Chapter 2: Calling Two New Agents
It was now the next morning and ZaQuintina didn't wake up in her usual cheerful mood. She was actually very worried about her older brother. Flazentino-Raaviarno watched her every move, which was very slow and sluggish. He started to get worried about her.
"Don't get sad just yet, ZaQuintina." He pleaded as he was sitting in his cage, eating his breakfast, which was a small ferret food bowl full of Ferret Trail Mix. "You don't know if ZaQuinto's disease if serious or not."
"I know." ZaQuintina-Mitchell whined as she headed for her bathroom to take a relaxing shower. "Just keep track of my cell phone. If any text messages come up, read them right away and tell them to me when I get out. Okay?"
"Alright." After that, ZaQuintina headed inside the bathroom to take her shower. While she was in there, Flazentino got out of his cage and climbed up to her bed, holding the cell phone in his front paws and standing on his hind feet like a squirrel eating nuts. After 10 minutes of staring at the phone, it finally vibrated and rang her Looney Tunes ringtone again. He lifted the lid and answered it. It was the chief of the ACME Silver Dragon Secret Agency.
"Hello?" Flazentino started. The chief spoke in nearly a whisper as he spoke.
"Is this her pet?" He asked on the other line.
"Yeah. Who is this?"
"This is Secret Agent Milestone, chief of the ACME Silver Dragon Agency."
"Whoa! You're a secret agent?"
"Yes. Where's your owner, ZaQuintina-Mitchell?"
"She's taking a morning shower right now. I'm sure you could talk to her as soon as she gets out."
"Splendid. Are you two in a college?"
"Radford University to be exact. She's a junior this year and she's progressing kinda quick for a sister of a street dancer… former that is."
"Like sister, like brother I guess. How many classes does she have today?"
"4. Alegbra, Social Science, Physics, and Stage Band. She plays the flute really well."
"Wow. What is she planning on being when she graduates?"
"Her little secret."
"Oh, okay. Mind if I send a few visitors over to her Band class?"
"No, not at all. Just be sure they come right at the beginning of her class, which is at 2:37 pm."
"Okay. I'll be sure of that. Thanks."
"Alright. Bye." After that, the Black Footed Ferret hung up her cell phone just in time to see his owner come out of the bathroom. "ZaQuintina, the chief of the ACME Silver Dragon Agency just called. He gonna send a few visitors over to your band class today."
"The ACME Silver Dragon Agency? Don't those guys fight aliens?" She asked as she went into her clothes drawer.
"Yeah. I've heard a lot about them. They're awesome!"
"Well, if you say so…"
Later, at lunch after her Physics class…
"I just received a call from the chief of the ACME Silver Dragon Agency." ZaQuintina-Mitchell told her two friends.
"Really?" Destiny asked as she was eating her taco.
"Yeah. He's sending in visitors at my… well, me and Havintine's band class after lunch."
"Whoa!" Havintine exclaimed. "That's gonna be cool! Who do you think the visitors will be?"
"I don't know, but I hope they're somebody cool."
"Me, too."
"Good luck to ya'll, but one more thing… I know I'm pretty slow at this, but what instrument does Havintine play again?" Destiny asked. ZaQuintina-Mitchell rolled her eyes with a chuckle in her head as Havintine sighed with aggrivation.
"I thought you knew already. I play the clarinet!" He exclaimed in an annoyed manner. Destiny looked dumbfounded as she heard this.
"Oh. Now I remember."
"Oy."
Later, at ZaQuintina-Mitchell and Havintine's band class…
Since there was a subsititute teacher in for her class today, they had free time instead of practice. Havintine was sitting next to ZaQuintina when she told him that she had a text message from her dad again. They read it silently together. It said:
Dear ZaQuintina-Mitchell,
This is your father again. Just received word about ZaQuinto's condition. Doctors believe he has this very common disease that dragons, ages 30-50, come down with. It's called Torrencitis. I'm sure you have chemistry and you should know what that is. Anyway, if you don't, let me tell you. It's a non-contagious disease that effects the brain mostly. It's sort of like cancer, except he constantly sheds his scales in an hourly basis. The only other thing that's effected with his brain is his vocal chords. Don't worry, though. He won't die. He just can't eat and talk. Somehow, the disease turned off his appetite completely. All he can do is drink plenty of water. So, hang in there, ZaQuintina. Your brother will be fine.
Love always,
Henry Dragorii
Havintine was speechless. Same for ZaQuintina-Mitchell. Of course she knew what Torrencitis was and how it affects the brain, scales, and vocal chords. She began to grow tears as she hugged Havintine with sadness, crying in vigorious tears.
"There, there, ZaQuintina." He pleaded softly as he patted her on the back. "He'll be alright."
