They didn’t spot a Jeep, but found a large four-wheel-drive truck with a camper shell on the back. They decided not to be choosy. The city below was turning to chaos. The Cold People had invaded the local shopping center. People were running and screaming everywhere. Plus Adam and Sally now began to see a new horror. Many of the people the Cryo Creatures had first changed were already going after those who had not been changed. Adam figured by sunset it would be all over, at least for Spooksville.

Unless his plan worked.

On the floor of the gondola, Watch continued to lie still.

“I wish some of these panicking people would light a few fires,” Sally said as they began to descend toward the truck. “They don’t know anything about rioting.”

“It’s not a skill you can practice,” Adam said.

“How are you going to start the truck without keys?” Cindy called from the other balloon, which was descending as well. Cindy and Bum would stand guard while Watch and the dynamite were moved into the truck.

“I’m going to hot-wire it,” Sally said.

“Who taught you how to do that?” Adam asked.

“I did,” Bum said. “You never know when the skill will come in handy.” He added, “Like right now.”

“How are you going to get into the truck without keys?” Cindy asked.

“What are all these stupid questions?” Sally snapped impatiently. “We’re trying to save the world here, Cindy, in case you didn’t notice. I will take a big rock and break the window if I have to.”

“I was just asking,” Cindy muttered.

“You might want to land on top of the truck,” Bum said. “It will give you some protection.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Adam replied. Although the balloon could not really be steered, it could be maneuvered slightly by tightening and loosening the ropes that supported the balloon itself. Adam had already lowered the burner and vented a lot of hot air. They were going down pretty fast. The street the truck was parked on looked like a war zone.

Adam was barely able to hold himself up by hanging on to the side of the gondola. His right leg was completely numb up to midthigh. He wouldn’t be able to walk without hanging on to Sally. He wouldn’t be able to transfer the dynamite or move Watch. Sally would have to do everything. He hated feeling so helpless.

“I really think you guys should take Watch,” Sally said when they were only twenty feet above the truck. “We don’t need anything to slow us down.”

“We’d both have to land to transfer him,” Bum said. “That could be dangerous.”

“It might not be a good idea to move him while he’s unconscious,” Cindy added.