Get Smart 5 - Missed It By That Much! Read Online Free Page A

cab, asked directions, then started out walking toward the water front. As they neared the area they noticed that all of the street lights had been broken. There were villainous-looking men standing in the darkened doorways, observing them sinisterly as they made their way.
    “Max . . .” 99 trembled, “. . . I’m frightened . . .”
    “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,” Max replied. “Unless, of course, the Red Cross has a drive on for blood donations. Frankly, what bothers me most is my tum-tum. We’ve been in a dozen restaurants today, but we haven’t had anything to eat yet. I’m getting really hungry.”
    “Me, too,” 99 said. “What I wouldn’t give for a good American meal!”
    They reached the section of piers and docks. Along the street, facing the water, was a long row of low buildings. Most of the buildings were dark. But in the distance they saw a glow of light.
    “According to the directions we got from that taxi driver, this is the street,” Max said. “The Chop House must be down there toward the end of the wharf.”
    “I hope we’re not on a wild goose chase, Max.”
    “As hungry as I am, 99, I sort of hope we are on a wild goose chase. In fact, I’m so hungry that if I had a wild goose, I’d like to have it stuffed with a second wild goose. Or a large chicken, at the very least. I’m so starved that—”
    “Max!” 99 suddenly cried, pointing. “Look! There at the end of the wharf!”
    Max peered ahead. He saw a brightly-lighted building. The flashing neon sign above it said:

    JOE’S AMERICAN DINER

    “Saved!” Max shouted happily. “American food!”
    “Hurry, Max!”
    They raced toward the diner.
    “Max, see those signs on the windows!” 99 cried joyously. “See what they serve! After that horrible foreign food, isn’t that a sight for sore eyes! Look! Peanut Butter Burgers! And Rice Krispies Burgers!”
    “And Marshmallow Burgers!”
    “And Home-Baked Mom’s Apple Pie Burgers!”
    They rushed up to the door of the diner. Max whipped the door open and they dashed in—and immediately plummeted downward.
    “99, we’re falling through the air,” Max said. “We’re dropping into the water.”
    “Max! What happened to the diner? It disappeared!”
    “I think I can explain that, 99.”
    “What happened!”
    “Blug-Blug-Blug,” Max replied, hitting the water and sinking beneath the surface.
    A moment later, Max and 99 reappeared, gasping for breath. They began treading water.
    “Max . . . what . . . what did you say?” 99 gulped.
    “I said . . . Blug-Blug-Blug . . .”
    “What does that mean?”
    “It means, I think we’ve finally made contact with the KAOS agent, Whitestone. Remember? The Chief told us that he’s a master illusionist. That diner we saw didn’t really exist. It was an illusion. Whitestone used it to try to destroy us. He hoped that we’d drown.”
    “Max! That’s terrible!”
    “It certainly is. I had my heart set on a peanut butter burger.”
    “We better get back to the dock, Max.”
    “In our condition, I think you’re right. I think it’s a dry dock.”
    They dogpaddled to the dock, then climbed up out of the water. “Well, at least we got where we were going,” Max said. “There’s the Chop House over there.”
    99 looked. “That taxi driver was right,” she said. “That’s a den of thieves, if I ever saw one. If he’s never been down here, I wonder how he was able to describe it so well.”
    “Oh, I suspect he’s been down here often enough,” Max smiled. “Those tall, white-haired, distinguished-looking cab drivers get around more than they like to admit.”
    “What shall we do now, Max?”
    “What else? Go in and ask for Dr. Livingstrom. That’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?”
    As they approached the doorway of the Chop House, a small, wizened, hobbling man came out. He was carrying an unlit cigar in one hand.
    The man spoke to Max. “Got a match, Mac?”
    Max hit him with a karate