: Martians

Mr. Inumaru turned to Patrick and said, “I hope your cousin is safe.” Then the hotel manager walked from the garden patio to the kitchen.

The man’s words made Patrick feel nervous. He followed Mr. Inumaru inside. “What do you mean?” Patrick asked.

“Mr. Tesla is a genius,” Mr. Inumaru said. “But he’s got some weird ideas.”

“How weird?” Patrick asked. He felt his throat tighten with worry.

“Well, he’s been trying to communicate with other planets,” Mr. Inumaru said. “He built a 187-foot tower with a wireless transmitter on top. The total height of the tower was 225 feet! He also said he was sending signals to Mars. I feared the Martians would invade the city.”

Patrick sighed and grinned. Only Martians. He felt better. Aliens wouldn’t harm Beth.

Patrick stood at the kitchen table and began to roll rice balls again. Number 435.

The hotel manager turned to leave. Then he paused inside the kitchen doorway. “Mr. Tesla’s lab is the real danger,” Mr. Inumaru said.

“Real danger?” Patrick asked. He looked up from his work.

Mr. Inumaru added, “Something always sparks and burns when Mr. Tesla sets to work. His first lab burned down in 1895. He shocked himself once and passed out. He woke up and said he saw the past, present, and future. He said he could travel through time.”

Sparks? Shocks? Now those were things to worry about. But three words worried Patrick more: “travel through time.”

He wondered, How did Mr. Tesla get inside the Imagination Station?