜That wheelchair wouldn’t fit through the frame,’ said Christopher.
    â€˜Couldn’t he walk through?’
    â€˜I don’t know. But it was an official airport wheelchair.’ Christopher had noticed the seat belt. Just then, The Mouth pushed past Amy. He flung his bag onto the moving belt. Then he placed his guitar-case more carefully.
    â€˜Sorry, in a hurry,’ he muttered.
    Amy stared. Why should he be in a hurry to get on? Their plane couldn’t leave until all passengers boarded. Ms Rainbow Wig did seem to be following him closely. Was she a fan?
    Amy had thought that famous pop stars travelled with lots of helpers. Rainbow Wig was now in the line, pretending not to know him. The Mouth seemed alone and in a hurry.
    â€˜Sir!’
    When the security officer touched him on the shoulder. The Mouth jumped guiltily.
    â€˜Please put all your bags on the belt. The camera bag, too.’
    â€˜What about my film?’ The Mouth looked around a lot as if expecting to see someone or something.
    â€˜That will be quite safe, sir.’
    Reluctantly The Mouth put his bag onto the moving belt.
    â€˜Come on, Christopher.’ Amy was determined to see inside The Mouth’s luggage. With three pieces of hand luggage, he was over the limit. And he had a duty free bag too. That made four.
    As the camera bag disappeared, Amy stepped over to the side and peered at the screen.
    The public was not meant to be there, but she wanted to see her bag X- rayed on the monitor. She also wanted to check on The Mouth’s bags ... from the inside.
    Usually the security guard would have stopped her, but at that moment Christopher said loudly, ‘Look Amy. Skeletons!’
    For a second, the guard looked sideways at them. The Mouth’s baggage went through, un-examined.
    Since Christopher had a very loud voice, Amy said, ‘Shhhh.’
    One screen was black-and-white. The other monitor was coloured, but not quite like a TV screen at home.
    â€˜Why is that blue?’ Christopher pointed to the blue smudges on the suitcase outline displayed on the screen.
    â€˜Something inorganic. All non-carbon-based,’ replied the guard, returning his eyes to the screen. ‘Changes according to the