Chapter 6
Max and the Chief were following the sonar tracker. It actually had not stopped beeping since they turned it on an hour ago. Max looked down at the odometer.
"Well, we've gone 25 miles and that little device is still tracking. It'll be dark soon. They could not have gone that far, could they?"
"I don't know, Max. What I do know is that they haven't moved for hours, so I say that they want us to find 99."
"I suppose you're right, Chief." Max said. His head swept side to side observing the terrain and looking for some type of building where KAOS could be hiding 99.
They traveled for yet another 10 miles, and Max stopped the car to check in at home.
"Have they heard anything from her, Max?"
"No. The kids refuse to eat until we come back there for a proper family Christmas dinner."
"I hope you informed your mother-in-law that this may not happen overnight."
"Chief, 99's mother is more aware of our situation than most people. Remember 99's father was a spy, too."
"Really, I didn't know that. No wonder she hadn't blinked an eyelash when we told her what we really did for a living."
"Yes, Chief, she's one in a million. Just like her daughter..." Max added in a fleetingly despairing moment.
After another couple of silent prayers Max had sent heavenward, he said, "Come on, Chief. Let's find my wife."
Part 2
While his father and Uncle Chief were away and both Maxine and Avery helped Grandma with Zoe, Zach Smart pulled out the second tracker box he had made when he had given the first one to his parents. Zachary felt knowing how clumsy his dad could be at times that if he made two boxes Zach would be sure that it would work. Zach thought he saw his mom wearing her tracker earrings.
His room was dark with the Christmas evening just beginning and he turned on the lamp over his desk and pulled out the tracker box from his lower desk drawer. He sat on the chair and placed the box on the desk. He had just installed fresh "D" batteries, so he knew it had enough juice to do its work. Zach pushed the button of the tracker box intrepidly. At first nothing, then suddenly the circle sweeper arm made a beeping noise at the same time there was a blip on the screen. There were actually two blips because the box had to be picking up the tracker box located in his father's corvette as well.
"Come on, Dad. You're almost there. You can't be too far off," Zach muttered.
Suddenly there was a harsh loud knocking on the door.
"Zach, what are you doing? Grandma wants everyone at the dinner table now!"
This was Avery who had, so far experienced the worst Christmas on record. Not only did he not get anything he put on his list, his parents were missing. Avery especially missed 99. Avery played favorites between his parents and his favorite was his mother. Avery knew 99 had mostly been the brains of the operation between his mother and dad when they worked and she always knew how to take care of everybody. Avery loved Max; of course, but many times he knew himself to be a bit quicker and a bit smarter than his lovable less skillful dad. However, unlike 99, Avery never missed an opportunity to let everyone know that he was more clever than Max. Max took these times in stride and was, unknowingly, to Avery very proud that Avery had not inherited Max's less-than-perfect characteristics.
"Hey, Avery, I'll be down in a minute. I'm doing something," Zach shouted back.
"Can I see?" Avery wanted to know what his older brother was doing. Knowing Zach it could be anything.
"No," Zach said. He did not want Avery to worry. He knew that mom was Avery's favorite parent. Therefore, Zach concluded that his mission would be better if Avery did not know anything about it.
"Oh, ok. Don't be long or Grandma will be up here next. You don't want that, do you?" Avery threatened.
"Absolutely not!" Grandma could be a hardass when she wanted to be.
After Zach heard Avery's footsteps fade awat, he took his attention back to his tracker box. He then saw something very conclusive.
