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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

“What’s with all your questions?” the old guy demands. “How high, how far, who cares? We’re tethered, get it? Anchored like a boat to a dock. We ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

“I get it,” I assure him, glancing at the tether rope, which is clamped to the side of the gondola. We’re about thirty feet up now, and rising quickly. “It’s just that I’ve seen on TV how billionaires in balloons circle the earth and set new speed records and stuff.”

“Those are helium balloons. This is just hot air. They’re built for distance. This is an inflated piece of nylon and a basket. You’re talking about a completely different animal. This is as high as we’re going today.”

There’s a bump as the tether rope pulls taut and we stop climbing. “There’s the Hobbleville Little League field,” the old fellow says in a bored tour guide voice. “That’s the Gaines family apple orchard. Over yonder’s the Maplewood garbage dump.” He stifles a yawn with the back of his hand. “And there, you can see the Hudson River over the hills. Nice, huh? Ready to go down now?”

Jack!

I see them! Helicopters, racing toward the fair. Perhaps the cyborg dressed like Lincoln summoned them. They’re still far off, tiny mechanized bugs crawling over the hills. But they’re moving fast!

“Not quite done yet, sir. One last question. Are you insured?”

Old Houlihan wrinkles his nose. “You mean if one of my passengers gets hurt?”

“No, sir, I actually mean against theft.”

He chuckles. “Who’s gonna steal an old balloon?”

“I’m afraid that we are,” I tell him. “Gisco, keep him over on that side of the gondola. I’m going to cast off.”

“Not so fast. I knew you two were trouble,” the old guy says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pistol. “Now put your hands in the air.”

20

20

I slowly raise my hands. The balloonist swings the gun toward Gisco, who sits down on his rump and raises his front paws. It would be comical if we weren’t in such dire jeopardy. “This here is a licensed handgun,” old Houlihan grunts, his gun hand shaking. “I was attacked by a crazy owl once, and I keep it handy to scare away birds. I wouldn’t want to use it on a young fella or a dog, but don’t you even think about moving a muscle till we land and I turn you over to the police.”

He bends and his eyes flick to the controls of his propane heater.

I steal a quick glance at the copters. They’re much closer. Gisco, we’ve got to do something.

What do your suggest?

One of us creates a diversion, and the other grabs his gun. Since I’m better at grabbing guns, I think you should be the one to make the first move. Go for it.