PART III.
Michael opened his eyes, then groaned and closed them again. It seemed that every bone and muscle in his body was competing for attention, with a catalogue of aches and pains. He rolled out of bed, looking at the alarm he had set yesterday for 6:00 AM, when he had come home... at 12:02 AM.
Michael went into the shower, feeling the warm water make his sore muscles relax just a little. At least today would make it worth it, he thought, concentrating on the money. He quickly ate breakfast and left the tower, avoiding any chance of running into Shere. He didn't want some last minute chore to ruin today.
Michael walked down the still sleepy city, towards the H&H building. Already, there were lights on there, as Baloo and Wildcat prepared the Seaduck for the days business.
"Hi, Michael," Baloo said, waving as he moved yet another box of dried petunias (for the Falkenberb Flower Festival), into the 'Duck. "Rebecca and Molly are gonna be here in a few minutes... Becker's said to tell you that she'll handle getting the juice... seems the company won't deal with'ya unless you're an adult." Michael grabbed as box and helped Baloo lift it into the 'duck.
"Thank you, Mr-"
"Baloo, Michael, Baloo..." The bear paused, "Addin a 'Mr.' to my name makes me feel about a hundred years older...."
"Now if it would only make you act a little older...." Rebecca said, walking up the path. Michael saw her car, followed by a small truck, the driver using a hose to fill the canisters. Rebecca smiled at the tiger and pointed back to the truck. "Why don't' you go back there and give Molly a hand? She's about to start up the refrigerator... and she might need some help." Michael nodded and ran over to the truck. Rebecca watched him go, then turned to Baloo.
"Now Baloo, make certain that they don't get into any trouble." Rebecca said, Baloo frowned.
"Now Beckers, you know me!"
"I do, you're right..... Make certain *you* stay out of trouble too." Baloo laughed.
"OK, OK, Beckers." He grinned, "Besides, they'll be too busy mak'in money to get into trouble...."
Molly waited until the last cylinder had been filled with the deep ruby fluid. The smell of the extract pervaded the area, filling the bearess' nostrils with a rich aroma. She turned as Michael walked up to her.
"Do you want to?" She asked, holding out the start cord to him. Michael shook his head.
"It was your work.... you should have the privilege..." Molly grinned and gave the cord a pull. The gasoline engine sputtered, then caught, and roared to life. Michael put his hand on the cylinders, and felt the copper tubing grow icy to the touch, while the radiators began to get warm. Molly jumped up and down.
"I can't believe it... it actually works!" Michael looked at her.
"You had doubts?"
"Of course not!" Molly said, then in a deadpan voice, "It was going to do something... I just wasn't certain what." The two kids looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Jereem came walking around the corner, and looked at the Cylinders. He paused and looked at Molly and Michael.
"Is redfruit juice supposed to be frozen?" The coyote asked. Molly and Michael looked at each other.
"What do you mean, Jereem?" Michael asked. The coyote cocked his head.
"Well, I know some foods go bad if you freeze them, so I was wondering if this was one of them?"
"ahhhh...." Michael said, intelligently.
"Ummmmm" Molly replied with equally great intelligence. The bearess turned and ran down to the Seaduck. "Baloo?" She asked,
"Yeah, pigtails?" The gray bear replied.
"What does redfruit drink taste like... if it's been frozen." The bear grimaced.
"Ugh. you don't want to know.... all the flavors go to the bottom, and the top is this oily gunk.... ugh!" The bear paused, "Why, Mol-ly?" he stuttered, as the young bearess seemed to teleport to the freezer, and frantically turned off the compressor.
"Oh dear." Rebecca said.
"Problem?" Baloo asked, looking at the frantically running bearess.
"It seems that way... actually I hadn't thought of that either." Rebecca said.
"GREAT!" Michael said. "What do we do now?" Molly looked at him, then turned around to the cylinders.
"I didn't think about that... I figured that we'd just freeze it, then carry it that way." She admitted. Jereem looked at them both, then at the assembly.
