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

Chapter 25: "A Talk with Dad"

Dad and his team scaled the wall of City Hall, ready to take action.

"Step aside, Nort," said Dad, his hand on my shoulder. "This primate is out of control, and it's time for McKrakken Security Systems to save Vortville, like we always do." His men then readied all their weapons, ready to blast C.H.I.M.P. - and Vortville too.

"No, wait!" I screamed. "Dad, I have a confession: You know the hero guy? Well, his real name is C.H.I.P., which stands for the Computerized Heroic Incredible Person. And that's also the name of the microthingy that turns Chip into C.H.I.P. That's right, my friend, Chip Munson, is actually C.H.I.P. who is actually the hero guy!"

"Hi, Colonel McKrakken!" said Chip with a smile. "You know, if we're nice to the mayor, he'll let us pick our favorite donut on casual Fridays!"

Realizing Chip wasn't exactly helping my argument, I pulled out my phone. "Look, I'll show you! I'll turn Chip into C.H.I.P. the boa constrictor with an app I programmed myself!" And that's what I did. In an instant, C.H.I.P. was slithering around on the roof like a boa.

"This is no time for party tricks, Nort," Dad said sternly. "The fate of the city is at stake."

"But I'm serious!" I insisted. "My C.H.I.P. microthingy actually gives Chip the skills of a boa!"

Then C.H.I.P. wrapped himself around my dad and started squeezing!

Dad looked a little uncomfortable. "Chip, I admire your flexibility, but this is no time for a hug."

"No, Dad, I can give C.H.I.P. any skills I want. Watch!" This time, I turned C.H.I.P. into a weightlifter. He instantly unwrapped himself, stood up and became a weightlifter right before our eyes. "See, Dad, I made him a weightlifter now," I said, and then C.H.I.P. picked up Dad, held him right over his head and started lifting him up and down like a barbell!

"One! Two! Three!..." C.H.I.P. counted his reps lifting Dad.

There Dad hung, lifted up and down in the air, trying to process what was happening. "So... the hero guy is actually C.H.I.P."

"Yes."

"And C.H.I.P. is actually Chip."

"Yes."

"And you're actually programming him to do all this stuff."

"Yes!"

"Well... I must admit, this is highly irregular."

"But it's highly cool too! Right?" I pleaded. "I mean, your son invented a microthingy that's able to turn an average person into a real live secret agent!"

"That is admirable, I must admit," Dad said. But I noticed he was turning green as C.H.I.P. continued to lift him up and down. "Uh... could you please have him put me down?"

"Yes sir!" C.H.I.P. said, then he put Dad down, and I turned C.H.I.P. back into Chip.

"Sorry about that, Colonel McKrakken," Chip said in his usual goofy voice.

"Dad," I said, "the reason I never told you about all this was because I was worried that you were going to shut me and C.H.I.P. down. I knew you felt it was your job to protect the town from wacky bad guys, not mine. And even after you found out about the hero guy, I knew you didn't approve of him doing the job that should be yours. But C.H.I.P. can do amazing things! And he doesn't destroy half the town while he's saving the other half! Isn't that a good thing?"

My dad stood silent, thinking about what I'd just said. And I just stood there, exhausted. I'd finally gotten all that off my chest, but I was really worried that, even after everything that had happened and everything I just told him, he'd still shut me and C.H.I.P. down.

Finally, Dad spoke. "I think, son, that there might... be room in Vortville for both McKrakken Security Systems and C.H.I.P. the hero guy."

"Really?" I said, not believing my ears. "Well, then, WA-HOO! That's supercool! Now, we can take on wacky bad guys together! Starting with C.H.I.M.P.!" I excitedly looked up at the spire atop the City Hall dome, ready to shut down C.H.I.M.P. with the help of my dad!

But the chimp wasn't there anymore. I looked around frantically. He was gone, and so was Gert von Brugen!

I made a mental note, this time a really important one: Don't lose sight of a wacky bad guy while you're having a long father-son chat.