Josie got out of bed and got dressed for the day. She had decided to spend time

helping Jane with the zombiefied women on the House lawn. That would allow them

to start moving the people off the Enterprise.

Shemmaria might want their people back to run some other special monster project.

She took the elevator up to the general family room. She found her girls getting ready

for the day, putting breakfast together, and generally talking. No Caroline or Emily.

They must be waiting for someone to get them.

She didn’t see Jack either.

“Elaine, where is Jack?,” she asked, cutting through the confusion.

“He is up on the Enterprise, Missus,” said Bea. She sipped from her cup. “He is

testing the skydiving things he made.”

“Are all of you guys ready for that?,” asked Josie.

“We really want to try our hands at fishing,” said Angelica.

“I guess I better check if Case is outside the Hole in the Wall,” said Josie. “I’m sure

he will want to be with Caroline as much as possible.”

“I don’t see what’s so special about skydiving,” said Melanie. “Laura and Beatrice

can already carry us around.”

“You don’t fly with skydiving,” said Josie. “You fall to the ground.”

“That seems nonsensical,” said Melanie.

“That’s what some people do to get excitement in their lives,” said Josie. “We don’t

have a lot of magic, or monsters, loose in my world. So people invent ways to keep

entertained.”

“And jumping from a great height is that?,” asked Melanie.

“Some people jump from cliffs to the sea,” said Josie. “I personally am going to keep

my feet on the ground as much as possible. Where’s Aviras?”

“He’s still in his room, and won’t come out,” said Matilda. “I tried to talk to him, but

he wouldn’t open his door for me.”

“I’ll talk to him,” said Josie. “You guys finish up. Laura, could you check on Caroline

and Emily? If they are going, they need to get their breakfast and get ready with the

rest of you.”

Josie wondered about Aviras as she grabbed a roll and walked back to the elevator.

She had given him his ice cream. Had that been a mistake?

She rode down to the living quarters and knocked on Aviras’s door. The door refused

to move. She thought about forcing it, but decided to call out the dragon’s name first.

“Go away,” called back the dragon. He seemed in pain from the stress in his voice.

Josie opened the door with Locksmith and stepped inside the room. It was a circle

like most of the rooms in the Hangar. Perches had been set up along the wall. The

barrel of ice cream sat in the center of the room. She didn’t see the dragon.

“Aviras?,” asked Josie. “I’m here to see if you are okay.”

“I will be if I am left alone,” said the dragon. His voice came from the inside of the

barrel.

Josie looked inside the drum. She frowned at a tiny dragon swollen to the size of a

grapefruit. The dragon pushed a weak piece of flame out, but looked like he could

barely move.

“I need to take a picture to show Jack,” said Josie.

“Please do not do that,” said Aviras. He waved a foreclaw in desperation. “Please.”

“All right,” said Josie. “Got a little greedy, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” said Aviras. He floated in the remains of his ice cream reward.

“I’m going to tell Matilda that you won’t be able to make the trip with her,” said

Josie. “I am going to be at the hospital. If you recover enough to move, you can

join me there and claim that you are helping me as an assistant.”

“And you won’t tell Jack about this?,” said Aviras.

“Scout’s honor,” said Josie. “Let me know when you want the barrel taken away.”

“I think you can do it now,” said Aviras. “I will lay on my perch until I am ready to

catch up with you.”

Josie changed into Zatanna and turned the barrel and leftover ice cream milk into

a fog that evaporated as she watched. She changed back to let her watch recharge

for the long day ahead.

“I’ll see you,” said Josie.

She left the room, shaking her head. She should have known that Aviras would

overeat. She should have put the reward into separate packages, and not one big

barrel.

Maybe it had taught him a lesson but she doubted it. Some people took longer to learn

and she thought Aviras was one of those.

She went back upstairs on the elevator. She still had to get the kids ready, deal with

Caroline and Case, and maybe shoot over to the Village to pick up Elena for the field

trip. Some of it, she could leave with Emily and Elaine to get done.

