Geek Girl - Books 1, 2 and 3

by John Zakour

  Maya Message: There is nothing wrong with sweat. It's a natural human reaction. It's how our bodies cool themselves. In this case, though, I wanted to show that I had been so cool, I didn't need to cool down.

  I had to admit that it felt great to have everyone (except for Ivy) cheering for me.

  Once everyone settled down for the second time, Dex, Tina, and I left the room quietly and began working on our robot.

  “Should we work on the motor system or the plow or the controller?” Dex asked.

  “Or do we each work on one of them?” Tina asked.

  “Let’s work together on the motor system first!” I instructed. “After all, if we can’t move, we’re dead meat.”

  Maya Message: I learned that from my fight with Crash, it’s just as important to be able to move away from the attacks as it to move toward the attack. Movement was the key to any fight.

  I have to say, it felt good to lead.

  Chapter XIV

  I woke up in my bed the next morning, fresh off a victory and feeling super awesome about life. Everything seemed to be going as well as it could be. I loved my life right now! School was great. The lab was amazing.

  My team was awesome, too! I felt lucky to have such a good group of people and animals and machines on my side. I couldn’t do anything, especially carry on Grandpa’s work, without them. You know what they say, behind every great person is a team of helpers.

  Maya Message: I’m not sure if they really say that, but they should!

  I got out of bed and decided to get ready so that I could go to school early and work on our robot. I put on my clothes and brushed my teeth. Oral hygiene is very important. If you don't take care of your teeth now, you might have to get expensive, uncomfortable dentures when you're older.

  When I was done getting ready, I made myself some toast topped with jam for breakfast, and I put a bowl of fruit out for Polly. We chatted until I finished up, then I hopped on my bike and pedaled to school. I made sure to leave a note for my parents to let them know I’d left early.

  Throughout the day, the mean girls were doing what they did best…being mean. However, I could tell they were a little bit scared of me after the arm wrestling match, which made me feel powerful.

  Tina, Dex and I made great progress with our battle bot. It could now roll around the room. Man, that was a rush seeing something we’d made come to life. Yeah, I know I have a way cool lab at home, but this was different. We teens had done this one on our own! It felt really empowering!

  The next day was Saturday. My parents had left early as it was the one Saturday in the month when they both had to work. But it was the weekend and Marko and I liked to sleep late. When I was startled awake by a loud knocking noise, I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but it persisted.

  “Polly!” I yelled. “Cut it out; I'm trying to sleep!”

  “Um, my name isn’t Polly,” I heard a tiny, unfamiliar voice say.

  I immediately shot up in bed and looked around. I wasn’t too worried though, because K9 would surely have neutralized any threat. Therefore, the stranger in my bedroom couldn’t be dangerous. Right? I’d soon find out though, that he would be very helpful.

  Looking down, it seemed that the voice was coming from a little Venus flytrap. It was probably what had been knocking on my bedpost, too.

  “Hello,” I said slowly. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  The plant spoke. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Val, and I’m here to inform you about an issue that has arisen in the laboratory.”

  “I’m listening,” I said, even though I wasn’t very sure why I was listening to a Venus flytrap. But as Grandpa always said, ‘There's something to be learned from every living thing.' I guess he wasn't far off.

  “I’m very sorry to have woken you,” Val said shyly. “But the matter seemed urgent. I just want to inform you that the lab computer, being autonomous, has decided to go ahead with the Venus flytrap experiment. However, things might have got a little out of hand.”

  “I thought I made the call to cancel that experiment. I decided it was too risky!” I said, annoyed.

  “Well, you should take that up with the computer. Maybe you should reprogram it to be less independent. Regardless, the current problem is that the Venus flytraps, like myself, have become increasingly intelligent!” Val told me.

  “How is that a pressing matter?” I questioned.

  “Well, after learning about the ways that really big industries can harm the world around us, the other Venus flytraps are particularly concerned with the pollution that big factories give off.”

  “Again, what does this have to do with me at seven o’clock on a Saturday morning?” I was a little perturbed.

  “The plants were horrified by the smokestacks that the factories have, and they've decided that those smokestacks are the biggest threat in town. So now the plants have formed an army, and they're on their way to destroy the smokestacks. By eating them.”

  “Are you pulling my leg?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Unfortunately, I don’t feel like my kind is advanced enough to make jokes, ma’am,” Val said, almost as if he wished that he could joke around.

  I’d have to remember to reward him for his honesty and bravery. Maybe I could do to him what Grandpa did with Polly. I could try to genetically rewire him so that his mind was capable of humor. But that was something for another time. Plus, Polly’s humor was terrible. Right now, the mutiny that was taking place needed my full attention.

  “I tried to talk them out of it, but they didn't want to listen to me,” Val said, defeated. “I told them that to take down big businesses, we had to support local business and peacefully protest. Boy, those plants are smart, but they're not very open-minded.”

  “You did your best, Val” I reassured him. “It was very wise of you to alert me. I’ll make sure you’re compensated for your bravery. That way, you can lead by example, and maybe the other Venus flytraps will be more receptive to positive reinforcement.”

