by Lesley-Anne
Praise for Danger Dan
“I love Danger Dan! His time travel adventures with Melody are always
so funny and interesting.”
—Johannah, 13, Yishun Town Secondary School
“It’s a very fun book and a good way to learn about Singapore’s history.”
—Brandon, 10, Tao Nan School
“I like Danger Dan as he can go back in time. I can learn about the history of Singapore in a unique way.”
—Wee Herng, 9, West Grove Primary School
“Danger Dan’s antics always cheer me up and I find myself bursting into laughter when I read the books!”
—Conan, 12, Yumin Primary School
“Danger Dan is an exciting, fast-paced series that cleverly blends Singapore history with science fiction, adventure and comedy. It had me chuckling out loud. My kids love the series.”
—Janice Koh, actress and former Nominated Member of Parliament
“Very addictive books that draw readers in like an action-packed movie! Engaging mix of imagery, humour and plot twists, all laced with a distinctive local flavour.”
—Chow Yian Ping, journalist, Lianhe Zaobao
“If you are looking for fun and adventure, check out Danger Dan! Combining excitement, humour and Singapore’s history, Danger Dan does not disappoint! A wonderful read for children who enjoy action-packed books.”
—Sabrina Koh, English Language teacher, Holy Innocents’ Primary School
“Featuring off-beat and high-tech methods, Danger Dan effectively transforms dry facts and figures into rollicking adventures.”
—Dr Myra Garces-Bacsal, National Institute of Education
Copyright © 2015 by Monica Lim and Lesley-Anne Tan
lllustrations copyright © 2015 Epigram Books
All rights reserved.
Published in Singapore by Epigram Books.
www.epigrambooks.sg
Illustrations by James Tan
Cover design and book layout by Lydia Wong
Published with the support of
National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Lim, Monica
DANGER DAN CREATES THE ULTIMATE UTAMA UPROAR /
written by Lesley-Anne and Monica Lim;
illustrated by James Tan
Singapore : Epigram Books, 2015. pages cm
ISBN: 978-981-4615-25-9 (paperback)
ISBN : 978-981-4615-24-2 (epub)
1. Time travel – Juvenile fiction.
2. Superheroes – Juvenile fiction.
3. Singapore – History – Juvenile fiction.
I. Lim, Monica. II. Seiji. III. Title.
PZ7
S823 -- dc23 OCN894609819
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First Edition
For all our qwintastic readers,
especially Daddy and Nai Nai
It’s Halloween but there is no time for Trick-or-Treating! The Fantasy Squad arrives in the Russian countryside. They’re after the Sinister Spy, who is hiding in his spooky mansion. It sits in the centre of a graveyard. The yard is filled with bare trees, their crooked branches like claws scratching open the night sky.
“It looks haunted,” says Silver Wing, as the four superheroes walk towards the door of the mansion.
Cryptic lifts his hand to knock on the door...
The door slowly opens by itself. Flex Rex, the superdog, sniffs out the Sinister Spy, leading his team-mates in to a grand ballroom.
“Look out!” cries Energia.
A glittery chandelier drops from the ceiling...right onto Flex Rex! Luckily, he flattens his elastic body against the floor and is not hurt. Cryptic pulls Flex Rex out. The Fantasy Squad proceeds cautiously up an old staircase.
The step Energia is on splinters and caves in. She tumbles through the stairs. Silver Wing flies after her and catches her just before she hits the floor.
The Fantasy Squad follows Flex Rex to a library. Flex Rex pauses at a bookshelf and looks around in confusion. The scent trail stops there.
“Where is the Sinister Spy?” asks Energia.
Cryptic leans against the bookshelf. Suddenly, it turns and Cryptic falls backwards. It is a secret room! His team-mates run into the room and see a large flashing screen in the centre. Below the screen is a control panel with hundreds of buttons and levers...and the Sinister Spy! He has been working the controls to trigger the booby traps throughout the mansion.