“I’m going to get Elena,” said Josie. “I will be right back. Don’t worry about any

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clean up, I’ll do it before I go to the hospital.”

She paused. What did she tell Matilda?

“Matilda, Aviras is going to ride around with me today,” said Josie. “He is going to

assist me with the goblin tree thing. As soon as we are done, I will release him for

your dinner if he isn’t worn out.”

“You’ll take care of him, Missus?,” asked Matilda.

“Better than Ezra,” said Josie. “Go ahead.”

She went up to the gate and checked for the Village code on the new print checker

beside it. She opened the door to the town south of them and stepped through with a

klaxon warning.

She needed to talk to Jack about the sound. Maybe something else could be an alarm.

She shook off the pins stabbing her during transit and looked around the city hall. She

found Ropel standing at the door with a ten year old girl. A dog that resembled a

badger sat at her feet.

“Madam Fox, this is Elena,” said Ropel. “Elena, this is Jack’s friend, Madam Fox.”

“Josie is fine,” said Josie. She smiled at the pair of them. “Saw me coming?”

“Yes,” said Ropel. “Foresight is a useful tool when combined with the other talents

here.”

“Mister Warner will be back,” said Josie. “Until he is, we will look out for you.”

“Don’t worry about us,” said Ropel. He shrugged in his jacket and vest. “We’re just

harmless villagers.”

“If you need us, we will bring the Enterprise to bear,” said Josie. “Jack loves shooting

the phasers at moving targets.”

“I know,” said Ropel.

“This is Yoff,” said Elena. “He helps me with my chores.”

“Will he help you fish?,” asked Josie.

“He can catch a ton of fish with his mouth,” said Elena.

“I doubt the girls are going to want that since they will be eating what you catch,”

said Josie.

“I guess you’re right,” said Elena. “But he is a good fisher dog.”

Yoff grinned up at Josie. He looked like any ordinary dog, but Josie thought there was

a touch of Jack involved in this.

“The girls are getting ready,” said Josie. “Let’s take you through and introduce

you. Jack’s heading up this expedition so he will be in charge of things.”

“It will be safe then,” said Elena. “Jack is a great blanket. He gave me Yoff.”

“I don’t think I have ever heard him described like that before,” said Josie.

“Go ahead,” said Ropel. “I have to supervise some of the gardening today.”

“Thank you for letting me go,” said Elena. “I will be back in time to do my night

duty.”

“I have it covered,” said Ropel. “Take care. Bring back some cooked fish for Dot.

She would love that.”

Josie led the girl through the gate. She noticed that Yoff seem to flicker as she came

out of the gate. She didn’t say anything. As long as the dog wasn’t dangerous to her

girls, it wasn’t her business what it actually was.

She led the way to the elevator. The girl and dog followed and waited for her to

push the button.

“You don’t seem as mean as I thought,” said Elena.

“Really?,” said Josie.

“Jack made you seem like ten thousand blades filled with thunder,” said Elena.

“He is prone to exaggeration,” said Josie.

“He is a loon,” said Elena.

Josie nodded in agreement.

They stepped out of the elevator, and Josie slowed at the huge crowd in her living

room. When had she gathered so many people around her?

She made introductions. She was pleased that the girls took in Elena as one of them

without reservation. She noted Caroline and Emily were at the edge of things.

“Case not here yet?,” asked Josie.

“No,” said Caroline. “I was sure he would be here.”

“He might be running a little bit late,” said Josie. “The Hole in the Wall is not close

to the Adventurers’ Hall. And if he had to walk from there, it could take some time.

I’ll ask Jack to pick him up. While we’re waiting, let’s get done and clean up, I

suppose. I am going to call Jane in a bit so I can arrange things there.”

“How fast do you think Jack’s elixir will work on the women in the tents?,” asked

Elaine.

