skyscraper’s wall, he peeked through the revolving door. He could see the doorman guarding the elevator at the far end of the lobby. He stood there for a minute, pondering what to do.

Luck was on his side. Just then, an attractive young woman emerged from the elevator and smiled at the doorman. The doorman smiled back and exchanged a few pleasantries. Kit saw his chance and took it. While the doorman was engaged in conversation, he stealthily slipped through the revolving door and dove behind a potted plant just inside the door.

Now, for getting across the lobby to the elevator.

Again, luck was on his side. The gallant guard offered to walk the woman to her car. Once they were outside, Kit sped across the lobby. His heart pounding, he hit the ‘up’ button and kept his eyes peeled for the doorman's return. After a moment, the door opened. He stepped inside and pressed the floor number.

When the elevator door closed and the car began its ascent, Kit breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe now.

At the 52nd floor, the elevator door opened. Kit cautiously looked into the lab before stepping out. “Buzz?” he called.

All he heard was the low hum of machines and a bo-ing! Bo-ing! Bo-ing!

What in the world is that? the boy wondered. It sounds like a gigantic pogo stick.

The noise was getting louder by the second.

All of a sudden, an odd-looking figure jumped out from behind a tall machine. Actually, it jumped over the machine.

“Aah!” Kit crouched as it bounced over him.

“Kit?” Buzz said, bouncing from the ceiling to floor. His lab coat comically flapped up and down with every bounce. “Am I glad to see you!”

“Yeah.” Kit’s head bobbed as he watched the inventor’s great leaping bounds. “What are those?” he said, meaning Buzz’s shoes. Each penny loafer had two springs taped to the bottom.

“Springy shoes designed for dusting the top of tall furniture. At least they will be when I get the tension right on the springs. I can’t stop. Been bouncing around here for hours,” the inventor said, as if bouncing around the lab at all hours of the night was normal.

“I’ll stop you...somehow.” After Kit got into the rhythm of Buzz’s bouncing, he lunged for the inventor’s legs. "Whoa!" he yelled as he was dragged while the shoes continued their jumping. His head felt as if it was going to split as they bounced ever lower and lower.

Finally, their combined weight was enough to overtake the shoes.

“Did...did we stop?” Buzz stammered as he swayed, then fell on his backside.

Holding his spinning head, Kit replied, “I think so.”

Buzz removed the shoes, which bounced a little ways by themselves. “Next time I’ll set the tension a little lower.”

“Good idea,” Kit said, dizzily getting to his feet.

“Thanks for the help, Kit. Stop by anytime,” Buzz said. He crawled underneath a bench to retrieve one of the errant shoes.

“Okay.” When Kit got halfway to the elevator, he stopped. “Wait. I came to ask you a favor.”

Buzz locked the shoes in a cupboard where their thumping could still be heard. “Sure, sure. Anything.”

“My watch is busted. Can you fix it?” Kit took out his handkerchief and shook out the pieces onto a lab bench.

Buzz peered at the pieces through his large, googly eyes. “Looks just like my watch. Of course I can fix it. Make yourself at home.” He started to rummage through drawers and cupboards in search of tools.

Kit sat down on a lab stool, his chin propped in his hands. His eyes drooped as he watched Buzz work. He must have dozed off, because he woke with a start when Buzz exclaimed, “I’ve got it!”

Through a yawn, Kit muttered, “Is my watch fixed?”

“Not only that, but I’ve thought of my next great invention. Platypus carriers!”

“Platypus carriers?” Kit echoed wonderingly.

“Yes. For when you want to carry your platypus. It’ll be a sensation! Everyone needs a platypus carrier.”

Kit picked up his now-intact watch and left, murmuring to himself, “That Buzz sure is a crazy old coot, but he’s a great guy for fixing my watch.” He looked at the inscription inside. Satisfied that it was his watch and that it was repaired, he snapped the lid shut.

When he arrived home around 11:00 PM, a light was on in the bathroom, so he knew one of his parents was still awake. He skirted the building, opened the office door, and peeked in. The room was dark, so he slipped in and closed the door, cringing when it creaked.

Halfway up the stairs, he froze when he heard a faraway door slam. His eyes strained to see through the darkness. At first, he didn’t see anything. Then, he spotted a light coming from under the kitchen door.

Baloo's getting a midnight snack, he thought.