"Maybe if you turned it on and off at intervals... that would keep it cold enough, but not freeze it." The coyote said. "Unless you can just set it at a temperature."
"Get real." Molly said. "I had enough problems getting the thing to work at all." Jereem chewed his lower lip, then turned and ran back into the office.
"Hang on... I have an idea." he said. The coyote entered the office, then went to the thermometer on the wall. He pulled it off the wall, then walked outside and headed for the Seaduck, Baloo, and Rebecca. "Ms. Cunningham?" he asked.
"Yes Jereem?"
"Could we borrow this for today?" Rebecca looked at it.
"Certainly, as long as it comes back intact." Jereem smiled and trotted over to the other two.
"We can put this on the outside of one of the cylinders." he said.
"But the stuff's on the inside...." Michael said. Jereem nodded.
"Yes, but the cooling pipes are on the *outside*, which means that the temperature on the inside will be hotter then it is next to the pipes. All we need to do is keep the outside at freezing, and the inside will probably be just above that." He paused. "We can check it a couple of times during the flight, you know, open one of the cylinders to check." Molly looked at Michael.
"Why didn't I think of that!" She said.
"Because you were working on the compressor all day." Jereem said. Molly frowned.
"Besides," Michael said, "no harm done." He gestured at the assembly. "Now, shall we place it on board the plane... and begin thinking on how we're going to spend the money when we return?" Jereem frowned at that comment, but Molly was already pulling the machine towards the Seaduck's cargo ramp.
"We'll have to open up one of the windows... and trail the exhaust pipe and heat exchanger outside," The bearess said as confidently as she had before the temperature SNAFU had come out.
By the time the three had grunted, pushed and sweated the unit into the back of the Seaduck, and Molly finished setting up the outside exhaust/exchanger, the rest of the cargo was ready to go. Rebecca had Wildcat go over the exhaust, ignoring Molly's glare. The older woman knew just how dangerous a monoxide leak could be in the confines of a cabin, and however skilled Molly was, she was also young.
With that, Rebecca said her good-bye's, fixing Baloo with a gimlet eye as she repeated her order to "stay out of trouble.". Baloo laughed.
"Sure thing, Bosslady... You know me!" Becky paused.
"Molly, you make certain that Baloo stays out of trouble!" Rebecca said.
"OK mom!" Molly called back.
"Mnnnn.... you'd think after all these years, she'd know me better..." Baloo muttered jokingly.
Molly strapped into the seat next to Baloo, while Michael and Jereem settled themselves in the two rear seats. Molly looked at the map, then gestured.
"Once were out of the harbor... steer 224 for the next.... three hours." She paused. "No make that 2 hours 45 minutes... we can refuel at Winger City and then keep going." Baloo looked at the golden bearess.
"Eager to make money, eh?"
"Well.... yes." Molly said, waving at her mother as the Seaduck taxied out into the bay. Michael smiled.
"Besides," he said, "It'll be nice to show granduncle that he isn't the only one who can seize the day." Baloo laughed.
"Well, just don't spend it all before you have it."
"Voice of experience, Baloo?'
"You bet, short stuff." He answered, as the Seaduck entered the narrow cliff, before emerging into the vast expanse of the ocean.
Even at 200MPH, it was better then 5 hours before they made it to Reticula. The conversation had waxed and lagged, and now the four were looking forward to stretching their legs... almost as much as the three kids were looking forward to selling their product. Baloo brought the Seaduck down in a picture perfect landing, just behind the protective wall of the breakwater.
Molly looked at the harbor crowded with numbers of cargo and passenger ships, although nothing like Cape Suzzette's crush of commerce. Hopping out onto the front of the Duck, the attractive bearess caught a mooring line, and secured it to the front, while Michael did the same with the rear line. Quickly, the four hopped out, and Baloo paid the harbormaster for the berthing space.
Molly, Michael and Jereem occupied themselves with moving the storage unit out of the back of the 'duck, not noticing Baloo until his loud voice cut through the clatter of equipment.
"WHAT D'YA MEAN THE PERMITS EXPIRED!" Baloo roared. Molly looked around, and frowned.