“I have no idea,” said Josie. She thought about the growths that she had seen. Massa

had made a quick recovery, but she hadn’t been overpowered completely yet. “And

there is a danger that too much damage has been done and they will never wake up.”

“Are you sure you want to be alone?,” said Elaine. She frowned down at Josie.

“Taking some time to just relax could be good for you.”

“Like the song says I knew I would be the one to work while you all play,” said Josie.

She smiled. “Don’t let Jack do anything stupid like creating waterspouts for the girls

to ride, or summoning dangerous monsters as companions.”

“I will do what I can,” said Elaine. “Be careful while we are away.”

“I will,” said Josie. “Let me round up Case so you guys can get on the road.”

Josie triggered her com with a push of the fleet symbol button.

“Communication acknowledged,” stated the Enterprise.

“Do you have eyes on Case?,” asked Josie.

“Negative,” said the Enterprise.

“Can you find him with your sensors?,” asked Josie. He was in the middle of the

city. She thought all humans looked alike to the sensors.

“I can visually search for him,” said the machine. “There is a chance of an error.”

“All right,” said Josie. “I guess I will have to summon him to the Hangar. I don’t

really want to do that, but we’re waiting for him to get here.”

“Acknowledged,” said the machine.

“Jack still testing his invention?,” asked Josie.

“The captain seems to have everything in working order,” said the machine.

“Notify me if an emergency comes up,” said Josie.

“Acknowledged,” said the machine.

She cut the connection. Was it better to summon Case, or just go to wherever he was,

and bring him back? She decided it was better to get him and bring him back. There

was no telling what condition he was in at the moment.

“Emily,” said Josie. “Let’s get Case so we can get this show on the road.”

“Yes, Josie,” said Emily. She glanced at Caroline. “Don’t do anything that will get

me into trouble.”

Josie changed and sent out a firebird to where Case was. When the end anchored

itself, it yanked Josie and Emily across town. She spotted Case stopping by a fruit

seller on his way to the Hole in the Wall.

“At least he is on the way,” said Emily. She looked up at the sky. “And he is fairly

early.”

“Let’s collect him so we can go about our business,” said Josie. “As soon as we’re

done, you guys can enjoy swimming and fishing for the day.”

“This has been the most relaxing guard duty I have ever had,” said Emily.

“Don’t let your guard down,” said Josie. She walked toward Case. The adventurer fell

in beside her. “Caroline is still a moving target for anyone who wants to stop the

King. Just because she is embedded with the Ducklings, doesn’t make her safe.

It just means I will be taking more from whomever attacks than the King.”

“It won’t be any adventurer here in the city,” said Emily. “You have built a reputation

here. And so has Jack.”

Josie almost wanted to ask what kind of reputation she had, but decided to stick to the

job at hand.

“Case,” Josie said. “We’re here to pick you up.”

“Madam Witch, Emily,” said Case. He smiled. “Do you think Caroline will want

anything.”

“Breakfast has been served,” said Josie. “Get something for yourself, and let’s go.

Jack might want to lay around all day, but I have work to do.”

“I understand,” said Case. He paid for some apples, and a small piece of bread. “I’m

ready.”

“Keep your eyes open,” said Josie. “There still might be some danger to Caroline,

especially now that her father is thinking about arresting some of the nobility.”

“I will be as alert as any,” said Case.

Josie frowned as she threw out a bird to carry them back to the Hangar.

Josie let the persona go as Case and Caroline got together. Emily stood at her side

with crossed arms.

“Behold the future king,” Emily whispered.

“I’ll find you a prince when this is all over,” said Josie.

“I think I can do without the complications,” said Emily.

“I know,” said Josie. She took a moment to look at the complications that surrounded

her now. She smiled slightly. She clapped her hands. “Let’s go, girls. Those fish

aren’t going to catch themselves.”

Yoff barked in agreement.

“Let’s see what kind of fiasco this will be,” said Melanie.