“Curses!” sneers the Sinister Spy. “When will I ever be rid of you?”
The Fantasy Squad assembles to face off against the Sinister Spy. This is it! The final showdown!
The Sinister Spy activates trap doors on the floor but the Fantasy Squad leaps and somersaults agilely over them.
Arrows shoot out from the walls. “Time for a change!” hollers Cryptic. He transforms into a giant shield and covers the others. A large metal dome rises from the ground, encasing the Sinister Spy and the control panel. Silver Wing folds his wings in and his body changes to pure silver. He punctures the dome like a large bullet, leaving a gaping hole.
Energia jumps through the hole. Her body glows as she conjures up an electrical orb. She flings the orb onto the control panel.
The control panel short-circuits and sparks fly everywhere. The screen falls to the floor and shatters. The ceiling starts to crumble and the whole place shakes. Throughout the mansion, there are sounds of objects falling and windows breaking.
“NO!” cries the Sinister Spy. Flex Rex stretches out like a rubber band and coils around the villain.
“Time to go!” orders Cryptic. He transforms into a majestic winged lion with glowing, red eyes. Cryptic grabs hold of the Sinister Spy with his large paws and the Fantasy Squad climbs onto his back.
Spreading his wings, Cryptic rockets through the roof and into the night sky. Once again, the Fantasy Squad emerges victorious!
Danny felt a playful swat at the back of his head. “Put that away, Danny,” he heard his father say. “You didn’t come here to read your comic book! The show will be starting soon.” Danny and his family were at the Float at Marina Bay, attending the National Day Parade. The floating stadium was a sea of red and white.
“I already know what’s going to happen!” protested Danny. All Primary 5 students got to attend a National Day Parade rehearsal so he had already seen the entire show a few weeks earlier.
“I know you do,” replied Danny’s mother. “But we’re here as a family and we’re going to enjoy this time together.” It had not been easy for his parents to get hold of tickets to the popular event and they had insisted he come along.
Danny reluctantly put away his Fantasy Squad comic book and glanced at his sisters. They were examining their National Day Parade fun packs. “Look at this!” squealed Amy, Big Sister Number One, holding a red lion mask over her face. Amy was 18 years old and had a Big Mouth. Even when she was not prattling on about something or the other, her lips were always moving. Like now. She was making low growly noises and sounded like a cat with a sore throat.
“Oh, cool! Fascinating facts!” said Betty, Big Sister Number Two, fishing out a booklet on the history of Singapore’s National Day Parade. Betty was 16 years old and had a Big Brain. Flipping through the brochure, she was quickly disappointed. “These aren’t fascinating at all!” she complained. “I already know all of them. It doesn’t even mention the 1981 NDP parade commander’s favourite ice-cream flavour! Bah.” She made a menta
l note to write to the NDP organising committee.
“Snacks!” grunted Candy, Big Sister Number Three, whipping out a packet of potato chips from her fun pack. Candy was 12 years old and didn’t have a Big Mouth or a Big Brain. She was just…BIG. Food was her one and only true love. She tore open the packet and stuffed chips into her mouth.
Danny squeezed all the contents of his fun pack into his red sling bag. He loved the fun pack. It was one of the best parts of the NDP… besides the air show, of course. Nothing could beat the flypast—he didn’t mind watching the parade twice if it meant seeing the fighter jets do their aerial tricks again.
The pre-parade activities had begun and lion mascots danced down the aisles, urging the spectators to wave their hands in the air in time to the music. “Lame,” thought Danny to himself. He was mortified to see his parents gamely follow suit. “Come on, kids!” his father called out enthusiastically. Danny, Amy and Betty slumped in their seats, trying not to look uncool. Only Candy raised her arms in the air. Unfortunately, she had no sense of rhythm and waved in the opposite direction of everyone else.
Thankfully, the arm-waving exercise soon stopped and the parade started in earnest. The contingent march past. The parachute formation. The sea display by the navy and the coast guard. And then...
