We jog toward the back door.I glance over my shoulder just as Rygar and Dad lift the agents’ prone forms and carry them outside.
Mom and I barrel into the alley, the sunlight blinding.She takes my hand and pulls me toward her.“Let’s take our car, honey.Your van is too recognizable.”
She’s so right.Taking the catering van would be like driving around with a bullseye on the side.“You’re right.But I need to stop and grab Kiki from the van.I can’t leave her behind.”
“Who’s Kiki?”
“You’ll see.”We race the short distance to the van.Scoping out the perimeter for any more agents, I shove the sliding door open.The mountain lion rises to her feet with a yawn and full body cat stretch.“This is Kiki.She was a wedding present from Rygar.”
Mom presses her hands against her chest and grins.“Oh, my goodness, how cool.Such a beautiful cat.”
“Doesn’t she scare you?”When I woke with no memory of her this morning, I assumed I was going to be Kiki’s breakfast.
“It’s from a lifetime of living with your father.A pet mountain lion isn’t the strangest thing I’ve seen.”
We’ll be talking a lot more about that later.Do I even know my parents?
“Come on, Kiki.Let’s get in my parents’ car.”She jumps out and rubs against my leg.I give her head a scratch.“Where are you parked, Mom?”
“Just over here.”Mom moves quickly, just shy of a dead run.Kiki and I follow.Kiki roars.Through our strange bond I somehow understand that she doesn’t like the firetruck’s sirens.
“I know.I don’t like them either.”I usher her into the back of my parents SUV.Kiki jumps in, pacing the cargo area.I lower the hatch and go around to hop into the back seat, so I’ll be near Kiki.I lift my arm to pet her over the back of the seat as Mom starts the engine.Her phone rings.She answers with the car’s Bluetooth.
“Charlotte, meet us at the end of the alley by Third Street.”Dad’s commanding voice filters through the car speaker.
“We’re on our way.”Mom says and hangs up.She pulls out so fast I almost get whiplash.Then she floors it, and we speed down the alley.As we pull into the street I spot Max, a huge grin on his face.He waves before running down the sidewalk toward the firetruck I see pulling into position in front of our store.
Mom doesn’t stop and less than a minute later, I see Rygar and Dad walking toward us.“There they are.”I lean forward and point my mom in the right direction.
“I see them.”Of course she does.My dad is tall, has always been solidly built and physically fit.But next to Rygar he looks small.Not once in my life have I ever considered my dad small.The idea feels foreign to my brain.
I search both men for injuries as we approach.They don’t look wounded, but until we get them inside, I can’t be sure.The thought of anything happening to either of them steals the breath from my body.I can’t lose them.Either of them.Family is everything to me.Everything.
Mom stops and they both get in.
“Go, Charlotte, head back to our house.”
“Henry, we must go to my ship.”Rygar sounds certain.
“We will, son.But I need something first that should help us.Besides, you said the ship crash landed southeast of the Bucking Bronco, correct?That’s close to our house.”
“My men and I walked to the Bucking Bronco from the ship.”
Dad is nodding along.“We can hike it from the house.It will be less conspicuous and only adds about half a mile to our trek.”
“Good enough.”Rygar nods and pulls me close.
I’m confused.“What about the agents?They said they have the whole area locked down.What if they’re at the house, too?”
Rygar chuckles.“Those two won’t remember a thing when they wake up.I interfaced with their vehicle’s onboard navigation system.The vehicle will drive them far away.Based on their energy reserves, the car will take them to—where was it again, Henry?”
Dad slaps the dashboard.“Las Vegas.Haha!Isn’t that a neat trick?”He is like a kid with an ice cream cone.“Damn self-driving cars.Man, I wish we had tech like that when I served.”
“What about their friends?They said there were more of them.”Having the entire area covered would take more than two agents.
Dad giggles like a child.He is having fun.Crazy.“Rygar’s suit took care of that.Used a voice simulator to tell the rest of his people they were following your husband to Vegas.Watched three more cars move to follow on their operation screens.”Dad crosses his arms and snorts.“Dumb move, assuming no one will gain access your vehicle.”
So, all the agents think Rygar is on his way to Las Vegas.Good.They will buy us some time.
