12 The Clock Starts to Tick

CHAPTER TWELVE The Clock Starts to Tick Rosalind Franklin (legendary scientist). A British chemist who played a crucial role in understanding DNA. She's a science superhero who used X-rays to take images of DNA. She had so much fun that she used the X-rays to study all kinds of things, even dangerous viruses! "JUST CALL ME BLANCHE VIPER," said the silver-haired woman in a gravelly voice. Honestly, I knew it was Ms. Daly wearing a disguise. But with the sunglasses and brown suit, she looked like a real spy. Maybe because the lights were dimmed, and moody jazz music was playing from the speakers on the desk. It felt like we had stepped right into an old movie. Birdie sort of clutched the desk, and even Jeremy didn't attempt to crack a joke. Blanche motioned for us to follow her into the hallway. "We must enter a time portal." She directed us past a couple of classrooms to the end of the corridor, then stopped in front of the PTA office. "We have gone back in time. It's now 1953."

第十二章时钟开始滴答作响罗莎琳德·富兰克林（传奇科学家）。 一位在理解DNA方面发挥了关键作用的英国化学家。 她是一位科学超级英雄，用x射线拍摄DNA图像。 她玩得很开心，她用x射线研究各种各样的东西，甚至是危险的病毒！“就叫我布兰奇·蝰蛇吧，”银发女人用沙哑的声音说。 老实说，我就知道是她。 戴利乔装打扮。但她戴着墨镜，穿着棕色西装，看起来像个真正的间谍。 也许是因为灯光暗了，桌子上的喇叭里播放着忧郁的爵士乐。 感觉就像我们走进了一部老电影。 小鸟紧紧抓住桌子，就连杰里米也没打算开玩笑。 布兰奇示意我们跟着她走进走廊。 “我们必须进入时间传送门。” 她领着我们经过几间教室，来到走廊的尽头，然后在家长教师联委会办公室前停了下来。 “我们回到了过去。 现在是1953年。”

"Wow, that's before Pop-Tarts," said Memito. "Or Guitar Hero," said Elijah. "Or YouTube," continued Jeremy. "Yes, well, it was more than a half century ago," said Blanche. "Now come closer to me." We all edged around the spy. "I work for—well, I can't tell you the name of my organization." Blanche lowered her voice. "It's top secret. But I need your help. It's urgent. You see, Dr. Rosalind Franklin—yes, one of the world's greatest scientists—was in the middle of making a breakthrough in chemistry." "Oh, Rosalind Franklin is my favorite scientist in all of history," I said. "Well, she should be," cried Elijah. "She's who our school is named after." "Shhh," said Phoenix. "We need to listen." The spy known as Blanche Viper looked left and right as if someone might sneak up the hallway at any second. "I must be quick. You see, while working for a secret branch of the government, Central Headquarters for the Knights of Science, Dr. Franklin was using X-rays to take images of a secret, rare, and deadly virus. But our sources learned that the evil mastermind Dr. Hans Dragas plans to steal the last remaining image in her lab." "Of the virus?" asked Memito, his eyes wide.

“哇，那是在Pop-Tarts之前，”Memito说。 “或者《吉他英雄》，”以利亚说。 “或者YouTube，”杰里米继续说。 “是的，那是半个多世纪以前的事了，”布兰奇说。 “现在靠近我一点。”我们都绕过了那个间谍。 “我为——嗯，我不能告诉你我的组织的名字。” 布兰奇压低了声音。 “这是最高机密。但我需要你的帮助。 它很紧急。你知道，罗莎琳德·富兰克林博士——是的，世界上最伟大的科学家之一——当时正在化学领域取得突破。” “哦，罗莎琳德·富兰克林是我有史以来最喜欢的科学家，”我说。 “嗯，她应该是，”以利亚叫道。 “我们学校是以她的名字命名的。” “嘘。”菲尼克斯说。“我们需要倾听。” 这个名叫布兰奇·毒蛇的间谍左顾右望，好像随时都有人偷偷溜进走廊。 “我必须快点。你知道，在为政府的一个秘密部门，科学骑士团的中央总部工作时。 富兰克林正在用x射线拍摄一种秘密的、罕见的、致命的病毒。 但我们的线人得知邪恶的主谋。 汉斯·德拉加斯计划偷走她实验室里剩下的最后一张图像。” “病毒？”梅托睁大眼睛问。