Danny’s Big Ears perked up. “Woohoo!” he shouted. “The fighter jets are here!” He bobbed up and down in excitement as the planes flew over the crowd. The planes swooped and swirled with practised ease.
They traced pictures in the sky, leaving thin trails of white smoke behind. They zoomed right towards each other, looking as if they would collide, but they broke away with a flourish at the very last minute. Danny was on the edge of his seat.
“Amazing coordination!” raved Amy.
“Such precision!” remarked Betty.
“TOO LOUD!” roared Candy, covering her ears.
The crowd whooped and cheered as the planes did one final loop before soaring into the distance.
The stage brightened as the performances began. Each item was a showcase of song and dance with the clever use of props. Towards the end of the show, spectators were treated to a video montage on Singapore’s history.
Various segments reminded Danny of his previous time-travelling adventures. Raffles! Nearly didn’t get his treaty signed. The national anthem! Phew, it could have been something too horrific for words. The Merlion! Almost became the Orchid de Lionhead.
Singapore owes Danger Dan a great debt! He has saved his country many times, yet his heroic deeds aren’t celebrated. Danger Dan has to operate under a shroud of mystery. Such is the burden of a secret superhero. Someday, he will get his due reward.
Fireworks filled the night sky with colour and light. Small golden ones rocketed into the air like a thousand shooting stars. Big green ones exploded into brilliant starbursts that illuminated the floating platform.
“Awe-inspiring!” gushed Amy.
“Breathtaking!” gasped Betty.
“Can we go home now?” growled Candy. “I’m out of snacks.”
The last firework shot into the sky and fell as a shower of red sparks. They lingered in the air like tiny stars before fading away, signalling the end of the NDP.
It took a while to leave the crowded stadium, but Danny and his family eventually made it out and they walked to Promenade MRT station. They boarded the train headed towards Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, where they would transfer to the North-South line. The packed train raced forward. Danny slung his red sling bag onto his shoulder.
“Dhoby Ghaut,” announced the MRT’s automated voice. Danny and his family inched their way towards the exit. As the train doors opened, Danny stepped out of the train and caught a familiar flash of wavy blue streaks.
He had time-travelled again! When to this time?
Danger Dan has gone back in time again! He’s on another mission to save Singapore’s history. Danger Dan scans his surroundings. He must have gone really far back into the past. There are no cars, roads or buildings, just a dense jungle. What new obstacles will he face? Bring them on! Danger Dan is ready.
Danny struck a superhero pose. This was mostly for the benefit of Melody, the 14-year old girl from the future. She stood in front of him, looking perfect as usual in her pink air-con jacket and purple skirt. Her hair was neatly pinned up to the side with her M-shaped hair clip, which Danny knew was really a very powerful computer.
“In top form today, I see!” said Melody in her silvery voice, amused. “I don’t want to spoil your superhero fantasy but I think you should move away from that spot.”
Danny looked down. Yikes! Ants! Giant red ants! Danny jerked his feet up and down, as if doing a weird tap dance. He sprang away from the trail of red ants, shaking in disgust. “So we’re in the jungle again?” he asked. “Are we back in Raffles’ time? What did he do now? Kidnap another fake Sultan?”
“No, no,” said Melody, shaking her head. “This time, we’ve really gone way back into the past. In fact, we’ve gone back to the very beginning. This is 1299. Sang Nila Utama will be visiting Singapore for the first time.”
“Sang Nila Utama!” gasped Danny. “The one who saw a lion? And named Singapore?”
“Finally, you know something about Singapore’s history!” said Melody. “The problem is that the Sinister Spyder wrecked it again. I don’t know how he did it but in this version of history, Sang Nila Utama didn’t think he saw a lion. Instead, he saw an animal with an orange body and a black head, and he thought it was—”
“What?” interrupted Danny. “A tiger?”
“No, worse,” replied Melody, furrowing her brow. “An orangutan. So instead of Singapura, Sang Nila Utama named this island Pulau Orangutan.”
