Vampire Virus

  First published 2010 in Pan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Limited

  1 Market Street, Sydney

  Text copyright © Charlie Carter 2010 Illustration copyright © Russell Jeffery 2010

  The moral rights of the creators have been asserted

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

  Carter, Charlie.

  Vampire virus / Charlie Carter.

  9780330425872 (pbk.)

  Carter, Charlie Battle boy ; 7.

  For children.

  A823.4

  Designed by Russell Jeffery, Emigraph

  Printed in Australia by McPherson’s Printing Group

  Papers used by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

  These electronic editions published in 2010 by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd

  1 Market Street, Sydney 2000

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

  Battle Boy 7: Vampire Virus

  Charlie Carter and Russell Jeffery

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  AAAHWOOOOO!

  A terrifying howl – part-human, part-beast – filled the Special Reading Room.

  Napoleon covered his ears as it echoed around him.

  ‘Look!’ said Professor Perdu. ‘There they are.’

  She pointed to a cluster of red dots on the ScanoScope screen. She was listening to Book 103 with the SS, a remote-control stethoscope for checking the health of Battle Books.

  ‘Each of those dots is a drac,’ said the professor.

  ‘A what?’ said Napoleon.

  ‘A drac,’ repeated the professor. ‘It comes from the word Dracula.’

  ‘As in Count Dracula? He was a vampire.’

  ‘Exactly. A blood sucker! And the dracs are just like vampires, except that they suck the energy from the Battle Books, and the people in them, leaving everything empty and lifeless. Two books have been destroyed already.’

  ‘Destroyed!’ said Napoleon. ‘But how?’

  ‘Well,’ said the professor, ‘a single vampire virus may have hundreds of different kinds of dracs. Young dracs take a bat-like form. Older ones are wolf-like. But the most deadly dracs are the adults; they come in human shape.’ The professor looked serious. ‘This really is a deadly virus, BB005.’

  Napoleon pointed to the screen. ‘NO! There are even more of them.’

  Another cluster of dots had appeared. They joined up with the first group, and then yelled so loudly Napoleon’s ear ached.

  ‘They’re multiplying faster than I thought,’ said the professor. ‘We have to act now.’

  ‘Count me in,’ said Napoleon. ‘I’m ready for a drac attack.’

  He was dressed as a peasant from ancient Rome so he could go to the Battle of Cannae, 216BC – Book 103.

  Under the ragged calico tunic he was wearing his SimulSkin, HoverVest and NukeBelt, plus Boot Booster sandals.

  ‘I guess I’ll need the Helping Hand, too?’ he said. It sounded like a multi-gadget mission to him.

  ‘Indeed,’ the professor replied, picking up the skin-coloured glove. ‘But you won’t be using it.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘This mission is far too dangerous to send you alone, BB005. I’ve decided to give you a battle buddy.’

  ‘Great!’ said Napoleon. ‘BB004?’

  Napoleon was eager to meet BB004 again. He had so many questions to ask him. They hadn’t had much time to compare Battle Boy notes while they were fleeing from the Aztecs in Mission 5.

  The professor shook her head. ‘No, it’s not BB004. We need a virus expert for this mission. And she should be here any minute.’

  ‘SHE?!’ spluttered Napoleon. ‘You mean … a GIRL!’

  A panel slid open and a girl stepped into the chamber.

  Like Napoleon, she was dressed in peasant rags. Her face, arms and legs were filthy with dirt and grime.

  ‘BB005,’ said the professor. ‘Meet Battle Girl 001.’

  The girl stared at Napoleon. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I am a girl. But don’t worry – I’ll wait for you if you can’t keep up.’

  She walked across to Napoleon and rubbed mud on his face.

  Then she rubbed it through his hair.

  ‘If you’re going to be a peasant, BB005, you need to look like one.’

  ‘Yeah! I know,’ said Napoleon, brushing her hand away. ‘I’ve been a peasant before. And other things. What about you?’

  ‘I don’t think we’ve got time to talk,’ she said. ‘Isn’t the mission about to begin, Professor Perdu?’

  ‘Absolutely, BG001,’ said the professor.

  The professor and Battle Girl smiled at each other.

  Napoleon scowled. ‘Wait a minute,’ he said. ‘Don’t we still have stuff to learn about the vampire virus?’

  ‘Haven’t you done the background reading?’ said BG001.

  Napoleon gritted his teeth. This girl was getting right up his nose.

  ‘Remain calm,’ said Skin via the thought channel. ‘Temperature and stress levels must be low prior to mission launch.’

  Napoleon smiled reluctantly at Battle Girl. ‘Lucky you’re an expert, then. You can fill me in as we go.’

  ‘Exactly,’ said the professor. ‘And remember: you two will need to work together on this mission.’

  She passed the Helping Hand to BG001.

  ‘This will help track the dracs, whatever form they take.’

  As BG001 pulled on the HH glove, Professor Perdu produced another gadget and handed it to Napoleon.

  ‘And this should exterminate them.’

  Napoleon inspected the gadget. It looked like a thumb and finger attached to a small cylinder.

