James Patterson - Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

"Yeah. It's really comfortable. These chairs turn into beds, you know? And the little TV and the magazines and the food and people getting you stuff."

I nodded. We were pretty dang pampered. I mean, compared with our usual glamorous life of sleeping in subway tunnels and eating out of trash cans.

"But it seems weird to be up in the air and not...outside, you know? And I miss-" She stopped, biting her lip.

"Me too," I said quietly. "But I'm sure they're fine. And I'm sure we'll see them again soon." Because I was going to track them down like dogs after my mission was over. I was gonna rag on Fang about this for the rest of his life. He couldn't get rid of me that easily.

"I hope nothing goes wrong with this plane," Nudge whispered. "It seems kind of...unnatural for a machine to be, like, up in the air. I don't get how it's staying up."

"It's got honking big engines on it," I said, decisively clarifying the situation for her in my leaderly way. "But I tell you what-if something happens to this plane, the four of us will be the ones who make it."

Nudge's face cleared. "Oh, yeah. I didn't think of that."

"Now, rest up before our British invasion."

Cushy seven-hour respite aside, it was time to get down to business once we landed at London's Heathrow Airport. We had gone the whole flight without anyone turning into an Eraser and attacking us, and the plane hadn't dropped out of the sky like a lead weight, so it was an excellent start.

For a few moments after we got off, I paused, hoping that maybe the Voice would cut me a break and give clear and followable instructions.

But no. The Voice was MIA, and we were on our own.

Which was fine. I'd gotten us all this far. The Voice was a recent phenomenon, and as far as I was concerned, it could stay gone.

"Okay," I said, clapping my hands. My miniflock gathered around me. "The first thing we should do is find an Internet caf #233;, get on the Web, and Google Itex in England. Even if we don't find them by name, we'll probably see other links that can help us."

"Whoa, whoa, hold the phone," said Total. "We're in London. Are you telling me we're not going to go see the Crown Jewels?"

"And the Tower of London?" Angel added.

"Ooh, look-Madame Tussauds!" Nudge said, pointing at a poster on a kiosk. "We've got to go there!"

Once again I was nonplussed by my flock's ability to completely put aside the fact that we were fighting for our lives. For the lives of the entire world.

Frowning, I pressed on. "Itex probably has its main offices in the suburbs, not right in the city."

"Buckingham Palace," Ari startled me by saying. "With the guys in the funny fur hats."

"Yeah, yeah, Buckingham Palace!" Nudge agreed without looking at him.

I drew in a breath, ready to start issuing commands.

You know, when you're right, that's all you get to be, said the Voice.

"What the heck does that mean?" I asked, irritated.

"Buckingham Palace," Nudge explained. "Where the queen lives. And Mr. Queen."

"No, no, not you," I muttered. I leaned against a wall and closed my eyes for a second. You wanna explain that? I thought. Or is that one of those kung fu koans I'm supposed to meditate on at the top of a mountain? Ommm.

"Max?" Angel asked. "Do you have a headache?" She sounded worried.

"No, I'm okay," I said. "Gimme a minute. And keep an eye out."

My flock waited patiently, unlike me. I was ready to rake my fingernails down the wall.

Yes, you should pursue your mission, said the Voice, miraculously answering me. But you haven't learned how to balance your leadership. You have to lead, but you must also listen.

And just let them do whatever they want? I demanded silently.

Max, they're children. They're just along for the ride. A strong leader can bend sometimes.

I opened my eyes. "Fine. We'll take a tour, hit the hot spots. Angel, get us on one of those double-decker bus tour things."

"Okay!" she agreed happily, while Nudge punched the air. We headed for the Ground Transportation area.

"I want to ride on top!" Total said, trotting at Angel's side. "But in Max's jacket, 'cause it's cold."

"Oh, yay," I said so no one could hear me. You're wrong, Voice, I thought. They're kids, but they're not just along for the ride. I need every one of them if I'm going to succeed.

"Those aren't the real jewels." I was certain of it. No way would they just have the real Crown Jewels of England hanging out in a glass case where anyone could knock it over.

"They're so beautiful," Nudge breathed, leaning as close as she could to them. "The Imperial State Crown. Golly. I would love to have a crown like that."

And I was so sure she would get her wish, because bizarre science experiments so often become crowned heads of state. Jeez.

"Get a load of the scepter," Total whispered. "How do you like that rock?"

"It says they're real," said Angel, pointing to a placard. "That's the real Cullinan diamond. I like the Orb."

"What, and the queen just comes and gets them when she's going to Parliament?" I scoffed. I turned to Ari. "What does that other sign say? On your side."

Ari looked at me, and for just a second he was almost recognizable as the little boy who used to follow me around so long ago. His face flushed, highlighting the scars that had pretty much healed over. "Don't know," he said, turning away. "Can't read."

"Let's go to Madame Tussauds," said Total. "We must!"

"I don't know who any of these 'famous' people are," said Angel, once we were inside Tussauds.

We were moving around a room full of wax celebrities, and frankly, the only way I would have been more uncomfortable was if I had rocks in my shoes. For those of us who grew up being subjected to evil scientists' tests, walking around lifelike figurines who could leap out at us at any second was totally unnerving.

I was watching the figures like a hawk (get it? li'l' flock humor for ya there), waiting for someone's eyes to move, someone's chest to rise and fall with breathing. So far, none of them had budged. Which didn't mean none of them would.

"Me neither," said Nudge, sounding disappointed.

"Me neither," said Ari. Next to all of these smooth wax figures, his rough features and voice stood out like a brick in a jewelry case.

"Um, I think this one is Brad Pitt," I said, pointing. "Who knew he was this tall?"

"Who's Brad Pitt?" Angel asked.

Total tsked and scratched behind one ear with a hind leg. "Only a world-famous movie star," he said. "Read a paper sometimes, will you?"

I let out a breath. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm trying to get on board with the whole sightseeing thing, but this place gives me the willies."

"Is that the technical term?" asked Total. "The willies?"

"Yes," I said. "Anyway, one of these suckers is going to move, and then I'm going to take the whole room out. I have to get out of here."

"Oh, thank God," said Nudge. "I hate this place."

"Me too," said Angel.

Total shook his head, looking disgusted. "You people. This is modern culture."

Next up, the Itex Corporation. The major industrial giant that seemed to be behind all the recombinant-DNA experiments; as well as the Re-Evolution Plan, also known as the By-Half Plan; and who knew how many other lunatic plans of mass destruction and mayhem.

Basically, the last place any of us would ever, ever want to go voluntarily.

The place we had to go.

Their office was in...

"Threadgill-on-Thames?" Nudge read carefully.

"It sounds like a tweed theme park," said Angel.

"It's pronounced 'Tems,'" Total said, licking one paw. "Can I have another potato chip?"