Page 47 (1/2)

"C'mon!" he said to Charlie, and they both ran

Mary's forces had captured the Chocolate Ogre's army and they had taken his train--but there was still one more means of transportation available for so was not too difficult to find, as it was taller than anything around it There were still dozens of Mary's Afterlights holding it doith ropes, keeping it fro torn away by the brutal wind

"There's a whole bunch of them, and only two of us," Charlie said "I don't like those odds" But Johnnie-O realized soht, because they already had their hands full If it took this many of them to hold the airship down, how many would have to be taken off the job until the ship would tear free?

They wasted no time Johnnie-O pulled them from the ropes, and Charlie slapped coins into their hands one after another They had dispatched ured out as happening They all panicked, and began to let go of the ropes The airship began to lurch

"Let's go!" Johnnie-O said They raced toward the Hindenburg The ra to rise into the air They leaped on, and pulled theher as it caught led froo, and the zeppelin took to the sky, twisting and turning out of control, at the iant craft They hadn't been able to save the train, or Nick's army, but at least they saved the bucket of coins

"Can you fly this thing?" Johnnie-O asked Charlie

"No," he answered, "but I got plenty of time to learn, doncha think?"

They fu the bridge, and that's when they realized there was a problem

There was a bar across the door, and that bar was held in place by a huge padlock "Where's the key?" asked Charlie "There's got to be a key"

Johnnie-O knew exactly where the key was, because he had seen it dangling above his face dripping water into his eye

"D'ya think we could break it?" asked Charlie "Those fists of yours can do it, right?"

And although Johnnie-O tried, he kneas no use This was an Everlost door, and an Everlost padlock Once so crossed into Everlost, it didn't break Ever

The airship rose into the clouds, slowly spinning like a weather vane as it blew eastward

"This was a bad idea," said Charlie

"Shut up," said Johnnie-O "Just shut up"

So now Johnnie-O sat facing Charlie in the Starboard Pro, a bucket of coins between theo first," said Johnnie-O

"No, you go first," echoed Charlie

"No, you go first!"

"No, you!"

But neither one illing to take a coin Instead they both stared at each other as the Hindenburg drifted across the sky, each wondering ould be the first to blink

Chapter 38 Last Train Out of Memphis

Milos raced as fast as he could with Allie, staying away froh to skinjack and escape He had no idea whether Mary's force had captured the train If they hadn't, Allie would be a bargaining chip If they had, Allie would be a valuable prisoner

"I saw her thoughts, Milos," Allie said weakly, as he pulled her along "You can't go through with this! Mary hasn't told you everything! You don't knohat she plans to do!"

But he was already overwhels to think about, and didn't need this He was confused, and more than a little bit scared about ould happen now--and that just ht just have to push you into the ground myself to silence you"

"Do it," said Allie "I'd rather be there than have any part of Mary's plan"

"It's not her plan anyh into a clearing, where the train rested on dead rails Milos spotted Speedo right away, shouting frantic orders The airship's ground tea had been cast off They had captured the train, and Mary's plan had proceeded without her

The entirety of the Ogre's army had been squeezed into the last train car It had been Mary's idea--sohts can fit wherever you put theht--there were hundreds of theainst the s It was a kind of purgatory until they ca

When Speedo saw Milos, he looked worried "Why aren't you with Jill at the bridge?" Then, when he saw Allie, his afterglow began to falter "So?"

"Lock this one up somewhere special," Milos told Speedo, "but be careful--she's clever," and regaining some of his suave composure, he winked at Allie "A little too clever for her own good--but maybe she can be, as Mary says, 'rehabilitated'"