  ‘It’s a ThumbGun,’ said the professor. ‘You pull it over your thumb and index finger. The thumb becomes a Power10 telescopic sight. Squeeze the cylinder and the finger delivers an electron jolt that is certified drac deadly.’

  Napoleon slipped the ThumbGun inside his tunic. But he wasn’t happy. He still had heaps of questions.

  ‘Are you coming?’ BG001 called from the Tome Tower. She had already undone the latch on the Battle Book.

  The lid flew open and a shaft of red light shot into the air.

  ‘See you at Cannae,’ she said, and threw herself into the light.

  Napoleon watched her disappear.

  ‘One bossy Battle Girl and hundreds of angry dracs,’ he said to Skin. �
�I’ve got a bad feeling about this mission.’

  ‘Bad feelings are not rational, BB,’ said Skin. ‘Suggest adhering to the facts of the mission.’

  But what are the facts? thought Napoleon as he leaped into the blazing light.

  Napoleon could see BG001 ahead in the mist as they sped through time.

  ‘What can you tell me about her, Skin?’ he asked. ‘How many missions has she been on? Where has she come from? What’s her favourite snack?’

  ‘Toasted marshmallows on strawberry jam and peanut butter, topped with whipped cream,’ Skin said. ‘The rest of the information, however, is classified. Access denied.’

  ‘Well, what do you think about her?’

  ‘Personal comment is inappropriate.’

  ‘But can we rely on her?’ persisted Napoleon.

  ‘I have insufficient data to answer this question. Only known fact: she is a virus expert. Records of her field performance are not available.’

  Napoleon glanced below him. There were thousands of camp fires – Roman and Carthaginian.

  This was the night before the battle.

  ‘Coordinates locked in,’ said Skin. ‘Prepare for landing.’

  BG001 had already landed. She was waiting in a small clearing on a hill above the battlefield, hands on hips. Napoleon steadied himself.

  The Battle Book was in Epsilon Phase. Trees were bent, as if by a strong wind, but there was no wind.

  Clouds that should have been racing across the sky hung like cardboard cut-outs.

  Napoleon floated to the ground. That’s my best landing yet, he thought.

  ‘You’re a bit heavy on the Boot Boosters,’ said BG001.

  Says who, Miss Smarty Pants, Napoleon fumed to himself.

  ‘So what do we know about this battle?’ said BG001.

  ‘We don’t really need to know anything,’ said Napoleon. ‘We’re only here to —’

  ‘— eliminate the virus, I know. But I like to be up to speed on the actual battle. Knowledge is power, after all.’

  Napoleon frowned. What a PAIN! he thought.

  ‘It is the Battle of Cannae,’ Skin said. ‘Rome has sent its largest army to destroy Hannibal of Carthage. But Hannibal is a master strategist and he wins the battle. Seventy thousand Romans die.’

  ‘With all due respect, that number is not absolutely correct,’ said a soft female voice.

  Napoleon looked at Battle Girl. ‘Was that your SimulSkin talking?’ he asked.

  BG001 nodded. ‘Skinella is the latest model. I love her customised voice. It’s so much better than the harsh twang of those earlier digital models.’

  ‘Skin’s voice sounds just fine to me,’ huffed Napoleon.

  ‘You should talk to the professor about upgrading,’ said BG001.

  ‘Twang?’ Skin hissed. ‘I do not twang. Nor am I harsh. And I certainly don’t need upgrading.’

  Napoleon could feel Skin heating up. He was getting mad.

  ‘Remain calm,’ Napoleon replied via the thought channel. ‘Must keep temperature and stress levels low.’

  ‘And I beg to differ,’ said Skin. ‘Seventy thousand is considered the most reliable estimate of Roman casualties. Please inform Skinella of that fact.’

  Napoleon was just about to but Skinella’s syrupy voice interrupted him.

  ‘Please be advised that Epsilon Phase is winding down. I suggest you make all necessary preparations for Kappa Phase.’

  ‘Thank you, Skinella,’ said BG001.

  ‘My pleasure,’ said Skinella.

  ‘SShhh!’ Napoleon held up his hand. He had heard a faraway yowl. Followed by another. Closer this time.

  ‘They must be dracs!’ he whispered. ‘Quick – we need to take cover.’

  ‘Dracs!’ said BG001. ‘I didn’t expect to see them so soon.’

  ‘Well, we’re not here for a picnic,’ said Napoleon. ‘Fire up the Helping Hand. Try to track them.’

  Battle Girl fumbled with the Helping Hand, but didn’t seem to be able to make it operate.

  ‘Be more definite,’ Napoleon said. ‘Let it know you want to bring up the screen. HURRY!’

  Napoleon grabbed her hands and rubbed them together hard. ‘I thought you’d done this before?’

  ‘It must have been with a newer model.’

  ‘Yeah, well this is all we’ve got, so let’s make the most of it.’

  The HH screen jumped into life. Napoleon searched it for any sign of dracs.

  ‘There they are!’ he said. Three small red dots glowed on the screen. ‘And they’re coming straight for us. DUCK!’

  Napoleon hid behind a bush and pulled the ThumbGun from his tunic, slipping it onto his right hand.

