Nermal practically drags Jayson and Lexia out of the mall, the pair stumbling and tripping over their own feet, still half-blinded by the pepper spray. The detective's grip on their collars remains firm as he navigates the parking lot, and he shoves them in his orange sedan.

Jayson rubs at his streaming eyes, blinking furiously in a vain attempt to clear his vision. Beside him, Lexia sniffles and whimpers as she holds her nose.

“Why am I always getting punched in the nose?” asks Lexia, her voice stuffy.

"This is all your fault," grumbles Jayson. "If you hadn't gone all mushy gushy on the snake over Block World we wouldn't be in this mess."

Lexia scowls. "Oh, like you were doing any better, Mr. 'Let's just kidnap her!' Besides, how was I supposed to know she had pepper spray?"

Nermal slides in the driver’s seat and slams the door shut.

“Both of you shut it!” says Nermal. “I’m taking you to Derrick’s and he can deal with your lunacy.”

“Thanks for not arresting us,” says Lexia.

“Yeah, thanks,” says Jayson.

“Shut up.”

Lexia and Jayson clamp their mouths shut, and Nermal starts the engine. The vehicle rumbles to life, and he drives off while turning on the radio and turning on the air conditioning at full blast, filling the interior with frigid air and the voice of an angry man.

“So, Steven C. Gull then supposedly punches the guy in the face hard enough to kill him, but I know that is bullshit because Steven C. Gull is a damn kitten. He’s nicer than a kitten! He’s so kind and caring and soft in heart that he makes a pillow feel like a damn rock and his haters can suck on a bag of poop crusted pickles!”

Jayson nods in agreement and Lexia cringes.

“Sir, this is about the hockey game,” says the host.

Stolen novel; please report.

“Okay, well, one of your sports analysts was a porn star and the Leafy Greens suck and Steven C. Gull should go back to being the goalie for the Red City Solar Flares.”

“You know what, you’re a dick.”

“Bite me!”

“Can we change this?” asks Lexia.

Nermal narrows his eyes. “No.”

Around thirty minutes of bad traffic and driving over the near nonexistent roads of the Eagle Enclave pass before Nermal pulls up to Derrick’s tree house. He stops at the base and opens the passenger door so Jayson and Lexia can crawl out. By that point, the pepper spray has begun to weaken, and their eyes, while still puffy and red, are now able to open just a little bit further.

Nermal pushes a small button next to a speaker on the tree’s trunk and cranes his head up and puts his hands on his hips as he stares up. Seconds pass, and Nermal buzzes again. Still nothing.

“Oh…” says Jayson suddenly.

“What’s oh?” asks Lexia.

“Derrick is at one of his hideouts.”

“Which one?”

“Two.”

“Aw man, I don’t want to walk to hideout two.” Lexia turns to Nermal. “Can you take us to hideout two?”

“I have no idea where that it,” says Nermal.

“Dang it… Can you take us somewhere to eat, then?”

Nermal stares at Lexia and she smiles as sweetly as her puffy eyes and bloody nose can allow, and Nermal sighs heavily and opens the passenger door again.

“Fine,” says Nermal.

“Yay!” Lexia dives back in. “I want tacos! Or pancakes. Pancake tacos!”

Nermal motions Jayson in, and he sighs and crawls inside the vehicle. When both are sitting properly and buckled up, Nermal closes the door and drives off in search of food.

*****

In the safehouse living room, Rolland is on the phone, twirling the cord in his finger and leaning against the wall. Ramsey is also by the wall, and Dacre, Shae, and Cyrus are standing around, intently waiting for him to finish.

“Uh huh... Yeah... Yeah... Got it. Alright, we'll have the money when you show up,” says Rolland.

Rolland hangs up and takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his hair.

“It's done,” says Rolland.

Ramsey puts a firm hand on his shoulder. “Good.”

The door opens, and Claribel enters, carrying her bag of goods, and a large bag of food from Taco King.

“Hey, Claribel, I got some news,” says Rolland.

“What's going on?” asks Claribel, closing the door with her tail.

Rolland holds up a flyer for "Paco's Pizza Paradise". On it is an explosive ad for two percent off a large pizza deal.

“Ramsey is footing the bill for an order of a sixty-inch pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and garlic powder with garlic crust, garlic bread sticks, garlic dipping sauce and a two liter of pop,” says Rolland.

“Oh, and the lava cake,” says Dacre.

“And the 48 count spicy garlic wings with garlic dipping sauce,” says Ramsey.

“That is nice. But I've already eaten,” says Claribel.

“Tell her the bad news,” says Shae.

“What bad news?” asks Claribel.

“Oh, yeah. Mortimer's been kidnapped,” says Rolland.

Claribel's eyes bulge and she drop her bags. “WHAT!?”