Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 The car came to a screeching halt outside the airport. "Let's go, boys!" Dr. Gomez said, jumping out of the car. "Everybody grab a suitcase!" Michael and Justin grabbed as many bags as they could handle and headed inside. "Get rid of those squirrels," Justin urged Michael. "There's no way they'll let them on the plane." "I bring seashells back from vacation all the time," Michael responded. "It's the same thing." "It is NOT the same thing!" With only minutes remaining until their plane departed, Dr. Gomez and the boys rushed to the check-in counter and then to the security line. "I don't know if we're going to make it!" Michael's dad said nervously. "Quick, boys—backpacks on the X-ray belt!" When Michael heard the word X-ray his heart sank. He had totally forgotten about the X-ray machine! His squirrels were sure to be discovered. "Um, Justin," he

whispered, "I think you were right. Salty squirrels are not the same thing as seashells." "You are so busted," Justin replied. "Grounded for two years, for sure." "Whose is this?" a security officer demanded as he held up a backpack. Michael couldn't bear to look. He braced himself for what was coming. "That's mine, sir," Michael heard his dad say. Confused, Michael looked up to see the officer holding a bottle of water. A backpack showing the faint outline of two squirrel skeletons passed through the X-ray machine unnoticed. "You have to get rid of this," the officer told Dr. Gomez, shaking the water bottle. "Of course. Sorry," Michael's dad said. The officer threw the water bottle in the trash.

Michael grabbed his backpack the second it exited the machine. "Whew!" he gasped. Justin shook his head in disbelief as they headed toward the gate.