“I hate to see it go,” Sally said to Adam as she helped him into the passenger side. “It saved our lives a couple of times.”

“When all this is over we’ll go for a real hot air balloon ride,” Adam said. He dragged his lifeless leg into the truck and shut the door and rolled down the window. Cradling the flame thrower on his lap, he leaned out the window and signaled to Cindy and Bum to get away. “Try to help people where you can,” he called.

Bum shook his head. “You guys are our only hope.”

“Good luck!” Cindy called.

“Bless you!” Sally called back sarcastically before climbing in the truck. She took one look at the truck’s gears and groaned. “Oh no.”

“What’s the matter?” Adam asked, the box of dynamite sitting between them.

“It’s a stick shift. I learned on an automatic.”

“What’s the difference?”

“What do you mean what’s the difference? I know how to drive one type. I don’t know how to drive the other.”

“Well, you’re just going to have to learn,” Adam said.

“That’s easy for you to say. How come you don’t know how to drive?”

“Because I’m twelve years old and I’m originally from a normal town in the Midwest where they don’t teach twelve-year-olds to drive. Now would you quit complaining and just get us out of here. This street isn’t exactly safe, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“I’ll try. That’s all a girl can do.” Sally pulled up the seat so her feet could reach the pedals. It was fortunate that Sally’s legs were as long as they were, or else they would have had to steal a motorcycle. Next she lifted up the brick she had used to smash the window. Bringing it down on the ignition switch—and breaking it—she pulled out a couple of red and yellow wires. When she touched them together the engine roared to life and the truck leapt forward.

Then the engine stalled.

“Why did that happen?” Adam demanded. “Are we out of gas?”

“No. I think I need to start with the truck in neutral.”

“Then do that,” Adam snapped.

“I am! I just happen to be going through a tough learning curve right now. Give me a second.” Sally pressed in one of the pedals on the floor and shifted the gears into the N position. Again she touched the wires together. The engine started and the truck began to roll forward. Sally shifted the gears once more—this time to 1—and the truck picked up speed. “I’m a genius!” Sally exclaimed.

They ran into a fire hydrant.

The water exploded like a geyser.

It drenched their hood. They could have been in a storm.

“What kind of genius are you?” Adam asked.