"Uh, oh...." She said as Baloo came stomping back towards the Seaduck.
"Pigtails... I'm gonna have to borrow Jereem." the bear said. He gestured at the harbormaster. "It seems that somebody forgot to update our permit, and that means I gotta go up to the office and settle this. Jereem's better with figures, so I'm gonna take him." Molly smiled.
"Don't worry," She gestured to the wheeled cart. "Michael and I can deliver this... there's a wholesaler up the road just a bit. We'll be back here before you two get here." The older bear and Jereem walked up the road, the coyote waving at the other two kids. Molly and Michael then turned to the cart, and looked at the slight incline of the road.
"It's not much." Michael said, "We'll have it up there in a few moments, at most." Molly looked more dubious, but set her back to it as the two began to move the cart up the road.
***
Baloo and Jereem entered the large office of the harbormaster. Baloo walked to the center desk, where a female warthog stamped paperwork forms.
"Hey sister," Baloo said heartily, "Can you tell us where to get a renewal."
"Must fill out forms." The woman grunted.
"Yeah, I know, so where do I go to fill out the forms."
"No. Must fill out forms to get permission to fill out forms." Baloo glared.
"Sister, this ain't Thembria..."
"No. But is exchange program." The woman shoved a pile of forms into the bear's face. "Must fill out in triplicate... must not use small coyote." she continued, not missing a beat as Jereem pulled out a pencil.
"Why not!" Baloo exploded.
"Not allowed." she said, as if that explained everything. Baloo forced a smile.
"Hey Jereem." Baloo said, "Take a dollar and get something for yourself at that diner... I'm gonna have to use some sweet talk on this...." He dropped his voice, "old battleaxe."
"Heard that." The woman said, in between stamping forms, DISAPPROVED.
Baloo sighed, and threw his eyes to heaven. With a sympathetic look, Jereem went outside, listening to Baloo's reasonable voice... getting less reasonable and louder by the second. Walking up towards the diner, he paused. Sitting next to the entrance was a coyote girl, about his size, her face in her hands as her small body shook with sobs. Jereem, puzzled, looked around. The girl had several small suitcases, but there was nobody else around that looked like they belonged with her.
***
Molly and Michael panted and puffed as they moved the cart up the last ten feet. The short, shallow climb had turned into a path fifty miles long and a thousand feet high. Molly wiped her forehead as they finally got the cart to the top of the hill.
"There.... finally." Michael said, gasping for air. He sagged against the cart, before getting up and throwing his shoulders back. "Now for the part that makes it all worth it." Molly set the chocks under the wheels, and the two kids walked into the store. A single badger was working the counter, and raised his eyes at them as they came in.
"Can I get you two something?" He asked.
"Actually," Michael said, "We can give you something." He paused. "We heard about the redfruit disaster, and so we're prepared to sell you premium redfruit drink at least 250 gallons worth. The badger's eyes widened slightly. Michael grinned. This was going very well. "In fact, I bet that you won't be able to get a better deal-" The badger burst out laughing... not just laughing, but gasping with hysterical chortles. Staggering over to a booth, he sat down. Molly and Michael looked at each other.
"Uh... did I say something funny?"
"You don't know?" The badger asked, "You really don't?"
"Know what?" Molly said, a little crossly. The badger got up and walked over to the window, still laughing. He pointed outside.
"What do you see?" He asked.
"Some ships." Michael said, wondering what was up.
"See the tanker?" The badger said, pointing to a ship in the harbor, the SK logo on its side.
"Yes..." Michael looked at the badger. "and your point is...?"
"Well, seems that Khan also heard about our shortage. That tanker out there holding about 250,000 gallons of prime quality, refrigerated, redfruit juice. I just bought enough to last me for the next month." he paused, "I'm afraid that you couldn't GIVE redfruit juice away here now."
"Ah.... Nobody wants it?" Michael said, his voice breaking into a squeak at the end.
"Nobody at all?" Molly didn't squeak... she just sounded like somebody had punched her in the gut.