Danny stared at her in stunned silence. Finally, he said, “What would that make us Singaporeans? Monkeys?”
“Orangutans aren’t monkeys,” corrected Melody. “They’re apes.”
“So we’re apes? As if that’s so much better!”
“I know! It’s a disaster!” said Melody glumly. “This time, the Sinister Spyder really made a fool out of Singapore. Imagine being known as Pulau Orangutan! The whole world will laugh at us!”
“We have to stop him, that villainous villain!” declared Danny determinedly.
“Yes, we do,” agreed Melody. “We have to head towards the coastline. That’s where Sang Nila Utama will be arriving in a couple of hours.”
Danger Dan and Gadget Girl trek through the jungle, pushing their way past bushes and climbing over rocks. Danger Dan spots a glistening web hanging from a tree branch. A large spider sits in the heart of the web.
A grey spider with slender legs scampers up a tree. There are spiders of all kinds here. Long, skinny ones. Small, fat ones. Brightly coloured ones. Jumping ones. A spidery setting for the Sinister Spyder. How appropriate! Creepy but appropriate.
“Wait a minute,” said Danny, as he pushed aside a tree branch. “If Singapore is not the Lion City, does that mean there won’t be a Merlion?”
“Let me check,” said Melody, stopping in her tracks. She removed her hair clip and tapped on it to project a red hologram. An image appeared. It was the Merlion spouting water over the Singapore River. Except that instead of a lion’s face, it had an orangutan’s.
Danny couldn’t believe his eyes. “That’s worse than the Orchid de Lionhead!” he exclaimed indignantly, recalling his very first timetravelling adventure. “You mean all the work we previously did to make sure it became the Merlion was for nothing?”
“If the name of Singapore changes, everything changes!” said Melody. “Come on, we have to keep moving.”
Danger Dan and Gadget Girl advance over the rugged, hilly terrain. It is terribly stuffy and humid. Danger Dan is sweating profusely. Nevertheless, he will brave the afternoon heat for his country. He wishes he has Gadget Girl’s magical air-con jacket though. She hikes through the jungle effortlessly, looking perfectly cool and poised.
As Melody trekked in front
of Danny, she turned back and said, “By the way, Sang Nila Utama is not our only problem. There’s more bad news. I’m seeing blue streaks everywhere now. Especially around you.”
Danny looked down at himself in alarm, half expecting to see his skin turn blue. It didn’t though. Thank goodness! He wasn’t too crazy about looking like a Smurf. “More blue streaks? What does that mean?” he asked. He hopped over a fallen branch, trying to keep up with Melody.
“Singapore’s timeline is now terribly unstable because the Sinister Spyder has messed with so many events in history. If we don’t stop him soon and for good, this time warp might become permanent.” Melody paused. “It means that you’ll be stuck here forever and I won’t be able to travel back to 2135.”
“What?” The thought of having to live in 1299 made Danny panicky. “Why did you bring me back then?” he asked Melody accusingly. “I don’t want to stay here forever!”
“Well, that’s just great!” Melody glared at Danny. “You’re happy to let me save Singapore’s history AND tackle the Sinister Spyder all by myself?”
“You’re Gadget Girl! You have gadgets! I have nothing! Why did you drag me into this?”
“I dragged you into this?” said Melody indignantly. “That’s a fine thing to say! So much for wanting to help! Some kind of partner you turned out to be!”
“Well, you keep putting me in danger!”
Melody was incredulous. “I thought your superhero name was DANGER DAN! Are you telling me Danger Dan is afraid of danger?”
“I don’t want to get stuck in the jungle!” wailed Danny. “There’s nothing here! I will starve! I can’t even open coconuts! We’re never going to catch the Sinister Spyder! We’re dooooooomed! We’re—”
“What was that?” Danny’s Big Ears tingled anxiously.
“What’s what?” asked Melody impatiently.
“That!” Danny pointed at the bushes. “Maybe it’s a wild boar! Or a lion…” His voice started to quake.
