Middle School Spy Squad

Chapter One

Treehouse Twins:

In Crescent Cove there were three sets of twins. The Carter twins, Ally and Alexander, the O'dell twins, Mercy and Mason, and the Morgan twins, Kassy and Kyle. Their parents were all good friends and neighbors. The kids were all good friends. In the back were three empty lots. Each family had bought the space behind their house, combined them, fenced them in, and forgotten about them. When Mercy was eight, she had drawn a wonderful tree house. She'd brought it to the Carter's house. The kids marveled over it in Alexander's perfectly tidy bedroom. Kyle, who was the smartest, had suggested they take the empty back spaces and find a sturdy tree. Then they could really have a treehouse.

An entire year later it was completed, but what a fascinating treehouse it was! A pool, running track, biking track, baseball field, basketball court, and a small, enclosed gym surrounded the rope ladder and pulley. Three stories high, each floor with a balcony. The first floor had a kitchen and a bathroom with running water and working appliances, and an old television set, which 'Mechanic/Carpenter Mason' had fixed so that it was as good as new. He also added a rope and pulley and cabinets. Mr. Morgan helped Mr. O'dell haul up old furniture. Mrs. Morgan installed trapdoors with rope ladders from the balcony. That was their 'living room.'

The second floor had a trapdoor with a fold-up wooden stair. On the right of the hallway was the girls' room with three twin beds. By each bed was a small dresser, which served as a nightstand, and a tiny bookshelf engraved with their name.

The boys' room was almost exactly the same, plus a marble run(which Kassy frequently used), minus a bulletin board, and painted green and blue striped, instead of orange and purple. Each bedroom also had a balcony, with one chair each on it.

The third floor was by far the best. Six desks with computers, which were, four years later, joined by phones, another TV, sofa, and floor-to-ceiling cabinet filled with snacks. The balcony here was different. It looked like a domed capsule with six comfy chairs and slide-in lap tables.

"I know I've said this for six years, and I'll say it again, that top balcony looks like a spy thingy, really, it does!" exclaimed Kassy as she sank into a chair.

"It does look like something out of one of Ally's secret agent novels," agreed Kyle.

"Where is everyone?"

"Ally is swimming, Alex is cleaning his room, Mercy is drawing, and Mason is fixing his bed."

"And we're up here being lazy! No siree! I'm gonna go to the gym. You gonna sit here and get fat, go right ahead. See ya!" And with that, Kassy was off up the wood stairs. Kyle listened with rare amusement as Kassy dismantled the girls' room in search of her gym clothes. He could hear Mercy yelling at Kassy that it was 'right in front of your face- literally!' He snorted, and composedly descended the stair to go bike a few miles. He could only get in so many miles during the school year, which was coming soon. Too soon.