"Sorry kids... I wish I could help you." the badger paused, "You'd better get that back to your plane, though.... if the cops catch you on the street with it, you'll get fined for selling without a license." Molly and Michael looked at each other, looked back at the cart, and then looked at the bay.
"Throwing ourselves in won't help." Michael said.
"But it might make us feel better." Molly replied.
"Let's go." Michael said, and Molly wordlessly followed him out.
***
"Ah... hello.": Jereem said to the small coyote girl, about his age with dark hair. She looked up at him, face streaked with tears.
"hi..." She said unsteadily.
"Is, um. something wrong?" Jereem asked.
"I, was going to meet my father... and when I got to the airport, somebody picked my pocket. I lost all the money and my ticket... and he hadn't rented an apartment yet so I can't call him..." She said, miserably.
"Well... maybe I can help. Where are you going?" Jereem asked reasonably, looking into her deep blue eyes. She sniffed a moment, then pulled out a letter.
"Cape Suzette" she said.
There is a God. Jereem thought.
"I'm from Cape Suzette: Jereem said, sitting next to her. "If you want, we could ask Baloo-- he's the pilot to give a call back to H&H. Ms. Cunningham could sent a cab over to where your father is and bring him to H&H.
"I don't know..." She said, doubtfully." Jereem smiled.
"We could give a call ourselves, if you want. Ms. Cunningham would let me reverse the charges." Jereem said, crossing his fingers.
"Well... OK." She said.
"Good!" Jereem said. The two walked to a phone booth.
"What's your name?" Jereem asked.
"Hannah Goldstein" She said, a little less timidly.
"Well, I'll get Ms. Cunningham on the phone and then you can talk to her."
***
When the phone rang at H&H, Rebecca picked it up, while holding her coffee in the other hand.
"H&H, Ms. Cunningham speaking, how may I help you?" Her wandering attention was dragged back to the phone from her paper when she heard Jereem's voice.
"Ms. Cunningham?"
"Jereem! Is anything wrong?" Rebecca asked Seaduck crashed, pirates have kidnapped Michael and Molly... Baloo vanished into Louie's and hasn't been seen since..*
"Oh, no. Nothings wrong with us." Jereem said, "Ah... could I reverse the charges? I'll pay you back, but I don't have enough on me right now."
Thank God Rebecca thought. "Certainly Jereem. Now, if nothings wrong... why do I have the pleasure?"
"Well," Said Jereem, "I've met a lady named Hannah, and she's had her ticket and cash pickpocketed.... would it be possible to give her a ride to Cape Suzette?"
"Hmmmm...." Becky thought, "Could you put her on, Jereem?" Jereem handed Hannah the phone.
"Hello?" The coyote girl said.
"Hello." Rebecca said, softening her voice. "Jereem tells me you have a bit of a problem, miss..."
"Goldstein... Hannah Goldstein, Ms. Cunningham." The coyote replied. Rebecca smiled. By the voice she wasn't much older then Molly, if that old.
"Where is your father staying?"
"He ah... didn't know... he was going to meet me at the airport, then I lost my ticket's and I can't get in touch with him and-" Hannah stopped talking.
"I can send a message to the airport... do you know what you flight was?" Hannah gave a number and Rebecca wrote it down. "You can come along... I'll make certain that your father is here to greet you."
"Thank you!" Hannah said, eyes lightening up. Jereem took the phone.
"Thank you Ms. Cunningham." He said.
"No, thank you, Jereem." Rebecca said, "That was a good idea to call me. How are the others doing?"
"I haven't seen Molly and Michael since I left the plane, and Baloo is working on some forms. They wouldn't let me fill them out." Jereem answered. Rebecca laughed.
"Well, poor Baloo. If he wants, and Hannah is willing, you might stop by Louie's for a few minutes on the way back."
"I'll tell him, Ms. Cunningham." Jereem said.
"Well, I won't keep you then." Rebecca said, "I'll see you back here tonight."
"Good Bye, Ms. Cunningham."
"Oh, and Jereem?"
"Yes?"
"Tell Molly that she shouldn't spend all her profits in one place."
