Chapter Seven

"What do you mean, she escaped?" Numbar asked.

"She must've called for a ride or something," one of the men said. "Point is, she's not in the restroom, and we haven't found her in the immediate vicinity."

"So where is she?" The man shrugged, and Numbar said, "Get out of here, all of you." The men filed out of his office, leaving him alone with his thoughts. "Okay, Pat," he said to himself. "Get it together. You've got a meeting to arrange."

ZZZ

While Dasha explored Nova Linda in awe, Zenon sat on the couch next to Proto Zoa, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "What are you thinking?" he whispered.

"I don't know," she replied. "I'm in comprehension mode minor right now and I feel like I should be thinking about something, but I'm clear minor about what it is."

"Perhaps you should take a break."

Zenon's zap-pad went off, and she checked the ID. "Great," she muttered. "Looks like a break is evasive major."

She answered the zap, and Numbar said, "Oh, finally. I've been waiting for thirty minutes for somebody to answer."

"It's for you," she said, handing the zap-pad to Zoa, who walked off into a separate room.

Zenon turned on the television to pass the time, but nothing of note seemed to be on, so she turned it off again. Dasha walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. "Vega omega," she said. "You're so lucky he's letting you stay here."

"I dreamt it," she said flatly, not looking at her cousin.

"Dreamt staying here?"

"No. You said Numbar planned to blow up the spay stay. I dreamt about the spay stay exploding."

"Wait, you had another freaky god-given dream?"

"I don't know."

"You just fell asleep and saw the spay stay explode?"

"I was trying to get away, but when I started trying to control my movements, I couldn't. I circled around, like I had to see it happen, and then the spay stay went up like a faulty major pyrotechnics show, and the shockwave sent me back, and I woke up. That's what happened."

Dasha immediately became subdued, and she settled back, staring at the carpet. A moment later, she glanced up at Zenon, who was still staring at the blank television screen, her eyes glazed over. "Zee, we have to stop him, before he blows the spay stay up."

"When he meets with Zoa," Zenon rasped. "Dasha, I need you to zap Margie and tell her everything you know. If she asks, tell her Zoa's using my zap-pad because Selena destroyed his."

"Okay, Zee, I will." She pulled her zap-pad out of a jacket pocket and began searching the contacts for the 'M's. Margie was near the top of the list, and she tapped the name gently.

"Dasha, how'd you get this ID?" Margie asked.

"Zee gave it to me," Dasha replied. "Look, she needs me to tell you something, about the spay stay."

"What about it?"

"It's gonna blow up."

"What?" General Hammond asked, walking up behind Margie. Carefully, Dasha explained what she knew of Numbar's plans, watching both of the Hammonds go white. "Excuse me," the general said, clearing his throat and straightening out his already straight jacket. He walked off the screen, leaving a pale and nervous-looking Margie.

"Are you guys coming up?" Margie asked.

"I think so," Dasha replied. "Just watch for Numbar's pod, and make sure your dad knows that."

"I think he does, but I'll make sure."

Dasha nodded and signed off, pocketing her zap-pad.

"We've got three days," Proto Zoa said as he walked into the living room.

"Okay," Zenon said.

"Wait, will you take us with you?" Dasha asked, turning to face him.

"Of course I will," he replied. "I mean, you two are the ones out to save the world. Who am I to stand in your way?"

"Thanks," Zenon whispered.

ZZZ

Commander Plank had finished trying to silence Centauri when his zap-pad went off. "This is the commander," he said when he answered.

"Commander, we have a situation," General Hammond said, "and I recommend that you get up here as fast as possible."

"What? Why?"

"I've recieved a tip that a Patrick Numbar is going to blow up the space station in the near future." The commander suddenly felt breathless, and when he didn't respond, the general added, "Contact everyone you can think of to get a date for Numbar's arrival, and pass it on to me as soon as you know."

"Yes, sir."

The general signed off, and Commander Plank set his zap-pad on the coffee table. He settled into the couch with a sigh. Judy walked into the room then and noticed the expression on his face. "Space?" she asked. "You have to go back to space?"

"I'm afraid so," he replied. "It's a Code Red."