Dominic found the room with no difficulty, but, oddly, the door was slightly ajar. He cautiously pushed it open and walked in. Two people were bent over the lizard. He shut the door and the people's heads snapped up. One he'd seen before in the halls, and the other was a crippled boy.

Before he could react, though, the dark haired man was in front of the door and locking it. "You're not going anywhere," he said in a menacing tone.

The boy, who was not much older than Dominic, sighed in exasperation. "Yer so judging. He's just a kid. What's he gonna do to us?"

Kris glared at him. "Report us. Which means death for me."

"Ooo. That would scare you."

"A gory, torturous death."

"Never mind. But still, you don't know he'd do that."

Kris returned the comment in a pitying tone. "You tell me that I'm too judging. You're too trusting. This kid could stab you in the back right now."

Dominic decided he needed to put a stop to this. "I could, but I won't," he interrupted.

"Kris," Crutchy said, interrupting what Kris was about to say, "I know what you're gonna ask. Let me do the talkin' for once." He turned to Dominic. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"Well," Dominic began slowly," you don't. But you could if you needed to. For one thing, I detest this place. I don't want to be here, and I can't wait to leave. How's that?"

Crutchy nodded. "That's good. See, Kris here, he's a jerk. Don't listen to him. That's the difference between me and him. I trust people."

If looks could kill, the one Kris gave Crutchy at that moment would have sent the newsy into convulsions, and then eventually a very painful death. "Fine. I'll give him one chance. If he shows any sign of treachery, though, we're springing the dragon and leaving him here."

"Does this have to start out as an abusive relationship?" Dominic remarked in a questioning tone.

"Get the dragon out," Kris said bluntly.

Dominic shrugged, and dropping to his knees by Ista, pulled out a key. Crutchy, who was standing over him, said, "Hey, Kris, he's got a key. How come you don't got a key?"

"Would you stop talking like a little heathen street urchin?"

"Why? That's what I am, ain't I? Youse don't got no sense 'a humor, Kris," Crutchy replied in a very exaggerated New York accent.

Dominic was paying no attention to their fighting. He was trying to remember how many times and which way you were supposed to turn the key to unlock something. He remembered, and the lock clicked, freeing the desert lizard.

"Thanks," Crutchy said with a sigh of relief. "Uh, you ain't from this time, I can tell. Do ya wanna come with us?"

For a moment Dominic seemed to consider it. "No," he finally answered reluctantly. "I highly doubt I'm up to it. I can't fight, and I don't want to. I'll find my way home."

Crutchy bristled when he saw the smug smile and Kris's face. "Okay. Good luck then, I guess."

With that, Dominic left. Crutchy neither saw nor heard from him again.

--

"This doesn't seem right! There's no one here!" Gardrania exclaimed worriedly.

Qik shrugged off her anxiety. "They're probably asleep. Don't worry about it."

"It just doesn't seem right!" she persisted. "Doesn't anyone agree with me?"

The newsies looked at each other. "Uh, yeah," Race stammered. "Yeah, it does seem weird, right guys?"

"You agree with him?" Gardrania said with frustration. "Argh!"

Gardrania.

Ista! Gardrania silently cried joyfully. Where are you?

I don't know. But Crutchy and another man let me out. Where are you

Crutchy's with you?

Yes.

Good. Hold on, I don't know where we are. She turned to Qik. "Where are we? Ista wants to know. She's with Crutchy and they're coming to find us."

Qik's face grew thoughtful. "Sector J in the east hall. I don't know if she can find us, though."

"Huh," Blink snorted. "Yeah, she can."

Gardrania nodded affirmation. "Give or take a few minutes, if we wait here a quarter of an hour she can find us."

So, fifteen minutes later, true to Gardrania's prediction, Ista rounded a corner and appeared in the corridor with Crutchy and a Bohemian man in tow. Blink straightened from his leaning position on the stone wall and Race allowed a small smile to form on his face. Mush and Medda exchanged glances over the gypsy, and a relieved look passed over Gardrania's face.

Crutchy's grin of triumph abruptly disappeared and a look of worried puzzlement replaced it. "Where's Snipes?"

Gardrania bit her lip. "Well, Crutchy—"

"No," Race interrupted. "I'll tell him."

Medda watched in surprise as he walked over to the far end of the corridor. Crutchy slowly followed and when he reached Race, the sixteen year old pushed his dark hair out of his eyes and said, "Crutchy, I really hate ta tell you this, but, we got into a fight with some soldier people, and, uh, Snipes got stabbed in the stomach." Crutchy barely heard Race's next words. He didn't need to. He already knew what they were. "Sorry, Crutchy, but Snipes is dead."

Crutchy shook his head. "How? When? Why?"

"We don't know, about four hours ago, why do you think?" Race replied.

Blink came over to them and handed Crutchy the twenty dollar bill and said, "Here. Snipes says he's sorry, and that he'll miss you. Said, that is."

Crutchy gaped at it a moment before saying, "Well, couldn't you'ave done anything for him?"

"No," Blink said regretfully. "He just sorta…died. Y'know?"

