As one, they gave chase. May sped off, her feet pounding on the pavement, shoulder to shoulder with Owen.
"Stop!" May yelled.
Humphrey was not built or dressed for running, but panic was lending him a surprising speed. He darted into the used car lot, weaving his way between the vehicles.
People were stopping and staring. Attendants shouted in surprise as Humphrey blasted past them. One of them made a grab for him, but his hands slipped off the rubber tire. Through the window glass, May caught a glimpse of the blonde receptionist, staring avidly through the glass, clearly thrilled that she was finally seeing the takedown that she’d hoped for.
But what if they didn't take him down? It was surely unlikely that he could escape when he was dressed as he was, but what if he managed to hide away somewhere and get the costume off?
With a flare of worry, May saw where he was headed.
Humphrey had reached the end of the lot, and he sprinted straight out onto the busy main street beyond. Cars screeched to a halt, and horns blared. He was easily covering the ground, even though he was encumbered by his costume.
Hoping that she didn't get knocked down by a car, May raced out into the road, flinching as she heard horns blare and tires screech.
She dodged past a slowing car, and leaped out of the path of a speeding van.
In the morning traffic, he might just get away, May thought. He could duck down an alleyway and escape them. He could hop aboard a bus and be gone.
Or he could reach the end of the road and turn down one of the side streets and vanish, and they would lose him. She couldn't let that happen.
She put on a burst of speed and closed the distance between them, until she was only a few feet behind him. Then, legs burning with the effort, she reached out to grab his tire, feeling elated that she’d gotten close enough at last. But to her consternation, her fingers slipped right off it. The thick latex provided no grip, and was as slick as if it had been oiled.
Veering to the right, Humphrey dodged away and swerved past a parked van.
"I'll go the other side," Owen shouted breathlessly, peeling off from the pursuit.
May followed Humphrey, this time trying to get even closer so she could get a better grip on his slippery costume.
Lunging forward, her hand connected with his rubber tire again, and this time, she managed to cling to it and gave it a sharp yank.
Humphrey stumbled with a screech. Turning around, he kicked out at May and the toe of his blue boot caught her squarely on the shin.
"Ow!" she cried as she stumbled and almost fell.
Humphrey took the moment to turn and run again. He was approaching a row of parked cars. With a cry of triumph, he leaped onto the hood of a car, and then onto the roof of another one.
But Owen was keeping pace with him, May saw, sprinting along the sidewalk, dodging a group of commuters heading for the office park ahead.
Owen made a grab for his ankle and now, waving his arms in panic, Humphrey jumped off the car.
Across the road, a bus stopped. Its doors hissed open. Humphrey saw it, and ran at it for all he was worth.
This was her last chance, May realized. Gathering all her courage and speed, she leaped forward, grabbing him by the tire and tackling him to the ground.
He fell down, but the air-filled inflatable tire bounced them both high in the air. May gasped as they went airborne, clinging on with all her might as they rocketed into the path of an oncoming car.
With a shriek of brakes, it swerved, narrowly avoiding them as they bounced again, this time with less momentum. May realized to her relief that the tire had sprung a leak.
Now, she had purchase and could keep her feet on the ground. Humphrey let out a gasp of air as May sprawled on top of him, both of them bouncing gently.
He struggled, his feet kicking, but May had him now. She pinned him down and sat on his stomach, feeling the air gradually hiss out of the tire as horns blared around her.
And then, with a stamp of feet, Owen arrived. Quickly, he bent down and handcuffed the rapidly deflating mascot.
"Humphrey Andrews, you are now under arrest for attempting to evade officers of the law," he said breathlessly. "We're taking you in for questioning."
They hauled him to his feet, each grabbing one arm as they manhandled the reluctant man out of the road. Humphrey was puffing for air and his eyes were wide. May kept a death grip on the slippery costume. She didn't trust him an inch.
She couldn't wait to question him, to find out why he'd run in such a guilty way, and whether he had carried out the threats of bombing and destruction which he'd promised in such evil detail.