Undercover - In China - Book 7

Part 79 - Wash your socks

Miguel and I walked back to our lockers where Miguel sat down on the floor. 'I got a little too much of Murga's gas, I think. I'll be okay in a few minutes.'

In six minutes Licia came back giggling. 'We can't go home dressed like Chinese boys!'

 'Our modern clothes are in the shoulder bags,' I pointed out. 'How're you feeling Miguel?'

'That was totally awesome,' Licia regarded me with amazement. 'I mean, the flying. How do you do that?'

 'I still don't know. It has something to do with time shear and negative mass, a local suspension of gravity.' I pulled my jeans and sweater out of the bag. 'It only works when I am near a time connect.' I kicked off my shoes, slipped out of my Chinese trousers and stepped into my jeans.

 'Jeez.' Licia wrinkled her nose. 'Do you still have a clean pair of socks?'

 'Yeah, but they got wet.'

 'Blimey,' Licia said, 'I could use really a shower. I think I will stand in there all night.'

 'Licia,' I exclaimed, 'you've got to stop listening to Denny. You are beginning to sound like him.'

 'How about hot chocolate first,' Miguel suggested. We stuffed our Chinese clothes into our lockers, pulled on our parkas and cautiously pushed open the loading dock doors. It came as a shock to see the deep snow drifts, but it was so normal and friendly, I was happy to be home.

 'Well, that's a nice change,' I said with relief. 'The Bunglers are not waiting for us this time.' 

 We climbed over the snowbanks, using the steps kicked into the snow by previous passers-by, crossed the street to Licia house and left our wet shoes at the side entrance. Her parents were watching television in the family room. Miguel and I said, 'Hi' and we headed for the kitchen where Licia heated three mugs of milk in the microwave oven and stirred in chocolate powder. To his delight, she gave Miguel a packet of chocolate chip cookies.

We carried the mugs down to the basement rec room and talked about our adventures until we could barely keep our eyes open. Licia threw us out around eleven o'clock. She needed a shower and suggested we did too.  'Don't forget to wash your socks.'

Licia reminded us about our promised not to tell anyone about Dr Zhang's work. I laughed. 'No one would believe us anyway.'

When I got home, Emma called down from the upstairs apartment. 'Ziff, there's a visitor to see you. He's got a pet for you. He says it's a robot called Uncle Dunc.'

I might have guessed. The visitor, sitting at the kitchen table and stuffing left over Christmas pudding with obvious enjoyment, was Triple Oh. Standing on a chair next to him, and looking enviously at the pudding, was Uncle Dunc.