M Is for Mama's Boy

Simon’s furry minions turned on him, and months’ worth of rage came out as they scratched at him and hurled nuts in his face. He fell to the ground, unable to defend himself.

“So that’s how you take over the world, kid?” Mama shouted at Simon.

“Two down, two to go,” Duncan said. “I just fried Albert’s brain. He won’t be causing any more problems.”

Mama snarled. “I’m taking over this operation. I’m going to show you all how it’s done, and the first thing we’re going to do is kill the hero. Do it!” she shouted at the goon.

The goon looked at Mama and shrugged. Then he flashed his hook at Duncan. Its silver edges glimmered almost as much as his wicked smile. Then he lashed out at the boy.

Duncan leaped out of the way just in time. He stumbled over a chair. The goon slashed at him again, opening the leather seat of the chair and sending stuffing flying.

“C’mon kid,” the goon said as Duncan stumbled toward the back of the rocket. “There’s no escape.”

Duncan was backed up against a bank of computer monitors. The goon was mere inches away. He raised his hook high in the air and brought it down hard and fast. Duncan ducked and heard a crash. Sparks showered down on him, and when he looked up, he realized the goon was shaking uncontrollably. His metal hook was impaled in one of the TVs, and electricity was coursing through him.

Duncan flipped off the power and the man tumbled to the ground, unconscious.

“Enough!” Mama screamed. “I’ll do it myself!.” With rage in her eyes she lunged forward and grabbed Duncan by the shirt and threw him toward the open door of the rocket. Duncan grabbed on to Mama to save himself and they both went tumbling out of the ship into the open sky. They turned end over end as the hungry earth below pulled them ever closer.

But then Matilda was there, with an arm around Duncan’s chest, stopping his fall. Duncan tried to hold on to Mama, but the old woman squirmed like a cornered animal and pulled herself from his grip. All Duncan and Matilda could do was watch as Mama disappeared into the clouds.

Agent Brand was sorting through the remains of the Playground. Everywhere he looked was destruction. More than forty years of history was completely destroyed—all of it under his watch. It was all he needed to make his decision. He stepped over to the glass table and used his sleeve to wipe off a thick layer of black dust. Then he activated the communications system. One lone computer monitor lowered from above. It blinked to life, revealing a grizzled general with a head shaped like a bullet.

“I’m sorry to bother you, General Savage, but I have something important to discuss about the team.”

General Savage cocked a curious eyebrow. “I always have time for you, Brand.”

“I have concerns about the future of this—” Suddenly, the screen went black.

“General? General?”

Ms. Holiday stepped out from behind a column. She was holding a black cord—one that was supposed to be plugged into the wall. “We’re having technical difficulties.”

“Ms. Holiday—”

“Sit down, Alexander. I have something to say to you,” the woman replied.

Agent Brand shook his head but did as he was told. He was too tired to argue.

“So you want to shut the team down?” the librarian continued.

Agent Brand nodded. “Look around you. This is not the result of a team that can handle big problems.”

Ms. Holiday looked around. “I disagree. I think this is all the evidence you need to prove that these kids can be counted on to save the world. If they hadn’t done what they did, the whole planet would look like this.”

“They’re children,” Brand said. “I can’t trust their judgment.”

“This isn’t about their judgment, Alexander. It’s about yours. Heathcliff betrayed you and you feel like you should have seen it coming. You’re mad that a little boy deceived you and you’re using your bruised ego as an excuse to get out of this job.”

Brand raised his eyebrows in surprise. It was like Holiday was reading his mind. He realized then that this woman, this beautiful, talented, amazing spy could also be his friend.

“Well, snap out of it, you crybaby!” Ms. Holiday said. Brand nearly fell out of his seat.

The librarian continued. “You agreed to take on these kids. You agreed to lead them and help them to make the world safe. So one of them betrayed you! Are you telling me you’ve never worked with a double agent or someone who went rogue? Was Heathcliff Hodges the first person to surprise you? If so, you have been the most sheltered secret agent in the world, buddy. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself. You’ve got to reinstate Duncan and get the Playground back in working order, and—”

“Is this a man-up speech?” the spy asked.

Ms. Holiday couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, it is.”

The handsome agent sat quietly for a long moment. “Your message is received loud and clear, Ms. Holiday.”

“Good!” the woman cried, though she seemed surprised that he didn’t put up a fight. “Now let’s stop all the pity parties and get to work. We’ve got a world to keep an eye on.”

Brand gri

Brand frowned but then laughed.

Then Ms. Holiday handed him a slip of paper.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a secret code, Alexander. The next time you need to talk to someone, use it.”

Brand looked down at the slip of paper. It was Ms. Holiday’s phone number.

“You could also use it to explain why you were jealous of Captain Blancard,” she continued.

Brand was going to argue, but Ms. Holiday stopped him.

“Just call me,” the beautiful librarian said. “I don’t want to have to give you another man-up speech.”

“Allen wrench,” Avery said. Duncan found it in the toolbox and handed it to his father, who was lying under the Mustang. His father’s oil-covered hand snatched it and disappeared.

“Thanks, son.”

“So, what are you doing under there?”

Avery rolled out from under the chassis. He was lying on a wooden dolly. “Why don’t you come down and take a look for yourself?”

Duncan put down the tools and eased himself onto the dolly. When he was comfortable, his father rolled them both underneath the car. Duncan marveled at the many parts of the Mustang. With the help of a handheld light, he could see hoses, tubes, and belts. There must have been hundreds of different mechanisms that made the car go. Not one of them was computerized.

“I’m changing the oil,” his father said. “And taking a look at the brakes. They felt a little spongy after our run-in with Ms. Nesbitt. I want to be prepared the next time one of our neighbors tries to kill us.”

“Dad, you work on cars all day. I could have the scientists from the Playground come out here and do this for you,” Duncan said.

Avery nodded. “I like knowing I can do a few things for myself.”

“Without technology.” Duncan sighed.

“It’s not that I’m against computers and gadgets, Duncan,” Avery said. “But as you get older you’ll find those things often fail you. If the power goes down, you lose all of them, and then it’s just you and a candle while you wait for someone smart, like those scientists, to come and fix it. I like knowing I can fix things myself. I like the co

Duncan lay there close to his father and realized that they weren’t all that different.

“So, can you teach me how the car works?”

Avery laughed. “Not in one afternoon, son, but I’d be happy to tell you what I know.”

Suddenly, they heard footsteps and the Creature’s voice. “I’m going to kill him!”