That took the chief back a step. He had to think for a moment before answering. Before he did, however, he helped himself to another chocolate.

“There was nothing in my contract with the city that specified that I was to have to deal with mysterious Cold People,” he said. “If there was, I would have had my lawyer strike it from my list of responsibilities. I don’t even like the cold. That’s another reason why I don’t want to go outside today. I might catch cold, and then where would this fine city be?”

“Probably no worse off,” Adam muttered. He turned toward the exit. “Come on, Cindy. Sally was right. We’re wasting our time here.”

But Cindy was too frustrated to walk away. Stepping up to the chiefs desk, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his box of chocolates. Before he could stop her, she dropped it upside-down on the dusty floor, ruining the candies. The chief stared at her in shock, but Cindy smiled sweetly.

“We have an emergency situation,” she said. “Now you do too. How does it feel?”

Adam grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the door before the chief could react. Adam was worried the man would throw her in jail.

“I think you’ve been hanging out with Sally too long,” Adam told her.

5

The owner of the surplus store, Mr. Patton, was dressed in full combat uniform. As Adam and Cindy entered his store, he was sitting on the floor, slipping bullets into an assault rifle clip. He was approximately thirty-five, blond, with the muscles of a Marine. It looked like Bum and Sally had been talking to him about the Cold People. He wore a twisted grin. The battle he had been preparing for all his life had finally arrived.

“Welcome,” he said. “Grab yourself a weapon and prepare to hit the front lines.”

“Our friends told you what’s happening?” Adam asked.

“Sure did.” Mr. Patton finished loading the machine gun and jumped up and grabbed a grenade launcher off the shelf. “The day of reckoning has finally arrived, like I always knew it would.”

“Excuse me,” Adam said. “But I don’t know if these creatures can be stopped by bullets.”

Mr. Patton flashed them a wild, red-eyed look. “That machine gun there is an M16. It can fire a sixteen-bullet clip in less than five seconds. I get a lock on one of those creatures with that baby, I guarantee you the creature is going down.”

Adam shrugged. “Well, I don’t know much about guns.”

“I do,” Cindy said. “My mother says they are disgusting and immoral.”