“Quick,” said Addy. “Just so you know, I’m Addy—not Nelly.”

“My goodness,” said Isadora. “The likeness is startling! But where is Nelly?” Her fingers strayed to her pistol holster as she eyed the approaching lammergeyer.

“I thought … I was hoping she’d be here with you.”

Addy’s thoughts fuzzed for a second. And then one came through loud and clear.

What if Wylder and Nelly had left the comic altogether?

Maybe they weren’t on a different page. Maybe they were in Toronto.

Addy looked around. Was she alone?

She heard beating wings and shuddered. No time to waste thinking “poor little me.” She did not intend to meet that bird again up close. She glanced around for a place to hide. Could she get under the train?

“But where could Nelly be?” Isadora’s voice turned shrill. “This is no time to wander off!”

Flynn patted Isadora’s arm and pulled her under the shade of the caboose. “Do not distress yourself,” he murmured. “Your plucky lassie has the heart of a lion. She’ll turn up! Perhaps she’s only canoodling with a new beau?”

Blech! thought Addy. No way!

Flynn’s arm slipped around Isadora’s shoulder. Her head rested for a moment on his chest.

Double blech. Good thing Wylder couldn’t see. Isadora was never supposed to be in love—Addy had made sure her uncle avoided anything mushy. Isadora only used Flynn to get the gold, setting up the next issue, where the hero would be chasing her.

FWAP-CLANK-FWAP!

Flynn and Isadora raised their eyes in alarm. Addy felt a chill as a great shadow engulfed them.

FWAP-FWAP!

“Ha-ha!” cried Lickpenny from the air. “All in one spot, awaiting your doom!” He waved his controller, which seemed—horribly—to be working again. Krackle swooped low enough for Addy to see the zigzag pattern on the soles of the professor’s boots. WHOOSH! A breeze from the metal wings ruffled her hair as the mechanical bird flapped and turned in midair.

“It’s smiting time!” Flynn winked at Isadora and flexed the knuckles of his robotic hand.

FWAAP! WHOOSH!

Krackle, flying on a tilt, dipped so low that—POW!—the professor’s foot struck Isadora’s shoulder and knocked her to the ground.

“Ha-ha! Contact!” shouted Lickpenny.

“My dear?” said Flynn to his sweetheart.

Isadora flashed him a sparkling smile, proving that she was not hurt. She grasped the hilt of Flynn’s sword and whirled the double blade with a flourish.

Flynn scooped up Addy and dropped her like a kitten on the platform of the caboose.

“Stay put,” he said.

The comic book heroes were ready for battle, and Addy had a front-row seat. But—sludge!—did they stand a chance against the robotic monster? Catnip crept out from her bag, hissing.

“That’s the best you can do, Professor?” Flynn taunted. “Kicking a woman?”

“Arrogant wretch!” called Lickpenny. “Your minutes are numbered!”

“I think not.” Isadora assumed a fighting stance. “You are up against a sharp blade and a sharp wit,” she said, winking at Addy.

“The blade moves like light through a dark room,” said Isadora.

“Quick and bright, impossible to follow.”

Isadora’s feet danced, and her arms swung so quickly that the air hummed. The lammergeyer dove and retreated, dove again, but its moves were no match for the lightning swordplay.

“Ha!” cried Isadora. “And my wit not even called upon!”

Lickpenny’s voice was hoarse from shouting. “Up! Back! No, no!”

As Krackle hovered, awaiting another chance, Flynn stepped forward. From under the middle fingernail of his mechanical hand shot a startling length of titanium wire as fine as dental floss. The wire entwined itself tightly around the bird’s metallic feathers and bound shut the giant beak.

FWAAAAAPPP!

The whole mechanical mess crashed to the ground, skidding slightly as it hit the railroad track, dumping Lickpenny from his perch. The professor scrambled out of sight, cowering behind the hulk of the bird’s body with only tufts of his thin, greasy hair showing.

Flynn winked at Isadora. Isadora lowered the sword and smiled back.

