Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II (Operation Kinderspion)

by Adam Gidwitz

Lieutenant Chumley was driving, Uncle Ewen was in the passenger seat, and Jean and Max were sitting in the back. The military-issued Humber Snipe—Britain’s Jeep—rattled over the dirt road, through a wide heath as the sun set. Bare bushes were pushed around by strong gusts of wind. Which made Max very nervous, because he was about to get in an airplane. He’d never been in an airplane before. Neither had Berg or Stein. They were not thrilled. “Flying is for birds! And angels! And fairies!” Stein was saying. “Look at my face! Do I look like a fairy to you?” “I don’t want to do this. I can’t do this. Please don’t make me do this,” Berg pleaded. Max had never heard him sound so earnest. Or scared. It was kind of sweet. But Max wasn’t really paying attention to the panicking passengers on his shoulders, because a conversation he’d overheard between Admiral Godfrey and Uncle Ewen was banging around in his head. Max had spent the last week studying the details of his mission. He’d studied the photos of every important person who might walk in or out of the Funkhaus. He’d learned his cover identity upside down and inside out. He’d been drilled over and over again on where to go and what to do if he suspected his cover had been blown. At the end of it all, Admiral Godfrey had wished Max good luck. And then he’d taken Uncle Ewen aside. “Listen here, Ewen. How much does the boy know? Worst case, what can he tell the Jerries about us?” Lieutenant Chumley was showing Max the photographs...