They arrived in a heap on the shabby carpet outside the door to apartment 226.
“It worked!” said Addy.
“We did it!” Wylder lifted his palm, and Addy smacked it hard in a high five.
Uncle Vim groaned and rubbed his temples.
“You okay?”
“No.”
Addy relaxed. Uncle Vim was back to his old contrary self. She knew that tone of voice.
“Come on, we made it!”
“How’d we do that?” He shook his long legs and struggled to sit up.
“Addy did it,” said Wylder. “She drew us a door.”
“Tell me everything. When my head stops hurting.”
“I am so happy to hear your regular voice,” said Addy. “Instead of the Jolly Green Giant’s!” She flung her arms around him.
Chirrrp!
“Oops! Sorry, Catnip!” The rat fought his way out of her vest and up to the top of her head.
“Let me see that.” Uncle Vim picked up the comic book from the floor.
“I can’t believe it,” said Wylder.
“I can’t believe it,” said Addy.
They whammed another high five over Vim’s head.
Door number 226 swung open.
“I was pretty sure a ruckus in the hallway meant you guys were home.”
“Mom!” Addy bumped her mother into the doorframe with a mega-squeeze.
“Oof! Hey, Addy-pie.” Addy’s mom kissed her. “Your hair is …” She wrinkled up her nose. “Your face is …” She raised her eyebrows. “And is my little brother sitting on the floor for a reason?”
Uncle Vim clambered up. “All in one piece. More or less.” He sniffed the sleeve of his sweater. “Eau de campfire,” he said. “Oh, we’ve brought home a new pal. This is Wylder Wallace.”
“Hello, Wylder Wallace.” Addy’s mom shook his hand as if he was a grown-up. Addy could see him blushing. “Are you a comic book fan, by any chance?”
She laughed. “Ma’am? How about you call me Pippa, like everyone else? And how about we take this party inside?”
The kitchen was warm and smelled faintly of cinnamon. Addy opened the door of Catnip’s cage and pushed him through—with much more trouble than usual. He lay down in the shavings and went right to sleep.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you sneaked him out, young lady,” Pippa said. “One day on the town and he’s twice the size.”
“It’s a long story.”
How different the day would have been without Catnip! Holy cannoli, what a difference a rat makes!
“Not sure about the jeans-as-belt, Addy,” said her mom. “But cute costume. Even though you’re all kind of filthy!”
“Wild times, wild times,” said Uncle Vim.
“Whose boots are you wearing? What happened to your high-tops?”
Addy stared at her feet. “I, uh, left them … er—”
“You brought her home without her shoes?” Pippa’s voice was suddenly a lot sharper.
“They’re somewhere,” said Uncle Vim. “It’s been … one of those afternoons. My glasses got broken, see?” He poked a finger through the air where the left lens should have been. “We left in a hurry, didn’t we, kids? I forgot my jacket too!”
“Why does that not surprise me?” said Pippa. “Seriously, her shoes?”
“It’s not his fault,” said Addy. “And truthfully, they might be … well, missing. Kind of forever. There was a mix-up …”
Addy didn’t often lie to her mom. Pippa had Viminy as a little brother, after all. She was used to strange truths. But what they’d done today? How to explain that?
“Well, your uncle can buy you new ones,” said Pippa, “out of all his riches from the Summer Special. Riches that oughta be pouring in any day now, right? Before the next rent is due?”
Uncle Vim grimaced and ducked his head.
“Oh.” Pippa’s voice went very quiet. “Was the launch … um, did it go badly today?”
Addy nearly laughed. Did it go badly today?
“Not at all! Not at all!” bluffed Uncle Vim. “It got postponed, that’s all. Big party tomorrow.” He slipped an arm around Addy’s shoulder. “Riches aren’t everything anyway. Right, kids?”
“Right,” they said.
“Rent would be nice,” said Addy’s mom.
“I have to go.” Vim buttoned up his sweater. “Right now. I’m going to check on some things.” He tucked the comic book into Addy’s bag, but his face told her nothing. “I’ll just nip downtown,” he said. “FunnyBones business. Back in a flash.”
Pippa’s fingers snagged on a tangle in Addy’s hair. “Oh! And find the guy who has been trying to reach you. Is your cell phone off?”
“Dead,” said Vim. “What guy?”
“Um, Bernie? A security guard?”
“Ernie,” said Wylder.
Addy raised her eyebrows at him. Who was Ernie?
“There was an incident,” said Pippa. She said “incident” the way Ernie must have said it—very solemn. “One of your crazy fans.”
“What kind of incident?” said Vim.
“You know the big cutout train display? Some fan tried to steal it. He was all dressed up like Flynn, with a mustache and riding boots, and he started dragging the Gold Rush Express through ComicFest, shouting ‘Fancy meeting me here!’ and twirling a sword. Ernie claims he chased him and tried to tackle him. The guy tripped and went crashing down the escalator, right on top of the display. It got all jammed up, and now it’s totally wrecked.”
