mentioned, "Yours came in second."

Shere Khan shot Owen a withering look, one that made the scrawny tiger's knees knock. "In business, there is no prize for second place. There must be some way to obtain their secret recipe."

"But, sir, all of the spies that you've sent have been spotted and ejected," Owen timidly pointed out.

Khan scratched one claw thoughtfully on the arm of his chair. "What we need is someone who can't be spotted. How is Falcon Wing coming?"

"The tests are nearly complete, sir," Owen said readily, glad to relay some good news for a change.

"Excellent," Khan murmured with a hint of a satisfied smile. "If that is all..."

"Yes, sir." Owen quickly exited the office thinking that he hadn't seen Shere Khan this pleased since the invention of the sub-electron amplifier.

Back at Higher for Hire

A bowl of popcorn was rapidly disappearing thanks to Baloo, who was lounging in his favorite easy chair. "If Becky don't feather her props, she's gonna wear out the floor."

Kit, perched on the chair's arm, nodded as he watched their boss frantically pace the length of the room.

Rebecca was saying, "Once our clients find out that you're invisible, Higher for Hire will be out of business! No one will trust a pilot they can't see. Unless we can keep it a secret. Did anyone see you?" Before Baloo could say anything, she answered her own question: "Of course not. You're invisible." Gasping with realization, she added, "But they might have seen you carrying those crates and become suspicious." She ran to the door to look outside.

"The only thing suspicious around here is how you're actin'."

Rebecca slammed the door. "Invisible or not, I can still fire you, Baloo."

Kit broke in with, "Hey, Papa Bear, do you think Buzz could help you become un-invisible?"

"Don't see why not," Baloo said through a mouth full of popcorn. "He's come up with crazier things before."

Rebecca asked, "Who's Buzz?"

"A scientist pal of mine. Known him since I was a kid. He's workin' for Shere Khan now."

"Why didn't you mention that he could help you in the first place?" Rebecca said through gritted teeth.

Under his breath, Baloo said, "Couldn't get a word in edgewise, lady."

"What are you waiting for?" Rebecca seized the popcorn bowl and dragged Baloo towards the door in what appeared to be a one-sided version of tug-of-war. "Go see this Buzz and I don't care what it takes. The next time that I see you, I want to see you." Giving a big yank, she propelled Baloo through the doorway, popcorn bowl and all.

Picking himself up off of the flagstones, Baloo said, "Ya know what, Li'l Britches? Bein' invisible is a pain in the neck...an' the back...an' the head..."

Khan Towers
Buzz's Lab

A thick, red substance traveled through a roller coaster-like maze of thin, plastic tubing until it was met at a juncture by a yellow substance traveling in a second tube, thus combining to make an orange substance. Further down the tube, the orange substance was joined by a chunky green substance. At the bottom of the titration tubing, Buzz turned a knob, allowing a glob of the substance to drop onto a hot dog.

Buzz took a bite of the hot dog. "Hmm..." he smacked his beak thoughtfully. "The ketchup/mustard ratio is still wrong, but the relish is just right." He jotted something down in his lab notebook. He was so intent on his work that he didn't notice that he had visitors.

"Hi, Buzz," Kit said, peeking over the inventor's shoulder. "What are you working on?"

"It's a ketchup/mustard/relish dispenser, but after 86 hot dogs, I'm getting a little thirsty." Then the googly eyed scientist noticed what Kit held in his hand. "Root beer! Thanks!"

He was about to pop the cap off when Baloo shouted, "Don't drink it!"

Buzz looked at Kit. "That was a good imitation. You sounded just like Baloo."

"Because it is me, Buzz." Baloo tapped the inventor on the shoulder. "I'm right here."

"Oh, I see," Buzz said, nodding so that his tuft of feathers bobbed. Then he shook his head so that his feathers bobbed the other way. "Or rather, I don't. You're invisible, right?"

"Right in one guess. An' we need your help so's I can reverse this."

"Can you analyze this root beer and tell us what's in it?" Kit asked.

Squinting, Buzz read the label: "Carbonated water, corn syrup..."

"No, no, the invisibility formula in the root beer," Baloo said, becoming more than a little frustrated.

The scientist brought the bottle closer to his eyes. "I don't see any mention of invisibility formula."

Baloo slapped his forehead. He wondered how someone so brilliant could be so thickheaded. "'Cause it's a secret."

