CHAPTER 49 - TICKET TORNADO

Across the fence, where normally the pool and the hot-tub would be, instead there was a dolphin relaxing in a simmering crock pot full of stew. It chirped in delight as a soft carrot bumped into its belly.

Back at the hotel, everyone was loitering by the entrance. A movie ticket booth had appeared and out of it came a long ribbon of tickets which Timecurrent had wound around herself as she spun in place. A milkman approached the hotel but was kidnapped by a passing helicopter's special forces team before anyone could react. Then another milkman was callously gunned down by another passing helicopter before anyone could react. His blood mingled with the spilt milk and from it was born raptors that tried to terrorize the crowd until they dispatched them. Pushing the others aside, Valco beat down the majority of them. The last one of them bit his fist and broke its teeth. He body-slammed it back into a puddle of bloody milk. "There you are, finally, '' Valco said, seeing them both with a sigh of relief. He knew they would be fashionably late.

Linden-Squirrel and Melina-Squirrel sat on a park bench, making what was modest formidable. "We have to move quickly to stop this. The longer it takes, the more the survivors will be in danger from the turbulence". Priya called to them, and they both scurried onto each of her shoulders. Everyone paid attention to Linden, "Don't worry, friends. The first charge will be to remove the word-lights, and our targets are clear. I am relaying to you all the coordinates for the teams I have selected". The only one that wasn't paying attention was Timecurrent. She continued to spin in place, letting the ribbon wrap around in new layers. "Help, I can't stop!" she protested. Faster now … quicker ... the tickets continued to stream out, unrelentingly, as if the booth itself was a factory, propelling her into ceaseless revolutions. Accumulations of tickets on Timecurrent's person lashed out, becoming a tornado, and the patrons were swallowed by the eye of the storm. As they were lifted, Valco reached out and quickly held onto Priya's arm. "Ahh! What the hop!" she screamed. Priya felt herself being drawn into his body, his bulky arms enclosing her as the wind scoured them. "Just close your eyes and hold on!" he yelled.