"Psst. Down here, Elena mine."
Elena whirled, her mouth falling open at the sight of the lu-ong spawn's head poking out of an air duct cover on the wall. "Uncle Jin?"
"Catch it," he ordered.
Elena barely reacted in time as the cover fell forward. She lurched to grab it before it could hit the ground.
The lu-ong spawn jerked its head at her. "Get in!"
With the sound of footsteps slowly stalking toward her, Elena wasted no time, squeezing into the narrow opening. It was a tight fit. Possible only because of her prepubescent body.
"Help me get the cover back into place," Uncle Jin whispered.
Elena grabbed the cover, pulling it into position as Elise rounded the corner. The spawn flattened its body partially on the cover, the other half clinging to the floor of the air duct. Like that, he held it in place, allowing Elena to draw back her hands so her finger tips wouldn't show.
She'd learned long ago not to question how Uncle Jin did some of the things he did. Instead, taking his sometimes miraculous feats for granted.
"Who is it?" the Tsavitee called from out of sight.
Elena's egg donor scanned the nook carefully. Her forehead furrowing then relaxing as her gaze landed on the air duct where Elena was hiding. She crouched in front of it, hooking one finger over the top. "You should have known better than to come here."
Elise tugged on the cover, freezing at the sight of Elena's terrified face.
"Yo," Uncle Jin said in greeting.
An explosive bang shattered the silence.
Elise twisted to stare up at the pressurized steam venting from the crack along the top third of the cannister.
"It looks like the sound we heard was the cannister. Probably the first sign of a de-pressurization," Elise said, pushing the air vent closed and rising. "You should punish whoever is responsible for maintaining them. A mistake like this could affect your work."
Elena held her breath, her body flashing between hot and cold. Please. Please. Please.
"I see," the Tsavitee said finally.
There was rustle of movement as Elise rose and stepped out of the nook. Then the sound of her footsteps as she walked back toward the stairs leading down to the pool.
"Aren't you coming?" Elise asked after a moment.
"Of course, my dear," the Tsavitee murmured, finally moving away from Elena's hiding place. "I have a new set of specimens to break in."
Neither Elena nor Jin moved, waiting until they were absolutely sure that Elise and the Tsavitee were gone.
"You are in so much trouble, favored child of my heart," Uncle Jin hissed as the spawn welded the air duct shut. "The most trouble you've ever been in your entire life."
"Wasn't that what you said last time?"
The spawn reared back, looking like a snake about to strike. "It's incredible, isn't it? How every time you manage to top yourself."
Elena pursed her lips, wanting to argue but unable to.
If she tried, Uncle Jin's spawn might actually bite her. She kind of thought she deserved it this time. Not that she’d ever admit it to him.
"Let's go." Uncle Jin slithered past her into the air duct. "If they discover you're gone, it won't matter what I just did."
It took effort but eventually Elena got herself pointed in the right direction. "How did you do that by the way?"
The arrogance on the lu-ong’s face was impressive given he was composed of inorganic matter.
