
    ,,*APT] ,,XVII

    ,A ,,T[N ,,BLAZE
  ,M>Y'S UNCLE1 ,JASP] ,BLAKE1 ALW AN
IMPETU\S MAN1 OP5$ ! DOOR S QKLY T ,TOM1
:O 0 /&+ NE> X TALK+ 6,M>Y1 B>ELY _H "T
6MOVE ASIDE4
  8,OH1 ,TOM1 EXCUSE ME6 ,DIDN'T SEE Y60
BRUSKLY W5T ON ,MR4 ,BLAKE4 8,B ? ?+ HAS
GOTT5 ON MY N]VES & ,I GUESS ,I'M A BIT
WR"\ UP4
  8,"! ISN'T ANY GUESS+ AB X1 ,UNCLE
,JASP]10 SD ,M>Y1 )A LAU< &A LOOK AT
,TOM 6W>N HM N 6TELL H] RELATIVE T HE _H
J 2FRI5D$ ,FIELD & ,MELL+4 8,=10 Z ,M>Y
SD 6,TOM LAT]1 8HE WD POSITIVELY RAVE AT
Y40
  ,TOM 0 WISE 5 6R1LIZE ?1 & S1 AF "S
LAU<+ REF];E 6! E6ECT T HE WD H 6WE>
PROTECTIVE >MOR IF HE /OOD NE> DOORS :5
,M>Y'S UNCLE OP5$ !M S SU45LY1 ! 3V]S,N
2CAME G5]AL4
  8,I HOPE Y N"E GET ROP$ 9 Z ,I H BE510
SD ,MR4 ,BLAKE1 Z HE SAT D[N4 8,^?
SC.DRELS1 ,FIELD & ,MELL+1 WD ROB A BABY
( 8 F/ TOO? IF !Y _H ! *.E60
  8,NO1 ,I AM N LIKELY 6H ANY?+ 6D ) !M2
?\< ,I H MET !M10 & ,TOM GAVE ,M>Y A
GL.E4 8,B DID ,I HE> Y SAY !Y >E EMB>K+
ON A DYE 5T]PRISE80 HE ASK$4 8,I CDN'T
HELP OV]HE>+ :AT Y SD 9 ! HALL10 HE
EXPLA9$4
  8,T'S ! /ORY !Y TELL10 SD ,UNCLE
,JASP]4 8,I 0 FOOLI% 5 69VE/ 9 ! ,L&M>K
,BUILD+1 & N[ ,I'M LIKELY 6LOSE X ALL 9
A LAWSUIT40
  8,I M5;N$ X10 SD ,M>Y4
  8,& T ISN'T ! WOR/10 W5T ON ,MR4
,BLAKE4 8,B ,B>TON--T'S YR FR (! SUBM>9E
--W GIVE ME ! LAU<1 = HE 0 ASK$ 69VE/ 9
! SAME BUILD+1 & DIDN'T40
  8,OH1 MAYBE X W ALL TURN \ "R10 SD
,TOM 3SOL+LY4 8,MY FR ,MR4 ,DAMON HAS A
LL /OCK 9 ! SAME /RUCTURE40
  8,NO?+ ^? TWO SC.DRELS H ANY?+ 6D ) W
TURN \ "R10 DCLD ,M>Y'S UNCLE4 8,& 6?9K
( _! N]VE :5 !Y ASK ME 6G 9 ) !M ON A
DYE S*EME60
  8,T'S :AT 9T]E/S ME10 SD ,TOM4
  8,WELL1 TAKE MY ADVICE & DON'T 2COME
9T]E/$ 6! EXT5T ( 9VE/+ ANY M"OY10 W>N$
,MR4 ,BLAKE4 8,I'M N GO+ TO40
  8,I DIDN'T M1N T WAY10 SD ,TOM4 8,B ,I
HAPP5 6BE ACQUA9T$ ) AN EXP]T DYE MAK]
:O LO/ "S SECRET =MULAE DUR+ A FIRE 9
,FIELD & ,MELL+'S FACTORY40
  8,Y DON'T SAY S60 CRI$ ,MR4 ,BLAKE4
8,TOM ,SWIFT1 "!'S "S?+ WR;G "H6 ,LET Y
& ME TALK ? OV]4 ,I 2G9 6SEE H[ ,I MAY 2