  My next step was to assemble my team and stop the flytraps from doing any damage. It’s not a good idea to have big businesses on your bad side, legally speaking. Also, it’s never okay to vandalize, even if you're vandalizing in the name of good.

  Chapter XV

  I knew I had to handle the flytraps, but I wasn’t sure how. Though I also knew I could count on Tina and Marko to help me. Marko might not be of much assistance, but he could prove to be useful for something. The pair could brainstorm, and they could also assist me in executing the plan later. I could also ask Polly, K9, or Crash to help me out too if I needed it. As I said before, nothing would get done without teamwork.

  I texted Tina and invited her over.

  ME> Hey! Emergency! Need u over here asap

  TINA> Have to find my bike helmet. Safety First!

  TINA> OMW!

  ME> Hurry! :D

  Finally, after what seemed like forever, Tina arrived. Marko came tumbling down the porch steps towards us both. He’d never been the most coordinated kid.

  “Hey, girl,” Tina yelled while she wheeled her bike over beside the house. “What’s the big emergency?”

  "Come on in," I said, heading inside to the living room. “We have to come up with a plan, and fast!” Tina and Marko sat down on the couch and listened as I explained the details. “Computer might have got a little out of control and created mutant super-intelligent Venus flytraps that are on their way to destroy all the smokestacks on the factories in town!”

  "Wow!" Tina said, a little dumbfounded. "You really dropped the ball on this one, dude.”

  "I know," I replied. "But that's why I have you both to help me."

  Marko had been silent the whole time, but I had the feeling he was thinking and coming up with a plan, as much as his five-year-old self could. He always had a way of pushing me to do my best, even if he didn’t know that was what he was doing.

  “Could that parrot of yours be any help?” Mark
o asked.

  "I have a name, you know," Polly said, rolling his eyes. I hadn't even noticed Polly fly in.

  “Sorry,” Marko said sheepishly. “Polly, could you help us out?”

  “Fine. But only because you recognize my clearly superior intelligence,” Polly said arrogantly. Boy, he sure could be full of himself sometimes. “I have an idea!” Polly announced.

  We all collectively let out a sigh of relief. I was particularly happy that Polly was being helpful because I didn't have even half an idea about what to do. Marko looked a little more relaxed, which was surprising, considering that he's usually a little highly strung.

  “I’ll fly over the plants with a lure,” Polly informed us, “and get them to come back to the lab. Then the rest of you can try to make yourselves useful by containing them.” He flexed his wings.

  “Wow, that’s actually a pretty good idea,” Tina said.

  “I’m not just a pretty face and feathers!” Polly replied.

  “But what will you use as the lure?” Tina asked.

  “Well, Venus flytraps LOVE bugs,” Polly said, like the know-it-all that he was. “What most people don't know is that Venus flytraps don't even eat that many flies in their natural environment. They're far more likely to eat insects that crawl, like ants or beetles.”

  “Cool, but how is that helpful?” I asked impatiently.

  “Well, if you hadn't interrupted me then maybe you’d know. Ever think of that?” Polly asked, clearly unimpressed with me. I didn’t answer because there’s no point in trying to assert yourself over a self-righteous grump. Also, if we needed him to help us, we certainly didn’t want to upset him.

  Polly continued, “Luckily for us, I promised not to eat some beetles the other day, in exchange for a favor. Stupid beetles didn’t even stop to consider that domesticated parrots don’t often eat bugs, even though we are omnivores. I bet I could get them to fly with me over the flytraps and lure them back to the lab. Those plants would do anything to munch on a beetle. You three can handle the plants when they get here.”

  The little Venus flytrap, Val appeared in front of us. “You’re not going to hurt them. Are you? I mean, they are only planning to do what you built them to do.”

  “No, we’ll find a way to stop them without hurting them,” I said.

  “We will?” Polly asked. “I think your mouth is making promises the rest of your body can't keep!”

  “We used the gas on them last time; we can do it again!” I told him. Pointing downwards, I said. “Now we need to get down to the lab and prepare. I’ll ask Grandpa to distract Computer by playing him in a game of chess. I don’t trust Computer, and I don’t want him to know our plans.”

  “What if Computer tweaked the plants to make them immune to the gas from now on?” Polly asked me; all know it all like.

  “We will adapt then!” I said.

  “Fair enough,” Polly replied. “Let’s just hope Dr. J keeps Computer busy enough so he doesn’t figure out what we’re up to.”

  I nodded. “Good point. That’s why you should fly fast!”

  Polly rolled his eyes and said, “Fine! I’ll save the day and your butts. But man you all owe me for this. I’m going to want to be called the hero for a while. I may need wing rubs and a full body massage as well.”

  “Yes, Polly! Whatever you say!” I shooed him out the window. We had work to do.

  As soon as he’d gone, the rest of us headed down to the lab to make our battle plans with Grandpa and the others, so we’d be ready when the plants reached us. K9 brought us all gas masks. The plan was really quite simple. The plants come in. We gas them. We cage them. I have a long talk with Computer.

