Free For Your Paws Only by Heather Vogel Frederick Page A

Acorns, who were still quietly strumming. “Boys, Oz and D. B. need you more than I do right now. Grab a pigeon—it’s time to send in the cavalry.”

CHAPTER 12
    DAY TWO • WEDNESDAY • 1030 HOURS
    Oz was back upstairs in his hotel room, changing his egg-soaked shirt.
    â€œI can’t understand why Jordan and Tank would do such a thing!” said his mother.
    â€œUm,” said Oz, shooting a rueful glance at D. B., who was sitting on the couch. How did you explain sharks to parents? Before he could even try, there was a knock on the door, and Amelia Bean poked her head in. “You all about ready?” she asked. “The tour bus is leaving in ten minutes.”
    â€œI just need to wipe this stuff out of my hair,” Oz replied.
    He went into the bathroom and had just begun scrubbing the back of his head when a movement at the window caught his eye. A trio of pigeons was flapping off across Park Avenue, and the Acorns were perched on the ledge. They waved.
    â€œHey guys!” said Oz, opening the window. “Am I ever glad to see you.”
    â€œTough morning?” asked Lip.
    â€œComplete disaster,” moaned Oz. “We’re probably in last place.”
    Romeo held out another scroll of paper.
    â€œGlory’s music?” Oz asked, and the bass guitarist nodded. “Hang on a sec.”
    Opening the bathroom door a crack, he beckoned to D. B.
    â€œWhat? Oh hey, guys,” she said, spotting the Acorns.
    Oz passed her the tiny sheets of music. “Can you enlarge this? There’s a copy machine near the lobby.”
    â€œDone,” said D. B. “I’ll meet you on the bus.”
    â€œWait!” squeaked Nutmeg. He opened his backpack and took out two human-size cell phone headsets. “Bunsen’s upgraded our equipment. We’re going wireless.” He handed them to Oz and D. B. “He says they should work just fine as long as you keep your CD player turned on, Oz. He’s got us all preset to the same frequency.”
    As D. B. headed for the lobby, Oz slipped on his headset and pocketed his Bunsenized CD player/transmitter. “So what’s the plan?”
    The Acorns looked at each other and shrugged.
    â€œJust go with the flow, dude,” said Lip.
    â€œGo with the flow ?” This was not exactly what Oz wanted to hear. “These are sharks, Lip,” he explained.“They don’t exactly flow. They attack.” He held up his egg-stained shirt as proof.
    â€œDon’t worry, Oz—we’ve got it covered,” said Romeo. He puffed out his chest. “We’re official Spy Mice Agency field agents, remember?”
    Oz chewed his lip. The Steel Acorns had been field agents exactly as long as he had, which wasn’t very long. He sighed. “Okay, I’ll do my best.”
    Nutmeg stepped forward and leaped onto the toe of his shoe. “That’s the spirit,” he said. “C’mon, dudes!”
    With that, the three mice climbed swiftly up Oz’s pant leg and squeezed themselves into the pocket of his shirt. Oz looked down to see three pairs of bright little eyes looking up at him.
    â€œReady whenever you are,” said Lip.
    â€œOur first solo mission!” added Romeo.
    â€œYeah!” cried Nutmeg, bouncing up and down beside him.
    The mice’s obvious excitement was infectious, and Oz felt his spirits lift for the first time all day. Maybe the happy-go-lucky Acorns didn’t have a plan, and maybe they were no match for the sharks, but they were here, and that meant that he and D. B. were no longer alone. Oz smiled, and shoved his glasses firmly onto the bridge of his nose. “The name is Levinson. Oz Levinson,” he said in his best James Bond voice. “It’s time to rock and roll, dudes!”

CHAPTER 13
    DAY TWO • WEDNESDAY • 1130 HOURS
    The dining concourse on the lower level of Grand Central Station was teeming with