The Magnifica plus Stefan would leap and then fall in slow motion while yelling comical catchphrases. They would land on the bateau mouche’s awning and slide down safely, and the cops would be left fuming helplessly. Ah, if only life could be a movie. Or a movie could be life. Although not some movies. As it happened, Mack did not land on an awning; he landed on a transparent covering that looked like it might be glass but was in fact plastic. The plastic didn’t break. It cracked from the impact but it was thick and strong, so it didn’t shatter. Mack landed hard on his heels, fell on his butt, smacked his head, and lay as stunned as a slapped catfish.33 Sylvie, Xiao, and Charlie all landed in a heap of tangled legs and arms. The two girls seemed to have landed on top of Charlie, who softened their landing but was now groaning that his back was broken. (It wasn’t.) Jarrah was the only one to shout anything at all, and it was, “Yeeeeeaaaah!” followed shortly by, “Owww, that hurt.”