A# 6TAKE A PEEP "? ! HOLE 9 ! GR9D/"O10
A COLLOQUIAL EXPRES.N : 0 Z WELL "U/OOD
0,TOM Z 7 "S ( ,MR4 ,DAMON'S B.S+
REM>KS4
  8,IF Y'RE GO+ 6TALK BUSI;S ,I ?9K
,I'LL EXCUSE MYF10 SD ,M>Y4
  8,DON'T G10 URG$ ,TOM1 B %E SD 6HM T
%E WD SEE HM 2F HE LEFT1 & !N %E W5T \1
L1V+ H] UNCLE &! "Y 9V5TOR BUSILY 5GAG$
9 TALK+4
  ,B ?\< ,MR4 ,BLAKE _H C]TA9 SUSPICIONS
REG>D+ ,FIELD & ,MELL+1 & ?\< ,TOM
,SWIFT1 TOO1 2LIEV$ !Y _H "S?+ 6D )!
4APPE>.E ( ,BAXT]'S SECRET =MULAE1 X 0
ANO!R MATT] 6PROVE ANY?+4
  ,IMPETU\S Z HE (T5 WAS1 ,MR4 ,BLAKE 0
= CALL+ 9 ! POLICE AT ONCE1 & HAV+ ! TWO
M5 >RE/$4 ,B ,TOM C\NSEL$ DELAY4
  8,WAIT UNTIL WE GET M EVID;E AG/ !M10
HE URG$4
  8,B !Y MAY SKIP \60 OBJECT$ ,M>Y'S
UNCLE4
  8,!Y WON'T ) T ,L&M>K ,BUILD+ ON _!
H&S10 SD ! "Y 9V5TOR4
  8,_! H&S6 ,HUH6 ,!Y'LL TAKE PRECI\S GD
C>E T ! TR\# & RESPONSIBIL;Y ( X >E ON
O!R P'S H&S 2F !Y G10 DCLD ,MR4 ,BLAKE4
8,H["E1 ,I SUPPOSE Y'RE "R4 ,B>TON ,KEI?
SETS A D1L 0YR OP9ION S9CE T "USEA SE>*1
& :ILE ,I DON'T ALW AGREE ) HM1 ,I D 9 ?
CASE4 ,ESPECI,Y S9CE HE IS LIKELY 6H !
LAU< ON ME40
  8,OH1 ,I WDN'T C.T "EY?+ LO/ 9 T
BUILD+ D1L10 SD ,TOM4 8,A WAY MAY 2 F.D
\ (! TR\# YET4 ,B ,I M/ 2 GETT+ BACK4
,DR4 ,H5D]SON 0 6GIVE A REPORT TD ON !
3DI;N ( ,ERADICATE'S EYES1 & ,I WANT 6BE
"!40
8,M>Y 0 SAY+ "S?+ AB YR FAI?;L OLD
RETA9] 2+ 9 TR\#10 SD ,MR4 ,BLAKE4 8,I'M
SORRY 6HE> AB X40
  8,WE >E ALL SORRY = POOR ,RAD10 REPLI$
,TOM SL[LY4 8,I ONLY HOPE HE GETS 8 SI<T
BACK4 ,8 LA/ "DS W 2 V SAD IF HE
DOESN'T40
  ,TOM F.D ,M>Y WAIT+ = HM AF HE _H LEFT
H] UNCLE1 &1 AF A %ORT TALK ) H]1 HE
MADE R1DY 6RIDE BACK ) ,MR4 ,DAMON1 :O1
AF HAV+ ATT5D$ 6S"EAL O!R MATT]S1 0 N[
\TSIDE 9 8 C>4
  8,:5 >E Y -+ HOME1 ,M>Y80 ,TOM ASK$4
  8,IN A WEEK OR TWO10 %E ANSW]$4 8,I'LL
S5D ^W :5 ,I'M R1DY & Y C -E & GET ME40
  8,DELI<T$60 DCLD ,TOM4 8,DON'T =GET60
,DUR+ ! RIDE HOME ! "Y 9V5TOR 0 UNUSU,Y
SIL5T1 S M* S T ,MR4 ,DAMON F9,Y
EXCLAIM$3
  8,B.S MY PHONOGRAPH1 ,TOM ,SWIFT6 B
:AT IS ! MATT]8 ,HAS ,M>Y BROK5 !
5GAGE;T80

