Page 5 (1/2)

"Roll up your sleeves," the Russian de chips in all his vaer work for theus cut the chip out last night"

The Russian gave him a dubious look "You have no wound on your ar my death-sleep"

The Russian jerked his head toward Rat Face "Check him"

Rat Face took a small electronic device from his pocket and skimmed it up and down Phineas’s arms "He’s clean, Dimitri"

"Check him for weapons," the Russian ordered

Blockhead skimmed his hands over Phineas "He’s clean"

"Very well" Dimitri inclined his head "We will now escort you to the queen, where you will appear on her show"

"Sounds good to ood publicity"

Freehtened and adjusted his hat "My client will expect reimbursement, you understand He doesn’t do appearances for free"

Phineas shook his head, glaring at his brother

Dimitri narrowed his eyes on Freemont "Who the hell are you?"

"Nobody," Phineas said at the saent"

"Freeh clenched teeth "Stay out of this"

Dimitri’s sharp eyes darted back and forth between Phineas and his brother, then he s?"

"No, he’s a pain in the ass," Phineas growled

Di the ood behavior"

"Da at his brother while Rat Face and Blockhead snapped silver handcuffs around their wrists

"The cuffs are just a precaution," Di away and taking his mortal friend with him"

Rat Face and Blockhead seized Phineas and Freemont by the napes of their necks and steered the lot, Phineas and his brother were shoved into the back of a delivery van It was empty, except for stained carpet on the floor The back doors slammed shut, and they were locked inside No s, Phineas noted, so he wouldn’t knohere they were going

But just seconds earlier, he had spotted a black SUV across the parking lot Robby and Jack were prepared to follow

Phineas heardshut That was probably Di into the front seat Corky had to be located fairly close by if they were driving to her

"What do we do now?" Freemont whispered

Phineas scowled at hi directions You were supposed to stay out of danger"

"I wasn’t going to leave you alone with thelared back "I’ulped "Do we have a plan?"

"Shh" Phineas motioned with his head toward the front seat of the van, then

Freeht boot to the side, revealing a hidden red button He punched the button, activating the new soundless tracking beam Roman and Laszlo had perfected in the lab at Romatech He slid the heel back in place

Freemont’s eyes twinkled with exciteot you now

Chapter Three

"How kind of you to appear onfor the camera

"My pleasure" Phineas returned her smile As far as he could tell, Corky’s makeshift studio was in the basement of a duplex somewhere in Brooklyn or Queens They hadn’t driven far, and he’d been able to catch a glimpse of the residence after Corky’s minions had hauled him and Freemont from the back of the van

He sat on a tufted footstool, low to the ground to emphasize his inferior status, while next to hih-backed, ornately carved, red velvet upholstered chair He had to crane his neck to avoid peering straight at her massive bosoown Her jeweled tiara and nuhts

They had started the shoith a recording of a tru a queen Corky had confided in him that she’d first heard the piece at the court of Henry VIII where she’d been one of the king’s favorites Phineas figured she had a long history of using powerful et ahead

The wall behind them was draped in purple silk In front of them, Rat Face worked the camera, and Blockhead held the boom suspended over Corky’s head Across the roo chair while Dimitri aimed his automatic pistol at him Another armed Malcontent stood by the door, and Phineas had counted three round floor A total of sevento hit with a dozen guys froh thefear pricked at Phineas His orders were to stick close to Corky and to not let her get away, but he hadn’t counted on his brother being here

He sed hard, then pasted a s me, Corky--"

She kicked him in the shin