Pegasus and the Rise of the Titans (Pegasus #5) (18 page)

Lorin looked at the tin and frowned. But when Sergeant Walker took a sip, she understood. She took the can and drank back a large swallow. More sweet flavours danced in her mouth. Her eyes went wide with excitement as she reached for a third doughnut.

One of the men came forward. ‘Sir, Colonel James is waiting for us.’

‘Colonel James can wait,’ the sergeant snapped. ‘Let Lorin enjoy her meal.’

32

When it was dark, Emily and Paelen began to make a move from their hideout. They had made so many twists and turns to escape the police they had no idea where the zoo was and had to ask a woman walking her dog.

‘It’s just three blocks from here,’ she said. ‘Just go down to the end of this street, then turn right and take the first left and in two blocks you’re there. You can’t miss it.’

They thanked her and were on their way. As they got closer to the zoo, Emily’s connection to Pegasus grew stronger. She stopped. ‘Something’s wrong with Pegs. He’s not in pain, but he’s very angry.’

Concern for Pegasus and the others quickened their pace.

Soon they were standing across the street from the Honolulu Zoo. In the dark there was very little they could see. But from what they could make out, it didn’t look anything like a zoo. There was a very tall chain-link fence surrounding it. Bushes and trees grew along the length of the fence and where they thinned, the back of buildings could be seen.

They couldn’t see any animal enclosures from here but they could hear the sounds of animals from inside settling down for the night. Elephants trumpeting, monkey calls, lion roars and even the braying of donkeys mixed with the sounds of roosting birds.

‘What kinds of monsters are making those loud calls?’ Paelen asked. ‘They almost sound like Brue.’

‘I think those are elephants,’ Emily said. ‘They are big grey animals, not nearly as big as Brue, but almost as round. They’ve got a long trunk for a nose, huge ears and tusks made of ivory. They are very beautiful. Sadly, some people on Earth hunt them for their ivory tusks and they’ve become endangered.’

‘Maybe we should bring Brue here one day to teach them not to.’

Emily nodded. ‘That would be fantastic!’

They waited for cars to pass and then crossed the street. Paelen looked around. ‘It is too busy here. We must find somewhere safe to fly over the fence.’

The zoo was much larger than they expected. They followed the fence along several streets before turning a corner and continuing another few streets in length.

‘I think this is a good place,’ Paelen said as they arrived near a delivery gate. ‘I cannot hear or feel anyone around us.’

Nerves bunched in Emily’s stomach. She had never felt more vulnerable. They were knowingly entering a CRU trap without her powers for protection. Emily looked around again. ‘OK, get us over the fence.’

Paelen lifted Emily in his arms and they flew over the fence. When they touched down, they ducked into the bushes to get their bearings. Directly ahead of them was a paved trail. Across from it, a tall fenced enclosure. In the limited light, they couldn’t see what animals it contained.

‘Can you feel Pegasus enough to tell us where he is?’ Paelen asked.

‘I don’t know, I’ve never really had to before.’ Emily closed her eyes. She pushed aside her fear and focused fully on Pegasus. She could see his beautiful face in her mind. Taking a deep breath, she felt for him. The link was strong.

‘I can feel him,’ she muttered softly. ‘He’s still very angry.’

‘Which direction do you feel it from?’

Emily took another cleansing breath and reached out for Pegasus. She felt a light draw. It wasn’t nearly as strong as the pull of the Flame-shard, but it was there.

‘I think he’s there, down to the left along that trail.’

Even though the zoo was closed, there were still a few zoo workers walking around. Emily froze when she saw a group of armed soldiers walking towards them on the paved trail.

She grabbed Paelen and they ducked into bushes and kept low as the soldiers patrolled the area. Keeping off the trails and using the darkness to their advantage, they followed them around from the safety of the bushes that filled the area.

‘If this is a zoo,’ Paelen commented, ‘there are not many animals here.’

Emily agreed. ‘It does look more like a park with all these trees. They must give the animals a lot of space.’

They were grateful the Honolulu Zoo had so much greenery to hide in. They were able to zigzag their way through the private areas where the public weren’t allowed.

As they approached a small building, they heard heavy footsteps on the paved trail. Once again they sought the shelter of bushes growing along the side wall of the squat building. They watched another group of armed soldiers on patrol.

‘The place is crawling with them,’ Emily complained. ‘We’ll never get the others out of here. Especially Chiron.’