"Yes, it's one of the deadliest viruses that ever existed. Dr. Dragas and his associates want to use it so they can copy the virus and unleash it on the world." Memito made a low whistle. "That's rough. Almost as bad as a zombie apocalypse." "Isn't there some kind of antidote?" I asked. "I'm afraid not," said the spy previously known as Ms. Daly. "Dr. Franklin disappeared two weeks ago. You must find her breakthrough image and give it to me before the evil Dr. Hans Dragas gets to her lab." She looked down at her silver wristwatch. "Which intel suggests will be in forty minutes. "Not much time," yelped Memito. "You are about to enter Dr. Franklin's lab," she said, pointing to the PTA office. Or rather the former PTA office. I noticed a little piece of paper taped to the door that said DR. FRANKLIN'S LAB. "Once the door closes behind you, the clock starts," continued Blanche. "Are you prepared to take on this grave responsibility? You must find Dr. Franklin's image of the virus and get out of the lab before Dr. Dragas and his henchman arrive. Which is in forty minutes. Otherwise, the virus will be unleashed upon the entire world." "Yes, let's do it!" I cried.

“是的，这是有史以来最致命的病毒之一。 德拉加斯博士和他的同伙想用它来复制病毒，然后把它释放到全世界。” 梅托低声吹了一声口哨。 “这是粗糙。几乎和僵尸末日一样糟糕。” “难道没有解药吗？”我问。 “恐怕不行，”这名以前被称为“黑女士”的间谍说。 戴利。"富兰克林博士两周前失踪了。 你必须找到她突破性的影像，在邪恶的博士。 汉斯·德拉加斯去了她的实验室。” 她低头看了看自己的银手表。 "情报显示将在四十分钟后。 “时间不多了。” “你马上就要进去了。 富兰克林的实验室。”她指着家长教师联系会办公室说。 或者说是以前的家长会办公室。 我注意到门上贴着一张小纸条，上面写着DR。 富兰克林的实验室。“门在你身后一关上，时钟就开始了，”布兰奇继续说。 “你准备好承担这一重大责任了吗？” 你必须找到富兰克林博士的病毒图像，在富兰克林博士。 德拉加斯和他的心腹来了。 40分钟后。 否则，病毒将向全世界释放。” “好，我们就这么干吧！”我哭了。

"Great," said Blanche, and she handed Memito an egg timer. "So you can keep track of your time. Give yourself forty minutes as soon as you enter the lab. The main door to the lab will have a combination lock," she said. "That's the one you need to figure out how to open in order to escape. We're entering the lab by a side door. After you enter, I'm closing that side door, and you won't be able to open it back up, unless you want to forfeit." We all shook our heads. Nobody wanted to do that. A moment later, we shuffled into Dr. Franklin's lab. It was so dark you could barely see the person in front of you. Creepy music played in the background. "Is this a lab or a haunted house?" asked Elijah. "Because if it's a haunted house, I know how to take care of ghosts. I watched that movie Ghost Busters." I laughed out of relief. "Can we please turn on the lights?" "Yes," said Blanche. "But it will only brighten the room a little bit." Then she closed the door behind her with a bang. When we turned on the

“太好了。”布兰奇说着，递给了梅托一个计时器。 “这样你就可以记录你的时间了。 一进实验室就给自己四十分钟。 实验室的正门将有一个密码锁，”她说。 “你需要弄清楚如何打开它才能逃脱。 我们从侧门进入实验室。 你进去后，我就把侧门关上，你就不能再打开了，除非你想放弃。” 我们都摇了摇头。没人想这么做。 过了一会儿，我们慢吞吞地走进了Dr。 富兰克林的实验室。天太黑了，你几乎看不见前面的人。 令人毛骨悚然的背景音乐。 “这是实验室还是鬼屋？”以利亚问。 “因为如果是闹鬼的房子，我知道怎么对付鬼。 我看过《捉鬼敢死队》这部电影。” 我如释重负地笑了起来。“我们能把灯打开吗？”“是的，”布兰奇说。 “但它只会让房间明亮一点。” 然后她砰的一声关上了身后的门。 当我们打开

lights, we couldn't believe what stood right in front of us.

灯光，我们简直不敢相信眼前的一切。