Perfect for fans of Stuart Gibbs and James Ponti, this “absolute blast” (Jarrett Lerner, author of the EngiNerds series) of a middle grade sci-fi adventure set in 1980s Ohio follows a young girl who makes incredible discoveries about family and belonging while chasing a kidnapping robot. It’s the summer of 1983, and one by one, the kids of Far Flung Falls are disappearing. With sheer drop-offs at every turn, the woods behind Molly McQuirter’s house have always been a dangerous place—even before something big and metal started lurking in them. But when Molly’s little brother is snatched up before her eyes, she has no choice but to follow. Sure, Wally tends to ruin everything, and his finger practically lives up his nose, but she isn’t about to let him be abducted by some unknown enemy, especially since their mom ran off to Florida two years ago and their dad, who’s slowly morphing into a couch potato, won’t be any help. If Molly wants to protect the family she has left, Wally’s rescue is going to be up to her. So, aided a crew of unusually determined pets, Molly sets off on Pink Lightning—her tricked-out bicycle—on a chase through the hills of southern Ohio. Finding the robot culprit only creates more questions, however, and when the unlikely mastermind behind the robot is uncovered, a new story begins to unfold—one of lost love, family bonds, and some seriously weird science. "A riotous adventure that's well calibrated to the audience's sensibilities." ― Publishers Weekly "A delightful adventure with a nostalgic twist." ― Kirkus Reviews "Fans looking for action stories will find plenty to entertain them in Slangerup’s first novel." ― Booklist "An absolute blast of a page-turner, jam-packed with laugh-out-loud humor, a boatload of heart, and more action than you might believe can fit into a single book. I can't wait to read more adventures from Far Flung Falls!" -- Jarrett Lerner, author of EngiNerds and A Work in Progress “Maybe Molly McQuirter hasn’t always been the best big sister to her brother Wally, but she comes through when it really matters! Erik Jon Slagerup’s debut MOLLY AND THE MACHINE introduces a host of eccentric characters, a “villain” with a heart-rending origin story, a madcap adventure that won’t quit—and a heroine who finds more gumption, courage, and allies than she ever knew she had. Readers will be cheering her on from start to finish!” -- Margaret Peterson Haddix, New York Times bestselling author Erik Jon Slangerup grew up in a magical time before cell phones or the internet. It was called the eighties. He spent most of it roaming outdoors unsupervised, which inspired him to write tales of adventure, like the middle grade Far Flung Falls series. He has also written several picture books, including the award-winning Dirt Boy . Erik is the father of five, which has been his biggest adventure yet. He lives in Columbus, Ohio. Discover more at ErikJonSlangerup.com. Chapter 1: Warning Shot CHAPTER 1 WARNING SHOT The intruder paused midstep, fixing his attention on a party of finches who’d been eyeing him from their perches up ahead. Well, they weren’t eyeing him , he reminded himself, so much as the thing he was in . A curiosity, to be sure. And weighing in at two hundred tons, it would be hard to miss. Even out here, in the middle of nowhere. He clicked the image magnification dial to the right, telescoping in on the flock until he could count each bird’s feathers if he wanted. They had stopped chirping, every one of their dark little eyes intent on this stranger’s next move. He stared back, admiring them through two circular screens that dominated the curved wall in front of him, each one nearly ten feet in diameter. Hello there . Even though not a soul—bird or otherwise—could actually see him , he considered for a moment how strange he must look, suspended by a leather harness in the center of a gyroscope that swiveled in tandem with his every movement. Not to mention the tangle of cords, the panels of blinking lights that encircled him. He shifted his weight to one side, careful not to let his feet push the omnidirectional pedals below. They were calibrated to respond to the slightest pressure—a feature he was still getting the hang of. In spite of his precautions, the finches sensed something. A vibration, maybe? In a blink, they were gone. The intruder hadn’t come all this way to bird-watch. But still. Their sudden departure left him feeling even more alone in his command center than he had at the outset of his trek. Now all he had to keep him company were the flickering readouts of the console. Stay on mission , he told himself. The digital displays all glowed under his nose, giving him a steady flow of information. He checked his latitude, longitude, altitude, wattage, engine temperature, hydraulic pressure. There were measures for everything. Then he looked at the readout above them all, the one labeled TIME/DATE. It read: 06:14:37 AM /