“What do we need that shit for?”
“The machine’s a little hard to work with.” Barry waved a hand at the turbine section. “It puts out a crazy loud noise and a big flash. We need something to guard us against that if we’re going to try another test.”
“Another test? You tested it without me?” His shoulders slumped.
Melissa sighed. “Okay. Like I said, get him up to speed and I’ll be right back. Barry, where can I find that stuff?”
“Hard to say…”
“Try Radio Shack,” Roger said. “The one up by K-Mart.”
Barry rubbed his chin. “Radio Shack won’t have welder’s glasses. Maybe try BuyMart. They have everything.”
Melissa hung her head. “Ugh, I hate BuyMart.”
“Seriously.” Roger twisted around to eye her. “Try Radio Shack. That place will surprise you with some of the oddball junk they carry. It could be a front for a covert military operation, with the things they bring out of the back room.”
Riff laughed. “They’d have to be. They sure never have any customers. How much money can you make selling batteries to kids?”
“I bet they have ‘em.” Roger leaned in to inspect the machine. “Hey, what do you guys think about some kind of head protection, too? Like maybe a football helmet?”
“We’re half a mile from the varsity practice fields.” Riff hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I can get you some football helmets.”
“Don’t.” Barry waved his hand. “Let’s not steal anything else if we don’t have to.”
Riff glanced at Barry. “Anything else?”
Nodding, Barry patted the bronze frame of the time machine. “Technically, this thing’s stolen. When we didn’t turn it in on day one. So let’s keep our less-than-legal activities to a minimum.”
“Well, then.” Riff smiled. “In for a penny, in for a pound.”
“Let’s get some helmets.” Roger reiterated.
Barry smirked. “I don’t think that’s necessary…”
Melissa headed to the door. “Okay. Got it. Ear plugs and welding goggles. Peeky?”
I jumped up and followed her, not really sure why. She’d done plenty of interviews before. What was different about this one? As we left, I heard Riff whining. “I can’t believe you guys figured out it was a time machine and then tried it without me…”
“Trust me,” Barry said. “You didn’t want to be here.”
“I sure didn’t want to be where I was!”
Chapter Twelve
“M issy, I’m happy to tag along, but why me? What kind of interview is this?”
She stopped at her car. “It’s been a long day, Peeky. I don’t want to say anything stupid to this reporter.” She leaned onto the car roof, resting her head on her arm. “Will you just watch me? Nudge me under the table if I start to say something out of line?”
I straightened myself. “Of course.”
A thin smile crept across her lips. “Thanks.”
Melissa needed no advice on politics, though. She was sharp as a tack and had been a great asset in her dad’s mayoral campaign. We got into her car and I slipped my seat belt into the buckle. “Who’s the interview with?”
She started the car and pulled away from the curb. “Janice Peterson, a reporter from the Tampa Tribute. I’ve met her a few times at some of Dad’s business functions and at campaign stuff. She seems okay. But you never know with reporters.”
Melissa leaned over suddenly and blew into my face. “How’s my breath?”
“I don’t know! Is that important?”
“I don’t know. I’m nervous!”
“Well calm down. Good grief, what’s with you?” Then I chuckled. “Do I nudge you now? That was pretty stupid.”
After a short drive, Melissa made a call on her cell phone. I felt around in my pockets for mine. I didn’t have it. In my haste, I had left it at Barry’s apartment. Crap .
We were to meet the reporter for coffee at the university commons, a large open area in the center of campus. Melissa parked at the bookstore and we covered the short distance to the coffee
“The machine’s a little hard to work with.” Barry waved a hand at the turbine section. “It puts out a crazy loud noise and a big flash. We need something to guard us against that if we’re going to try another test.”
“Another test? You tested it without me?” His shoulders slumped.
Melissa sighed. “Okay. Like I said, get him up to speed and I’ll be right back. Barry, where can I find that stuff?”
“Hard to say…”
“Try Radio Shack,” Roger said. “The one up by K-Mart.”
Barry rubbed his chin. “Radio Shack won’t have welder’s glasses. Maybe try BuyMart. They have everything.”
Melissa hung her head. “Ugh, I hate BuyMart.”
“Seriously.” Roger twisted around to eye her. “Try Radio Shack. That place will surprise you with some of the oddball junk they carry. It could be a front for a covert military operation, with the things they bring out of the back room.”
Riff laughed. “They’d have to be. They sure never have any customers. How much money can you make selling batteries to kids?”
“I bet they have ‘em.” Roger leaned in to inspect the machine. “Hey, what do you guys think about some kind of head protection, too? Like maybe a football helmet?”
“We’re half a mile from the varsity practice fields.” Riff hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I can get you some football helmets.”
“Don’t.” Barry waved his hand. “Let’s not steal anything else if we don’t have to.”
Riff glanced at Barry. “Anything else?”
Nodding, Barry patted the bronze frame of the time machine. “Technically, this thing’s stolen. When we didn’t turn it in on day one. So let’s keep our less-than-legal activities to a minimum.”
“Well, then.” Riff smiled. “In for a penny, in for a pound.”
“Let’s get some helmets.” Roger reiterated.
Barry smirked. “I don’t think that’s necessary…”
Melissa headed to the door. “Okay. Got it. Ear plugs and welding goggles. Peeky?”
I jumped up and followed her, not really sure why. She’d done plenty of interviews before. What was different about this one? As we left, I heard Riff whining. “I can’t believe you guys figured out it was a time machine and then tried it without me…”
“Trust me,” Barry said. “You didn’t want to be here.”
“I sure didn’t want to be where I was!”
Chapter Twelve
“M issy, I’m happy to tag along, but why me? What kind of interview is this?”
She stopped at her car. “It’s been a long day, Peeky. I don’t want to say anything stupid to this reporter.” She leaned onto the car roof, resting her head on her arm. “Will you just watch me? Nudge me under the table if I start to say something out of line?”
I straightened myself. “Of course.”
A thin smile crept across her lips. “Thanks.”
Melissa needed no advice on politics, though. She was sharp as a tack and had been a great asset in her dad’s mayoral campaign. We got into her car and I slipped my seat belt into the buckle. “Who’s the interview with?”
She started the car and pulled away from the curb. “Janice Peterson, a reporter from the Tampa Tribute. I’ve met her a few times at some of Dad’s business functions and at campaign stuff. She seems okay. But you never know with reporters.”
Melissa leaned over suddenly and blew into my face. “How’s my breath?”
“I don’t know! Is that important?”
“I don’t know. I’m nervous!”
“Well calm down. Good grief, what’s with you?” Then I chuckled. “Do I nudge you now? That was pretty stupid.”
After a short drive, Melissa made a call on her cell phone. I felt around in my pockets for mine. I didn’t have it. In my haste, I had left it at Barry’s apartment. Crap .
We were to meet the reporter for coffee at the university commons, a large open area in the center of campus. Melissa parked at the bookstore and we covered the short distance to the coffee
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