“Hunter, how can I help you?” asked the male standing at the front.
With nothing else to say, I told the truth. “I am looking for Dottie.”
“Oh, the librarian? She went through there!” exclaimed one of the younglings sitting in the back row.
“Hey, Mr. Chan says you guys are resistant to the bugs’ narrow-doxines…”
“Neurotoxins,” supplied their teacher.
“Yeah, that. Is it true?”
“Well,mymom says they are super strong because they eat their veggies,” said a young female to the right.
“No! She’s lying,” answered the first. “Everybody knows hunters like to eat meat.”
This was followed by several more questions, as dozens of tiny humans bombarded me with their queries, some of which made no sense. Not knowing what else to do, I answered each one as quickly and efficiently as I could.
“Yes, I am resistant to the toxins but not immune.”
“I like meat.”
“No, I do not eat broccoli.” I didn’t even know what that was.
“No, my skin did not turn purple because I ate a purplecray-on.”
But the questions continued to come. Were all young humans so full of inquiries? How did their parents deal with it?
Mr. Chan must have seen the confusion in my eyes because he held up his hand. Slowly the youngsters noticed and they all quieted, each of them putting up their hands in turn. “I’m sure we can have this wonderful hunter back to answer all your questions in an official Q&A session, but I’m sure he is very busy right now. So for homework—” The entire room made a groaning sound at the word.
“For homework,” he repeated, “write down one question you would like to ask a hunter.” He turned to face me. “Miss Dottie went this way.” Then softer, “You must be the hunter that came from the mothership. If you have time, maybe we can have you come in for an official Ask-a-Hunter Day.”
I grunted an affirmative—anything to get out of answering these questions now. “Wonderful. I will talk to Roger about getting it set up.”
And with that, I was off again. Behind the next door was a narrow connector hallway where Dottie’s scent was strong. It disappeared again behind one of the doors. Then I realized all the rooms were interconnected. I followed her scent, navigating through several more rooms of small humans before I found myself back in one of the main hallways next to another stairwell.
Dottie had gone back downstairs. It wasn’t until now that I realized she was toying with me. I continued following her scent. She stopped off on the building’s middle floor, weaving through the meeting rooms there. I found myself at the original staircase we’d taken. She headed back down to the main floor, right back to where we’d started.
She continued in the opposite direction until we were at a set of double doors. I recognized the word on them even without taking out my communicator; I’d committed it to my memory. This was the library.
Chapter 5: Dottie
Kiera stepped out of the back office the moment I stepped into the library, bag in hand, looking like she was ready to leave for the day. It was just past closing time for the library on a weekend, and Max had left already.
Kiera did a double take when she realized it was me and not her hunter, Bael’k, here to pick her up. I hurried past her and slipped into the office she just vacated, heading right to the front and ducking behind the presentation podium.
“What’s going—”
I made a zip-it motion over my lips, and Kiera caught on immediately. She turned toward the front library doors just as I heard them swinging open again. I ducked down low, hoping the narrow podium covered me completely.
I felt rather than saw Ror’k walk in. I held my breath, my pulse pounding in my ears.
“Hi, Ror’k. What areyoudoing here?”
There was no answer.
“Well, everyone went home about an hour ago,” Kiera continued. “Library’s actually closed. I’m just waiting for Bael’k to pick me up. Why don’t you come back tomorrow?”
There was a long moment of intense silence before I heard the door click shut. Seconds later, Kiera slid the deadbolt closed. I’d gotten away scot-free, for now. But Kiera was in the meeting room and was narrowing her eyes at me.
