“I just want to know why we’re still going after this guy. Can’t we just give his location to the police?”
“We’re here,” Ace said, “and protecting people is what we’re about. What’s the problem with taking this guy out?”
“Well, I mean, it’s just so… boring. What videos can I upload to my fan club from this?”
“Maybe he’ll have a rocket launcher,” Tech said. “That would make for a pretty dramatic video.”
“I’ll take him,” Lexi said. “With the suit and my enhanced hearing, I can sneak up on him and brain blast him before he knows what’s going on. I don’t need to take any video.”
“See,” Duck said, “if he were out on the roof again, I could quack around him and make him waste his ammunition, then take him out.” He punched the air.
“Lexi, why don’t you just listen ta the talk in the buildings to see where he is, and then we’ll send Rev in to get him.” Ace was clearly ignoring Duck.
Tech felt the creep of worry. “Why Rev? The guy’s sure to be set up where he can see everyone coming in.”
“He can’t see me Tech you don’t need to worry.”
“But he’s seen you before. He might have set up something to slow you down, or so he can anticipate you.”
Rev grinned. “Nothing can slow me down you should know that by now don’t worry seriously I’ll be fine nothing I’d like better than to go get this guy and I’ll even keep my video camera on for my fan club.”
“I’m sure they’ll both be very impressed,” Duck said.
“You’re just jealous cause I have twice as many fans as you do but don’t worry I’m sure you’ll pick up your second one someday there’s got to be one other person who likes you besides your mom.”
“You know, I could call up a crawler from the base and make a few modifications to it to send it through the building and shoot a tranquilizer dart at him.” Tech called up the schematic, and saw the paths immediately. “It’d take like an hour to get it here, with my tools.”
Ace shook his head. “Easier just ta put Lexi on the bike with the cloaker and then send Rev in. We don’t need yer toys, Tech, but thanks.”
“But I’d rather…” He looked at Rev and trailed off. For some reason, the roadrunner looked annoyed. “Uh, the cloaker won’t work while the bike is moving.”
“I’ll just carry Lexi around then,” Rev said.
“No, I can’t hear when you go that fast, and it musses up my hair. How about if I just ride the bike nearby and then sneak up? I can do that.”
“That’ll woik. Okay, get to yer bike, and Rev, follow her. Stay on the open channel, botha you.”
Before Tech could protest, the two of them were out the door. He turned back and saw Duck smirking at him. “I’m, uh, still going to retrieve the crawler,” he said to Ace. “Just as a backup. In case we need it.”
“Just keep an eye on the video,” Ace said. “Otherwise knock yerself out.”
Tech kept Lexi and Rev’s monitors up while he sent one of his crawlers instructions to get onto one of the drone flyers back in base. He watched the grimy tenement buildings in Lexi’s monitor and listened to her whispered reports as he programmed the drone to join his jet.
“I hear the people in that building,” she told them. “They’re talking about some food and stuff.”
The bridge remained silent. Tech looked up to see Slam fiddling with his console, playing a solitaire game. Ace was resting his chin on one elbow, looking out through the windshield. Duck was either answering e-mail or reading some articles online. He kept his eyes on the monitor as he completed the drone’s instructions.
Twenty minutes later, though, even he was bored. All Lexi had managed to listen in on was a protracted conversation about who was going to take the garbage out, and a criticism of a television show. Rev’s monitor showed him dashing back and forth. He had the sound off, but Tech could almost hear the roadrunner’s impatient chatter in his head.
“They’re never going to talk about Fudd on their own,” he said.
“We need to startle ’em somehow,” Ace said.
“Oh, I know a way you could startle them,” Duck said, looking at Tech.
“Dat’s okay, Duck,” Ace said. “You can leave yer Misty Breeze collection back at the base.”
“She is a rare talent,” Duck said stiffly. “And she’s beautiful. And some of those items have already doubled in value.”
“Gah rah two cent,” Slam said, looking up from his game.
“Tech, what about that thing yer retrievin’ from the base? You flyin’ it here on a drone?” Tech nodded. “Can you program it to fly by the buildings? Nice an’ close?”
“Sure.” He tapped into the drone’s programming and re-routed it to fly past the each of the two buildings. “Okay. It should arrive in approximately eighty-three seconds at the first, ninety-one seconds at the other.”
“Approximately?” Ace grinned back at him.
“Give or take two seconds,” Tech said. “Depending on relative humidity and point turbulence due to structure-induced thermals and downdrafts.” To their blank stares, he added, “The air gets funny that close to buildings.”
“Can you delay the flight so it doesn’t hit the second building ’til a couple minutes later?” When Tech nodded, Ace said into the open channel, “Rev, get ready ta grab Lexi and take her from the first location ta the second if she doesn’t hear anything in about a minute. We’re gonna try to startle them inta talkin’ about Fudd.”
“Okay,” Lexi’s whisper echoed through the bridge.
Rev was more effusive, of course. “Great idea Ace anything’s better than standing around here waiting of course I’m not standing but it’s still better than running back and forth here waiting I’ll be ready