“Holy cannoli,” whispered Addy, finally breathing again. She suspected that the hiccuping noise was Lickpenny, crying as he faced defeat.

Flynn swept Isadora into his arms.

Ew, blech! They were going to kiss! Addy closed her eyes.

But when she opened the left one, just to peek, Flynn had pulled out of the embrace and was staring in alarm at his trembling robotic hand. Addy had the feeling that he’d forgotten how he came to have such a peculiar thing attached to him. His face turned slightly gray. He shifted sideways, as if someone were yanking on his sleeve, and then slowly bent double, his mighty hand dragging him into a puppety dance.

“Whatever is the matter?” Isadora leapt toward him.

Flynn straightened up, sweat gleaming under the perfect lock of hair on his forehead. His regular hand held tight to Snap’s wrist, shaking it gently, and then not gently at all. Was the robotic hand fighting its new master?!

“Flynn!” cried Isadora. “What ails you?”

Lickpenny’s laughter filled the air like a sucking drain. He waved a pair of scissors in triumph. The hiccup sound had been his quiet snipping of the wire ensnaring the lammergeyer! He now pointed his controller directly at Flynn and twisted a dial.

Were Catnip’s teeth duller after their work on the lammergeyer’s talons? Were his jaws tired? He just didn’t have the oomph and barely dented the evil fingers.

“Ha-ha!” Lickpenny and his steed were again in the air. They floated just out of reach. “You’ll have to cut it off to pry it loose!”

Isadora glanced at the villain; her mouth set in a determined line. She undid the sheath at her waist and withdrew a hunting knife with a blade so sharp it looked transparent. Addy gasped. Would she really cut off the hand that she had so carefully sewn on?

Flynn’s real hand tore at the robotic grip on his throat. He spluttered sounds that made no sense. Did he want the hand to come off? Or was he telling Isadora not to do it?

His body twitched; he blinked and tried to speak.

“ZZZzzzmmmm …”

“Don’t cut!” Addy nearly flew down the steps of the caboose.

Isadora paused, knife hovering.

“You’ve. Got. The …” Addy’s voice came out in breathless bleats. “ZIM-mer!” She finally said. “The gadget from the gator’s throat!”

Isadora’s face lit up. She fumbled for the cord around her neck. “I am not familiar—” she stumbled.

Addy broke the cord with one swift tug. Could she make it work? The brilliant device that opened anything! Could she use it to save him?

Lickpenny kept his controller pointed at Flynn.

“Revenge is mine!” he screeched. “You belong to me!”

Isadora raised her knife again. “Addy, dear, use your tool, or I’ll use mine!”

Addy pushed the button on the Zimmer.

POP! The first finger loosened.

POP, POP, POP! The metal hand fell away from Flynn’s throat, vibrating slightly. He staggered and fell forward onto his knees, coughing and gasping for air.

Yesss! Addy laughed out loud. She’d done it!

Isadora tucked her knife away and twirled Addy with a whooping cheer. Flynn managed a wan smile and wiped his mouth with his own hand. His cheeks were livid, his eyes glassy and not very hero-like. Isadora and Addy together reached to hug him, but Addy noticed a moment too late that Lickpenny had swooped in close, his controller once more aimed at Flynn.

Flynn’s robotic hand shot up, socking Isadora on the side of her head. Isadora toppled over, and Flynn moaned, “Noooo! Forgive me!” He leaned toward his sweetheart just as Krackle whooshed by with a rattle of feathers, knocking him off balance.

“Hey!” shouted Addy. “Stop! Stop all this right now!” She’d won the battle already! This was no fair!

But Flynn’s hand didn’t care about fairness. It seemed to have a brain of its own. It darted out and snatched Addy’s ankle with bone-pinching strength, sweeping her off her feet and into the air to hang upside down like a dead duck in the window of a Chinese restaurant. She couldn’t have screamed if she’d tried.

“This isn’t me, lassie!” cried Flynn. “I’d never harm you. Never!” With a mighty heave, he hurled Addy as easily as a baseball. Catnip chirped from her flying shoulder bag as they sailed together through the air.