A Redhead's Lunch

Author's note: Yeah, your next chapter, but I'm worried that I'm not dragging this out more. I added a little something else to "Trouble on Toy Island", so check it out.
And Mat, it was 5 minutes to 9 P.M. when the e-mail message about your review was delivered. My time zone is the New York City time zone.

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Chapter 4: Hanging Around
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01:20 PM - EMMA'S MILK AND COFFEE
Next thing we knew, we were all tied to a crane hanging above a BIG vat of coffee. Clockwise as seen from above, there were Sam, Clover, me, and Alex (who didn't notice a thing, since she was still asleep).

"Okay, spill the beans, Emma," I yelled at the owner of EM&C. "What's the big deal with the milky sleeping potion stuff?"
"Well," she explained, "it's like this. A few years ago, Emma's Milk and Coffee was very profitable. Excellent, even. Then, something happened that I would never forget.
"None of the coffee I sell is ever decaffeinated. If it's decaffeinated, it isn't really coffee. Do you follow me?" We nodded.

"Well, the Governor didn't know that when he bought some decaf coffee mix from me. Of course, it wasn't decaf, so he couldn't get to sleep that night.
"He blamed me, and forced me to close down EM&C for one year. At the end of that year, I-"

Clover interrupted Emma. "You were furious, and wanted revenge for closing your shop down, so you made milk that would put drinkers to sleep and never let them wake up. That right?"
"Y-Yes, that's right. How did you know?"
"That kind of thing isn't new to us. All sorts of villains have similar motives."
"… Oh."

Sam spoke next. "Could you maybe explain why we're hanging over a vat of hot coffee?"
"Simple. Right now, two of my guards are applying the hottest coffee I've got to the rope. In a matter of moments, it will burn through the rope, sending you to your death in that hot vat. Brilliant, huh?"
I gave Emma a funny look. Alex was by now beginning to snore. Emma left, leaving us alone.

"I hope one of you has an idea," Clover said, "because otherwise we're about to find out what a doughnut feels like when I dunk it in my coffee!"
"At least you have coffee and doughnuts," Sam retorted. "All I have is-"

An idea lit me up. I whispered in the ears of Sam and Clover. After a moment, they nodded. Sam was a little sore, however. "Leo, are you planning to replace my spot as team idea-getter?"
I only smirked.

Clover reached the catches on Sam's lunch box and undid them. The lid popped open, and Sam's soup thermos fell out. Clover caught it on her foot and kicked it up into my hand.
"Hey, Clover," Sam commented, "you should try out for the school soccer team with a kick like that!"

Meanwhile, I managed to get the thermos open and gulp down some soup. It was so spicy my tongue almost caught fire.
I then puckered my lips and blew directly at the rope that bound my arms. Just as Sam had told us, my breath had become a burst of flame. The ropes were burnt straight through in a second.
With the lightning-quick reflexes that a lifetime of video games had given me, I grabbed what remained of the rope while still holding the thermos, which I capped.

"Way to go, Leo!" Clover cheered. "Now, how about getting the rest of us?" She took the thermos, managed to get it back in Sam's lunch box, and latched the box shut.

I burnt Clover's rope the same way I burnt my own, and Clover dropped down and grabbed my ankle. I did the same with Sam, then Alex.
Soon I was at the top of a four-person chain. Clover was hanging onto me, and Sam was hanging onto Clover while Alex was caught between Sam's legs.
We began to swing back and forth. "Back!" I called. "Forth! Back! Forth!" I continued calling "Back!" and "Forth!" in rhythm.
After a big swing, I followed my "Forth!" call by letting go, and we all landed in a heap on the ground.

"Leo, Clover," Sam told us, "go after Emma. I'll stay here and watch Alex."
"Roger." "You got it." "Zzzzz …"
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You probably wonder what's next. Don't blame you.