"OK." Jereem said, hanging up the phone.
Jereem turned to Hannah, holding out his hand.
"Let me show you to the airplane." Jereem said, as Hannah took his hand.
"Thank you so much Jereem." Hannah said, "Could you show me around Cape Suzette after I and my father find a place to stay?"
"Certainly!" Jereem said. "Did your father find a job at Cape Suzette?"
"Yes… but that is not the main reason we are moving." The girl said. "I do not know if you keep up with the news, but things are getting… much worse for people like us in Eporue. We are still allowed to leave, but father decided that it would be best to leave while we could." Jereem nodded, then changed the subject.
"You'll like Cape Suzette," He said, "It's one of the crossroads of the world… everyone comes there sooner or later." Hannah smiled.
"It sounds much different from my home. Our town had less then a thousand people living there… father was the town doctor." She said as the two kids walked back towards the office, where Baloo continued to sweat over the pile of forms.
***
The two exhausted kids, having brought the cart back down the road, sagged by the berth where the Seaduck bobbed. Molly noticed with irritation that it was in the shadow of the Khan tanker. Michael paused.
"I've got to make a call."
"Good. I'll come with you." Molly stalked over to the phone with him. Michael picked up the receiver and made a call, collect to his Granduncle.
"Yes Michael?" Khan said, consulting a sheaf of papers in his large office.
"Uncle... you've moved into the redfruit business?" Michael asked, hoping against hope that he had uncovered a plot.... which would get some reward.
"Of course I have, Michael. There is a shortage, you know." Michael glared at the phone.
"How did you get everything ready so quickly!" Michael yelled into the handset.
"Tsk, tsk, Michael. You must be calmer.... to answer your question... I bought up the redfruit plantations and had them stop production... thus causing the shortage. I had already stored a sufficient surplus to take advantage of it." Michael blinked.... stunned, his jaw hanging open. Molly looked at him, not hearing the Shere end of the conversation.
"Why do you ask... and what are you doing in Reticula?"
"Selling redfruit..." Michael replied in a faint voice.
"Hm.... An excellent plan, if one doomed to failure... Michael, you should consult with me before entering into these plans. I hope that the get rich quick plans of Ms. Cunningham are not rubbing off on you."
"No." Michael said. "I'll talk with you later, Granduncle."
"Very well. Michael, you might want to sit in with Captain Engles, while he sells the juice... you could learn a great deal. By the way Michael... I am deducting this phone call out of your allowance. " Michael hung up the phone and looked at Molly.
"What did he say?" The golden bearess asked, gritting her teeth.
"He knew about the shortage." Michael said, sagging against the side of the booth.
"IN TIME TO GET ENOUGH JUICE TO FILL THAT!!!???" She shouted, gesturing at the ship.
"Uh-huh."
"How....." Molly said, trying to sound calm, her hands whitening where she held the edge of the booth.
"He made the shortage." Michael replied, his forebrain not yet censoring his comments.
"What?"
"He bought up all the plantations and reduced production.... then prices went up and now he's making a killing." Michael said in the same shell-shocked tone.
"But that's... but that's..." Molly's speech failed her.
"Business?" Michael offered.
"Underhanded Business!" The bear said. "Mom was right... NEVER trust a khan in business."
"Well Granduncle did mention that Ms. Cunningham's get rich quick schemes have always lead nowhere." Michael retorted, stung. "and may I remind you, that this was -"
"YOUR IDEA!" Both kids shouted in each other's face.
"It was not my idea...you were the one who brought the paper!" Molly yelled.
"Well as I recalled, I just wanted to ship a few crates... you were the one who turned it into an engineering project!" The shorter kid glared at him.
"I told you we had to do it that way."
"And I'm telling you that bringing a few crates would have given us a little of something instead of a lot of nothing!"
"Fine! Next time why don't you work on your own project!" Molly stalked off to the Seaduck. Michael took a deep breath and followed her. He looked up the road and saw Baloo, and two others walking back down. He blinked. One of them was Jereem and he was chatting with another coyote, a pretty black haired girl, about Jereem's own age. Michael opened his mouth, then closed it. Why ruin Jereem's day too?
