Chapter 19

"That was pretty inconsiderate of me," Vee said to The Wanzor.

"You mean because the Sukhoi is a single seat?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about it ... I fly too, you know."

"You license expired in 2001."

"I have my ways ... and the Powers that Be."

"Oh ... what ever you're going to do ... it should be soon ... I'm leaving tomorrow."

The Wanzor gave a little shriek and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Ooo, that was cool ... teach me how to make smoke, Grandma?"

Grandma was gone. Even though it only takes a split second for the time ... The Wanzor was worried about getting so young ... she was afraid she might end up in diapers. This trip to 'make arrangements' was a worry.

Wendy had been rambling around some eight thousand years in the past give or take a few thousand ... but most of her meddling had been Egypt ... except for the Indus Valley and a bit ... a couple of centuries ... in Rome. Dead is dead and she couldn't do anything to fix that ... but she could make sure dead were dead on time. She liked that.

Vee was watching the spot where The Wanzor had puffed ... a second puff and she was back. This time she had grease smears on both cheeks, dirt under her fingernails and a mumble under her garlic breath.

"Dirty rotten bastards. Oh, hi Vee, you waited."

"Good lord, Grandma ... what have you been eating?"

"I had to deliver a message to Merlin before the Powers would fix my license. Garlic is the cure. I relieved him of his watch. His alchemy was simple ... lead, time it, switch it with gold, and time it back. The Powers have a weird sense of humor. Or should that be has? Singular? Plural? Whatever. Whenever I do their dirty work I head for Italy and some great pasta ... it washes the foul taste out of my mouth."

"Well, it's pretty foul now."

"You should smell it when it's sulfur dioxide."

"Rotten eggs?"

"Yes, I have to pour put the wrath of the gods on their victims. Very effective ... Watching them melt into a puddle with bones sticking out is pretty convincing to apprentices and minions." She added, "Let me tell you ... there's a whole lot they could have told me before I took this job."

"Sulfur dioxide?" Vee asked again.

"That and the brimstone ... I don't have to do the brimstone ... thank you very much..."

You're welcome. (That from out of nowhere.)

"But I have my license and a new old airplane with all the necessary signatures and up to date logs ... I swear ... the bureaucracy doesn't want anyone to fly private planes."

"What did you get?" asked Vee.

"You have no idea how hard this was to get. The Brits absolutely refused to admit they modified a J model with Merlins ... I had to steal it."

"Where did you get it?" Vee asked and had to look stern, "Grandma."

"The ship that was shipping it to the Lockheed factory was sunk ... mid ocean ... I timed it in to seconds before the torpedo hit ... that was thrilling. I sat on the fuselage and timed it to Franklins. He knows about me. Then I went back and got the wings crate. Ben calls it a P-38K-1-LO."

"A P38 with Merlins?"

"Yup ... want to go with me while I steal it from Franklins?"

"Why do you have to steal it?"

"Because it never existed ... ask the Brits. The original P-38 K is listed as missing from inventory because it was built but 'lost.'"

"So there was a K model?"

"Just one and it didn't have Merlins. Franklin is used to our ... David and me ... collecting odd aircraft. It's just going missing again. Wanna come?"

"I'll pass. Meet you in Austin?"

The Wanzor rode the bus to Lansing and transferred out to the airport.

"Ben? I'm taking the K. You wanna look the other way?"

"Naw. I wanna watch. Great Grandpa left a lot of pictures of the aircraft you and David brought home. He couldn't figure out where you got the good stuff. That time travel is pretty neat stuff."