curiousers under way

Part 25 - Tango Foxtrot Code Blue

Cornelius Black walked down the aisle. 'Sorry, this is a matter of national security,' he told me, 'and extreme urgency. Someone has been interfering with our computer networks and we believe you know who. Your colleague, Denny, has been uncooperative which leaves us no option.'

The tetrahedrons were waving the window signs again. Dunc was flying alongside the bus, with his wings barely extended, trailing smoke like he was rocket assisted. There was a faint rumbling like far away thunder.

'There's that crazy goose again!' Andy exclaimed.

A large, snow truck roared passed us at considerably more than the speed limit. It cut abruptly in front of us forcing our driver to brake hard. 'What's wrong?' Cornelius asked anxiously.

'God damn truck cut me off!' the driver exclaimed angrily.

The distant sound of thunder got closer and I looked around to see Dr Zhang's ancient station wagon overtaking us. The muffler must have fallen off completely because it really did sound like a shuttle launch. Right behind it was a Harley with the unmistakable figure of Triple Oh on the back. Somebody was wedged between Theo and Triple Oh.

Dr Zhang's wagon slowed down as the snow truck stopped, blocking our lane. Our bus driver slammed on the brakes sending Cornelius pirouetting down the aisle until he collided with the gorilla and got a faceful of strawberry Danish. The station wagon stopped alongside, blocking the outside lane and forcing the bus to stop. We were boxed in. A large Canadian Tire tractor trailer screeched to a stop behind the station wagon the driver leaning on the horn.

'What are you waiting for?' Cornelius yelled at the bus driver. 'Get us out of here!'

'I can't. The shoulder is blocked with snow and the wagon's in the way.'

'So?' Cornelius asked. 'Push it into the median!'

'Hey! I don't want to be responsible for damage to the bus. It's a rental.'

'I'll take full responsibility!' Cornelius was very angry. 'Do it!'

'It's your call.' The driver revved the engine and spun the wheel edging the bus up to Dr Zhang's station wagon and slowly pushing it sideways. Sam and Denny jumped out of the wagon as a burst of gunfire chattered above the noise from the broken muffler. I stared out of the window at the Harley. The figure sitting on Triple Oh's lap was Beryl and she had just shot out the rear tires on the bus. The Harley accelerated around the wagon, narrowly missing Denny. More gun fire from Beryl's Uzi as she shot out the front tires. The bus settled down tilting to the left.

Andy White was talking urgently into his Blue Tooth radio. 'Tango Foxtrot, this is Bravo Whiskey. Code blue. I say again, code blue. Over.'

A siren and flashing lights raced up from behind. I thought it was a police cruiser but Andy said with relief, 'Here comes the cavalry. Right on schedule.'

It wasn't the police or the cavalry but instead an antique Volkswagen bus with large flowers painted all over it. It edged past the Canadian Tire truck and got stuck in the snow bank beside Dr Zhang's wagon.

Suddenly the speakers on all the seat back TV's came on with a crackle. 'Bravo Whiskey, Tango Foxtrot copies. Receiving you strength two. Say again all after Tango Foxtrot. Over.'

'Tango Foxtrot,' Andy shouted. 'I say again code blue, code blue, code blue. Say location. Where the hell are you? Over.'

All the TV's responded. 'Copy that, Tango Foxtrot. Our position not known. I say again, not known. We have a GPS malfunction. Standby.'