"Hey kids!" Baloo said, heartily. "How did the business go?" he paused, and looked at the cart with the canisters on it. "That still looks full… didn't you sell it already? We've gotta get going pretty soon."
"No. We didn't sell it, Baloo." Molly said. "In fact, it seems that a certain SHERE KHAN, decided to do the same thing… only with a tanker!" Molly finished, glaring at Michael, who glared back.
"That's too bad." Baloo observed, "But those thing happen, kiddo. No reason to get yourself in a flutter about it." Molly took a deep breath.
"No…." She said, "But we still have to figure out what we're going to do about the money…" She turned to Jereem and Hannah. "Jereem, who is this?"
"Oh! Hannah, this is Molly Cunningham and Michael Khan. Michael, Molly, this is Hannah Goldstein."
"Hello," Hannah said, looking up at the two.
"Hi Hannah." Molly said. Obviously, Jereem's day had gone well.
"Hello Hannah." Michael said.
"She'll be coming with us to Cape Suzette," Jereem continued.
"Well, we can dump the juice in the bay." Michael said, but Baloo interupted, "Hold on there, Michael." The bear said, "You don't want to go dumping stuff into the bay… that'll cost you a pretty penny in fines." He paused, "Besides, maybe Louie could use some… y'won't make as much money as you thought y'would… but you'll make more then you will right now." Michael nodded.
"Your right, Mr." At Baloo's warning cough, Michael paused. "Baloo," The bear laughed and waving the kids into the plane, gave Michael and Molly a hand in moving the still chilled Redfruit container.
Jereem and Hannah got the two passenger seats, while Molly sat glumly in the copilot's seat, with Michael tending the cargo in self-imposed exile. The two ignored each other as they sat with their thoughts. Jereem and Hannah talked quietly, but for the most part the Seaduck was quiet as it winged towards Louie's, the sun sinking into the sea in a giant red ball.
By the time they had arrived at Louie's, Molly felt just a little better. Certainly they could sell the stuff to Louie.
"Now kids…" Baloo said as they got out. "We'll get something to eat."
"I'm not hungry…" Molly said, and Michael nodded.
"Well," The bear continued, "Maybe not now, but I always say a good meal is the best antidote for a bad day." Baloo finished, thumping his expansive stomach for emphasis. With that, Molly and Michael relented, both walking towards the restaurant.
"If we can sell it here…" Michael said to Molly, "It should make up for some of the loss."
"Maybe," she said, noncommittally. "But I still think what Shere did was underhanded!"
"Well…. Yes." Michael admitted.
Entering the place, Hannah's eyes widened at the décor, and the numbers of people going back and forth, working, dancing, eating, or just relaxing after a long day.
"Hiya, 'Cuz!" Louie said, from behind the bar where he was finishing up a dozen meals. "Haven't seen you in at least a week!"
"You know Beckers…" Baloo said laughing.
"And who is this?" Louie asked, looking at Hannah.
"Oh, Hannah lost her airline ticket so we're bringing her back to Cape Suzzette…" Jereem said, Louie looked at the others, all of whom had been in at one point or another.
"Well, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you all look like you could really use a break." He said, looking at the depressed looking Molly and Michael. "I know just what will cheer you up!" They found a table and sat down, looking at the menus. Hannah and Jereem were consulting, while Molly and Michael simply waited. Louie turned up again with five tall glasses, brimming with a familiar reddish fluid.
"Drink up!" Louie proclaimed. "Redfruit drink! Just got in a shipment… and this is gonna be the newest item on the menu. Good thing I got all I did, to." Molly and Michael's faces had paled to the color of a new moon.
"Do you…"
"Need anymore?" Molly asked, finishing Michael's stunned sentence.
"Nope, can't say that I do… Khannie sold me better then five tanks of the stuff… I'll be hard put to use it all up as it is… Did you want to buy some?" Louie asked, half jokingly.