  ‘I hope this zapper works,’ he said, looking around for BG001.

  But she was still standing in the same spot. Napoleon dragged her down behind the bush.

  Three creatures came screaming out of the forest.

  The beasts looked like bats but were as big as eagles.

  Sharp claws poked from their black wings.

  They swooped low, snapping at Napoleon and BG001 with horrible screeching noises.

  Battle Girl covered her head with her hands.

  Napoleon rolled onto his back, pointed his ThumbGun at the closest drac, and squeezed the cylinder.

  His hand jolted, a blue spark zapped from his index finger, and the drac blew up into a billion bat bits.

  Napoleon turned the ThumbGun on the next drac.

  It had wheeled around and was flying straight at him. He steadied his arm with his left hand, zoned in through the thumbsights and fired.

  The beast burst like a black balloon. ‘Got him!’ yelled Napoleon. ‘Two down, one to go!

  BG001 peered out from behind her hands. ‘The third one is keeping its distance,’ she said. It was hovering high above them.

  ‘Come on you little sucker,’ Napoleon shouted, waving his ThumbGun in the air. ‘Have I got thumbthing for you!’

  He took aim, the drac’s face magnified in the telescopic thumb-sights. That face was almost human, ugly human, with luminous red eyes and a huge mouth.

  Napoleon shuddered, and fired.

  The shot fell short; the drac was just out of range. It hissed at Napoleon, bearing a set of razor-sharp fangs, then flew off into the night, shrieking.

  ‘Phew,’ said Napoleon standing up. ‘If they were baby dracs, I don’t think I want to meet their mums and dads.’

  BG001 sat up slowly, but said nothing. Her head was bowed. Napoleon reached over and rested his hand on her arm.

  ‘You okay? You’re not hurt, are you?’

  ‘No. Sorry. I was just . . . well, they were so fierce and . . .’

  ‘Doesn’t matter,’ said Napoleon. ‘We’re still here, thanks to this little gadget.’ Napoleon waved the ThumbGun around.

  ‘Pow! Zap! Bapapap!’

  ‘Hey!’ BG001 smiled. ‘Don’t point that thing at me.’

  ‘Sorry.’ Napoleon slipped off the weapon and slid it back in his tunic. ‘Must remember not to scratch my head with it!’

  BG001 chuckled. ‘Or clean your ears.’

  ‘Or pick my nose! Bang! Whoops. Bogeys on the brain!’

  BG001 laughed. ‘Gross!’

  Napoleon was surprised. Her laughter was light and free.

  He leaned across and spoke quietly. ‘What’s your real name?’

  Before she could answer, Professor Perdu intervened.

  ‘That’s enough. You know the rules. Code names always. You need to focus on the mission.’

  ‘We’ve already fried two dracs, Prof,’ said Napoleon.

  ‘Yes, but there are plenty more. I believe the one that got away went straight back to a nest of the creatures.’

  ‘How many are in this nest?’ said BG001.

  ‘I can’t be sure, but more than I expected. Maybe too many for you to handle. That’s why I’m giving you the chance to pull out of this mission now, before it gets too dangerous.’

  Napoleon tu
rned to BG001. She was scratching in the dirt with a stick. ‘What do you think?’ he said.

  ‘I’ve never pulled out of a mission yet,’ she said. ‘And I’m not going to start now.’

  Napoleon stared at her. He saw her clenched fist and the fire in her eyes. The frightened girl had gone.

  Then he looked down at where she’d been scratching with the stick. She’d written her name.

  ‘Looks like we stay, Prof,’ he said, taking the stick.

  Napoleon then began scratching his name in the dirt.

  But he’d only written the first letter when a rustle in the bushes made him stop.

  ‘Don’t tell me the dracs are back,’ he said.

  ‘If those are dracs,’ said BG001, ‘they’re the big ones. Look!’

  She pointed to the edge of the forest.

  There were at least twenty figures hunched in the darkness.

  ‘Skinella,’ said BG001, ‘prepare the HH laser and tazer guns. I’d like maximum punch, please.’

  ‘Certainly, BG001,’ said Skinella.

  Napoleon held up his hand. ‘Wait. Force may not be needed. Let’s see what we’re up against. Activate Night Eyes, Skin.’

  ‘Downloading software now.’

  ‘Good idea,’ said BG001. ‘Activate Night Eyes, please, Skinella.’

  Skinella hesitated. ‘I do apologise, but that feature is not available in my mission repertoire.’

  ‘What?’ said BG001. ‘I thought we were up to date?’

  Before Skinella could reply, Skin butted in. ‘Night Eyes activated, BB005.’

  If Skin could snicker, thought Napoleon, this would be the place for a really loud snicker.

  He stared into the dark. The shadowy figures were much clearer now.

  ‘It’s okay. They’re just people,’ he said. ‘Peasants. And they look scared.’

  ‘Affirmative,’ said Skin. ‘Vibe Rating indicates zero threat level. It is safe to make contact.’

  ‘I disagree,’ said Skinella. ‘Peasants cannot be trusted. They are filthy and carry disease.’