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Natch!35Chapter 3: Jade Bergs & Turquoise Blues%u201cI love flying in Whirlicopters,%u201d Chance had exclaimed earlier thatmorning when they walked out onto the launch pad. %u201cTo soar atthe speed of sound from here to infinity,%u201d he made a schoolboy%u2019swhooshing gesture with his left hand, %u201cand then stop on a dimeand just hover, silently, floating as carefree as a balloon.%u201d His gleewas evident.Jinx reached over with his straw and made a popping gesture.%u201cCome on balloon boy, it%u2019s time to go. Lucky! Hurry up!%u201d heshouted to Lucky, just exiting the building. His soggy hat,drooping from the pocket of his overcoat, caught on the doorhandle as it closed, caused him to stumble and scatter his gear.He wore a large pack on his back, had a smaller daypack strewnover his left shoulder, and in his arms balanced a camera bag, thepacket of Biologics Gad had asked him to deliver to his researchunderlings in the Far South, and several packages of assortedsnacks.%u201cShiiittt!%u201d Lucky replied as he gathered his gear. He was alsolooking forward to the Whirlicopter reconnoiter. It had beensome time since he%u2019d flown in one and was curious to discoverwhether Whimsy%u2019s raves about the upgrades were true. The newWhirlicopters flew like dragonflies. Their wings, capable ofrotating at whoopersonic speeds, enabled the ultralight craft tofly in nearly any direction. They could jet across great distancesat high altitudes or maneuver precisely through the narrowestcanyons, stopping and redirecting with uncanny velocity andprecision. EWA went on and on about them. Rumor had it thatthe Folks Upstairs had commissioned the latest upgradesespecially for the new design, but no one could confirm it.From the sleek belly of the craft, Jinx reached out a hand tohelp Lucky as he boarded, taking several of the snack packagesfrom him. %u201cYou think we%u2019ll have enough?%u201d He smiled. Luckylooked toward the rear of the compartment, where Jinx and