11
Max and 99 galloped through the hospital looking for the way out. Behind them, Dr. Medulla and the other doctors got closer and closer.
“This way!” Max shouted, opening a door.
“Max! That’s the laundry!”
Max and 99 dashed off in another direction.
“Ah! This is it!” Max cried, opening another door.
“Max! That’s the operating room!”
Max slammed the door, and he and 99 went racing off.
“Here it is!” Max exulted, opening another door.
“Max! That’s the exit!”
Max slammed the door, and he and 99 raced away down the corridor.
As they ran, 99 said, “Max-that was the exit! Why didn’t we escape?”
“The exit? I thought you said, ‘Max! That’s the ex-’ Oh, yes, you did say it was the exit, didn’t you? All right, 99, we’ll run in a circle, and when we reach the exit door again, we’ll use it.”
Behind them, Dr. Medulla cried, “Halt! Stop!”
“I think that should be ‘Stop! Halt!’ ” Max called back.
“Stop! Halt!”
“By George, I think he’s got it!” Max said.
“Max!” 99 said, “isn’t that the door? That one up ahead!”
“No, it’s the next one after that,” Max replied. “Trust my instinct, 99.”
“All right, Max. But-”
They passed the first door. Then, reaching the second door, Max whipped it open and charged through the opening, followed by 99.
“Ah! Safe!” Max crowed.
“Max… we’re not outside. We’re… Max! We’re in the hospital kitchen!”
“Trapped!” Max groaned.
Dr. Medulla and the other doctors appeared in the doorway.
“Trapped!” Dr. Medulla grinned.
“I just said that,” Max grumbled. “However, we’re both wrong. The jig is not yet up, Dr. Medulla. It just so happens that I have one more egg in my basket!”
“You don’t even have a basket,” Dr. Medulla pointed out.
“Will you try to be a good fellow for once in your life and go along,” Max said. “Let’s assume that this black bag I’m carrying is a basket.”
Dr. Medulla shrugged. “I will if they will,” he said, indicating the other doctors.
“Just this once,” the other doctors chorused.
“All right, that’s settled,” Max said. He reached into the black bag, pulled out a gadget, and raised it high. “Stand back!” he commanded menacingly.
The doctors cowered against the wall.
“Don’t throw it!” Dr. Medulla pleaded.
“One false move, and I drop this gadget!” Max threatened. “Now.. clear the doorway!”
Dr. Medulla and the other doctors quickly moved away from the opening.
“Let’s go, 99,” Max said.
“Right behind you, Max.”
They moved cautiously toward the doorway. “Let this be a lesson to you,” Max said to the doctors. “A Control agent is always prepared.”
“Max, what is that gadget, anyway?” 99 asked.
“I wish you hadn’t asked that, 99.”
“On the contrary, that’s a good question,” Dr. Medulla said. “What is that gadget, Max?”
“Run, 99!”
“Right behind you, Max!”
Max and 99 charged through the doorway, reached the corridor and raced toward the exit door.
“Max! Throw the gadget!” 99 said.
Behind them, Dr. Medulla cried, “Halt! Stop!”
“There isn’t time now,” Max said to 99. “Here’s the door. Out!”
They dashed through the exit, out into the open air, then ran toward the gate.
“Stop! Halt!”
“Max, why don’t you throw the gadget!” 99 pleaded.
“Because, 99, I haven’t the vaguest idea what it is!”
“Then why did you threaten those KAOS agents with it? And why did they cower against the wall?”
“Instinct, 99. Whenever rival groups of agents meet face to face, one agent in one group always pulls a gadget from a little black bag and cries, ‘Stand back!’ And the other group of agents always stands back, cowering against the wall. It’s tradition.”
“I’m sorry I asked that question and spoiled things, Max.”
“You’re forgiven, 99. Just run!”
They were reaching the gate.
“Stop! Halt!” the sentry cried, barring the way.
“We can’t!” Max called. “We’re being pursued!”
“You’re supposed to show your identification!” the sentry bawled.
“We’ll show our identification twice the next time!” Max promised.
“You won’t forget?”
“Scout’s honor!”
The sentry stepped aside, and Max and 99 went racing through the gateway.
“Stop! Halt!” they heard the sentry cry, behind them, as the doctor approached the gate.
“Halt! Stop!” Dr. Medulla answered.
“That’s my line!” the sentry raged.
Max and 99 sprinted onward. Ahead they saw the helicopter waiting for them. Behind them they heard a shot. A bullet zinged by.
“Now there’s a bunch of poor losers for you!” Max said disgustedly.
They reached the helicopter and leaped aboard. “Up!” Max commanded Lance Chalfont.
Lance Chalfont looked disturbed. “Up. Is that that way?” he said, pointing upward, “Or that way?” he asked, pointing downward. “I always get the two mixed up.”
A bullet whizzed by the plane.
“Never mind! I think I remember!” Lance Chalfont said, jumping into the pilot’s seat and grabbing the controls.
A moment later, the helicopter whirred upward.
A hail of bullets flew at the plane.
“They got us!” Lance Chalfont cried.
“Where?”
“In the left coconut!” Lance Chalfont replied.
“Is it bad?”
“Terrible!” Lance Chalfont replied. “When we get back to civilization, we’ll have to operate to get that bullet out of the coconut.”
“But can we fly?” Max asked.
Lance Chalfont smiled. “I don’t think we can,” he replied. “But, there ain’t no need for us to fly, anyway. The helicopter can do it for us.”
“That’s what I meant,” Max said. “Can the heli-oh, never mind.” He turned to 99. “Are you all right, 99?”
