“Good.” Dr. Yang pressed on quickly, “As for sending the other four to a separate time and place. That will be especially difficult—” 

The Boss shot his hand up. “Those four agents,” he said in a whisper, “especially the plump one on the end, will not be going on another one of my missions, Dr. Yang. And once their leader returns with the Ching, I’ll take care of him, too.” The Boss marched back through the door into the transport room, then went through another door and reappeared in front of a large, glass window that looked out at the plat- form with the five X’s. 

Dr. Yang walked back into the room and stood in the middle of it, facing the stage, and began tapping adjustments into the prototype, which hung in what looked like mid-air, attached to a very small wire. 

“Excuse me, doctor.” Joe had his hand up again.

Dr. Yang snuck a glance at the windowed room the Boss had stepped into; his back was turned. She nodded at Joe. “Yes?”

“Like I said, ma’am, I think these kids would have been back by now if the Ching had power. I mean, think about how boring it would be for a kid from the twenty-first century to live in 1978. No cell phones, no Instagram or SnapChat, no Chipotle . . .” Joe rubbed his stomach. “Actually, I’m pretty hungry myself. Chief, can we order something before transport?”

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