The Beginning Part 2 By Staci "Windsurfer" Faulkenberry Page 10 In the Sea Duck, Baloo heard a thunk on the roof and saw yet another round of gunfire spray the nose of his baby. 'There goes Becky's paint job,' he thought. Turning to Kit, he said, "Quick, Kit. Grab me some of those mangoes from the hold."
The boy quickly complied, leaving Molly buckled into the navigator's seat and clutching Lucy. Handing the fruits to the pilot, he watched with interest as Baloo rolled down his window, leaned out, and tossed one of the mangoes through the propeller as Karnage came up behind them.
Three mango slices caught Karnage in the eyes and around his nose. Using the pirate captain's momentary confusion, Baloo pulled up on the stick, launching the Sea Duck into the air.
Suddenly, Kit had an idea. Pulling out his airfoil, he turned to Baloo and asked slyly, "Ya got any rope?"
Baloo's brow furrowed. What could that boy want with rope? Surely, he didn't mean to go back there and tie the cargo down while Baloo was trying to get away from the pirates! He spared a moment to glance at the boy and discarded that idea. Something in Kit's eyes told Baloo that he had a plan that would help them ditch these pirates.
Quickly, he told his navigator where to find the rope and he and Molly watched in bewilderment as the boy tied it securely to the base of Baloo's chair, then raced to the back with the rest of it coiled over one shoulder and his strange wedge of metal under one arm.
Soon, the boy had opened the cargo bay doors of the plane and jumped out, clutching the end of the rope. The two remaining in the plane watched in amazement as Kit opened his airfoil and carefully fitted it under him, clutching a mango in the other hand."Where did he learn to do that?" asked Baloo.
"I don't know," Molly's eyes were glued to Kit's figure as he surfed closer to a pirate plane. "But I wanna go next!"Kit edged closer to a green pirate plane and then tilted the board slightly so that he soared a little above it. The pilot looked up and he slammed the mango down on the dog's head.
"Want some dessert?" he asked sarcastically.
The pirate, whom Kit recognized as Gibber, yelped as the semi-soft fruit broke and splattered on his head. His plane wove in an erratic pattern. Seeing another opportunity, Kit surfed under the plane and knotted the rope around one foot, making certain to keep it clear of the plane's propeller. Reaching up, he opened the panel that protected the plane's internal workings and pulled a couple of wires. The engine sputtered and the prop started to slow down, causing the plane to go into a tailspin.Bullets ricocheted off the bottom of his board and alerted Kit to the fact that he needed to get his butt back in the Sea Duck. Using the airfoil as a shield, the boy feverishly made his way back to the Sea Duck. He made it inside without incident and quickly closed the cargo hatch. Collapsing his board, he walked back to the cockpit, winded from his little excursion.
Baloo looked at him admiringly and commented, "Kid, you are something else!"
Kit grinned, "Thanks! But they still outnumber us four to one! What are we going to do?"Baloo thought of their cargo. He hesitated a moment, but realized that it was the only way they could possibly hope to escape the air pirates. Pulling the release lever above his head, he opened the cargo bay doors and angled the plane so that their cargo spilled out onto the shocked pirates. The mangoes gummed up their propellers and splattered in their faces, making it impossible for them to fly. Baloo, Kit, and Molly watched as all of their pursuers crashed into the ocean.
Baloo chuckled, "I lose more good cargo that way."
The rest of the ride to Higher for Hire passed without incident. Kit taught Molly the rudiments of charting courses and Baloo stayed silent, contemplating their recent pirate attack.
Karnage wanted that stone back bad. Baloo wondered to what length the pirate captain would go to get it back. And what did he want with it? Louie had said it was worthless; it couldn't be pawned. Was it possible that Karnage didn't realize that he was after something man- made?
Baloo discarded that idea as unlikely. Karnage had a reputation for being able to find out things that most people wouldn't dream of. He had to know that the bauble was worthless and he still wanted it. Baloo wondered why. He had a feeling that Kit knew more than he was telling, but Baloo liked to have his privacy respected, and he planned to extend the same courtesy to his navigator.They arrived at Higher for Hire to find Rebecca standing on the dock, looking a little anxious and angry.