8,OH1 NO1 NO?+ L T10 0 ! ANSW]4 8,ONLY
  ,I'M
WOND]+ AB ,ERADICATE1 &--O!R MATT]S40

  ,O!R MATT]S _H 6D ) :AT ,M>Y'S UNCLE
_H TOLD ,TOM AB ! 9T]E/ MANIFE/$ 0,FIELD
& ,MELL+ 9 "S DYE 9DU/RY4
  ,TOM'S =EBOD+S REG>D+ 8 COLOR$ HELP] 7
NE>LY BORNE \1 = ,DR4 ,H5D]SON GLOOMILY
%OOK 8 H1D :5 ASK$ =! V]DICT4
  8,X'S TOO E>LY 6SAY =A C]TA9TY10
REPLI$ ! M$ICAL MAN1 8B ,I AM N Z HOPE;L
Z ,I WAS1 ,TOM1 ,I'M SORRY 6SAY40
  8,I'M SORRY 6HE> X10 RETURN$ ,TOM4
8,IS "! ANY?+ WE C D--ANY HOSPITAL 6: WE
C S5D HM = SPECIAL TR1T;T80
  8,NO1 HE IS DO+ Z WELL Z HE C 2
EXPECT$ 6"R "H4 ,2SS1 HE HAS 8 FRS >.D
HM1 &! -PANION%IP ( T GIANT ( YRS1
ABSURD Z X MAY SEEM1 IS RE,Y A TONIC
6,ERADICATE4 ,I N"E SAW S* DEVO;N ON !
"P ( ANY "O40
  8,KOKU HAS C]TA9LY *ANG$10 SD ,TOM4
8,HE & ,RAD US$ ALW 6BE QU>REL+4 ,B ,I
GUESS T IS ALL OV]10 & ,TOM SI<$4
  8,OH1 ,I WDN'T SAY T10 DCLD ! M$ICAL
MAN4 8,I HAV5'T GIV5 UP1 ?\< "! >E "S
SYMPTOMS ,I D N L4 ,H["E1 ,I AM GO+
6WAIT A WEEK & !N MAKE ANO!R TE/40
  ,TOM KNEW T ! WEEK WD 2 AN ANXI\S "O =
HM1 B1 Z X DEVELOP$1 HE _H S M* 6D 9 !
NEXT FEW "DS T1 =! "T 2+1 HE R =GOT AB
,ERADICATE4
  ,FIELD & ,MELL+1 HE HE>D 9CID5T,Y1 _H
_! MA*9E T[$ 6A G>AGE = REPAIRS1 B 2Y T
NO ^W CAME F ! TWO M54 ,JOSEPHUS ,BAXT]
REMA9$ AT "W OV] 8 DYE =MULAE 9 "O (
,TOM'S LABORATORIES1 B ! "Y 9V5TOR DID N
SEE M* (! 4C\RAG$ OLD MAN4
  ,TOM DID N TELL (! 5C.T] ) ,FIELD &
,MELL+ &( EXT+UI%+ ! FIRE 9 _! C>1 = HE
KNEW X WD ONLY EXCITE ,MR4 ,BAXT]1 & D
NO GD4
  ,X 0 )9 A FEW "DS (! "T :5 ,TOM 0
6CALL 9 A -MITTEE ( FIRE 9SUR.E EXP]TS
6GIVE !M A DEMON/R,N (! E6ICI5CY ( 8
AERIAL FIRE-FI<T+ MA*9E4 ,HE 0 PUTT+ !
F9I%+ T\*ES 6HIS CRAFT & XS EXT+UI%+-
DROPP+ DEVICES :5 HE RCVD A CALL F ,MR4
,BAXT]4
  8,WELL1 H[ GOES X80 ASK$ ,TOM1 TRY+
69FUSE "S *E] 96HIS VOICE4
  8,N V WELL10 0 ! ANSW]4 8,I'VE TRI$1 9
E WAY ,I "K1 6GET ON ! TRACK (! MISS+
ME?ODS P]FECT$ 0T ,FR5*MAN1 B ,I C'T4
,I'D 2 A MILLIONAIRE N[1 IF ,I _H T DYE
9=M,N40

