by Lysa Daley
Nevertheless, the surprised group jumps and one of the officers even unholsters his service revolver. While they’re all looking the opposite way, I slip down the narrow stairway into a square, dark concrete tunnel.
The trolley station is about the creepiest thing I've ever seen. Murky lights illuminate a single track running along the center.
At the base of the stairs, I glance back and forth. Which way should I go? Taking a few steps into the center, something on the ground catches my eye. Drops of blood. Like dark rust. I follow them, traveling farther north into the tunnel.
Every little sound is amplified by the concrete walls. Distant dripping water sounds like a snare drum. My tentative footsteps seem to echo through the tunnel.
My uncle could make the argument that this is perhaps the stupidest thing I have ever done. I am 100% vulnerable at this moment. If anyone is following me, I'd be very easy to take out. I'm basically trapped in a sealed-off underground abandoned tunnel.
I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do when I get back.
I pull the iPad with the intention of sending a text to my uncle. At this point, it might be a good idea to let someone know where I am.
Great. No Signal. Not even a single bar.
I quickened my pace. I might as well get this over with as fast as I can if I have any hope of safely returning to the hotel.
I haven't gone more than ten yards when I hear a terrifying growling. It's some sort of monster.
A dark thought crosses my mind. Maybe it's not Tom.
Maybe it's Calliope's greater Valarian Drolgon named Raki.
And this is a trap.
Chapter 11
I can't believe it only occurred to me now that this creature could be some other alien monster. It’s entirely possible that Raki, Calliope’s guardian, killed Tom and is hiding down here waiting to finish me off too.
I hear a load terrifying guttural growl approaching me from the darkness of the tunnel. The monster snorts and breathes. Whatever it is, by the sound of its respiration, it has to be big.
Well… here goes nothing.
“Tom?” I call out into the darkness. “Tom, is that you?”
The beasts footsteps speed up. It's either very happy to see me, or it's charging.
Finally, into the murky light of the tunnel, a massive scaly head appears as the animal slows to a stop. It looks like something out of a medieval fairytale. Standing before me is definitely a dragon.
I take a step back and glance over my shoulder. It must be 200 yards to the stairway; there's no way I'll make it. I may be fast, but I'm pretty sure I can't outrun a dragon.
The beast creeps closer as cold fear trickles up my spine. It isn't until I see the ever-present red collar with a little bell attached that I know it's Tom. Somehow the collar grows and shrinks with his changing form.
“Tom!” I smile. “It’s you.”
When he gets closer, he spins a circle and shifts into his natural alien form, which to be honest isn't all that different from the dragon. This makes me wonder about the origin of the mythical creature we think of as dragons.
“What are you doing down here?” I ask as he drops his head, happily purring some weird alien purr.
Slowly, Tom turns, heading back into the dark. He walks slowly with effort but doesn’t look injured.
He seems to want me to follow, so I trail along out of the dimly lit section into the inky cold blackness of the unrenovated end of the tunnel.
I use the light from the iPad to see what’s in front of me. The concrete floor crumbles away to rocky dirt. I’m forced to step carefully in order to not lose my footing on the uneven ground.
In less than a hundred yards, we come to what might have been a maintenance bay of some sort. Rusted gears and the skeleton of abandoned tools lie scattered.
Tom slowly moves towards the back corner where he’s created a makeshift nest from discarded cardboard cloth and plastic. He must've made this so he’d have a place to rest, but it makes me sad to see a nest made out of what’s basically garbage.
As I get closer, I'm startled as the head of a little creature appears.
Whoa!
And by little, I mean smaller than Tom. In proportion to me the creature’s about the size of a tiger. Another head pops up. Then another. All three squawk eagerly at Tom.
He sits near them and turns towards me.
“Oh my God,” I say, realizing what I'm looking at. “You have babies.”
How could Tom have babies? Is Tom a she?
Perhaps we've been wrong all along.
“The three tiny baby Drolgons probably look like what a baby dinosaur looks like. Despite their hairless skin, horned heads, and ratlike tails, I have to confess they're super cute.
Who’s the father? For that matter, who’s the mother?
I conclude that Tom must be a girl.
Tom scooches back and lies down behind she children. She looks up at me and sort of coos. I interpret this as an invitation to move closer. Slowly, I edge toward the babies.
“Hi, little guys,” I say softly. “Aren't you cute.”
At first, they eye me carefully, glancing back at their “mother” to see if it's okay. They quickly decide I'm not a threat. The biggest of the trio, bounds over the edge of the nest scampering toward me.
It's like having an 600-pound puppy who wants to play.
“Oh, hey there. Slow down,” I say bracing myself when it becomes clear this baby Drolgon is going to leap up on me.
The enthusiastic little tyke knocks me to the ground, then proceeds to lick me all over my face. Giggling, I try to defend myself to no avail, “Okay now, that tickles. You're getting me all slobbery.”
It takes about ten seconds for the other two to join their sibling. The three babies bounce all around me, licking my skin. They're adorable, but I'm a little bit afraid I'm about to be smothered by intergalactic puppy energy. One of them decides to sniff me all over, then crawls in my lap. The other two tug on my shoe.
