MY BEST FRIEND IS A SECRET AGENT, Book 2: How C.H.I.P. Took a Dive to Dash...

Chapter 17: "Deep Trouble"

That night, C.H.I.P. and I jumped into the C.H.I.P.-mobile and headed up to Lake Vortville.

It was supercool—we were taking the C.H.I.P-mobile on its first real mission!

I had made C.H.I.P. a tank commander again, and it was lucky we didn't come across any other cars on the way because C.H.I.P. would've probably run right over them!

When we got to the lake, I put on my Go-through Goggles which allowed me to see in the dark. I scanned the area. No one was around, and there certainly wasn't any secret lair that Dr. Eelstrom could be hiding in as he carried out his evil plan (whatever it was).

But then I realized I was looking in the wrong place.

If Dr. Eelstrom had a secret lair anywhere near Lake Vortville, it would be underwater.

But how were we going to look for anything underwater, you ask? Well, lucky for Vortville, I had made the C.H.I.P.-mobile amphibious.

All C.H.I.P. had to do was flick a switch, and when we drove into the lake, the wheels sprouted these fin-like things that propelled us through the water!

It was so cool!

And I'm not just bragging 'cause I invented the C.H.I.P.-mobile. I mean, it was really cool! (Okay, it was even more cool 'cause I invented it. So I guess I am bragging. I admit it!)

C.H.I.P. and I cruised right out to the middle of the lake. Then C.H.I.P. flicked another switch, and the floor of the C.H.I.P.-mobile rolled back, revealing a glass bottom! That's right, we could look right down into the water. (Hey, when you're fighting all kinds of wacky bad guys, you've got to prepare for everything.)

I used my Go-through Goggles to look underwater. It was kind of murky, and all I basically saw was a bunch of fish. (Why did I get the feeling they were all laughing at me for not being able to catch them earlier?)

C.H.I.P. drove around a bit on the water . . . and, finally, something came into view. It was big, and there was definitely light coming from it.

I couldn't make it out too well, but I was sure it was Dr. Eelstrom's secret hideout!

But how was he able to build something so big down there undetected? And what was powering it? And how did he get air?

Just then, I spotted a little pipe sticking out of the water. It was dark and hard to see, so I'm sure it was difficult to spot even in the daytime. We drove over to look at it, and I noticed it was sucking in tons of air.

This had to lead down to Dr. Eelstrom's lair!

C.H.I.P. and I were desperate to check out everything below, but how? Sure, I could have turned him into a scuba diver and sent him down there, but we weren't ready to take on Dr. Eelstrom just yet. We needed to do a scouting mission first. And for that, we needed a tiny little camera.

Fortunately, Stella's Ladybug Drone was in my shirt pocket!

I radioed Stella because she had the controls for the drone, and she was able to run it from HQ. She was superexcited because this was her first chance to use something she built on a real mission.

I reminded her that, sure, she built it, but I designed it. (But I already told you all that. Okay, I'll shut up now.)

I dropped the Ladybug Drone into the vent pipe, and down it went, fast.

I was able to follow its camera image on my phone. First everything was black, and then whoosh! The drone shot out of a big vent into a huge room. There were all these fancy controls everywhere, and these big curved windows looked out at the bottom of the lake.

And sitting in a big throne-like chair was Dr. Lars Eelstrom himself!