“Holy cannoli!” said Addy.
“Oh, jeez.” Wylder sighed.
Uncle Vim was quiet for a moment. “I liked that train,” he said. “But maybe it’s better this way.” He looked almost wistful. So did Wylder, come to think of it. Huh? Had they already forgotten just how real it was on the other side of that portal?
Vim patted his pockets. “Wallet?” he said. “Keys? Where’s my pencil? I’m just going to make sure that everything is set for tomorrow. Why don’t you order a pizza? On me. With dipping sauce. I bet I’m back before the Gino’s delivery guy can get here.”
He paused at the door to look straight at Wylder. “Don’t think about going anywhere till I get back.”
And off he went.
“Your uncle is so cool,” said Wylder.
“Yeah,” said Addy. “He totally is.”
Her mom ordered a pizza right away. Pepperoni, green peppers and pineapple. And two dipping sauces.
“I have to go to work at eight,” she said. “Evening shift. I’ll get changed while we’re waiting.”
“Boo,” said Addy. “You always have to go to work.”
“Don’t remind me, honey.” She lifted and dropped her shoulders with a big fat sigh. “Someone has to keep this family’s feet on the ground.”
“May I please use your phone?” asked Wylder. “I’d better call my mother.”
“Tell her you’re staying for supper,” said Addy. She pointed him to the phone on the hall table. “Use the landline.”
Wylder sighed and picked up the phone. He tapped the number slowly.
“Good luck!” said Addy.
“Hi, Mom,” he began.
Addy could hear the muffled torrent of words from the other end of the phone.
“Mom …” said Wylder. And again, “Mom …”
He didn’t say another word for as long as it took Addy to get a glass from the cupboard, add ice, fill it with water and deliver it to him.
She poured water for herself and opened her bag. The comic book was buckled from how it had dried after being in the gator pool, as well as singed and battered from its other adventures.
“Hey,” she whispered. Gooney to be talking to a comic book as if it was something real. But, after all, wasn’t it? More than paper and ink, more than Uncle Vim’s brain full of ideas, it was a whole world. And she’d been there. She might not ever go again—not that way!—but she had a feeling there were other places where books might take her.
And the cover was back to normal! Addy traced the lettering: SUMMER SPECIAL! FLYNN GOSTER AND THE GOLD RUSH EXPRESS! FLYNN IN LOVE?
So far, so good.
Did she dare to open it?
Deep breath.
“Mom,” Wylder said. “Mom! I didn’t see you at ComicFest! I’m sorry if—”
The Red Riders were loading bricks of gold.
OPEN INVITATION TO TRAIN ROBBERS, IF YOU ASK ME, said one of the officers.
Exactly what he was supposed to be saying!
Addy hesitated a second before flipping ahead. She didn’t think she’d ever be casual about turning a page again. After all, who knew what lay around the next corner? You always had to be ready to think on your feet.
“Well, yeah,” Wylder said. “At first there wasn’t any reception. But then—try not to get mad—my cell phone got wet.”
Addy’s finger followed Nelly along the train corridor. Into an empty washroom. Out again to creep after Nevins and eavesdrop when Lickpenny told his nephew the plan for stealing the gold.
“And if you want all the bad news at once,” said Wylder. “My clothes are kind of … extra dirty. From this adventure game. Kind of like LARPing.”
Flynn, disguised as the master of ceremonies, dove into the gator pool to rescue Isadora Fortuna. FANCY MEETING ME HERE, said his speech bubble. He used two hands to wipe water from his mustache. Isadora, her lips close to his, murmured, MY HERO!
Hope bubbled inside Addy like ginger ale as she kept turning pages. It was all here. The yucky romance, the breathless battles, the gadgets and tricks and vengeful twists … all in place.
Until the end.
“I’m sorry you had such a bad day, Mom,” said Wylder. “Mine was … incrediballoo. Best day of my life.” He took a deep breath. “I’m staying for supper at my friend Addy’s house … Please don’t worry. I have money left over from my allowance, so I’ll take a taxi home. Yes. You too. Bye.”
He didn’t move for a second, his hand still gripping the phone.
“Holy cannoli, Wylder. I’m impressed. You just stood up to the mom who sent one hundred and ninety-seven VaporLinks.”
“One hundred and ninety-seven last time anyone checked,” he said. “Which was a few hours ago.”
“Double that by now,” said Addy.
“I guarantee.”
They laughed. Together. Who would have guessed, eh? Still talking to Wylder Wallace at the end of the day. Might even see him tomorrow.
“So.” He nodded at the comic book in her hand. “Did it all work out?”
“Depends on your point of view,” she said. “For some of them it did. Even if we missed something.”
“Who gets the gold? Flynn or Lickpenny?”
“Mmmm.”
“What do you mean, we missed something?”
“Let’s just say we know what happened to my high-tops.”
“But is there a happy ending?” Wylder said. “Or is it full of smooching?”
“See for yourself …” Addy turned the page.
