Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 Shortly after Michael and the squirrels finished un-TP-ing the house, as the sun was setting, a white sedan pulled silently up to the Gomezes'. A shadowy figure exited the car and placed a mysterious package on the porch. If you've ever waited for a package to arrive, you know that they are almost always delivered during the day, so if this delivery strikes you as fishy, you're probably right.

"Hey, buddy, it's time for bed," Dr. Gomez announced at 8:30 as Michael squished squids in the living room. "I'm almost done with level 2!" Michael pleaded. "I can't stop now. Five more minutes?" "Why can't video games be paused anymore?" his dad wondered. "I had no problem pausing when I was a kid." "Dad, if I stop now, I'll lose my rank," Michael explained. "Well now, we wouldn't want that, would we?" Dr. Gomez replied. "Okay, five more minutes." Video game time is a lot like football time and dog years— the 2-minute warning should really be the 20- minute warning, and a 10-year-old dog is 70. That's why it was 9:15 before Dr. Gomez finally tucked Michael into

bed. Michael and the squirrels prayed and thanked God for a great day. Michael, of course, was thankful for his new video game, and Merle was thankful for getting to fly the drone. Pearl was thankful that Merle hadn't broken the drone. "Oh," Dr. Gomez added after they had finished their prayers. "You'll be happy to know that Dr. Howard isn't interested in hearing anything else about Merle and Pearl. I brought them up again today at work, and he's convinced that I got too much sun and that 2,000-year-old talking squirrels are a figment of my imagination." "I don't know why it's so hard to believe," Merle laughed. "What it does mean, though, is that I'm off the hook for the time being, and you guys can stay," Dr. Gomez said. "But we still need to be careful with the man in the suit and sunglasses. I don't think we've seen the last of him." "We'll stay put and keep the alarm set," Pearl promised.