2 PUCKER UP!

CHAPTER 2 PUCKER UP! BLUBRRBRRBBRRR! Alexander raced toward the splattery sound in the woods. He jogged along logs and jumped over stumps until he came to an old, broken-down caboose. The Super Secret Monster Patrol was a group of monster-fighters sworn to protect Stermont. Alexander was the leader. This caboose was their headquarters.

CLACK! A hatch on the roof flew open, and the two other club members popped out. NIKKI HUBBARD Hero in a hoodie. SUPER SECRET: Nikki is actually a good monster, called a JAMPIRE. Eats red juicy stuff. Avoids sunlight. Sees in the dark. RIP BONKOWSKI Bully with a heart of bronze. SUPER SECRET: Rip is actually a good monster, called a KNUCKLE-FISTED PUNCI-SMASNER, Eats sweets to transform into monster-mode! Communicates with ant-monsters called GI-NORM-ANTS. Bright blue spots Clicky antennae Razor- sharp mandibles

"Watch out, Salamander!" Nikki shouted, calling Alexander by his nickname. "The monster is coming your way!" Alexander turned to see a big purple monster barreling toward him. The monster bowled into Alexander, knocking him over. It leapt onto his chest and licked him. Thirty-nine times.

"Yechh!" Alexander yechhed. He was drenched in slobber. "This monster is a purple slurper! It's got thirty-nine tongues, and loves to lick stuff!" "Yeah," said Nikki. "It slurped half the paint off our caboose!" "How do we stop it?" Rip shouted. Alexander had an idea. He squirmed against the squishy, purple tongues as he reached into his backpack. He flipped open his lunch box. A sour vinegar smell cut through the air.

FWORP! Alexander jammed a triple-power-pucker pickle into one of the monster's many mouths. GACK! The purple slurper's tongues flailed like frightened snakes. MRRPHH!! The big tongue-tied monster made thirty-nine sour faces, then flopped off into the woods. "Next time, lick on somebody your own size!" Rip shouted. Nikki rushed to help Alexander to his feet. His shoes squished as he stood up.

"That was strange," said Alexander. "Slurpers normally live under dinner tables." "So why's this one in the woods?" asked Nikki. "I don't know," replied Alexander. "I just wish I could update the monster notebook." "Yeah," said Rip, "but the dumb old boss-monster swiped it." S.S.M.P. Beat-up old notebook filled with monster facts. The S.SM.P.'s super-secret weapon! Now in the claws of the horrible boss-monster (whoever she is). STOLEN! THE TERRIBLE, MYSTEROYS BOSS- MONSTER! WHO IS SHE?