"If it's secret, why are you telling me?" Buzz said, bewildered.

Kit explained, "We think the Swatzis put a secret invisibility formula in the root beer."

Confused, Buzz asked, "And they told you about it?"

Kit shook his head, then said slowly, "We want you to analyze a sample of this root beer and see if there's any way to reverse Baloo's invisibleness."

Buzz held the bottle up to the light and studied it. After a moment, he smiled at Kit. "Sure. That should be doable. I just need to dig out my equipment." He set the root beer down on the lab bench and went to rummage through his cluttered closets.

At that moment, Shere Khan stepped into the room and picked up the bottle of root beer. "Provided that I will let him."

"How did you...?" Baloo yelped.

"I have my ways." Khan smiled mysteriously. "Come to my office, gentlemen. I would like to have a word with you in a more private atmosphere."

Several stories above, Shere Khan pushed a button to draw a set of heavy drapes over the humongous picture window, thus blocking out the view of the Cape Suzette cliffs bathed in moonlight. He then pulled a file folder out of his desk drawer, sat down, and slowly perused its contents as if he were trying to decide something.

From what Baloo and Kit could see, that folder contained airplane schematics.

Finally, Khan closed the file. "I've noticed that you have a unique problem, Mr. Baloo. An opportune problem."

"Wish the problem would disappear," Baloo mumbled.

"I am willing to help you with that," Khan said, returning the file to his desk drawer.

"Ya mean it?" Baloo said hopefully.

"If..."

"If?" Baloo and Kit echoed.

Khan folded his arms on his desk and leaned forward. "If you are willing to do something for me."

"Name it, Khanny. I'll do it."

"Yes...I thought you would." His expression was as tranquil as the all-knowing Sphinx. "My limousine will pick you up at midnight tonight. You will be given further instructions then."

"Thank you, Mr. Khan," Kit said quietly. He wasn't exactly happy. Something about that deal was as fishy as Ol' Flippy.

However, Baloo was nothing but relieved. He vigorously pumped Shere Khan's hand. "Yeah, thanks a million, Khanny."

After the elevator doors had closed behind the two bears, Shere Khan picked up the root beer bottle with a smug smile. "No, thank you..."

End of part 1

Here's to Your Stealth
Part 2

Higher for Hire
Midnight

A made-to-order night for the ol' cloak-and-dagger, Baloo thought. Leaning against the exterior of Higher for Hire, the invisible pilot gazed up at the coal black sky hovering over the dark cliffs and waited. Waited and wondered and worried about what Shere Khan had in store for him.

He didn't have to wait and wonder and worry long. A moment later, at exactly midnight, a shiny black limousine pulled up in front of Higher for Hire, its tires crunching over the flagstones.

Baloo hurried over to it and knocked on the passenger window.

When the window rolled down, Shere Khan's voice issued deep from within the shadowy interior. "Baloo, I presume."

"It sure ain't Dr. Livingbone."

"Excellent. Put this on." Shere Khan snapped his fingers. In the blink of an eye, Owen was standing beside the open passenger door, holding out a strip of black cloth.

"What for?" Baloo asked, taking the blindfold from the scrawny tiger yes-man.

"Let's just say that there are a few things I would like to remain a secret."

Baloo slid into the car beside Khan, then knotted the blindfold around his eyes. "What could be more secret than an invisible pilot?"

Khan smiled mysteriously as the limousine started down the street.

The Mohahavie Desert
Two Hours Later

When the limousine came to a stop, the moon broke through the thick bank of clouds, allowing a glimpse of a flat expanse of sand and sagebrush as far as the eye could see.

Shere Khan pulled a remote control out of his suit pocket. With a flick of a button, a cluster of massive airplane hangars topped with sophisticated radio antennae seemed to appear from out of nowhere. At first, they shimmered like a desert mirage, then their outlines became more solid.

Khan pushed another button on the remote control, thus opening a large door in the hangar closest to the road.

As the limousine rolled into the dark hangar, Khan said, "You may remove your blindfold now, Baloo. I trust that I need not remind you that all you are about to see is confidential?"

"As long as you don't blab about me bein' invisible," Baloo replied as the car came to a stop. He stepped out when Owen opened the door.

"Then we're agreed." Khan pushed a third button on the remote, turning on the overhead

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