Chapter 1
THE VOICES IN THE CLOUD
“And why did we have to climb in here at all? This was the dumbest idea you’ve ever had.” Naomi clung to the side of the basket, which was suspended a hundred feet above ground. And rising fast.
Even for Jerick, hijacking a hot-air balloon belonged to the category of Exceptionally Rare Achievements. An ordinary day in the life of Jerick Faust might include carrying a gun replica through a security check, accidentally erasing all of his father’s work from his computer, or lighting firecrackers in his room and almost burning down the whole house. But not hijacking a balloon.
The feat was all the greater in that he managed to drag his little sister along, Naomi, who would not even steal a cookie without asking their mother.
Naomi was so tiny she wore little kids’ clothes instead of proper
