Read Online Doomsday Exam [BUREAU 13 Book Two] by Nick Pollotta - Free Book Online

if somewhat slapstick.
    As the students stepped on the landing, the staircase disappeared, leaving a solid seamless floor and no easy exit.
    "Mark the spot,” Ken Sanders whispered on the monitor.
    Using a diminutive spray can, Sir Reginald painted a brilliant orange line across the floorboards where the stairs had once been. Good idea that, and I made a note of the ploy.
    Both sides of the hallway were lined with doors. Endless doors. There was no wall space, the portals stood jamb to jamb.
    Placing her ear to a random door, Katrina listened and then very carefully eased the latch to peak inside. With a squeal, she threw herself across the hall and yanked open the opposite door. Everybody stepped out of the way as 160 tons of antique steam locomotive thundered out of one doorway and into the other.
    In the control room, we were buffeted from side to side by the stereo speakers of the theatre screen hitting near overload.
    As the caboose rattled out of sight, Steven slammed the first door and Katrina did the second. For a minute, they stood coughing from the acrid smoke fumes that had poured from the flume. The floor between the two doors was deeply gouged from the rims of the steel wheels, piles of splinters sticking up in orderly lines, like toothpicks on parade. If you wanted weird, join the Bureau.
    As breath returned, the seniors began heaping abuse upon the Bureau, their teachers in general, the professor specifically, and then cast dubious remarks on our general ancestry and sexual habits. Whew. Some of the curses were pretty good. George jotted a few on a notepad. Probably to give to his Army buddies as birthday gifts.
    Then they abruptly stopped, because lying in plain sight on the floor was an iron gem.
    Reaching for the jewel, Sanders paused and had the twins scan for traps. After a moment, they said it was clear. Wrapping a Bureau issue handkerchief about his hand, Ken pocketed the gem.
    "Okay, we got it,” Sanders snapped, scanning the area to make sure it was clear. “Let's go."
    "But there is still a lot remaining to explore,” Patricia implored petulantly.
    "Our mission was to get the gem,” he stated. “We got it. We go. End of story."
    I was becoming more and more fond of this guy. What a professional attitude. I bet he would happily shoot an enemy in the back. No dumb heroics, just get the job done and scram. Great!
    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Prof. Burton insert a key into a special slot on the control board and unlock an armed switch. The button glowed with a red light and she grimly pressed it down until there was a loud click.
    Oh-oh, now the students were in for it. Whatever door they opened, wherever they went, the very next thing they encountered would be the dreaded, the deadly—
    Suddenly lights began blinking on the control board and a printer started whining out a fax. Faintly from outside the building, I heard a siren howling.
    "What's happening?” George demanded, weapon in hands.
    Prof. Burton ripped the fax free and whistled. “Holy crud! It's a Code Eleven!"
    "Huh?” I demanded.
    Looking confused, Mindy added, “But the scale only goes to ten!"
    "Not ours,” the professor said, reading while she talked.
    "So what the hell is an eleven?” I demanded, pulling out my Magnum hand. When in doubt, grab a weapon, that was my motto.
    With a gasp, the professor dropped the paper. I made a snatch, but the security fax was already blank.
    "Jail break,” she breathed.
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CHAPTER FOUR
    Everybody was out of their seats and moving before the team even knew what they were doing. Typical.
    "Instructions?” Mindy asked, sword unsheathed.
    Swallowing the last mouthful of popcorn, Raul shrugged, “Don't ask me."
    "Professor, the students!” I cried.
    With a curse, Prof. Burton swiveled to the control panel, flipped a gangbar, pressed three buttons and grabbed a microphone. On the theatre screen, lights brightened Hell House and blinking markers appeared on the