Luckily, the good thing about babies is they get tired quickly - no matter what planet they’re from apparently. Fifteen minutes later, all three of them are back in their nests sound asleep.
When I checked the time, I realize it's nearly midnight. Time completely got away from me. My uncle is probably panicked. He probably has the army out looking for me.
I give Tom a big hug and head back down the tunnel promising to return soon.
Cautiously climbing out from the old iron stairwell I see that the police are long gone. As I walk away, making sure no one is watching me, I worry for Tom. Sure the police didn't believe there was an actual dragon down in the tunnel, but who's to say that they won't send a crew to check to see if something else is living down here.
We need to do something fast. Before someone, or something else, finds them.
Chapter 12
The city has quieted down as I head back to the hotel. I spot the white rocket ship-like Washington Monument glowing brightly above the dark skyline. D.C. is a beautiful city at night.
A light rain must have passed through while I was underground because the pavement looks slick with water. One of the things I like about Washington D.C. are the spontaneous thunder showers. The day can be bright and sunny, then 10 minutes later the sky starts to crackle with lightning accompanied by the boom of thunder.
Walking alone, I pull out my cell phone to check to see if there’s a frantic text. I'm most worried about one from my angry uncle after he discovered that I’m not in my room at nearly midnight. I'm shocked to see the blank screen. Nothing. Huh? Hard to believe nobody's noticed that I'm gone.
Makes me wonder if I should sneak out more often.
I’m worried about Tom. I have no doubt that he’ll fight back if anyone threatens her or the babies. That could be disastrous on so many levels. I don’t want Tom, or some innocent person, to get hurt. Maybe Fitz and my uncle will have a solution to this problem. Somehow we need to find a way to get them al
l back to the loading dock where they’ll be safe.
A few cabs whiz by along with some politicos who’ve been burning the midnight oil, but the sidewalks are pretty much deserted. There's no one else walking on the street with me for at least three blocks. Which is why when I hear footsteps behind me I quickly glance over my shoulder.
Nobody’s there.
I pick up my pace anyway, stepping into the street and crossing kitty corner to the other side. I look back again. Not a soul to be seen.
But I'm not even halfway down the next block when I swear I hear footsteps again.
This time I duck into a doorway so I can take in my surroundings from both directions. But there’s still no one in sight. Despite that, the prickly little hairs on my neck stand up.
I start walking again, faster this time. When I hear the footsteps, I turn a corner and start to run without looking back.
I make it almost three blocks before I stop. If someone was following me, I’m pretty sure I’ve finally lost them. I’m winded, but I can see the hotel standing up on a little rise in the distance like a giant white wedding cake. Knowing I’m almost home makes me feel better.
I look over my shoulder. I nearly laugh, embarrassed that I thought someone was following me. But when I turn around, I come face to face with a tall, hulking figure. He rushes toward me as I scream.
Suddenly, a hand clamps over my mouth. “Shhhh. It’s me, Astrid. Don’t scream.”
The figure takes a step back into a puddle of light shining down from a barbershop awning.
“You?!” A flood of emotion fills me.
It’s Jax.
At first, I feel a wave of joy to see him. But then I remember what happened in the forest of St. Benedicts. How he betrayed me and helped Calliope steal my sword. I think about how we all trusted him; how we all shared information with him. But he ran away like a coward in the night to help the Draconian warlord Ciagar Rigel.
“I don't have much time,” he whispers.
Before he can say more, I wind up and throw my very best punch straight for his nose. “You dirty traitor!”
Unfortunately, he easily dodges it, and my punch hits nothing but air, knocking me off balance. Damn! That whole super speed thing. I throw the second punch, but the same thing happens.
He grins and raises an eyebrow. “Do you want to keep trying to hit me or do you want to know why I’m here?”
“What happened to you? You betrayed us.”
“I can’t explain right now.” He brushes past my question. “What are you doing out here alone? Uncle Conrad's going to be pretty pissed. And he should be. If I could follow you this easily, then any of your enemies could have done the same. Not very smart, Astrid.”
I spit out a bitter laugh. “One of my enemies did fine me.”
“Oh, get over yourself,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Things aren’t always what they seem.”
I'm not sure what he's doing here. If he wanted to kill me, I’d be dead by now. Still, I decide to try a different tactic. “Tom had babies.”
“What?” Jax - an intergalactic veterinarian - sounds stunned.
“That's why I'm out so late,” I explain. “He disappeared a few days ago. We assumed he was injured after we found Drolgon blood. So when I heard the police scanner reporting dragons in the subway, I went to check it out.”
He nods like something suddenly makes sense. “I heard there’d been dragon sightings. Didn't occur to me that it was Tom, but I suppose it should have. You're certain he had a baby?”
“Not a baby. Three babies.”
His eyes go wide. “And there was no other parent around. Perhaps the mother?”
I shrug. “Tom seems to be the primary parent.”
“I’m wondering if that means Raki is the other parent?” he replies, nodding.
“Does that mean Tom is a girl?”
He shakes his head. “Raki is likely one of the parents, but gender is more fluid in alien reproduction. Either could be the male or female.”
