MY BEST FRIEND IS A SECRET AGENT, Book 3: How C.H.I.P. Took on C.H.I.M.P. and...

Chapter 21: "Gert Gets a Promotion"

Twenty hours later, I'd designed and constructed a whole bunch of new gadgets.

I had to slap them together with whatever scrap parts I had on hand, and Chip, Carla and Stella helped me with everything. Carla's knife-handling skills definitely came in handy at times. And I'm pretty sure she was impressed with my inventive genius. I just hoped one of the gadgets didn't go haywire and end up pelting her with ball bearings or something.

We were ready to take on C.H.I.M.P. again! But, in spite of all C.H.I.P.'s new gadgets, Carla still thought we should try to appeal to the chimp's love of the earth and nature first. But how were we going to do that? Using sign language, I guess, but why would he want to talk to us at all?

Finally, I realized what we had to do. We needed the help of the only person C.H.I.M.P. trusted: Gert von Brugen.

Chip, Carla and I sped back to Gert's cubbyhole in the big tree. And there she was, still eating her cockroach stew and acting nutty.

Carla tried to talk to her first. "Gert, you've got to help us! Don't you want to be back in your comfortable house, eating something tasty and nice?"

"Are you knocking my cockroach stew? Then none for you, twinkletoes!" Gert said to Carla as she held her bowl of stew close, protecting it from us intruders.

I knew this was a lost cause, but Carla kept trying. "Don't you see, Gert? It's not right that your monkey has taken over the town."

"He's our leader! He's the jungle king! And he's not a monkey, he's a chimpanzee!"

I thought of a different angle, so I butted in. "But you created him, so wouldn't that make you his leader?"

"Right!" Carla said. "He's not the jungle king, you're the jungle queen."

Suddenly, Gert stood up with a gleam in her eye. I could tell she was thinking, and, as I've said before, thinking is the one thing you never want Gert von Brugen to do.

"You're right," Gert said. "I am the jungle queen. And I shall rule alongside C.H.I.M.P., my king!" Then she threw aside her cockroach stew and charged up the mountain of vines, disappearing into the mist.

Carla looked a little embarrassed. I resisted saying I told you so because you usually shouldn't say I told you so to girls you like.

Chip didn't seem concerned, though. He picked up Gert's bowl of cockroach stew and took a bite. "Hey, this isn't bad. The fire ants really give it zing!"