Secret of the Red Arrow

"Joe," I said, concerned, "hit the brake!" "I am," Joe said, pumping the pedal now. But the car didn't slow at all. The traffic light turned red as we hurtled toward the intersection. And suddenly I saw the one other car out this early on a Saturday morning - a huge Express Delivery truck! Joe screamed. I leaned forward, bracing myself against the dashboard. There was nothing we could do. It was speeding right at us!

Everyone in Bayport can't wait for the biggest event of the season: the premiere of G-Force - the newest ride by the world-renowned Piperato Brothers. Their creation is going to change the fortunes of Funsport, Bayport's small and recently run-down amusement park. Frank and Joe are friends with Daisy Rodriguez, the owner's daughter, and are first in line for the ride's launch. Purple lights click off, a huge whoosh emanates from the floor, loud music pulses....

As I rounded the corner, I spotted Rick just ahead. He paused and bent down to poke at something on the ground by his feet, muttering something that I couldn't make out due to the wind. WHOOSH! I gasped and jumped back as a huge pile of snow slid off the roof of the ski shack, completely burying Rick!

Mr. Lakin made his way over to Don Sterling. "It's bad enough we have to suffer through your performances onstage. Now come on, we're going to be late for our own party. The whole world doesn't stop for you, you know." Mr. Lakin gave the Don's boot a kick. The Don didn't move. Joe and I exchanged glances. Something was definitely not right. Joe knelt down and put his fingers on Don Sterling's neck like we'd been taught in our first aid course.

First, a priceless painting disappears from the Bayport Historical Museum; then, two ancient samurai swords vanish from a private collection. A string of robberies has hit Bayport, and all signs point to the Phantom, a recently released ex-con who last struck more than 20 years ago. There's only one problem: The Phantom has vanished into thin air, and not even Frank and Joe Hardy can track him down.

The world's largest reef exhibit is coming to the Bayport Aquarium. Frank and Joe are stoked for the unveiling of Predator Reef, a 300,000-gallon tank that houses small sharks, rays, and thousands of colorful fish. It's also home to the aquarium's new mascot, Captain Hook - a rare and valuable, 500-pound, giant sea turtle.

A wave of motion rippled through the cattle as they broke into a run. The cows directly behind Sarah and me looked back anxiously. The entire herd would be upon us in no time. Sarah cupped a hand to her mouth. "Clear out of the way! Stampede!"

It does not take much to convince Frank and Joe to be extras in the new zombie movie that's filming in Bayport. Not only do they get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the magic that goes into making horror movies, but they also get to wear freakishly realistic zombie makeup that makes them look like the walking dead! But the horror gets a little too real when disaster hits the scene.

A twig cracked. I snapped my head to the side, following the direction of the sound, and peered through the greenery. There was nothing there. As I began to turn back around, I caught the slightest motion out of the corner of my eye. Peeking out between clumps of dense vegetation, about 20 feet away, were two eyes. My skin prickled when I realized that they were staring back at me.

Bayport High's Green Environment Conservation Club is camping on Black Bear Mountain. Not only does the mountain live up to its name - the fierce, furry animals are everywhere - but rumor has it that a madman lurks in the nearby forest, and the crazy dude has a penchant for feasting on human flesh. When the campers wake up, however, not only do they find a bear roaming the campsite, but their teacher is missing...and blood is streaked across his tent.