Michael K. stormed down the crowded sidewalk, bumping into second graders and knocking over first graders without even seeing them.
His brain felt like it was on fire. It was hard enough to believe in aliens and saving the world in the first place. And now this? How much worse could it get?
The Spaceheadz had probably known about this from the beginning. They had just used him. He should have turned them in to the Anti-Alien Agency the first day he met them.
Michael K.’s elbow knocked a little girl’s hat off her head.
“Hey!”
What was that guy’s name? Agent Umber. He could have been a hero. And Michael K. could have been a hero too.
Michael K.’s backpack swung and shoved an old lady into a parking meter.
“Young man!”
Michael K. didn’t care. He was done trying to save everyone.
“Michael K.! Michael K.!”
It was Bob and Jennifer and Venus and TJ running down the street to catch up with him. Michael K. did not want to be caught up with. He turned quickly and ducked into the Lots of Things toy store.
Michael K. tried to hide behind a wall of American Girl dolls and Barbies. But he couldn’t even do that right. They found him.
“Michael K.,” said Bob. “What is this wonderful place?”
“It has the LOWEST PRICES OF THE SEASON!” added Jennifer.
“Eeek week eeek eeek,” said Major Fluffy.
“This must be Santa’s North Pole. And you are going to ask the real Santa to help us?” asked Bob.
“No,” said Michael K. “This is a toy store. And none of it is real. You only want all of the junk in here because ads have told you to want it.” Michael K. grabbed a SpongeBob SquarePants off the shelf. “It’s garbage. It’s stupid. It’s a scam just like Spaceheadz are a scam.” Michael K. threw SpongeBob into a bin of Smurfs and Strawberry Shortcakes.
Bob and Jennifer stood shocked and speechless.
Venus grabbed Michael K.’s arm. “I don’t think they knew about these bad Spaceheadz. They seem as surprised as we are.”
“It is messed up,” said TJ. “But Bob and Jennifer wouldn’t do us like that.”
Michael K. looked at the Spaceheadz. “Wouldn’t they? We don’t even know what they really look like on their planet. How can you know what they say is for real or not?”
“Eeek weee eeek eeek,” said Major Fluffy. “Eeee eee eee eeek.”
Venus typed Fluffy’s squeaks into her Fluffy Speaks! app. She showed the translation to Michael K. and TJ.
WE ARE SPACEHEADZ GOOD.
WE NEED NEW, IMPROVED MICHAEL K.
Which is why no one saw the gray and white cat creep around the corner. The cat moved quickly and silently. She locked her green eyes on Major Fluffy. She twitched her tail once . . . twice . . . then jumped.
Bob bent down to inspect a Barbie Fairy-Tastic Princess. It was the only thing that saved Fluffy from the cat’s outstretched claws.
The cat bounced off Bob’s backpack, knocking Major Fluffy out and right into the Smurfs. The cat crouched for another pounce.
“Don’t mess with that hamster,” said TJ.
“Oh, great,” said Michael K.
The cat wasn’t listening to anyone. She jumped again. Fluffy didn’t wait for her to come down. He took off running down aisle three.
The cat jumped over the pile of plastic farm animals. She bounced off a bin of fairies and unicorns and took another swipe at Major Fluffy.
Fluffy zigged. Fluffy zagged. But the cat was too fast for him.
Fluffy jumped and climbed up the wall of stuffed animals and action figures. “Eeek eek meow meow,” said Fluffy, pretending to reason with the cat.
But Fluffy was just stalling for time. He knew no one can reason with a cat.
The cat spit, “Mee oww wow,” and went for the kill.
Fluffy dived between Iron Man and a brown and white ZhuZhu Pet.
Bob and Jennifer got to the shelf just in time to see the cat pounce, sink her teeth into a ball of fur, and run for the side door into the street.
“No!” yelled Bob. “Bad cat!”
But the cat was not listening. She was gone. And so was Major Fluffy.
“What are we going to do?” said Venus.
Michael K. didn’t know what to do.
Was this for real? Or was this a big, fake setup too? And why did everybody have to keep coming to him to save the world . . . or save their hamster? . . .