Secrets of Bearhaven (13 page)

Jo-Jo and Winston were still asleep when Spencer and Kate walked into the Weavers' house. Bunny had laid out several bowls of berries in the kitchen, and on the table, where it couldn't be missed, sat a shiny human-sized spoon.

“We've done Bear Stealth, boulder rolling, and climbing,” Spencer said as he scooped a spoonful of berries and honey out of the basin in front of him.

“Don't forget the extra conditioning that Fred Crossburger gave us!”

“Right.
That
was helpful.” Spencer rolled his eyes. “What's next?”

“Technology and Rescue Ragayo!”

Without his computer project, Spencer wasn't sure how he could practice his technology skills. He didn't think anyone would lend him their BEAR-COM to tinker with, and getting back into the Lab to poke around with the equipment seemed too risky . . . All that left was . . .

“Salmon King!”
Kate gasped.

Can BEAR-COMs read minds?

“It's impossible to erase old scores on
Salmon King
,” the cub explained. “Even Jo-Jo's really low scores from when he
was way worse than Winston are still saved. You could try to change it somehow . . .”

“That's perfect! If I can hack into the game, it'll
prove
that I could pass technology training!”

“But we have to do it now. Before Jo-Jo and Winston wake up.” Kate gulped down the berries in her bowl. Spencer followed her lead, and within minutes, he was bent over one of the
Salmon King
controllers, figuring out how it worked.

By the time Jo-Jo and Winston wrestled each other into the room an hour later and turned on
Salmon King
to play, Spencer had erased the game's score history, proving to himself and to Kate that they didn't need to spend any more time on technology training. The only score history that popped onto the screen said
Kate—Salmon King—1,000,000 Salmon Caught.

“Kate!” Jo-Jo had shouted. But Kate and Spencer were already racing out the door, satisfied that Spencer had proven his technology skills.

Spencer followed Kate through Bearhaven, wondering where she'd take him to practice Rescue Ragayo. Finally, she plopped down in the middle of the quiet school yard.
Of course!
There probably wasn't anyone at his school back home, either. It was a Saturday after all.

“Okay, so what words do I need to know?” he asked, diving into the training.

Kate tilted her head thoughtfully. “Well, I'm not sure, but if it's called Rescue Ragayo, then words you'd need in a rescue, I guess.”

“So,
safe
 . . .
come
 . . .” He started brainstorming.

“
Go
 . . .
attack
 . . .
fast
 . . .
now
 . . .” Kate added.

“Attack?” I will have to be really careful with that one.

“Well, more like, ‘fight back,' but if there are bad guys chasing you—”

“Right, got it.” Spencer cut her off.
Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Kate scrambled around to sit facing Spencer, her hind legs sprawled out in front of her. “Let's start with
go
. Are you ready?”

“Ready.” He sat up straighter. He was about to learn a secret language that Mom and Dad had been speaking for years.

“Go.” Kate's BEAR-COM translated. “Oops!” She pushed the red button on her device to turn it off.
“Grauk.”

“Grauk,”
Spencer imitated.

Kate shook her head and growled the word again.

“Grauk,”
he tried in a deeper voice. Kate giggled and pushed in the green button on her BEAR-COM.

“No, it's not supposed to come from your snout—I mean your
nose
.” She put a paw on his chest, accidentally knocking him backward. “Imagine you're a bear,” she continued once Spencer had righted himself. “Think about the sounds bubbling up from your stomach and out through your throat.” She switched her BEAR-COM off. They went back and forth again and again, but Spencer still didn't get it right.

“What's the
difference
?!” Spencer finally exclaimed.

“You have to growl more,” Kate answered. “Try again, but put your hands like this.” She placed one paw against her belly, and the other up to her throat. Spencer did the same. “Remember, more growl.” Kate demonstrated again.
“Grauk.”

Spencer heard it differently this time.

He tried to imagine the sounds coming from deep in the pit of his stomach, rumbling up through his throat.
“Grauk.”

Kate nodded vigorously, spouting excited Ragayo until she had her BEAR-COM turned back on. “That's it! You've got it!”

“Grauk,”
he said again, feeling the word build up and move out of him, hearing the growl.

They continued on to the next word,
shala,
for “safe,” and slowly, Spencer got the hang of it. By the time they'd repeated each of the words they'd brainstormed several times, he understood how the words should feel, and he could form the sounds with little effort.

“One last one!” Kate switched off her BEAR-COM before Spencer could ask what this new word would mean.
“Anbranda.”

“Anbranda,”
he repeated. “What does it mean?”

“‘Warrior for your family,'” she said, dropping her paw from her device. “Like someone who'd fight to protect you or the bears you love.” Then, scrambling to her feet, she added, “It works for ‘friend,' too. Seems like a good one to know.”

“Anbranda,”
Spencer said again.

The only way for Spencer to prove that he should be included on the rescue mission was to surprise Uncle Mark and the Weavers with a demonstration of all of the skills he and Kate had practiced in training. As soon as Uncle Mark arrived for breakfast that morning, Kate steered everyone over to the couches where Spencer was waiting, determined to earn his place on the rescue team.

Now Spencer stood in front of the Weavers' fireplace, watching Professor Weaver's, Bunny's, and Uncle Mark's faces as he finished explaining the inner workings of the
Salmon King
game he'd hacked. Kate looked on, nodding emphatically at every word Spencer said.