"What happened to my plane?" she demanded as soon as the plane was landed and Baloo was on the dock.Baloo gave her a quick rundown while the kids watched with fascination from the cockpit.
Rebecca's face darkened with anger. "I can't believe it!" she screamed. "My plane ruined, my shipment destroyed! And I've only been in business for one day!"
"It was pirates, I tell ya!" Baloo reasserted.
Throwing her hands in the air, Rebecca faced down her pilot. "What would pirates want with mangos?"Baloo shrugged helplessly as Kit came up behind him. "Vitamin C--?"
Rebecca placed her hands on her hips, "I don't believe this for one second! You're up to something, Baloo."
Molly stepped out of the cargo hold, still clutching her beloved doll. She knew that she could convince her mother the big pilot was telling the truth. She always got her way where her mother was concerned."But mommy!" she protested. "He's telling the truth!"
Rebecca gaped at the sudden reappearance of her daughter. She'd been wondering where the girl had gone, but had assumed she'd been exploring the beach.
In an instant, she'd swooped up Molly into her arms and turned back to Baloo."You took my daughter joyriding?!" Rebecca faced the pilot squarely, fury radiating from her. "That's it, buster. I'm going to see to it that you never fly the Sea Duck again!"
Baloo opened his mouth to say something, but Molly interrupted. "Oh, no, Mommy. Lucy 'n me stowed away. Then air pirates attacked and he dumped the cargo to save me."
Rebecca's anger abated and she looked at Baloo sheepishly, "I—guess I owe you an apology, Baloo. And a thank you."
Baloo grinned and replied, "It was nothin.'"
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Rebecca spent a considerable amount of time unruffling the feathers of the Fandango Mango executives and Baloo and Kit helped Wildcat to repair the Sea Duck while Molly looked on.
By nightfall, the plane was looking much as it had before Rebecca's "improvement" and Higher for Hire had lost the Fandango Mango account. Rebecca was furious, but chalked it up to experience.
She looked up from the books she'd been poring through and smiled as she watched her daughter play with Baloo and Kit. The little girl rode on Kit's back while Baloo played the part of the pirate. Molly finally "shot" the pirate down, and he "died" dramatically, clutching his throat and giving a strangled gasp as he flopped into the ratty armchair he wouldn't let Rebecca throw away.Glancing at her watch, she stood up and walked over to the trio.
"Time for bed, Molly, honey," she said, adjusting the collar of her purple robe and going to the newly cleaned linen closet to get two blankets and two pillows.Molly started to whine, "But Mommy! I don't wanna go to bed! I wanna play some more."
Baloo chuckled and told her, "Even us ace pilots need our sleep, button nose."
From her position on Baloo's stomach, Molly wrinkled up her nose.
"We can play some more tomorrow," Kit broke in, and Molly smiled. Kit was a good playmate. He didn't treat her as though she didn't understand things.Extending the blankets and pillows, Rebecca said, "Here. So my flight crew doesn't get chilly."
"Thanks, Becky!" said Baloo. Rebecca closed her eyes and didn't bother to remind the bear that she went by Rebecca. She had a feeling he'd forget anyway.
"Thanks, Ms. Cunningham," Kit said shyly, ducking his head as he accepted his pillow and blanket. It had been agreed that he and Baloo would stay in the Sea Duck while Rebecca and Molly stayed in the office. There was a bedroom upstairs, but they hadn't really had time to clean it out yet. It had taken them all day just to clean the first floor!
"G'night, everybody!" Baloo said, leading his navigator out the door.
"G'night!" echoed Kit, Molly, and Rebecca.
Kit stood for a moment, just outside the door, watching Rebecca settle Molly into the armchair. It looked so…cozy and homelike. Kit was suddenly filled with a pang of longing.
"Ha, ha! First thing tomorrow morning, we'll pay a visit to Shere Khan and lay this sparkler on 'im! Right, Kit?" Baloo said cheerfully, not noticing that the boy wasn't following him.
"Uh—right, Baloo," Kit replied absently, still staring at the Cunninghams. A small smile touched his face as he turned to regard the retreating back of the big gray bear and he moved closer to the window."Mommy, I can't sleep," he heard Molly say. Peering through the window, he saw Rebecca go over to her daughter and pat her head.
"Why not, honey?" she questioned soothingly.
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