"You can't."
"You just try to stop me."
The principal smiled, again disdainfully. "He has already left with the
STARS officer. There is nothing you can do. Except leave my office."
I was stunned. That blue car we parked next to. I was paralyzed. I
wanted to smash the principal's face--even if it meant going to jail.
His desk buzzer sounded. He flicked a switch.
"Yes?"
It was the intercom to the receptionist.
"Mr. Masefield."
"Tell him to wait a moment."
Masefield's voice broke in. "It can't wait. That kid has gotten away
from us! He's locked himself in an aircar. Who owns that Cad Super?"
I staggered the principal with a straight hard punch in the mouth. I
threw another to his jaw and another in his solar plexus. I leaped onto
his desk and seized him by the throat and battered his head against the
desk top. Then I drove my fist into his face again and again until he
lost consciousness.
Celia had had the presence of mind to turn off the microphone. I
flicked it on.
"Masefield?" I was trusting the phone to depersonalize my voice.
"Yes."
"The owner will be right out to open it. Is there anyone by the car
now?"
"Officer Fegerty."
"Good. Then the boy can't get away. Come to my office for a minute."
I kicked at the control panel and ripped out all the wires in sight,
then socked the principal three or four more times for good measure.
We exited as casually as we could, nodding pleasantly as we passed
Masefield in the hall. Then we broke into a frantic run, through the
inner and outer doors, pausing only long enough for Celia to smash the
electric eye mechanism with her purse as the outer door swung shut.
Nicely competitive of her.
We raced out to the parking lot. The cop was standing beside our car,
and I could see Freddie cowering in the back seat, behind closed
windows and locked doors.
"Officer Fegerty!" I said breathlessly. "Mr. Masefield says for you to
come to the principal's office immediately! Something's happened."