“Very interesting, Spencer,” Professor Weaver said, as though trying to puzzle out
why
the
Salmon King
game had to be hacked at all, or why they were hearing about it now when they were supposed to be having breakfast, then sending Uncle Mark off on the rescue mission.

Kate caught Spencer's look and launched into the next skill.

“Safe!” she prompted.

“Shala!”
Spencer translated.

“Go!”

Spencer growled,
“Grauk!”

“Fast!”

“Gal!”

“Attack!”

“Kate!” Bunny exclaimed before Spencer could recite the word in Ragayo. “Why on earth would you teach Spencer to say ‘attack'?”

“It's Rescue Ragayo, Mom,” Kate said matter-of-factly. Uncle Mark raised an eyebrow. The cub pressed on. “In addition to being trained in Rescue Ragayo, Spencer Plain can do anything a bear can do. For example . . .” She hesitated, anxiously searching for a word.
Come on, Kate,
Spencer willed, eager to get to Bear Stealth. “Yesterday, Fred Crossburger himself called Spencer aerobic!”
Aerobic?

Uncle Mark chuckled. “Is that so?”

“More importantly,” Spencer rushed on, “I can do things bears and adults
can't
do.”

“Let's see it!” Kate chimed. “Everybody close your eyes.”

“Kate Dora Weaver, what on earth?”

“Spence, I really have to get going.” Uncle Mark looked at his watch. “Maybe we could save the rest of this . . . presentation for when I'm back?”

“Five more minutes,” Spencer said. “Please close your eyes.” Uncle Mark sighed, then closed his eyes. Professor Weaver nodded and did the same. After a small sigh, Bunny let her eyelids fall shut. As soon as she did, Spencer dropped to the floor and slipped underneath the only empty couch in the room. It was a tight squeeze, but he could fit his entire body beneath it, and the upholstery hung down around him, hiding him completely.

“Open your eyes and behold Spencer, master of Bear Stealth!” Kate announced. A moment of silence passed.

“Spence?” Uncle Mark's muffled voice traveled down to Spencer.

“Spencer, why don't you come on out now.” It was Professor Weaver.

“No!” Kate protested. “You have to find him.”

“Kate,” Bunny warned. Even from under the couch, Spencer could tell that Bunny wasn't amused, but she hadn't seen where he'd gone yet. He slipped out from under the couch. “Oh!” she cried upon seeing him. “My goodness, I can't believe you fit under there!” Bunny looked from the couch to Spencer and back again. Professor Weaver seemed impressed, but Uncle Mark just watched calmly as Kate pressed on.

“He climbs just as well as he hides!” On cue, Spencer approached the support beam in one corner of the room. Polished to a smooth column, the beam looked as though it had been carved from a tree trunk and put there as much for decoration as for ceiling support. Spencer grasped it with both hands and hoisted himself up, but just as he started to climb, Professor Weaver's voice stopped him.

“All right, son,” the bear said. “Why don't you tell us what this is all about.”

Spencer dropped to the floor and looked at the professor.
Not yet!
He wanted to shout.
You have to give me a chance!

“But we have so much more—” Kate started. Bunny cut her off.

“I think an explanation is in order, dear.” She patted the space on the couch next to her. Kate padded over and took a seat beside her mother, then sank back into the cushions to
sulk. Spencer stood up, but didn't move to join everyone on the cluster of couches.

He'd done all he possibly could to get ready for this. Yesterday, he and Kate had practiced Bear Stealth again after lunch, and Rescue Ragayo right after that. He'd even given climbing another shot—not that it went any better the second time around—and he'd mastered using his mind and resources to move a boulder when his strength wasn't enough. He'd been so exhausted last night that he hadn't said much at dinner with the Weavers. Then, when he finally crashed into bed, he'd heard paper crinkle beneath him.

After re-reading the letter from Mom telling him why his parents had given him the jade bear, Spencer had decided he wasn't taking no for an answer today. He was going on this mission.

“I want to go with you, Uncle Mark,” he said calmly. “I know you think I'm just a kid, but that could be a good thing. I can hide where no one else can. I can move boulders by building a lever just like Dad taught me. I'm really good with technology, and I can speak some Rescue Ragayo now. Those are all things the bears training for the guard need to do, and I can do them.” He looked pleadingly at his uncle.

“Spence, I'm sorry,” Uncle Mark said, looking Spencer in the eye. “I just don't think it's a good idea . . .”

“The risk is too high, dear,” said Bunny.

“I can help save Ro Ro and the cubs. And if I could just see the place, I know I'd be able to—”

“Spencer.” Uncle Mark stopped him. “The answer is no.”

Why didn't Uncle Mark understand?
He turned to Professor Weaver.
Maybe there's still a chance . . .

But the professor shook his head. “I'm afraid that settles it, son.”

“This isn't fair!” Kate shouted. “He
trained
!”

Bunny hushed her cub. The conversation was over. Spencer reached into his pocket and took hold of the jade bear.

Bears trust their instincts
, his mother had written in her letter.
They use their senses to understand what's happening around them, then they do what they know is right.

“Maybe Spencer could at least see you to the station, Mark?” Bunny suggested after a moment, her voice full of sympathy.

Uncle Mark relaxed, the tension in the room lifting. “Yeah, that'd be all right.”

“Can Kate come?” Spencer asked quickly. His uncle shrugged.

“I don't see why not.”

Spencer shot Kate a look.
This isn't over yet.