8,D Y RE,Y ?9K !Y H !M--ACTU,Y H !
=MULAE80 ASK$ ,TOM4

  8,I C]TA9LY D4 ,&! R1SON ,I 2LIEVE S
IS T ,I 0 OV] AT A *EMICAL SUPPLY
FACTORY ! O!R "D :5 AN ORD] CAME 9 =A
QUANT;Y (A V R>E *EMICAL40
  8,:AT HAS T 6D ) X80 ASK$ ,TOM4
  8,? *EMICAL IS AN 9GR$I5T CALL$ = 0"O
(! DYE =MULAE T 7 /OL5 F ME4 ,I N"E HE>D
( XS 2+ US$ = ANY?+ ELSE4 ,I AT ONCE
2CAME SUSPICI\S4 ,I LE>N$ T ? *EMICAL _H
BE5 ORD]$ S5T 6,FIELD & ,MELL+ 9 _! NEW
(FICES 9 ! ,L&M>K ,BUILD+40

8,MAYBE !Y 9T5D 6USE X 9 MAK+ A NEW K9D
  (
FIRE"WS10 SU7E/$ ,TOM4

  ,MR4 ,BAXT] %OOK 8 H1D4
  8,T *EMICAL N"E WD "W 9 A SKYROCKET OR
,ROMAN C&LE10 HE SD4 8,I'M SURE !Y'RE
TRY+ 6*1T ME \ ( MY DYE =MULAE4 ,IF ,I
CD ONLY PROVE X60
  8,T'S ! TR\#10 AGRE$ ,TOM4 8,B ,I'LL
GIVE Y ALL ! HELP ,I C4 ,&1 -E 6?9K ( X1
,I 2LIEVE Y MI<T 9T]E/ ,MR4 ,BLAKE4 ,HE
HAS NO LOVE = ,FIELD & ,MELL+1 & HE HAS
S"EAL KE5 LAWY]S ON 8 /AFF4 ,I 2LIEVE X
WD 2 A GD ?+ = Y 6TALK 6,MR4 ,BLAKE40
  8,PL1SE GIVE ME A LR ( 9TRODUC;N 6HM10
BE7$ ,MR4 ,BAXT]4 8,:AT ,I NE$ IS LEGAL
TAL5T & CAPITAL 6FI<T ^! SC.DRELS4 ,MR4
,BLAKE MAY SUPPLY BO?40
  8,HE MAY10 AGRE$ ,TOM4 8,I'LL FIX X S
Y C MEET HM4 ,B :AT D Y ?9K ( ? -B9,N1
,MR4 ,BAXT]8 ,X IS MY V LATE/ SOLU;N =
PUTT+ \ FIRES4 ,I'M LOAD+ AN AIR%IP UP )
"S (! BOMB 3TA9]S N[1 &--0
  ,TOM'S FUR!R REM>KS 7 9T]RUPT$ 0!
NOISE ( %\T+ & TUMULT 9 ! /REET1 &A MO;T
LAT] YELLS CD 2 HE>D (3
  8,FIRE6 ,FIRE6 ,FIRE60
  8,ANO!R BLAZE60 EXCLAIM$ ,MR4 ,BAXT]1
RAIS+ ! %ADES : _H BE5 DRAWN1 S9CE NI<T
_H FALL54
  8,& N F> AWAY10 SD ,TOM1 Z HE CAU<T !
REFLEC;N (A R$ GL1M 9 ! SKY4
  ,"! 0 A R+ AT ! FRONT DOORBELL1 & ALM
AT ONCE ,N$ ,NEWTON'S VOICE CALL$3
  8,TOM6 ,TOM ,SWIFT6 ,"!'S Q A FIRE 9
T[N6 ,DON'T Y WANT 6TRY YR NEW APP>ATUS
ON X80
  8,! V *.E60 EXCLAIM$ ! "Y 9V5TOR4 8,-E
ON1 ,MR4 ,BAXT]4 ,"!'S ROOM 9 ! AIR%IP =
Y & ,N$4 ,I WANT Y 6SEE H[ MY *EMICAL
"WS60
  ,)\T WAIT+ =A REPLY F ! *EMI/1 ,TOM
CAU<T HM 0! H& & L$ HM T[>D ! SIDE DOOR
T GAVE EGRESS 6! Y>D ": "O (! AIR%IPS 0
H\S$4 ,TOM CAU<T SI<T ( ,N$1 :O 0 HA/5+
T[>D HM4
  8,BIG FIRE1 ,TOM60 SD ! "Y MANAG] AG4
8,FI]CE "O60
  8,I'M GO+ 6TRY 6PUT X \60 ,TOM ANSW]$4
8,WANT 6-E80
  8,SURE ?+60 ANSW]$ ,N$4




