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backs to the Jaguar. Pete leaned out the window.
Where do you want the Jag, Max? he called out.
Jupiter and Ty saw the light glow in Bob s and Kelly s eyes as they
recognized Pete s voice. In the backseat they tensed as Pete s foot eased
down on the accelerator.
What s that kid doing here? Joe Torres stood in the wide doorway of
the elevator, pointing at Bob. He s the kid who just drove that Jag in for
Now, Pete! Jupiter yelled.
Pete stomped hard on the gas pedal. The Jaguar leaped forward with a
roar and a shriek of rubber straight toward the four men around the Maserati.
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16
The Shark Sings
THE JAGUAR BORE DOWN ON THE FOUR MEN. They stood frozen.
They held their guns in a trance of terror, paralyzed by fear. Their horrified
eyes stared at the car that rushed straight at them.
Then the instant broke, and they all dove wildly out of the car s deadly
path. They sprawled on the littered floor, clawing for safety.
Max the gunman landed hard on his gun arm, cursed in pain, and lost
the pistol.
The two mechanics scrambled over each other in their frantic dive out
of the path of the hurtling Jaguar. The pistol popped out of the armed
mechanic s pocket and skidded into the scattered parts of the dismantled
Maserati.
Jake Hatch was the only one to keep his head. He rolled as he hit the
floor, then came back up halfway with his pistol aimed straight at the Jaguar
and Pete behind the wheel.
Bob pushed Kelly out of the path of the car and kicked the pistol out of
Jake Hatch s hand with a yoko-geri-keage snap side kick. The pistol skidded
part-way across the room. Hatch lunged at Bob, who countered instantly
with an elbow strike to the head that sent Jake sprawling.
The Jaguar screamed to a stop inches from the dismantled Maserati.
Pete flung himself out of the car and leaped on Jake Hatch as the chop-
shop boss tried to get up once more.
Ty was out and running at Joe Torres, who still stood near the open wall,
apart from the others, trying to pull his pistol from his pocket. The two went
down in a flurry of arms and legs as Ty made a flying tackle on the bodega
owner.
Jupiter ran toward Bob, who was battling Max. The powerful thug was
back on his feet, lunging toward his pistol. Bob tried to reach the compact
gunman with a tobi-yoko-geri jumping side kick, but Max held him off with
a sweeping back arm block of his own. He bent to grab at his gun.
The Shark Sings
Jupiter slammed into the bent-over gunman, sending him down again.
Swearing, Max bounced up and charged. This time Jupiter felled him with
a hip throw, then dove on top of him. Bob piled on top of Jupe. The angry
gunman cursed and swore but stayed down under the weight of both of them.
Untangled, the two mechanics started to get up, then stopped. They
stared into the angry eyes and steady hands of Kelly Madigan. The cheer-
leader had picked up Jake Hatch s big pistol. She held it now in both her
small hands, aiming it at the two suddenly frozen mechanics.
Easy, little lady.
We ain t gonna move, girl. You just hold that thing easy.
The two held out their hands toward Kelly as if to ward off the bullets
her nervous trigger finger might let loose. It was obvious they weren t even
going to try to get up.
That s good thinking, guys, Kelly said, waving the gun a little. You
just sit right there.
Pete chopped Jake Hatch with a sharp nukite sword hand strike to the
solar plexus, which knocked all the wind out of the boss of the gang. Hatch
lay on the littered floor and groaned, holding his chest.
Ty knocked the out-of-shape Torres out cold, took his gun, and put it
into his belt. He crossed the room to Kelly and took the gun from her hands.
Bob and Jupiter found a length of wire and tied Max s hands and ankles.
He lay swearing and struggling, but helpless.
Grinning, Bob stood up. Well, I guess that takes care of the stolen-car
gang.
We ve got them! Pete cried.
And the evidence, Jupiter added, nodding at the stripped Maserati.
Better tie them all and pick up the guns, Ty said. I ll hold this gun
on them.
Pete and Jupiter found some rope in a corner, then tied up the two
mechanics and Torres. Bob retrieved the mechanic s gun from among the
car parts and picked up Max s pistol from the floor. Pete and Jupiter turned
to tie up Jake Hatch. He was still groaning and holding his bruised ribs as if
he d never recover.
But before they could take care of the agent, they heard feet pounding,
and a gang of men poured into the room from an alcove beyond the Maserati.
Hey, we got six nice hot wheels waitin for the elevator down on the first
floor, El Tiburon said as he strode in through some door the guys hadn t
seen. He stopped and stared. Ay chihuahua! Look at this, hey?
The four Piranhas and some hangers-on stood behind the handsome
Latino bandleader, who still wore his white stage suit.
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The Shark Sings
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