by John Purcell
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We had enough trouble just finding the Three. They weren’t in the cafeteria, nor at the clinic. The East Room was deserted. I concluded they were outside somewhere.
As we descended the stairs to the South Lawn, one of the gryphons swooped in for a landing, touching down somewhere near the fountain. I hurried in that direction, leaving Mr. Wu straggling behind, still in disguise. I was concerned that Droogie and Shmoogie had broken loose.
As I approached, I could see that the gryphon had actually landed in the empty fountain. Droogie and Shmoogie were turning it into a nest. The Three were standing on the far side, arms folded, watching this spectacle unfold.
When Luma saw me, she ran up and threw her arms around my neck, as though she hadn’t seen me in a month. “Thank goodness you’re back! I was really worried!”
I spoke into her ear. “Why?”
She released me, lowering her voice. “I still don’t trust him!” Then she looked past me and waved, forcing a smile. Mr. Wu was coming up behind me.
He joined us, leaning on his cane. “I see the gryphons are making themselves at home.”
Luma said, “Yes, we had to set them free. It just wasn’t right to keep them tied up all the time.”
I said, “What did they do when you released them?”
“They both took off into the sky. We figured we’d never see them again but they returned a few minutes later, carrying bits of trash. They’ve been at it ever since.”
Dogan came marching up to us. “Hey, you’re back!” He turned to Mr. Wu. “Now can we find out where my dad is?”
Mr. Wu gave him Gutenberg’s smile. “Your persistence is a marvel to behold.”
Bim appeared at my side. “Find anything?”
I shook my head.
“So the second complex is just a myth?”
“We’ve run out of places to look, that’s for sure.”
Mr. Wu was studying us, trying to read Bim’s lips. We stopped talking and an awkward silence ensued.
Dogan broke it, saying, “Are we just going to stand here all day?”