‘You are right,’ Paelen agreed. ‘We cannot free them. But if we find Fawn she can get the message to Jupiter to meet us at Diamond Head. We can come back here once you have the shard.’

‘That’s as good a plan as any, I suppose. But I still need to find Pegs. Maybe we can get him out. If not, I want him to know that we’re here for him.’

‘He already knows that,’ Paelen said. ‘He can feel you here, just as you feel him, he knows—’

‘No! This is insane! You can’t do this to them . . .’

A desperate voice blasted from the building’s open window beside their hiding spot.

‘Can’t you see what an amazing opportunity this is? They come from another world! My God, that stallion has wings! What about that half-man half-horse? He’s impossible, but he exists and he’s intelligent! What does it take to get you to see the wonder in that? We should be talking to them, learning from them, not locking them away for experimentation. It’s barbaric and goes against everything this zoo stands for!’

Emily and Paelen looked at each other.

‘Bingo!’ Emily mouthed. They crept up to the open window to hear more.

‘I don’t care for your tone, Doctor,’ another voice said. ‘We have allowed you to stay to care for the animals, nothing more. If you can’t do your job, I’ll find someone who can! Your continued presence here is a courtesy. But my generosity will only extend so far. These prisoners are none of your concern – this is a national security issue!’

They heard footsteps and ducked deeper into the bushes as two soldiers ran into the building. ‘Agent R,’ one of them called, ‘the colonel has just received a call from Diamond Head. They’ve reported the capture of a girl.’

‘Emily?’ Agent R demanded.

Emily flinched at the sound of her name. She really was standing right in the middle of the lion’s den.

‘No, sir, the colonel says she’s called Lorin. Sergeant Walker is on the scene with her. She told him she’s from Tartarus and is looking for Emily. When Agent G tried to talk to her, she attacked him and another agent. They’re both in the infirmary. Walker says she has powers. She can fly and conjures fire with her hands.’

Emily slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. She looked at Paelen and he was just as alarmed. Lorin was in Honolulu, and she knew how to use her powers? This was the worst possible news.

‘There’s another girl like Emily?’ Agent R said.

‘Apparently so. Sergeant Walker is bringing her here.’

‘Excellent! With luck, we shall soon have two!’ Agent R’s voice changed. ‘Doctor Fleming, you have your orders. Just keep those prisoners alive until we capture Emily.’

‘But—’

‘No buts. You will cooperate or we will shut down this zoo – permanently. Then what will happen to all of your conservation work?’

The threat hung in the air as the CRU agent stormed out of the building, followed by the soldiers.

Emily leaned back against the wall. ‘Lorin is in Hawaii.’

‘And they are bringing her here,’ Paelen said. ‘We must not be here when she arrives.’

Emily stood up and peered through the open window. The room looked like a medical treatment area. Cages lined the side of the room. In two of them were sick animals. One contained a small monkey hooked up to an IV and the other held a ring-tailed lemur. A tall, dark-haired man in his mid-thirties, wearing a white medical coat, was pacing the room. He had a kind face, but a concerned expression darkened it. They watched him pause and seem to come to some sort of decision. He stormed out of the building.

‘C’mon,’ Emily said. ‘He knows where Pegasus and the others are being held. Let’s try and get some information. I just hope he’ll talk to us.’

They followed the man closely into an area full of trees. With no one about, Paelen made his move. He lunged at the man and caught him across the shoulders. Wrenching him back, Paelen dragged him into the bushes. He slapped his hand over the man’s mouth.

The doctor struggled in Paelen’s grip and even though he was strongly built and the larger of the two, he was powerless against Paelen’s strength. Finally he gave up fighting.

‘Please don’t be afraid. We’re not going to hurt you,’ Emily said softly. ‘I’m sorry we have to do this, but we can’t risk being caught. I’m Emily, the girl the CRU are looking for. If you promise not to call those other men, we’ll let you go. Do you promise?’

The man blinked his eyes and nodded.

Paelen removed his hand from his mouth. ‘Who are you?’

‘Baird Fleming,’ he answered softly. ‘I’m the assistant director of the zoo and one of the veterinarians. I head up wildlife conservation.’

‘You’re not with the CRU?’ Emily asked.

Baird shook his head. ‘I’m with the zoo. You might say I’m the problem solver. And right now, I have a big problem with you two being here. This place is crawling with trigger-happy soldiers and those men in suits. I don’t know who they are or what their agenda is, but they are BIG trouble for all of us!’

‘They’re the CRU – the Central Research Unit. They look for aliens and other unusual activity,’ Emily explained.

