Undercover - In China - Book 7

Part 45 - A Myriad Shards of Light

Suddenly, something moved under my feet. A row of tiles was rippling up and down as if something was pushing them from below. My mind seemed oddly blank and unconcerned as I drifted up about a metre off the roof. Licia and Miguel gaped up at me in amazement.

'Negative mass,' I explained. 'Something triggered the time connect. It must be directly under us. Grab onto my arms. I can fly us down.'

'Do you know what you are doing?' Licia asked.

Murga's head appeared over the ridge. 'Schtop. Ziff Dion. I vill help you get back.' '

Just do it!' I yelled and Licia and Miguel each seized one of my arms. I shot up three metres above the roof, lifting them with me as if they were dolls. Licia screamed. 'Ziff, I'm scared.' She was floating just below me and looking very frightened. 'You said down!' she gabbled. This is totally scary. Is it okay if I close my eyes.'

It was then I remembered I needed my hands free in order to steer. 'Wait a second,' I said absently. 'I have to refocus.'

'Refocus, double speed,' Miguel wheezed through gritted teeth. 'Ouch! . . . I think Murga is shooting darts at us.'

Something whizzed past my ear and I shot up another three metres, towing Licia and Miguel with me. And then I dropped down suddenly. '

Jeez, sergeant,' Miguel slurred. 'Seriously, do you know how to do this?'

'Sorry,' I apologized, 'I haven't had much practice. Would you mind pedalling. It helps me to steer.'

'Ziff!' Licia snapped urgently. 'Miguel!'

Miguel's eyes were closed, his head slumped forward and his arm was slipping through mine. He must have been hit by one of Murga's darts. I desperately tried to catch his sleeve as he fell away but I lost control and dropped rapidly, just missing the edge of the roof. I stopped abruptly and felt the jerk on my arm as Licia swung passed me and grabbed the strap of Miguel's shoulder bag. We were just below the roof eave but still three metres from the ground. I sideslipped lower until the three of us crashed landed in a heap on the veranda. 

 'Sorry,' I gasped. 'I need to work on my landing technique.'

Licia dragged Miguel toward the doorway. 'Help me!'

'I can't.' I was floating alongside them, my feet barely touching the floor. 'I don't have any traction. But we'd better get out of here.'

She glared at me. 'Which way?' she snarled.

'Ziff laddie!' Dunc was standing in the doorway. 'Ah had a devil of a time finding yeh. Ah dinna think anyone ever tried to go this far back.'

'Ziff!' Licia shrieked. 'Help!' Bits of broken green tiles rained down from the edge of the roof and Murga's ugly face appeared.

'This way,' Dunc honked.

 I lifted Miguel and we ran into through the doorway and hid behind a pile of benches.

'Ah'll divert Murga into the electric bookcase,' Dunc honked. 'Do not follow me.' He trotted toward the back wall of the temple which was glowing with an eerie blue light.

A high-pitched whine shattered the silence, the wall suddenly splintered into a myriad shards of light just as Murga and Kozak charged into the temple. They saw Dunc moon walking into the electric bookcase and charged after him. And, just as Murga and Kozak disappeared into the blue light, the electric bookcase shut down and the light vanished.

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