Ziff under fire

Part 16 - Don't Touch the Shower Handle

I looked back. There was steam coming from the SUV. 'It looks like you crushed the radiator,' Beryl said. 'That should slow them down.'

'Ah-um,' Dr Zhang said. 'Licia, you don't have a licence. Maybe I should drive.'

Licia pulled over as soon as we were clear of the airport and changed places with Dr Zhang. I tightened my seat belts as we roared up the west bound ramp onto autoroute 50.

'Ah-um,' Dr Zhang said as he touched the screen in front of him. 'I have programmed the GPS to take us back to Silverwood School.'

The screen lit up and he was interrupted by the GPS lady who announced, with a very English accent, 'Turn left onto Kamamalu avenue . . . Turn right onto Iolani avenue and then take the Lunalilo motorway.'

We all started laughing when Yonnie's face replaced the GPS map. 'Supreme Modesty Dr Zhang, we are experiencing technical difficulties. I do beg your pardon. Treeka reprogrammed the GPS for Honolulu, Hawaii.'

'So, ah-um . . . where am I?' Dr Zhang sounded slightly hysterical. 'When do I get off this . . . autoroute?'

'Follow it to the end,' Licia said calmly. 'I think I can remember the way back.'

I suddenly remembered Dunc. 'Uncle Dunc, are you receiving me. Over.'

'Ah am. Ah'm making sure the Bunglers are not in pursuit. Ah'll be back later.'

'I have to go to the washroom,' Licia said suddenly.

'It's in the back,' Dr Zhang told her. 'Be careful you don't touch the shower handle.'

She squeezed around Licia, Denny and me and let herself into the washroom. A few minutes later she returned looking wet and very annoyed.

'I hit the shower handle instead of the flush,' she snapped in response to my raised eyebrows. 'I know. I know . . . When all else fails, read the instructions.'

My earphone clicked. 'Ziff, laddie, here is Uncle Dunc. Are you receiving me? Over.'

'Five by five. Go ahead.'

'The Bunglers just took off in the jet. They left the driver to take care of the SUV. Ah'm heading back now.'

Yonnie and Treeka were dancing jubilantly around on all the monitors.

Any signs of pursuit?' Miguel asked Yonnie.

'Well, there is a police cruiser with lights flashing coming up rapidly behind you,' she replied.

"Shoot!' Dr Zhang slowed down as he looked in the rear view mirror. 'Oh, no! What am I going to tell him?'

He pulled the Terramax onto the shoulder and the Sûreté du Québec cruiser stopped behind us. Dr Zhang wound the window down as the cop walked up to him. The cop was a woman. She studied Dr Zhang face carefully as if he was an interesting and rare species, which he probably was. Few Asian-Canadians grew long droopy moustaches and beards or had long hair tied back in a pony tail.

'Votre permis de conduire. S'il vous plaît,' she said, 'et l'immatriculation et l'assurance.'

Dr Zhang was trying to get his driver's licence out of his wallet. He replied, 'Ah-um . . .' and dropped it.

'Vous ne parlez pas français, monsieur?' she asked as she picked up the licence.

Beryl tapped Dr Zhang on the shoulder and leaned forward speaking rapidly in French to the police officer. The lady cop looked amused and replied. Dr Zhang gave her the vehicle registration and his insurance certificate.

Beryl climbed down from the Terramax and followed the cop back to the cruiser where they chatted as the cop checked Dr Zhang's documents. They both came back and the cop returned Dr Zhang's licence, registration and insurance papers and waved us on.

We were all bursting with curiosity until Beryl explained. 'I told the cop Dr Zhang was a bit slow and didn't speak French or English very well. She told me a weird vehicle had been seen at the aeroport and there were gun shots. I explained we were contracted to make a scene for a film company. So she made a lot of notes and let us go.'

We made it back to the school parking lot where Dr Zhang walked around the Terramax carefully inspecting the paint work.

'Licia drove very carefully,' I told him. 'And there are no dents. Well, not very big ones anyway.'

Licia laughed with relief. 'Nothing as big as the dents in the SUV. They are probably still arguing about who is going to pay for the damage. I'm glad I didn't hit the executive jet. Now that would have been expensive.'

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I had been mulling over the dilemma for a few days. Should I go with Kozak and attempt to rescue my parents?

Finally, I decided and I told Miguel and Licia, 'At least, I will get to see them again, before they are killed in an air raid on Berlin.'

I left a note with Licia saying that I had gone to visit friends, so that if I didn't return immediately, Dr Zhang, Denny and Grandma would not worry too much about my disappearance. I also left a message for Triple Oh and my uncle Dunc in case they showed up looking for me.

Licia and Miguel both looked worried but quickly reminded me to take a few things like a change of clothing and a toothbrush and toilet paper with me. I also promised to send any information about the location and date of Kozak's destination if I could get it from him.

Later that evening, I called Kozak.

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