Footsteps approach and I see two cops dashing toward us. “You okay there, miss? Did you scream a minute ago?”
“Yes, officer, “I reply in my best good girl voice. “But everything is perfectly okay.”
I see the officers turn towards each other and whisper something. Then one of them calls back. “Who's that with you there, miss?”
“I'm her boyfriend,” Jax says in a congenial voice waving a friendly hand.
Apparently, the officers don't buy it, because they're heading towards us. “Let’s see some I.D., if you don't mind.”
“Shoot,” Jax says under his breath. He clearly doesn’t want to talk to the police.
“What's wrong?” I whisper, elbowing him. “Just show them your I.D.”
He hesitates. “I’ve had a couple of run-ins with the police recently.”
Somehow this doesn’t surprise me.
He reaches into his pocket then takes my hand, slides a thumb drive into it and wraps my fingers around it. “Give this to Fitz. No one else. Do you understand?”
“You’re not coming back with me?” I’m confused by this entire encounter.
“This is important, Astrid.”
“What’s this? What's going on?”
“It’s a long story.”
“ID please?” The officer repeats, having nearly reached us.
“Long story?” I glance toward the approaching officer. I don’t even know if Jax is a good guy or a bad guy anymore.
“You looked remarkably beautiful when you’re angry,” he whispers.
“How dare you —” But when I whirl around, Jax is gone.
“Whoa!” one of the officers says.
Both officers stop in their tracks looking like someone slapped them across the face. I forget Jax can timeshift in and out of places. The police officers think that he's just vanished into thin air.
“Where is your friend?” he asks.
At this point, I have no choice but to act like they’re the crazy ones. “What friend?”
The police officers exchange looks. “The guy who said he was your boyfriend?”
I reach into my pocket and pulled out my student ID from my college back in central California. It's the best I can do as far as ID goes. “I don't have a boyfriend. It's just me. I'm staying over there at the hotel. You can check if you want.”
The other officer takes my ID, nervously looks it over, then hands it back to me. “Okay, yes, um, okay have a good night.”
I slide my ID back in my pocket. “You too, officers.”
They turn and hurry away from me as fast as they can.
Can you blame them?
Chapter 13
“Explain yourself.”
“I already have.”
“Then do it again.”
“I told you already,” I sigh. “I went to find Tom. And I found him.” I’m having a hard time looking my uncle in the eye.
He just stands quietly staring at me while slowly shaking his head. I'm sure he wishes he was the guardian of any of the other six Sisters of Light instead of me. They’re probably all extremely well-behaved, excellent warriors, as well as super neat and tidy.
Finally, he says, “I don't know what to do with you.”
Fitz tries to intervene. “Let's all remain calm. I'm sure Astrid is aware of the fact that what she did was incredibly stupid and dangerous.” He looks at me expectantly, like he wants me to nod in agreement.
I reluctantly give him a little head bob of acknowledgment.
“But she did locate the missing Drolgon. So, at least we know he wasn't apprehended or kidnapped by the Horlocks or the Draconians. Which is an excellent indication that our location has not been compromised. So, in a way, she did some good intelligence work.”
“Oh, please.” My uncle rolls his eyes and throws his hands in the air. “That's just a lucky side effect of her not getting herself kidnapped, arrested or killed. Or all three.” Then, he points a finger at me. “You know, you
’re not too old for me to ground you.”
“There’s one thing I still haven't told you.” I begin.
“Besides the fact that you snuck out, headed into an abandoned tunnel and were almost arrested after midnight?”
“Yes.”
My uncle shakes his head. “I can’t wait to hear.”
I hardly slept last night. I got lucky when I got back to the room because my uncle still wasn't there. Every now and then, he and Fitz get into a never ending battle royale chess match that's been known to go on for several days. I heard him come back at about 2:15. I’d been in my bed for over an hour.
I tossed and turned all night thinking about my encounter with Jax. What does it mean? Who is he? Who was he double-crossing: me or them?
Anyway, I thought I was totally in the clear.
But then this morning while I was watching a makeup tutorial on YouTube and eating a bowl of Greek yogurt with berries while my uncle made his delicious hazelnut coffee, security knocked on our door.
That's probably when I should have run.
The agent, who was scanning the security tapes last night, showed my uncle an image of me slinking in through the side entrance. Sneaking in is a lot easier than sneaking out when you have a pass key.
My uncle just nodded calmly and listened quietly until the agent left. I expected a huge blowup. Instead, he turned to me and said, “Fitz, wants to see us right now.”
I know my uncle is frustrated with me. He wants to keep me under his thumb where he thinks I’m all safe and sound. But I can't live like a prisoner for the rest of my life. I'd rather die at the hands of the Draconians than lived to be 100 years old in this velvet prison.
Now, I glance around to see everyone in the conference room looking at me, so I just tell them. “I saw Jax.”
“What?” Fitz says.
“You've been in contact with that two-faced scoundrel Arcturian?” O'Malley reacts like he thinks it was all some nefarious planned secret rendezvous.
“He found me,” I reply indignantly.
