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Chapter 16
The next day, Mike gathered the team out on the campus quad. Sulley leaned against a tree and watched as Mike had them line up military-style. “Okay, listen up, Oozmas!” Mike said. “We’re going to have to start winning these things together, so that means I need each of you to pull your own weight.”
“We’ve made a list of our strengths and weaknesses,” Squishy said, smiling.
Don stepped forward. “In high school I was the master of the ‘silent scare.’ Why, I could sneak up on a field mouse in a pillow factory,” he said as he got down on his hands and knees and began to creep across the sidewalk. But his suction cups made a loud pop-pop-pop sound. “Uh, sorry,” Don said. “They get stickier when I’m sweaty.”
Then Terri and Terry stepped up. One hand pulled out a deck of playing cards. “We’re experts in the ancient craft of close-up magic,” Terry said with an air of mystery as he waved the cards in front of them.
“It’s all about misdirection,” Terri explained. But just then, all the cards accidentally tumbled out of his sleeve and fell to the ground. Terry looked at his brother and gave an exasperated sigh.
“I have an extra toe,” Art said. He laughed quietly and added, “Not with me, of course.”
Mike could see that the boys needed some direction. “Guys, one slipup. in the next event and we’re goners. So for this to work, I need you to take every instinct you have and bury it deep, deep down.”
“Done,” Art said.
Mike nodded. “From now on, we are of one mind. My mind.”
“Oh, please,” Sulley said, rolling his eyes.
“I will tell you exactly what to do and how to do it,” Mike continued.
Sulley made a face, but the Oozmas were completely on board. “Okay, Mike,” they said. “That sure seems best.”
Mike smiled at them and said, “Good. Give me fifty sneaks, right now, in place, let’s go!”
As the Oozmas began to exercise, moving their oddly misshapen bodies, Sulley walked over to Mike and said, “You’re wasting your time. We need a new team.”
“We can’t just get a new team,” Mike replied. “I checked this morning, and it’s against the rules.”
“What if we disguise the new team to look like the old team?” Sulley asked hopefully.
“Oh, no. We are not cheating!” Mike said.
“It’s not cheating,” Sulley said, shaking his head. “I’m just, you know, leveling the playing field.” Mike stared at him, and Sulley sighed. “Okay, so it’s kind of cheating! But what do you want me to do? They’re not exactly the scariest group in the world.”
They both turned and looked at the Oozmas. Squishy was prancing around with a ladybug on his hand. “Oh, make a wish, everybody! Make a wish!”
Sulley gave Mike an annoyed look and walked off. “Where are you going?” Mike called after him. “We’re training!”
“I’m a Sullivan!” Sulley called back. “You tell them what to do, but not me. Later, Coach.”
Squishy suddenly sprung up behind Mike, who jumped into the air in surprise.
“AH!” he screamed. “Boy, we need to get you a bell!” Then he turned to the group. “Okay, Oozmas. Pop quiz: What’s more dangerous than a human child?”
Art raised his hand and said, “Two human childs?”
Mike sighed. “No! A human adult! The next event is all about avoiding capture. So remember, do exactly what I do.” Mike raised a foot and walked heel to toe, super-slow. The rest of the team nodded eagerly.