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Jeff was in his university laboratory,
putting
the finishing
touches to a small machine.
'Mike! Come and look. I've finished it and I want you to help me test
it.'
His fellow
student walked acoss the large room and looked at Jeff's
invention.
'Jeff, if this thing works, you are going to be so rich and
famous. Don't forget how much I helped you and that I'm your best
buddy!'
Jeff and Mike carried the machine into a large testing room. They stood
at
one end of the long room with a gun, and aimed
it at a
mannequin
at
the other end. Jeff switched on his machine. He fired the gun at the
mannequin's body, but the bullet
missed
it and hit the floor.
'It works!' Jeff shouted with joy, 'My machine can change the direction
of bullets.'
The two young students tested the machine many times. They
worked through the night recording results. In the morning, when
their professor came in, they rushed to tell him the news.
But instead of looking happy, he looked scared. 'How many people know
about this machine?' professor Stewart asked Jeff.
'Well, the other students already know that I've been working on it,
and
Professor Adams from has been monitoring
my progress.'
'Has he? The
professor looked very serious, 'Jeff, don't tell anyone else. We must
keep this a
secret for now. Don't tell professor Adams anything more. Do
you understand?'
'Yes, but why?'
'Listen to me. You must hide the machine, and all your notes and
computer records. Hide them somewhere they cannot be found, and do it
now. Do you understand?'
'Yes, but...' Jeff was confused.
'Do it now Jeff. I'll tell you why later.'
Jeff and Mike went back to the lab,
and together they gathered all
Jeff's notes and computer disks. It took them over an hour to complete
the task.
They put everything in one box, and Jeff picked up the machine. As they
were walking to Jeff's car, they saw some police officers arrive and
head
for professor Stewart's office. Another student ran past
them shouting,
'Professor Stewart is dead! He's been shot!'
The two friends looked at each other, 'what's going on?' Mike asked.
'I don't know, but maybe we should get out of here.'
They got into Jeff's car and drove off campus
into the city.
They arrived at Jeff's house. Everything was quiet, but they
saw the
front door was slightly open. Inside, they found that all of Jeff's
things had been searched and thrown on the
floor. Then, through the front window they saw a man with a black
suit and black
sunglasses looking at Jeff's car. Suddenly the man turned and ran
towards the house.
'Quick, let's get out the back way... now!'
They ran out the back of the house and jumped over the back fence and sprinted
up the back street, still holding the machine and box of CDs and notes.
They
ran and ran
until they knew they were not being folllowed.
Inside an old derelict
house Jeff and Mike sat down, sweating
heavily. 'It must be my invention. Maybe someone wants
it. Maybe the government wants it.'
Mike had a strange look on his face, 'I don't think you know how much
this invention is worth do you Jeff? This machine is worth millions of
dollars. I'm sorry Jeff, but I really need the money, and I think you
are too stupid to sell it yourself.'
Suddenly, Mike held a gun against Jeff's head. 'Give me the machine and
your wallet. Now!'
Jeff was shocked, 'Mike! Don't do this. I'm your friend.'
'Just give me the machine. It must be worth be
worth a lot of money to the right
people. Give it to me, or I'll shoot you.'
Jeff gave his invention to Mike. 'I'm sorry Jeff, but I really need the
money.' He stood up and carrying the box, the
machine, and the gun, walked out of the house. But as he walked out the
front door, he was grabbed by a group of men in black suits.
They threw
Mike and the machine into the back of a black truck. 'It's him,'
Jeff heard one of the men say, 'his wallet is here.' The men got into
the truck and drove off
at high speed. Jeff was stunned,
but quietly opened door to the
basement, went down the stairs and hid until night came. He still had his box of CDs and all his notes.
He couldn't stay there for ever, he couldn't go back home or to his parent's house and put his family in danger. What could he do? Find out in part 2.
Adjectives
derelict:
In a very bad condition because no one has lived there for a long time.
stunned:
Here meaning 'so surprised that you cannot think or talk'.
Verbs
put/add finishing touches :
When you are making something - to do the final things to make
it complete.
aim :
To point in the direction of something.
miss:
In this case meaning, to not hit a target because the bullet went past
it.
monitor progress:
To check a situation carefully over time to see if it improves.
head for:
To go towards a place.
sprint:
To run very quickly.
be worth:
To have a value in money.
Nouns
a laboratory:
A room where a scientist tests things and records data.
an invention:
To design or make something new, especially a machine.
a mannequin:
A model of a person that you see in shop windows.
a bullet:
A small piece of metal that you use in a gun.
a lab:
A laboratory.
a task:
Work that has to be done, but is not usually interesting.
a campus:
The land and buildings of a university.