He hurried up the stairs. Just as he passed the bathroom, the doorknob rattled.

Oh, man!

Kit sped into his room and dove under the covers. He lay there, eyes closed, trying to calm his breathing. At the last moment, he remembered to remove his cap. He stashed it underneath the blanket.

A moment later, Rebecca tiptoed into the room. Kit held his breath while she smoothed his hair and tucked the covers around him. She stood there for a moment, her hand on his shoulder. A cold sweat beaded on his forehead. What if she’d discovered somehow that he wasn’t asleep?

Much to Kit’s delight, he felt her gentle kiss on his cheek. Then she stepped out as quietly as she had come in, leaving the door open a crack.

Kit breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling very warm and loved, his hand stole up to his cheek where she had kissed him.

Then, Kit heard Baloo’s heavy tread plodding up the stairs. Out in the hallway, Rebecca asked Baloo accusingly, “Are you eating something?”

Baloo swallowed loudly. “Not anymore.”

Rebecca whapped Baloo playfully.

“Are the little tykes a-snoozin’?”

Little tykes? Kit thought, outraged. I’m thirteen years old, for crying out loud!

The rest of Baloo and Rebecca’s murmured conversation faded as they ascended the stairs to their bedroom.

Any joy that he had felt over Rebecca’s goodnight kiss was forgotten in fuming over Baloo’s careless remark.

Little tyke?

Baloo had been thoughtless in the past, but that was going over the line.

The worst part of was that Kit loved Baloo so much that he would go through fire and water for him. It hurt excruciatingly that Baloo had just tossed him aside like an empty wrapper.

The day that had begun so wonderfully for Kit ended in tears.

End of part 2

No Time Like the Present
part 3

Thursday Morning

A state-of-the-art airplane cut through the clear, cerulean sky with Kit Cloudkicker, Ace of the Skies, piloting. In the pocket of this brave, determined young man was a letter direct from the President of Usland destined to save the world.

All of a sudden, air pirates swooped down, peppering his plane with bullets.

Sorry, guys. I’m outta here, he thought with a cocky grin.

He pushed the throttle up to increase his speed, but no matter which way he went, no matter what tricks he used, the pirates stayed right on his tail.

Just then, from out of nowhere, came the Sea Duck. Kit’s spirits soared. Help had arrived. Together, he and Baloo would show those air pirates a thing or two.

To his utter astonishment, the Sea Duck began firing on him.

Since when does the Duck have guns?

Kit picked up the mike to inform Baloo of his identity, but was alarmed to find out that he couldn’t utter a syllable.

The gunfire from the Sea Duck poured in heavier and heavier. Kit tried every trick he knew, but he couldn’t out-fly Baloo.

Finally, Kit’s wounded plane plummeted down, down, down towards a vast red ocean, thick black smoke pouring from the engines, gaining momentum with every heart-pounding second..

Kit, who had no time to jump, squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath, awaiting the plunge into the watery grave.

Any second...impact.

“Kit, wake up!” someone shouted, pouncing on him.

“Aah!” Kit yelped, heart racing.

A familiar voice said contritely, “Sorry I scared you.”

Kit, badly shaken by his nightmare, cracked his eyes open to see his sister’s smiling face a few inches from his own. He let out a big sigh of relief. “Molly?”

“Hi.” Molly hopped off of the bed, causing it to bounce slightly. “Daddy’s making pancakes. He said that he’s the fastest flapjack flipper this side of Philly.”

“What time is it?” Kit said groggily, glad that he was still alive.

“Time to get up, silly. Mommy says if you don’t get up now, you’ll be late for the cargo run, and if you don’t hurry all the pancakes will be gone.” She giggled as she skipped out the door.

Jeepers, what a nightmare! Kit blinked a few times to clear his head and willed his heart to stop pounding. He took comfort in all of the familiar objects in his room.

Slightly dazed, he arose. He dressed mechanically and grabbed his baseball cap from where it hung on the bedpost, flipping the bill backwards. The sight of his new pocket watch made him pause for a second.

Oddly enough, last night’s excursion to Khan Towers seemed more dream-like than his nightmare.

Kit slipped the watch under his sweater beside his airfoil. After quickly making his bed, he walked out of his room, down the hallway to bathroom. The bathroom door was shut. When he turned the knob, he found that it was locked.

“Swell.”

He was about to knock when Rebecca emerged. She

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