  Tina picked up a broom and did a few karate movies. “Just in case things go south!” she told me.

  A little later, Grandpa J appeared in front of me. “I beat the computer ten times. I have AL playing him now to keep him busy.” Grandpa J smiled. “I’m actually kind of proud of how Computer took initiative with those plants.”

  “Yeah, I’m not,” I said.

  Grandpa nodded. “Well, it is your lab.”

  We heard rustling coming towards us. Polly came flying into the lab, his wings beating faster than I had ever seen. “Ready or not, here they come!” Polly yelled.

  We prepared to face an army of Venus flytraps. Luckily, we knew how to control them this time (I hoped). K9 ran up to us with gas masks on his collar. We each quickly grabbed one. The big plants rushed into the lab. Grandpa flooded the lab with sleeping gas. Once the smoke cleared out, we took our masks off. Sadly, we saw an army of now angrier Venus flytraps. They charged at us.

  “That gas no longer works on us!” one of the flytraps yelled. “Computer has made us better!”

  “Plus, we didn’t get to eat pollution or bugs!” another one shouted.

  Fortunately, I’d planned for this. I had a gravity control device ready to go.

  I grabbed the device and aimed it at the charging flowers of doom.

  I pointed and clicked.

  The flowers kept coming at us. Marko, Tina, K9, Crash and I stood our ground. The flowers chomped their giant mouths. Drool and spit dangled from their petal lips.

  “Ha! Computer made us immune to that trick too! Our body structures have been changed, so we resist gravity better!”

  The flowers bared down on us. They started chomping away. They stopped when they realized they hadn’t done any harm to us.

  “What’s going on?” they all yelped.

  Our images disappeared.

  We uncloaked from behind the mob of plants. I squared my shoulders. “Ah, those were just holograms made by Grandpa!” Aiming my gravity device at the mob, I exclaimed. “Time to put you all to sleep!”

  They laughed. “Ha, we are immune to the extra gravity!”

  "Yeah, I also planned for that!" I said. “That's why I’m using the anti-gravity ray on you!”

  I fired the ray at the flowers! They all screamed as they flew up and crashed into the ceiling. I turned the ray off. The flowers crashed to the ground with plops and thuds. I repeated the process. The flowers shot back up to the ceiling, they screamed but not as loud. I deactivated the ray. The flowers crashed back to the ground. They rolled around trying to get up.

  “One more time?” I asked them.

  “We surrender, we surrender!” they shouted. “We’re too beat to fight.”

  I looked them over; they all looked pretty wilted.

  “Computer!” I yelled, “Why would you do this? Do you realize how bad that could have been?”

  “I'm sorry, Maya.” Computer sounded sad. “I thought you'd be proud of me for being inventive. Plus, I only wanted the plants to eat pollution, not people or birds or bots. I'm not sure why I did that. I feel terrible about it.”

  Maya Message: Yeah, I’m not sure Computer did this totally on his own. I need to run a diagnostic test to make sure no outside force has tampered with him

  “Just remember to approve all special projects with me FIRST!” I said firmly. “This could have been avoided if you’d asked before you acted.”

  “Right, got it!” Computer said. “Don’t try to help you create things without your permission!”

  “Computer, can I ask you a question?” Tina asked.

  Computer told her, “Well, you just did. So I compute that you can! Ha! Ha! Ha!! Computer grammar humor is the best!”

  “OMG! That’s as bad Polly’s jokes!” I said.

  Polly flew over to me. “Hey, be nice. I just risked my tail and the rest of me for you!” he noted.

  “Good point!” I said.

  “Plus, you complain when I joke and complain when I complain!” Polly said.

  I nodded. “Another good point. Sorry!”

  I really needed to consider Polly’s feelings more. Maybe that’s why he was so grumpy sometimes!

  “Can I please ask my question?” Tina said.

  “Sure, but you…” I started to say. Tina glared at me, and I stopped.
>
  “Computer, if you wanted to help, why did you make the plants gas proof and gravity proof?” Tina asked.

  Silence.

  More silence.

  “I do not know,” Computer said.

  Now THAT worried me!

  Chapter XVI

  I spent the next day trying to figure out what had caused Computer to act the way he had. But by the time Monday morning rolled around, I still didn’t have an answer.

  That week at school, the incident remained on my mind. All the while though, Dexter was so caught up with making the robot that he didn’t have time to challenge me academically the way he usually did. He just showed up, got his work done, and went back to working on the bot.

  At one point, I saw him drawing a blueprint for the plow part, that included a plastic plow.

  “I thought we were going to use a metal plow?” I asked him.

  “We were!” he said, still looking at his blueprint.

  “And?” Tina asked.

  He showed me the plan. “This just makes more sense. It’s easy to implement and operate. The plastic plow is lighter than the metal. We just ram and plow into the competition.” He stood up and moved his arm up and down. “Plus, we can lift and lower the plow to pound on our opponents quicker.” He put his hands on his hips and grinned at me. “What do you think, boss?”

  I thought about what he had said. I gazed closely at his plans. “Let’s do it!” I said.