Jamison Pond The Spy Who Came Down With a Cold

Jamie’s classmates are kidnapped, he survives explosions, faces a mercenary death squad, sonic cannon, even a deadly black cobra—all on his journey from misfit to spy. EXCERPT: Jamie gazed at his friend, noting she held her breath, staring wide-eyed where he’d looked a moment before. He’d started to turn back, when she gasped. Shifting on the small knoll, Jamie looked to see where Min squinted. A black shadow rose out of the thick grass at the side of the pool. Gigantic as the atrium had seemed before, it now felt small. “Oh God,” he whispered, as a black snake slipped into the open. It rose up in the front—probably a foot and a half tall. A thickly-built serpent, the area right beneath the head splayed open, forming a wide hood. The terrifying sound wasn’t a hiss, but something way more substantial. The head, mouth wide open, bobbed and weaved threateningly toward them as its six foot long body advanced. Jamie clearly saw two large fangs. It glided forward in swift bursts, rapidly covering the ground that separated them. Those eyes were deadly and hypnotic. “Let’s go,” Jamie struggled to gain his footing and one shoe slipped out from under him. Min whispered, “We’re not supposed to move, the books say…” “Forget the books!” Jamie didn’t care what any texts indicated, that was a cobra surging ever closer and angry as anything. Would Hal open the atrium door automatically to let them out? Would it keep the snake in? Maybe Hal could zap the thing with bug spray—or something a lot stronger. Min said, “Oh, look. He’s scared.” Her voice took on that little-girl sound as if she were cooing to a kitty. “He’s scared?” Petrified was a better word to describe Jamie’s feelings, as the demonic, black shape slid ominously nearer. Hal’s monotone voice said, “Danger detected. Evasive action advised.”