If it wasnʼt already weird his uncle had discovered how to communicate with them through the cat And now Luis had promised Uncle Cyrus that they would help him find the keys Tesla was leaving behind to help Cyrus find his way home to his own time Hey are you ready up there yet Casey yelled from downstairs Itʼs almost time to meet your uncle at the Time Twister Luis shoved three flashlights a compass and matches into the backpack and zipped it He looked at the table beside his bed Uncle Cyrusʼs pocket watch sat next to his lamp The watch had been left by Tesla at the haunted house Tesla thought it would help Cyrus break free of the time machineʼs pull on him It was the first thing Tesla tried He said he would try again Luis grabbed it and put it in his back pocket He ran downstairs as Tyler came out of the
kitchen his small backpack with a picture of the solar system on it hanging over his shoulder Tyler leaned on his forearm crutches Weʼre ready to go well wherever weʼre going this time Casey tied the belt on her long coat Luis thought she looked like a girl Sherlock Holmes But when she walked she clanked like a rusty robot Whereʼs Steel Luis asked Heʼs coming I think I fixed his meowing Tyler said He gave three whistles The robot cat rolled out of the kitchen It turned its head toward Luis Meow Meow Luis grinned Hey thatʼs great He sounds like a real BONG BONG BONG Casey giggled Tyler said Well Iʼm getting closer
Luis grabbed the pack of food Tyler had put together Casey picked up Steel and followed Luis and Tyler out the door and through the backyard They stopped at the shed while Luis used the strange tree-shaped key in the heavy lock on the shed door Are we ready for another adventure Casey asked when the lock fell open Luis nodded He felt bad that he hadnʼt told his dad about what they had done But he was afraid his father would stop them from helping Uncle Cyrus It had been hard waiting that morning for him to leave His father was headed out to the shed when he got a phone call from his mom She was in Puerto Rico taking care of Luisʼs grandmother and needed his father to send her more money Luis glanced back at the house
Don't worry weʼll be back in a couple of minutes from now no matter how long the adventure lasts Tyler said Your dad wonʼt have time to get to the bank and back again I know Luis said But if we get stuck Dad wonʼt know I have to leave a note for him They walked across the shed to the time machine It was quiet After the last trip they had remembered to put back the green tarp that covered it when they first found it Luis took the journal from his great-great great-great-uncle Cyrus He tore out a blank piece of paper and wrote on it Dad I’m leaving this in case something goes wrong Tyler and Casey and I found the key to the shed and the time machine We’ve used it twice It’s a long story But we found Uncle Cyrus He’s trapped in time with the machine We’re trying to help him I’m sorry I didn’t tell you If we aren’t back tonight something is wrong Please find us
