Much shorter than usual. Sorry!

Dominic, thanks: Add, because she can sense where they walked, even ages later: hey 'wassup yall' thanks for the compliment. TV, huh? Maybe I should submit a script, yeah? There's twelve chapters in this story, which is Book 3: I have up to Book 6 planned. Check out my website and you'll see what's coming up.

My updating may go a bit funny from now on; we're starting late opening in work, so I may have to update on Saturday afternoon or evening instead of Friday evening. Sorry.

Chapter 6: Problems

Alyssa looked up sharply at the sound of footsteps. She could see only a vague figure, and as it moved closer she heard an odd snap-hiss. Opposite her, Cole made an odd noise and crumpled to the floor, a small dart in his throat. Alyssa had just enough time to think What's…and then there was another snap-hiss and everything swirled around and went very dark.

"Tara?"

Tara turned to see Cole behind her. "Cole. I thought you were staying on the Animarium."

"I was. I just…" he shrugged slightly. "I wanted to apologize. For earlier."

"You're upset. It's no big deal."

"I shouldn't have gotten mad at you like that. Or the others."

"Have you talked to them?" Tara started walking again, and he fell into step beside her.

"Yeah."

"And they all said not to worry about it?"

"Yeah…"

"Then don't worry about it."

"You're not making this any easier." he muttered under his breath.

"Not making what any easier?"

"It's…hang on a second." He stooped, bending down to his shoe, and she wandered on a bit, waiting for him.

There was a faint snap-hiss…

"Alyssa? Alyssa, wake up. Are you awake? Come on, Alyssa."

"M'awake." Alyssa murmured, pushing away whoever was leaning over her. "What 'sit?"

"Are you awake?" Cole repeated. Alyssa nodded, pushing herself into a sitting position. They were in a larger cell than before, she noted, further from the entrance.

"What happened?"

"He hit us with something that made us sleep." Cole said grimly. "Can you sit up OK?"

"Yeah. What's wrong?" Cole gestured over his shoulder.

"Tara."

"Tara?" Alyssa climbed unsteadily to her feet. "What's…why would he grab Tara if she can't find us anyway? That doesn't make sense."

"I know." Cole was kneeling beside Tara. "She's not hurt, but she won't wake up."

"Oh…" Alyssa knelt on her other side. "But we're cut off from the earth here, right? That's got to be a shock to her system."

"Yeah." Cole muttered. "I guess…" he looked around.

"What?" Alyssa asked.

"I'm trying to figure how long we were out."

Alyssa automatically looked at her watch; it had stopped when she'd arrived here. Wherever 'here' was. "I think about three hours." Cole went on.

"That's not very long." Alyssa murmured.

"No." Cole agreed. "I don't know why he knocked us out, though. It's not like when you came…even if she heard us she couldn't have done anything. Not here." Alyssa shook her head, staring at Tara, who hadn't moved.