[Click here for pt 1: The end of global warming, a look into the future.]

Duct-taped

Georgiana sat in the air car as it rushed forward over buildings. Imprinted on its side were the words “GOVERNMENT SPECIAL AIR TRANSPORT.”

In the air, there were no bumps in the road; there wasn’t even a road. Air cars were expensive, so the air channel was mostly clear. The car could go as fast as a normal car, only without speed limits or traffic jams.

Georgiana stroked the seams, dreaming of inventing an even better air car that could go even faster and smoother and was WAY cooler. She dreamed of how one day she’d be driving an air-limo that was equipped with the best weapons!

The car jerked and started its descent. Georgiana looked up at the black-hatted driver. “Are we there already?” she asked, surprised.

“No, this is the boy’s house,” the driver spoke in his gruff voice. Then he looked back at her and continued, “If I was you, I’d try and make a run for it. ‘Course the Government would find you no matter where you went.”

Georgiana gave a small laugh and tossed her head. “I’m not going to run away. Just because the Government can’t do something doesn’t mean I can’t. And who’s this boy?”

The man sighed. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. And I don’t know the boy; so if you’ll just wait right here, I’ll go get him.” The man got out of the car and went up to the house.

As soon as he was out of sight, Georgiana took off her bracelet. It slipped off easily of her hand, but there was a clasp. She pulled at the clasp as if to open it, but instead a green light flickered across it.

She lifted it to pinpoint the door. Nothing. Her newest invention still needed work. Quickly she “re-shut” the bracelet; the green aura [for lack of better words] disappeared. She slipped the bracelet back on again.

A few seconds later, the man came out again leading a boy that Georgiana instantly recognized as Fredrick Moonfrick, her arch nemesis and captain of the Loombox’s School for Teens boy’s basketball team.

Fredrick opened the door of the car, then stopped on seeing Georgiana. “Oh no, I am not going with her!” he said, taking a step back.

The man sighed. “Yes you are,” he said, pushing Fredrick into the car and shutting the door.

Georgiana raised her eyebrow as Fredrick tried to push the door open. “Don’t try. It’s on child-lock; it will only open from the outside,” she informed him. He glared at her in reply.

“Look, you little cheat, I don’t want to be here; so be a lady and be quiet!” he snapped.

The was a flash and both of them had duct-taped mouths. The man spoke, “Thank you and good night. You better be quiet now!” He said it in a mock-sweet voice.

Soon they reached the airport. The man flew the car right into a waiting private jet; the top closed and they were off towards the capital.

“Your on!” “But—“

The plane stopped in the back yard of the White House. A ramp was lowered that the car could use to get off the plane and into the garage.

When the man, who they had found out was named Edward Klab — or plain Ed — opened their doors — first Georgiana’s, then Fredrick’s — they got out quickly. They both stretched their legs, shaking them to loosen them out. They used the same exercises; they’d learned them in gym class.

Georgiana smiled, charmingly, at Ed. “Thanks for the ride. Where to now?”  She tried to let her excitement mixed with curiosity flow out of her in her stretches. It wasn’t working very well.

Ed looked at her. “I’ll just escort you to the main office and be done with you. For now, anyway.” Fredrick nodded, keeping a straight face.

As they walked away from the car, Ed held up the car keys over his shoulder, pressed a button, and there was a *chi-click* that assured them it was locked.

They walked through nearly empty halls, with only the occasional guard at a door. Fredrick thought this strange, but ignored it.

They reached what appeared to be a dead-end, no doors to either the left, right, or in front of them. Ed pressed against the wall straight in front of him, and there was another “chi-click,” and it swung forward revealing what looked like a kid’s room.

Dolls, wooden soldiers, robots, pretend cook stoves, children’s books, and right in the center a big, closed, toy chest. Nothing special. There wasn’t any people or guards.

Ed went forward, tapped the chest and turned back towards Georgiana and Fredrick. “I leave you here. The child will be here in a second. I hope you can handle him; he’s very stubborn.” Then, without saying another word, he walked out.

The door shut. On this side it looked like a perfectly normal, pale blue, door. The walls were also pale blue decorated with white clouds and bright yellow suns.

Then, the toy chest slid aside revealing a compartment below it. Then a desk, with a chair, rose from the hole; in the chair was the President of the United States of America. Georgiana gasped, then exclaimed under her breath,”It’s magnificent!”

“Harumph, Well you didn’t expect it to be boring, did you?” The President sounded  bored despite his words. He tapped his fingers on his desk and a secret apartment opened. Again the wood beneath it rose, revealing a tea-pot, three cups, and the like.

“Sit,” the President said. Fredrick raised his eyebrow. “Oh, yeah.” The President tapped his fingers again and two chairs rose from the ground just like the desk. They sat.

The President began to fix himself tea. “Help yourselves. Now, are you aware of the fact that global warming has gone crazy and is causing tremendous earthquakes? You are? Oh good.” He didn’t even wait for their replies. “Now after studying your files closely, I have decided that together you will make the perfect team to tackle this job and re-contain global warming. If you take the mission, I’ll tell you more.”

Fredrick looked at the man. He was slightly balding, yet his hair was still a healthy black. His eyes were a hard gray, his skin smooth. “Are you not aware that we are arch enemies? Thank you, but no thank you. We’d make a terrible team!”

The President laughed, as if Fredrick had just said the most ridiculous thing. “Do not think we overlooked that. We overlook nothing. You see, though you may not remember it, you used to be very good friends when you were littler. I am sure that you can resurface those bonds in order to help your country and the world. No?”

Georgiana jumped to her feet and slammed her fist into the table. The President raised his eyebrow and took a sip of his tea. Georgiana leaned over the table pressing her fists into the wood. She said two words: “You’re on.”

“But—!” Fredrick tried to say. Georgiana cut him off with a glare.

“No buts, Mis-ter Fred-rick,” she pronounced the last four syllables very carefully. And her voice was a tone that Fredrick did not want to talk back to. The choice was made.

The President burst into a wide grin. “Ah, good. It is settled then. You’ll leave tomorrow!”

[To be continued…]