Chapter 2: The Dangerous Assignment
An hour later, the eight Chan children were sitting in the living room, eating their delicious sandwiches that perfectly made by their wonderful mother, who was assisted by the helpful Suzie.
Alongside them was their sister, Mimi, whom had awakened from her nap after the sandwiches were completed. After finishing her snack, Suzie helped feed Nancy some cereal as she sat in her high chair. The little toddler completed her bowl, but alas, was not satisfied.
As she cried, Suzie turned to her mother and said, "Mom, I think Nancy's still hungry."
"How?" Flip complained. "That's her fifth bowl of cereal, and she ate a sandwich before that! How much can a three-year-old eat?"
Chunhua gave her baby daughter, Mimi, whom was in a playpen, her bottle of milk and said, "Please, Flip. Your sister just has a big appetite. Nothing to get upset about. Still, we don't want to make her sick by overfeeding her. Suzie, just give Nancy her toy apple to calm her down."
As told, Suzie gave her little sister a toy apple, and the slightly chubby child immediately stopped crying and chewed on the soft toy.
"It doesn't matter whether it's real or not, Nancy's happy with any food," Anne giggled.
As she took another bite out of her sandwich, the young tomboy accidentally chewed on some of her long hair. "Oh, this hair!" Anne fumed. "It's just too long. One of these days, I'm gonna trim it."
Despite having difficulty eating, Anne completed her sandwich and was about to head to the kitchen to dispose of her plastic plate, but was stopped by Stanley.
"Wait, Anne!" he requested. "Don't throw that away. I'm gonna need it."
Anne gave her big brother the used plate. "Uh, sure, but what for?"
Stanley explained, "In art class, they taught us how to make masks out of paper plates. I'm gonna make all kinds to disguise myself. Maybe I'll make a tiger mask with your plate and a frog mask with mine."
Henry face palmed. "I sure hope this masks and disguising thing don't become a permanent hobby."
Just then, the family's moment was interrupted by their house phone ringing.
"I'll get it!" Henry got up from the couch and walked over to the telephone, but before he could answer, his younger brother, Flip, zoomed over and picked up the phone. "Well, one of these days, I'll get it," Henry growled to himself.
"Hello?" Flip answered the phone. "Who? Oh, yeah, he's here. Yo, Pop, it's for you. It's the fuzz."
"Why, Flip," his mother chided. "Where did you learn to talk like that? From all those cops and robbers movies, I'll bet."
"Sorry, Mom," Flip said as he lowered his head.
His father took the phone from his son and spoke, "Hello? Yes, Sergeant Barnwell. I see. I'll be right there." Charlie hung up.
"What is it, dear?" asked Chunhua.
"It was Sergeant Ralph Barnwell about that drug smuggling operation," Charlie informed. "It appears they still need more evidence to prove that Tony Vito is guilty. The sergeant wishes for me to check out the old abandoned warehouse where Vito once worked at on Cornell Street."
"Well," Chunhua decided, "let me just grab my coat and we'll get going."
"Chunhua," Charlie fretted, "normally, I have no problem with you accompanying me, but perhaps you shouldn't. As said, in your condition, you mustn't be working so hard."
"Charlie, please," Chunhua insisted, "I'm not only your wife, but I'm also your assistant. Where you go, I go."
"You go, Mom!" Anne cheered.
"Mother, maybe you should do what Pop says," young Tom worried. "Besides, you are a female. Beating up bad guys is for guys, not ladies."
"Dear Tom," Chunhua patiently chuckled as she put on her slim pink fur coat, "you really have much to learn about ladies."
"Shall we be off then, Chunhua?" a reluctant Charlie asked.
"Yes, Charlie, we shall," his wife answered before turning to her first-born child. "Henry, you're in charge. Keep an eye on your siblings while we're gone."
"Check, Mom," Henry saluted. "Will do."
"Nail those crooks, Mom! You too, Pop!" Anne encouraged her parents.
As the Chan parents walked out of their front door, Charlie smiled, "Young Suzie may have your wonderful appearance, Chunhua, but little Anne has your spirit."
As the pair entered their car, their son, Alan, watched as they drove off. "Boy," he thought aloud, "with our family getting bigger, it feels like that dinky little car is getting smaller. If only we could get a new, bigger car."
"Forget it, Alan," Flip dismissed. "Pop says a new ride costs a lot of big bucks."
"Yeah," Anne agreed. "Too bad you can't just make one."
"Yeah," Alan sighed as he grabbed a sheet of paper. With a pencil, he creatively drew a picture of a large van. "At least, not yet."