"No. I ain't known many people who've died."

Race took a breath. "Yeah, well, me either. I didn't even know my parents." He paused. "Well, let's do what we came here what we came here to do. I don't wanna stay here any longer than we've gotta."

Crutchy and Blink nodded, and Blink asked, "Hey Crutchy, who is that guy?"

Ista and Gardrania were exchanging news telepathically and were basically oblivious to everything else, so neither of them heard Crutchy say, "You guys, this is Kris Trouillefou. Kris, these are my friends, Blink, Race, Mush, and Medda. Who's that?" he asked, pointing to Qik.

"That's Qik," Medda told him. "He's helping us."
"Well, yeah, I assume that. Why else would he be here?" Crutchy said in a pained tone. "Where're the cats?"

They're gathering a force of more dragons, Ista told him, finally finished talking to Gardrania.

Kris was studying Gardrania intently. Gardrania noticed and said politely, "Crutchy? I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Oh, yeah," Crutchy began, his eyes flicking between the two. "Gardrania, Kris. Kris, Gardrania."

Gardrania, not suspecting who Kris really was, said, "Pleased to meet you. Where are you from?"
"Oh, here and there," Kris replied. "You?"
"Fogwood. Or at least, that's where I've lived most of my life."

"Hey," Blink interrupted, "can we get goin'? We don't got all day."

Qik nodded in agreement and led them through a door at the end of the hall.

It was suddenly obvious where everybody was. The door opened to a huge room. People say at small boxes with one illuminated side. Their fingers were moving rapidly over what looked like a typewriter to the newsies, or at least the keyboard to one. The illuminated sides of the boxes had small writing on them, which the group couldn't read from their distance away. Metal stairs led down to the floor, for the door opened up high above it.

Even the floor was made of something strange. It was made of a shiny, reflective material, while the desks with the boxes on them sat on raised platforms of the same stuff.

Only Qik and Kris were not staring with some level of astonishment. The two of them backed out into the hall. "Computers," Qik said dismissively. He looked Gardrania, Medda, and the newsies over. "Okay, you'll pass. No one will question us." He turned away. "I hope."

--

Bellavia slowly glided over Fogwood forest, something she rarely did, searching for an Emerald dragon. She gave her wings a downward sweep. "Please, for my people," she murmured. For, unknown to the humans, Bellavia was in line to be the next ruler of the winged cats. Her mother lay on her deathbed and would surely die in the coming war if there were no reinforcements. And the males were not allowed to rule. Without help, the winged cats would surely be exterminated, and those that were left would be thrown into chaos.

Her determination to get help grew, and she didn't see the dragon flying high above her. In fact, Bellavia had no idea the other dragon was there until it dove with a piercing shriek that was very typical of Emerald dragons. She looked up and dropped down just in time, throwing the Emerald off balance. The green dragon gathered itself to dive again when Bellavia gave the low whine that meant "peace between us."

The Emerald looked surprised for a moment, then nodded and swooped to the ground. Bellavia followed, and, once she had landed and looked the Emerald over, could tell that it was not an adult.

The two dragons were standing in the shade of some trees at the edge of Fogwood. The Emerald folded its wings. "What's a winged cat doing flying over Fogwood?"

Bellavia sat down and relaxed a little. The dragon was young, and female, too. The claws of a female Emerald dragonet developed more slowly than the male's. Of course, they were still wicked and could do quite a bit of damage with only fur to protect Bellavia's skin. "Did you know," Bellavia answered evenly, "that there is going to be a war?"

"Between who?"

"Good and evil."

The Emerald looked impatient. "No, I mean, who?"

Bellavia hid her smile by dropping her head to wash her paw. Finishing, she said, "Do you know the fortress in the mountains?" The dragonet nodded. "Well, it's us against them."

"Who's us?"

Bellavia swept her paw around and behind her. "Everyone. There aren't enough winged cats to win the fight. We need help. Unless you want to be used to set fire to the entire country."

The dragonet looked thoughtful. "No, I don't. I suppose I could ask my mother to ask some of our kind to help, but," suddenly she put on false bravado, "how do I know I can trust you?"

"Little dragon, tell your mother Bellavia of the winged cats requests help. Please," she added, remembering to be polite.

"Bellavia?" the dragonet said in a startled tone. "Where have I heard that before?"
"I don't know. Maybe you'd better tell me your name," Bellavia replied gently.

The dragonet puffed out her chest proudly. "My name is Aquane, daughter of Kareaflare. I was named after an Emerald dragon goddess."

"Oh. Your mother is named Kareaflare? I seem to remember something awhile back……"

"Yes?" Aquane prompted.

"I don't remember. You'd better go, little Aquane. Tell your mother what I've told you."

Aquane nodded and walked into the meadow. She spread her wings, and with a backward glance, gave them the all-important downward sweep. As she spiraled up through the air, she gave a shriek meaning, "good-bye." The scream echoed in the hot August air.

Bellavia watched her disappear over the treetops, choosing not to return the good-bye. Winged cats were not a particularly vocal race. She walked out into the meadow and launched herself into the air, this time flying towards the mountains.