It wasn't the best decision she'd ever made.

Unlocking the handcuffs was easy, but Luna knew nothing else would be. She knew someone had to be watching these two, and there was no way-

An officer pulled her out of her thoughts, walking up with her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, kid. We couldn't find anything on him . . ." her sympathetic expression melted away when she realized what was happening. "What's going on here?"

Luna's stomach tightened with stress as more and more eyes grew curious about her and her situation. She tried to swallow but her throat was both too tight and too dry. Her eyes instinctively flicked towards the police woman's hand, which had moved to her gun.

That seems dramatic.

Fox leaned towards Luna, whispering from behind her.

"Thanks for the help, but we got it from-"

Luna shot him a warning look. He stopped talking but a smile grew on his face. Luna turned back to the officer, plans already forming in her head. Everything was already going downhill, it didn't make anything better as more people stopped to stare at them.

Sure, Luna could probably take care of all these people no problem, but she didn't want to hurt them, just leave without any more trouble. Robin leaned over to her, encouraging a couple of the officers to whip out their guns. He straightened, raising his hands in the air in a peaceful manner.

"Look-"

"Quiet!"

No one was allowed to talk to him that way. No one. Luna moved quickly, grabbing the handcuffs, slapping half of them on the closest person's wrist, and clamping the other loop on someone else's wrist. She didn't hesitate - she had a precious window of opportunity. She'd already singled out the smallest people, taking a hold of them before she pushed them into the nearest room.

Thankfully, the quick movement stunned the officers around for a second, accidentally letting her push them into the same room before closing the door and locking it. The officers around were starting to come back to reality. There were too many and they were all around her and her friends. She did the first next thing that popped into her head.

Bane wasn't too angry about her waking him from his nap, setting him on the ground. A few of the officers snickered.

"If you think a kitten is going to help you. Think again."

Luna desperately hoped she hadn't just been imagining he was a tiger. She pleaded to him with her eyes. Come on boy. Do your thing. Just as a policeman was reaching out to grab Luna's arm, Bane squeezed his little eyes shut, poofing into a cloud of orange.

The room stepped back, giving him the right amount of space. Bane jumped out of the cloud, landing on an officer and pinning him to the ground with a chuff through his nostrils. Luna smiled at her new friend, who warned the crowd of policemen away with a deep growl. The crimson stripes across his neck and shoulders had already begun to heal.

She'd waited too long now. Luna grabbed Robin, motioning for the others to come - shouting would pull the officers out of their stupors too fast - as she ran behind Bane towards the exit.

Fortunately for the group, Peter's car managed to fit them all, without breathing room, sure, but who really needed that. Luna, Lilly, and Robin all squished in the back, with Peter in the driver's seat and Fox in the passenger. Bane had changed back into his kitten form, snuggling in Luna's lap.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Peter pulled out, stepping on the gas as hard as he could, and they sped away from the place. Sirens wailed after them for a little while but died off after about half an hour. The police had more important things to do. Luna started to wonder if what Fox had said earlier was right, but her mind switched back to assassin mode. They must have an undercover cop that they're already sending out. All I have to do is watch for them.

Peter pulled into an alleyway behind a smart little restaurant.

Luna let herself relax a little, despite being pressed against the window thanks to Robin. None of them moved or spoke for a moment, the only sounds around them were the city and Bane's purring. Dean suddenly popped into Luna's head.

"Fox, Lilly. You said you knew Dean Griffin."

The twins shot each other a look before they both nodded. Luna narrowed her eyes.

"Okay, then."

"Listen, the truth is-"

"You better not of lied to me. I don't care if we're in a minuscule car - I can still-"

"Luna, calm down. Let them speak," Robin reminded her of a puppy, pleading with big green eyes. She was pressing herself against the window to avoid being too close to his face. She would've crossed her arms - if she could still feel them.

"Fine."

"Thank you," they exchanged that 'look' again. "We know a guy. He's a little while from here, but he'll give you what you want."

"What are you saying?" She studied their faces. "Oh, this is your stop, huh."

"Well, we could go with something to eat," Fox shrugged.

The restaurant was welcoming, and its food was delicious. Peter paid for himself and Fox, and Luna paid for the rest. They didn't speak as they ate, mostly because no one knew what to say. Finally, Luna finished, sitting back in her chair and letting out a sigh. Bane finished her hamburger for her all too happily.

"So, you're an assassin?"

Peter hadn't said anything up until the moment; she'd completely forgotten about the fact that he hadn't known her not-so-secret secret until about an hour ago. Her stomach dropped as guilt set in.

"Yeah . . . sorry I didn't tell you before."

He shrugged, relieving some of the weight that had been crushing her.

"I knew there was something different about you. Most teenagers don't just barge into the vet with their friend with a kitten, pay for everything without missing a beat, and leave on a motorcycle. Well, almost leave on a motorcycle."

She smiled. "Thanks for the ride, by the way."

Fox cut in, scaring her half to death. "For an assassin, you don't seem so . . . mean? Heartless? I mean, besides threatening a couple of teens in a bug."

"Thank you? For a thief, you don't seem so selfish."

It sounded terrible only after she'd said it. Fox pretended to be as offended as he could look, putting a hand on his chest with his mouth open and his eyebrows furrowed together. Maybe he wasn't so bad.

"Hey, why are you guys thieves anyway?" Robin was sitting back in his chair in a relaxed position.

"It's a long story."

"One we don't prefer to tell strangers," Fox tried to joke as he said it, but Luna could tell there was pain behind his words. As curious as she was, she didn't push.

"Why are you guys with her?" Fox gestured from Peter and Robin to Luna. She opened her mouth to explain, but Robin stopped her.

"It's a long story. Short version, I needed her help for something, and he . . . wanted to? I'm not clear on that part."

Four pairs of eyes fell on Peter, who tried to shrink into his chair.

"I, uh," his face grew a shade of pink. He looked back and forth from everyone, pleading with his eyes for Luna to help, even though she didn't know.

"He was a bored volunteer at the vet. Besides, who doesn't want to help an assassin and her friend with a tiny kitten on a case about a walking dead man?"

The table grew quiet again. Fox broke the silence, but he hadn't changed the subject - to Luna's dismay.

"Wait, wait, wait. Walking dead man? Do you mean Dean Griffen?" His confused expression melted away and something that said, "Ooh, this is good." replaced it. Luna tensed, prepared to tell him off.

"You know how I said she-" he gestured to Luna-"helped me with something? Well, my step-dad, Dean Griffen, he was a real - a real butt. So I asked Luna and . . . do you see where I'm going with this?"

The twins were already nodding. 

"But somehow-"

"He's alive," Peter looked deep in thought. Luna realized just then that she hadn't told him. She bit her lip, searching their faces to know their emotions. To her surprise, both the twins and Peter smiled.

"Deadman walking. More of a reason to tag along then. Huh?"

She was really starting to like these new people. And she had a strange, and frankly impossible, feeling like she'd known them all her life.