Time Gangsters
When Billy discovers a hidden cache of ancient coins, it isn't long before a gang of thugs from the 1920s swipes them right from under him. Plotting to use the magical properties of the coins to seize power in the past, these power-hungry gangsters will do anything to reach their goal. Their future threatened, Billy and Danny must race through time to steal back the coins-before history is changed forever!
Chap.1
Gangster at Twelve O'clock
BILLY FAIRBANKS SHOT UP OUT OF BED when he heard the glass window shatter. A man, dressed like a 1920s gangster, landed in his bedroom and looked around. Billy's mind had trouble processing what he saw. All he could think to say was, "Wha-?"
Bright light from outside illuminated the intruder, who pointed his tommy gun at Billy and whispered, "Is that you, Marlow?"
"Uh . . . no." Billy pulled his blanket up higher, even though he knew it wouldn't protect him from bullets.
The man looked puzzled as he examined the computer desk and the posters on the wall. He looked back to Billy. "Sorry, wrong time. Go back to sleep. This was just a dream." With that, he jumped back through the broken window. A few seconds later, Billy heard a car door slam shut.
Billy's heart raced. He leaped out of bed and dashed around the broken glass to the window. He looked out in time to see a boxy four-door, 1920s-style car zip around the corner and out of sight. That was, like, scary cool. In all his twelve years, he'd never seen anything like this.
Billy examined the neighborhood to see if anything else were out of the ordinary. No, there was just a flickering streetlight and the old oak tree in their front yard.
Stepping back from the window, he looked at the glass shards all over his floor. Great. My parents are going to kill me-again. But this time it's not my fault....
Chap 2
Hole-in-the-Wall Gang
DANNY HAD BEEN SURE THAT THE gangster in her room was a dream. Now she wondered. She asked Billy, "Did the man ask you about coins?"
"Coins?" Billy scrunched his forehead. "No, he just asked me if I was Marlow. I told him no, and he left. What's this about coins?"
Danny thought back to the strange man in the brown suit and fedora. "He asked me where the coins were. I said, 'What coins?' and a few seconds later he vanished."
"Coins, as in treasure . . . or gold?" Billy asked, his eyebrows rising with interest.
Danny shrugged. "I don't know." Billy and his stupid treasure fascination. Will he ever grow out of it?
"If there's some kind of gangster treasure buried here, we could be rich." Billy rubbed his chin, looking lost in thought. "Did he break your window to get in too?" he asked Danny.
"No. He was just standing there. I was sound asleep when I heard someone thumping around my room."
"Did he have one of those cool gangster guns?" Jordan asked.
"No. Just a hammer." Jordan asked, "Why would he have a hammer?" Danny shrugged. Billy asked, "Did he leave any clues in your room?" "I didn't look. I thought it was a dream, remember? " Wheezy raised his index finger. "You know, sometimes people can have joint dreams, especially if they're related."
Billy scratched his chin. "We need to go check this out. See if he left any clues."...
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