“Witihin seconds the headhunter had lost control of his car and it squealed, sliding sideways right into several other cars.Cool!' said the Gasman.”

“What?" I said, suspicion starting to rise in me. "When did they start coming after you?""Was it— was it after the oil-slick Hummer crash?" the Gasman asked Iggy tentatively. My eyes widened. Oil-slick Hummer crash?Iggy rubbed his chin, thinking. "Or maybe it was more— after the bomb," the Gasman said in a low voice, looking down. "I think it was the bomb," Iggy agreed. "That definitely seemed to tick them off.”

“Flying monkeys?" the Gasman called out a guess. "Like in the Wizard of Oz?"It dawned on me then. "No," I said tersely "Worse. Flying Erasers.”

“When did they start coming after you?”“Was it—was it after the oil- slick Hummer crash?” the Gasman asked Iggy tentatively.My eyes widened. Oil-slick Hummer crash?Iggy rubbed his chin, thinking.“Or maybe it was more---after the bomb,” the Gasman said in a low voice, looking down.“I think it was the bomb,” Iggy agreed. “That definitely seemed to tick them off.”“Bomb?” I asked incredulously.”

“Max?” said the Gasman. “Are those, um, rats?”Lovely. “Yes, those do appear to be either rats or mice on steroids,” I said briskly, trying not to shriek and climb the walls like a girly-girl.”

“Glaring at the Gasman, ter Borcht said, “Your time is coming to an end, youpathetic failure of an experiment. Vhat you say now is how you vill beremembered.”Gazzy’s blue eyes flashed. “Then you can remember me telling you to kissmy-”“Enough!” ter Borcht said.”

“Iggy nodded. “I’m bummed we couldn’t use Big Boy,” he said. “But I don’t want to waste it. We have to actually see them first. I mean, you do.”“Maybe tomorrow,” the Gasman said encouragingly. “We’ll go see what havoc we’ve wreaked.”“Wrought.”