My mind started racing. This was the kind of challenge I loved. Give me a problem with set parameters and I’m good to go!
I smiled and sat up straighter. “I think we can,” I said, tapping my glasses, before explaining how they let me see the same virtual objects from Noah’s app. “I bet we can rig some kind of filter that goes in front a camera lens.”
“Oh yeah,” Noah agreed with a grin. “For sure.”
Ms. Jensen leaned closer to look at my glasses. “I thought those were a bit odd for a prescription pair.”
Mr. Davenport shook his head. “I guess I’m just so used to seeing students wearing crazy contraptions, I didn’t think to ask.”
“You can try them if you like,” I offered. “You can see how they identify everyone in the room. I’m thinking they would be great for a new student or teacher. It’s like everyone would be wearing a virtual name tag.” I began to remove the glasses. “Too bad there are no Feed the Beast items in here for you to see—”
I was interrupted by Noah nudging me. “Uh, about that…” He nodded toward a filing cabinet in the corner of the office.
I slid the glasses back on and turned toward the corner. A large cartoon pineapple hovered above the cabinet. My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe I’d missed it before.
Mr. Davenport crossed his arms. “Mr. Newton… you did not plant one of those virtual items in my office.”
Noah shrugged. “You have to admit, it’s a great hiding place.”
I gave the glasses to Ms. Jensen, being careful to hold the trailing power pack beside her. She laughed when she spotted the cartoon fruit. “Amazing.”
Noah pulled out his phone and pulled up his app. He held it up so Mr. Davenport could see the pineapple on the screen, then tapped a button in the app and the pineapple disappeared.
Ms. Jensen returned my glasses. “Okay, cards on the table,” she said, leaning against Mr. Davenport’s desk. “I had an ulterior motive for asking if your app could be recorded.”
Noah and I glanced at each other. “Okay,” Noah said.
“It involves another wonderful PR idea,” she added.
Mr. Davenport sighed. “This one, I’m not so crazy about.”
Ms. Jensen playfully shooed him with one hand. “Do either of you watch shows like Camped Out or Squatch Hunters?”
I shook my head, but Noah’s eyes lit up. “I love Camped Out! It’s hilarious.”
Even though I hadn’t watched them, I had certainly heard of both popular television shows. Camped Out was a reality show that had several teenagers from different backgrounds staying in a summer camp. They have these crazy competitions, and then vote someone out of camp every week. The last one in camp wins a big prize or something. Squatch Hunters was another reality show, but this one followed around a group of real-life Bigfoot hunters, “squatch” being short for Sasquatch.
“Well, I’m friends with the producer of both shows,” Ms. Jensen continued. “I pitched him the idea of doing a reality show about Swift Academy, and he loved it.”
“Sweet,” Noah said, glancing at me with a big grin on his face.
I gave half a smile back.
Ms. Jensen placed her hands on our shoulders. “That’s the reason I asked Mr. Davenport to bring you boys down here today.” She nodded at Noah. “First of all, I told him about your app and he thought it would be a great invention to feature since it involves most of the students.”
Noah beamed even more than I thought was possible.
She turned to me. “And you, Tom Swift. I wanted you here because… well it’s the Swift Academy, after all!”
I felt a bowling ball settle in my stomach. A while back, I was at the center of a news piece on the academy (at least at first), and I wasn’t so thrilled about it. It was the worst thing that could happen to someone who just wanted to blend in with the rest of the students. The thought of a camera crew following me around seemed like that first interview on steroids.
My half-smile was getting a real workout today. “Great,” I said with a nervous laugh.
2
The Innovative Invasion
“DUDE, DID YOU HEAR THAT?” Noah asked as we walked back to class. “We’re going to be famous!”
I nodded. “I heard. I was there, remember?”
Noah stepped in front of me and stopped. “Come on. Tell me you’re not excited about this. Not even a little?”
I shrugged. “I don’t really watch reality shows.”
“Yeah, but now you’ll get to be on one,” Noah explained.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “It looks that way.”
Noah rolled his eyes. “Aw, man. This isn’t your thing about not wanting any special treatment, is it?”
Being my best friend, Noah knew all too well how I felt about being called out because of my name or because of my father. He didn’t necessarily agree with my reasoning. In fact, many times he’d tell me how he’d gladly trade places with me.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah, I guess it is. You know I don’t like being in the spotlight when I haven’t earned it.”
“Well, don’t worry about that,” Noah said with a dismissive wave. “You heard what Ms. Jensen said. They want to feature my new app. You’ll still help me with that special filter for the camera, right?”
I nodded. “Of course.” As we passed the gym, I saw something strange across the hall. “What’s that?” I asked, only too happy to change the subject.
We walked over to a thin pink box mounted on the wall. A large red funnel was attached to the top and a sign with an arrow was mounted on the wall above the entire thing: CHEWING GUM RECEPTACLE. The triangular recycling logo was printed on the box.
“Whoa, we’re recycling gum now?” I asked. The academy had always been big on recycling, but
