“All right, Spotch. It’s me he wants, so I’ll try to stall him. You sneak out of here with Rand-El and Brian and get to the bus. You guys have to shrink the Zorb before it’s too late.”

They make their way to the door on the other side of the gymnasium. Bula’s bunny doesn’t seem to care. He’s focused on me. And it’s pretty creepy. But I need to distract him as long as I can to give Spotch and the guys a chance to do their stuff.

“I thought you said you’d be here in fifteen minutes.”

There. That’s a good start.

“I lied. I’m a bad guy. It’s what we do.”

Well, that’s all I’ve got. I hope those seven seconds gave Spotch and the guys the time they needed.

“I AM NOT A JANITOR! I am a brilliant scientist who has been forced unjustly to live in your horrible, joke-telling shadow for my entire professional career!”

“Well, I remember them giving you a bucket and mop when we first got here. What’s your area of scientific expertise, anyway? Toilet cleanliness? HAR!”

Now that’s how you stall.

“Laugh while you can, you insufferable simpleton, but my moment is at hand. Zarfloots, Brunswick! I didn’t bring you along for your witty repartee! Grab the Klosmos!”