Read Online Double Vision by F. T. Bradley - Free Book Online Page A

reception hall, with tall ceilings, a fancy glass chandelier, and white-and-tan-checked marble floors. I felt totally out of place in my jeans and sneakers but tried not to show it.
    â€œCool, huh?” Amy said next to me. “This is the official entrance for visitors. We have a few minutes before dinner. Come on, I’ll show you where the ball is going to be.”
    I followed her between these white columns, and we took a left.
    â€œThis is the Cross Hall. And over there are the Red, Blue, and Green Rooms.” Amy waved to the right as we walked. When the hall ended at a doorway, Amy said, “This is the East Room.”
    It was roped off, so we had to look from the doorway. I saw tall ceilings, fancy cream curtains, and several sparkly chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. A grand piano sat near the back wall. There were five guys in black pants and white shirts, setting up tables and unrolling a giant rug.
    â€œThis is where the costume ball will be?” I asked.
    Amy nodded. “If there’s a party at the White House, it’s usually held in here. You know, when we first moved in, Wilson told me that Theodore Roosevelt’s kids roller-skated in here,” she added.
    I looked at the zigzagged wooden floor and how big the room was. “It would be awesome to skateboard in here.”
    â€œThe staff would have a cow if you did that,” Amy said with a grin.
    George Washington gave me a stern look from an oil painting on the wall, reminding me of the mission.
    Amy looked at her watch. “Dinner’s at seven, so we should head to the kitchen.”
    â€œOkay.” Then I remembered my Ben package pickup later that night. “I just have to leave at nine.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œSleep,” I lied. “I need to rest up for tomorrow.”
    â€œThat’s right—we’re on a mission,” Amy whispered so Steve wouldn’t hear us. We turned away from the East Room and then took a right up a stairway.
    â€œDoesn’t Steve come along?” I asked as we made our way up the stairs.
    Amy shook her head. “Nope. Family quarters upstairs. It’s the one place Secret Service leaves us alone.”
    We went upstairs, down a hall to the left, and into the kitchen. It looked pretty standard with white cabinets, but nice—not like the Baker kitchen, but more like my friend Sam’s. Then I spotted Ben. He was already sitting at the table.
    I turned around and faced Amy. “You invited him ?”
    Amy shrugged. “Mom said I should.”
    â€œThat’s okay,” I lied.
    â€œHe came in through the West Wing so we wouldn’t blow your cover,” Amy added.
    I faced Ben and forced a smile as I sat across from him at the kitchen table. “How’s the mission coming along?”
    â€œGood.” He clenched his jaw. “I’m making great progress.”
    â€œUsing your manual.”
    â€œThat’s correct. How about you, Baker?” Ben asked. “Are you having fun riding your little skateboard around?”
    â€œWe’re doing fine,” Amy said.
    I kicked her under the table. “What Amy means is Linc is doing fine. I have a lead already. Two leads, actually,” I said, thinking of Ben’s package. “How about you?”
    â€œI have a mission plan,” Ben said. “A good agent needs only one lead.” Like a package.
    Isn’t he just full of it? The good news was that I was about to steal his one lead right from under him. “Well, nobody canbe as good as you, Ben,” I said.
    â€œMaybe we shouldn’t talk about the mission,” Amy mumbled.
    â€œApologies.” Ben took his knife and fork.
    â€œI’m sorry, too.” I guess we were being kind of rude, what with us being dinner guests and all.
    â€œThis looks delicious,” Ben said as he took a plate of tacos from the chef.
    â€œI hope you weren’t expecting something fancy,” Amy