"Actually, we were going to try to sell it to you." Michael said, and between him and Molly the story came out. Louie shook his head sympathetically.
"Hard luck, 'cuz. Don't worry though, everyone loses their shirt the first time out…" Michael groaned, as Molly glared at him. Then, taking a deep breath, the bearess started in on her sandwich, using a knife to cut it into smaller pieces, not because she had to, but because she could then pretend that it was Shere Khan with each savage sawing motion.
***
The Seaduck landed and taxied up to H&H, the moon turning the water silvery. Rebecca waited for them at the dock an older coyote by her side. Hannah got out of the 'duck and ran to him.
"Papa!"
"Hannah!" He said, sweeping her up in a bearhug. Turning to Jereem who had followed the coyote girl, he said. "And you are Jereem, who arranged this?"
"I, er, I just met her and then decided to call Ms. Cunningham."
"Which is more then many adults did during my daughters troubles. What do you wish.. If I can give it, it is yours!" Jereem blinked in embarrassment. Then he looked over at the Seaduck and a thought hit him.
"You're a doctor?"
"Yes."
"Do you need a freezer?" Hannah's father paused.
"I could do with one, yes, but not so much a freezer as an icemaker. The place in which I will be practicing has many poor families, without refrigerators. Why?" Jereem looked over at Rebecca, then back to Hannah's father.
"Mr. Goldstein… if you were to buy a freezer from my friends, I'd be very happy. I can guarantee that it will work." Goldstein looked over at the Seaduck, then back to Rebecca.
"If it were for blood, I would have to say no… those require exact temperature control.. but for freezing water… of course." Rebecca smiled at Jereem and turned to Mr. Goldstein.
"I'll work on a fair price… and I want to make certain that the two builders understand their long term maintenance obligations… but I think that you won't be disappointed."
"Papa, could Jereem show me around the town?" Hannah asked. Her father laughed.
"Of course, little one. Besides, from what Ms. Cunningham says, you will both be attending the same school." Jereem managed to avoid leaping for joy.
Meanwhile Molly and Michael had finished moving the canisters to the drain, and were busily engaged in pouring their hoped for sale down the drain. They finished and Molly sat down on the curb. Michael joined her.
"You're probably right." Michael said, "I should have checked more and besides, no matter what we had brought, the plane wouldn't of left any earlier… I'm sorry I put you through so much work for nothing." Molly shook her head, then tiredly leaned it against his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it…. We both should have figured that somebody else was going to go for this… I just didn't think that Shere Khan would have been involved." She paused, "I'm beginning to see why even people that don't like him don't joke about him." She looked up at Michael. "What about your camera?" Michael sighed.
"I guess I get to learn how to mow lawns…. Both for the camera and to pay Ms. Cunningham back."
"Michael? Molly?" Rebecca asked coming over to them.
"Mom?" Rebecca looked down at the two.
"Baloo told me. I'm sorry that it didn't work out." Molly shrugged.
"We'll survive…. But it might be a while before we can pay you for the ticket." Rebecca laughed softly.
"Maybe sooner then you think. Mr. Goldstein needs help working on his new office, and he wants to buy the freezer….. for 200 dollars." Molly and Michael both shot up and looked at Rebecca. Counting the cost of the freezer and the ticket, that just about put them where they had started. "Also," Rebecca continued. "If you'll help him with the building, getting everything ready, setting it up and so forth, he and I will pick up another camera."
"Ms. Cunningham… I couldn't." Michael said. "I need to earn the camera." Rebecca laughed.
"I know where Mr. Goldstein is setting up his office. Trust me, you'll earn it." She paused, "Interested?"
"I, well, YES." Michael said, getting up. Molly stood by him.
"Good." Rebecca said. "Now that that is settled, I'd suggest we get something to eat. Baloo said that you two didn't each much at Louie's."
"Ok." Molly said, "But mom, no…"
"Nothing redfruitish about the meal, I promise!" Rebecca said, laughing. "Now come on you two, we have to go eat and then help Mr. Goldstein and Hannah move all their stuff into their new apartment."
END.