Read Online Danger in the Extreme by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online Page B

the first turn. He was in front! He had the lead!
    Then a sled slammed into him from the right. Pain shot up his leg. He looked over. It was Edwards. The light green sled came at him again, trying to run him off the track.
    Joe’s souped-up machine was faster going up the jumps. He pulled ahead slightly.
    It was a two-man race. Edwards took the lead for a lap, then Joe stole it away again. They were dead even heading to the last jump. Joe crouched down to cut wind resistance and opened the throttle wide. He blasted into the air. Whoever jumped farther would take the race.
    Joe was so high up he had to look down to his left to see the race official waving the checkered flag. He hit the ground less than a foot in front of Edwards. He’d won!
    The crowd stood up and cheered. Joe took a victory lap, standing up on his snowmobile and holding one fist in the air.
    By the time he pulled off the track, Vale was already interviewing Jim Edwards.
    Joe pulled his helmet off and went over to shake Jim’s hand. Vale stepped between them, holding the microphone as usual.
    â€œJoe Hardy. Edwards says his snowmobile wasn’t running well. What do you think? Did you get lucky and catch him on an off night?”
    â€œI don’t know anything about that,” Joe said. He tried to push past Vale. “Jim. Good race, man.”
    â€œForget you!” Edwards shouted. “That race was mine!”
    Vale stepped away, perhaps hoping for a fight.
    Joe waved his hands at Edwards dismissively. “Whatever, man. Good race anyway.”
    Vale grunted and dropped the microphone to his side. He looked at his cameraman. “Maybe we’ll get some better fireworks between these two at the medal ceremony tonight,” he said.
    Joe went back to his sled. Frank and Neal were there. “Awesome race,” Neal shouted. “You smoked him!”
    â€œYeah,” Frank said. “It looked like he tried to knock you off the course again, but this time you were too strong.”
    â€œThanks, guys,” Joe said. “I have to admit that revenge does feel good.”
    They pushed Joe’s snowmobile back under the stands. When DuBelle and Ardis showed up to take Neal back to his hotel, Neal reminded Frank about his family’s being on vacation in the Catskills.
    â€œYeah, I remember,” Frank said. “You said you were going to join them after the Max Games.”
    â€œThere’s been a change in plans,” DuBelle said. “We’re going tonight.”
    Agent Ardis frowned. “I don’t see why they should know this.”
    Neal ignored him. “It would be excellent if you guys could come visit after the games,” Neal said. “You could tell me all about the sky surfing, since I’m going to miss it.”
    Both Frank and Joe were about to answer an enthusiastic yes, when Ardis tried to nix the idea.
    â€œAbsolutely not,” he said. “We’d have to clear it with the president and the chief of security first.”
    â€œI’m the chief of security,” DuBelle said. “And I clear the visit.”
    â€œAll right!” Neal shouted. “Cool. I’ll see you guys later then.”
    The Hardys said goodbye and watched Neal lope off, surrounded by Secret Service agents.
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    Twenty minutes later Joe had all his stuff packed up and ready to go.
    â€œI’ll pull the van around behind the stadium,” Frank said. “Then we can hook up the trailer and load your snowmobile.”
    â€œI’ll meet you out there,” Joe replied.
    Frank jogged to the parking lot. It was about six in the evening—dark now, though the moon was almost full. He jumped in the van and drove around behind the stadium. A row of snowmobile trailers were parked along the outer wall. No one else seemed to be loading up yet.
    Frank backed the van up to their trailer, thenhopped out. Joe was waiting at the double doors. He slowly