The Mysterious Abductions by Tracey Hecht Page B

disbelief.
    â€œWhat are you guys doing over there?” Miss asked the Nocs, approaching them in confusion.
    â€œYeah, what’s the matter?” asked Vee.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Cora answered. “Nothing’s the matter.” The wombat fluttered her lashes.
    â€œBut you’re all just standing there. You’re not trying to stop us,” Orr said, pointing out the obvious.
    â€œYou know we have possession, right?” asked Vee.
    While attention was directed to the sidelines, Tobin crept out from goal. Stealthily, the pangolin made his way down the marble. With a flick of his kiwi, Tobingained control of Harry, who had been abandoned at center floor. Suddenly, he was facing Boris in a one-on-one showdown.
    â€œCome on, pangolin! Show me the good stuff!” Boris bared his sharp teeth.
    All the players whirled around as Tobin raised his kiwi.
    Thwack!
    Tobin slapped Harry with the rounded side of the kiwi’s beak, putting an unusual spin on the spider. Harry curved up, around, and past Boris’s shoulder, thunking cleanly into the back of the goal.
    â€œWZZZZ!” The whistles blared out again as the bats raised their wings in the air. The point was good.
    â€œGoooaaal! A second point for the challengers!” Bismark called out above the wild celebration. The jerboas were hopping with excitement. The captured animals clutched each other in disbelief.
    â€œNo way! No way” Bee objected “That’s…that’s cheating?”
    The bats gathered together for a moment, then raised their wings again. “Fair goal!” they declared.
    â€œWay to go!” said Julian, patting the pangolin’s scales. Tobin blushed.
    â€œYou did it!” cried Cora.
    Dawn glided over to offer her congratulations, but she could not shout over the noise of the audience. The cave was filled with the sound of hundreds of voices screaming as one, their freedom close at hand.
    â€œUnbelievable, ladies and gentlemen!” Bismark exclaimed. “Another estrategia excelente ! The Nocs have pulled within one, and they look like they want to go all…the…way!”
    Yet again, as the crowd noise died down, one euphoric voice was left speaking.
    â€œSpectacular! Unheard of!” Boris wailed. “What a performance! Bravo!”
    The Nocs huddled together, staring at their opponent in confusion. Something did not feel right.
    â€œWhy is he cheering us on?” asked Ajax.
    â€œOh goodness, do you think he let in my shot on purpose?” wondered Tobin.
    Dawn shook her head. “There’s no telling what Boris is thinking. All we can do is keep playing.”
    The challengers went mute as they considered the possibilities. Boris was still ranting beside the goal.
    â€œWonderful!” he said. “I will meet those coachers at last! It is only a matter of time!” In his claws he still clenched the strange red tube. Jerry watched from the sidelines as Boris whispered to the object, and thenpressed it to his ear, as if it were speaking back.
    The second period resumed, but neither team could organize enough to score again. When the whistles blew, the score was Crocs three, Nocs two.

Chapter Twenty-Eight
    THE FINAL PERIOD

    â€œM on dieu, how time flies! Here we are, ladies and gentlemen—the final period has arrived! And here comes the fox who has set this cave on fire tonight! Not literally, of course!” Bismark blew Dawn a kiss as the players emerged from their huddles and fell into position. The floor had been refreshed by lomandra brooms during the intermission.
    The jerboa fans were still riled up from Tobin’s surprise goal in the second period. Before the bats evenwhistled to resume play, the crowd was already roaring in anticipation. Boris, too, was stomping his feet and howling like a joyous lunatic.
    â€œ La pièce de la résistance !” Bismark hollered above the noise. “Game on!”
    As the bats dropped