‘You make it sound like they’re the
Men in Black
.’

‘That’s exactly what they are,’ Emily said. ‘Only they’re much meaner and a lot more dangerous than the movie guys.’

‘I can’t believe any of this,’ Baird said. ‘They’ve brought creatures here that defy nature!’

‘They are not creatures,’ Paelen said sharply. ‘They are Olympians. Just like me. And they are our friends. If you have harmed them . . .’

‘Whoa,’ Baird said. ‘Now, hold on, I’m not doing anything to them. I think they’re phenomenal. But Olympians – aren’t they just myths?’

‘Why does everyone keep saying that?’ Paelen snapped.

‘Olympians are very real,’ Emily said to the man. ‘So are the Titans. And just like in the myths, they are fighting. Only soon, the fight is coming here . . .’

Baird stared at her as though he didn’t believe a word she just said. ‘Well, whatever they are, I don’t want to see them harmed. I want to talk to them and understand how they can exist. I want to help them.’

There was something about his warm brown eyes and strong determination to make a difference that reminded Emily of Joel. She felt a pang in her gut, but quickly shook it away.

‘If you really want to help, you can,’ Emily said. ‘But we don’t have a lot of time. You must take us to them. I have to see Pegasus before Lorin gets here!’

‘Look, kids, I don’t like these soldiers or those men in black any more than you do. And I especially don’t like what they’ve done to your friends. But I’ve got a zoo to protect – I must think of the animals.’

‘If you don’t help us, a lot of people are going to die and Earth will be enslaved.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I told you, the Titans are attacking the Olympians and the fight will soon come here.’ Emily hated wasting precious time, but she told Baird everything she could as quickly as possible. ‘So you see, we’ve got to get a message back to Olympus to warn Jupiter to meet us at Diamond Head and not here.’

‘Can this really be true?’ Baird whispered. ‘It sounds impossible.’

‘How much more proof do you need?’ Emily cried. ‘You’ve seen Pegasus and the others. What does it take to convince you? Does Saturn have to come here before you believe Earth is in danger?’

Baird shook his head. ‘No – no, of course not. Look, they’re holding the man-horse, vampire and winged boar in the giraffes’ night pens. The whole area is surrounded by heavily armed soldiers. I can barely get in there.’

‘What about Pegasus?’ Emily asked. ‘Isn’t he with them?’

Baird shook his head. ‘No, he’s being kept in another part of the zoo.’

‘Why?’ Paelen asked.

‘Because he’s too strong. He kept breaking the chains they put on him and tearing through the walls of the pen. We had to move him to a holding area that he can’t get out of, or hurt himself in.’

There was something very disturbing behind his words. Baird wouldn’t face Emily and didn’t look comfortable talking about it.

‘Listen to me,’ Emily said. ‘If we can’t get in to see them, you must get a message to Fawn.’

‘Fawn?’

‘The pale girl,’ Emily said. ‘And she’s not a vampire. She’s an Olympian night dweller with very special gifts. She can communicate with her sister who is still on Olympus. But she is also very delicate. If the sun touches her, she’ll burn.’

‘I know,’ Baird said. ‘We found that out the hard way. She was badly burned by the sun when they brought her in here, but we’ve kept her undercover and she’s recovering. But we have a problem. The soldiers weren’t too gentle with the man-horse . . .’

‘His name is Chiron,’ Emily corrected. ‘And he’s a Centaur and advisor to Jupiter. He’s a very important Olympian.’

‘Well, Chiron is extremely angry about what’s happening. The last time I went near him, he tried to kill me – so they bound him in chains. I can’t get close enough to pass on a message.’

‘How far is he from here?’

Baird pointed down the trail to the left. ‘That way, a few hundred metres. But I told you, the giraffe pens are completely surrounded by soldiers. You’ll never get into them.’

Emily considered. ‘We don’t have to get in, just near enough.’

Baird seemed to be thinking this through. ‘I’ve got it. To the left of the pens is a row of tall bushes that you can hide behind which can be seen from the pen doors.’

‘Good. Get us to them,’ Emily said. ‘You must let Chiron know where we’re hiding before he attacks you. I’ll do the rest. It is imperative that Fawn gets the message to Jupiter.’

‘I can’t go in there!’ Baird said. ‘He’ll kill me!’

‘If you really care about animals, you’ll try,’ Emily said. ‘Otherwise, all your hard work will be for nothing. This zoo and everything in it will be gone.’