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strength she has and Sir’s killer tattoos, we’ll be unstoppable.” He let out a rumbling laugh.
    Kushwindro laughed with him. A moment later, he held out a fruit. “Banana?”
    â€œThanks, no. I’m a berries, fish, and honey man. And the blood of my enemies.”
    â€œOkay, that was gross,” Kushwindro said. “All that tooth and claw stuff? No thanks. I prefer to let my friends do the dirty work.” Vines and branches around them flexed and grasped the air in response to another of his gestures.
    Grawley shrugged. “Either way, as long as we get the job done.”
    Both men grinned, and the jungle image faded from my Screen.

CHAPTER 6
    SHORTEST FIELD TRIP EVER
    After Simon and his friends finished their playtime, they went back to Simon’s house—around the corner from Dunkerhook Woods—to clean themselves up. At the appointed time they returned to the woods for the big meeting—Simon’s official entrance into the Council of Sciences.
    The Council was composed of different Keepers from the various Science-based Orders. The Keepers had to obey the rules of the Board of Administration, which was in charge of the entire Union, but the Council got to oversee most of the Science Orders’ activities. Being admitted was a big deal for Simon; his friends and he were excited.
    The trio waited just within the border of Dunkerhook Woods and took out their hooded raincoats—standard issue for Order members.
    â€œHow do you feel, are you nervous, I’d be nervous,” Owen said.
    â€œI’m fine,” Simon said. Then he shrugged. “But stop asking me that every thirty seconds. You’re making me nervous.”
    Owen touched the sleeve of his blue raincoat. “Why do we have to wear these?”
    Alysha rolled her eyes. “Owen, remember those Gateways? The big blue door-things that come up out of the ground?”
    â€œSure,” Owen said. “They let Order members teleport to places.”
    â€œRight,” Alysha continued. “And it always rains before the Gateways appear so Outsiders don’t notice.” She tapped her blue raincoat. “We need these to stay dry.”
    â€œWhat?” Owen squeaked. “ We’re taking a Gateway?”
    â€œHow did you think we were getting to the Council?” Alysha asked.
    â€œI don’t know, but I was expecting something with a seat belt! I mean, teleportation? Do you guys know what that can do to you if it goes wrong?”
    Before Alysha could respond, the sky outside the woods darkened. Gray clouds quickly covered all of Van Silas Way, and within seconds, the rain started to fall. Drizzle became downpour and then deluge. From where Simon and his friends stood, cozy and dry within Dunkerhook Woods, they could just make out the glowing blue doorway spring up, ten feet wide by ten feet high, nearby on the street.
    A moment later, a tall but stooped man stepped out of the Gateway. This was Ralfagon Wintrofline, the other Keeper of the Teacher’s Edition and the leader of the Order of Physics. Supposedly, he has learned and memorized most of the formulas inside the Book of Physics; he is said to be one of the most powerful men in the universe.
    Ralfagon showed his age, leaning heavily on his cane as he limped over to the entrance to the woods, and stuck his head in. He swept back his hood and brushed aside strands of shaggily cut gray hair to peer through his bushy gray eyebrows at the kids.
    â€œHello there, friends,” he said with a smile. “Been waiting long?”
    Simon shrugged. “No . . . you’re early.”
    â€œI am?” Ralfagon asked. “Hmm. Early for what?”
    Though cramming all that physics knowledge into his head made Ralfagon mighty, it also made him a bit absent-minded . . . in much the way that fire is a bit warm. He was also a physics professor at nearby Milnes University (where people knew him as Professor Ralph