The sad dragon heard him, but didn't reply. She was too sad to speak. 5 minutes later, Havintine looked up at the band room door and saw 5 Looney Tunes and 3 Loonatics enter the room and he smiled with excitement as he tapped his sad friend on the shoulder. She sat up and looked over the Siberian husky's shoulder and squealed with joy as she saw the Looneys and Loonatics.
"OH, MY GOD!" She screamed. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"
"Ya betta believe it, doc." Bugs spoke as he lead the group to her position before she stood up and took Bugs' hand in welcome. "It's nice ta meet da little sista of a former street dancer. What's your name?"
"Za… za... zaQuintina-Mitchell."
"Well, ZaQuintina, da chief of the ACME Silva Dragon Agency's been on a good lookout fo' ya."
"Since when?"
"Since you were a freshman of this college." Lexi replied expertly. ZaQuintina was speechless again.
"Are you serious?" Havintine asked.
"Yep." Daffy replied. "They've chosthen you and your pet ferret into the agency. They heard about your ZthaQuinto'sth distheasthe and stho did we."
"Sad, isn't it?" ZaQuintina-Mitchell asked as she bowed her head with worry. "I really wanna see him before you take me to the headquarters."
"Okay, but only for 20 minutes." Tech replied. "Slam, got her pet and her stuff?"
"Yeah." Slam grunted as he walked in with all of ZaQuintina's belongings and Flazentino-Raaviarno running up to her and jumping into her arms. "Ogawncuajsne naohdakseiuncu?"
"Yeah, we can go now. Follow us, ZaQuintina."
"Can I bring Havintine with me?" ZaQuintina asked anxiously. Bugs nodded at her excitement.
"Sure, ya can, doc. But, just him and nobody else, but ya pet as well. Let's go!" He replied.
Later, at the Atlanta National Hospital…
ZaQuintina-Mitchell, Flazentino-Raaviarno, and Havintine were quickly escorted to ZaQuinto's hospital room. They saw that ZaQuintina's parent's were already there, keeping an eye on him. ZaQuintina became worried as she saw 3 big black trash bags full of her brother's shedded scales. She quickly grabbed a chair and settled it next to her brother, opposite side of her parents while Havintine and Flazentino-Raaviarno did the same, having Flazentino sitting on the nightstand next to the husky.
"Hey, ZQ." ZaQuintina greeted softly while she was stroking his face gently. "How are you feeling?"
Since ZaQuinto couldn't talk, he just nodded, telling her that he was okay. She smiled.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot. You can't talk. I'm just glad you're doing okay. Are those his scales?"
"Yeah." Henry replied. "His obsessive shedding has really shown since he got this disease. He'll be fine."
"It doesn't hurt, does it?" ZaQuinto nodded slowly. Henry translated.
"He says that it hurts a little, but not too painful enough to make him scream with extreme pain. He just squenches his face really hard, that's all." He said. ZaQuintina nodded with undertstanding, but was in tears as she looked down at the floor.
"I'm just worried, dad." She spoke in a cracked voice. "Somehow, my inner self is tellin' me that there is some other side effect to this… and it's not just the shedding."
"And you would be right." A nurse interrupted while she was walking into the room. "I just found out some terrible news."
"What!"
"It seems that this disease is so common, only a few dragons have died from it. So, obviously, ZaQuinto might be next."
"NO!"
"I'm sorry."
"This can't be true! How long until he dies?"
"About 4 months from now."
"You can't be damn serious!"
ZaQuintina-Mitchell! Watch your language!" Kate yelled. ZaQuintina blushed as she calmed down.
"Sorry, mom. I'm just angry right now! I don't want my brother to die!"
"There is a way to reverse this." The nurse announced. "We can supply a vaccine that'll permanently remove the disease from his immune system safely, but the vaccine itself costs money to make because of the science company working it out."
"How much is this gonna cost us?" Henry asked.
"About 400,000 dollars."
"How in the hel… I mean, heck am I supposed to get that much money? I got college to do, ya know." ZaQuintina-Mitchell protested. Bugs overheard and walked in along with Wile E. and Tech.
"Well, dat's where you come in, doc." Bugs spoke as he walked up to the sad dragon sister of ZaQuinto. "We've hoid dat ya got da call from da chief of da ACME Silva Dragon Secret Agency, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, dat where you and ya little ferret friend will be woikin' at, for a minimum wage of course."
"How much of a wage are we talking?" ZaQuintina was getting interested as she stood up in front of Bugs, Wile E., and Tech, having Flazentino-Raaviarno perched up on her shoulder.
"About 20,000 dollars a mission completed." Wile E. replied. "If you get this job now, we'll put you in a training mission at your college first. Just don't panic too much, or you won't be qualified to join."
"Is this training mission for free?"
"Well, consequently, it should be, but since you're doing this for your former street dancing brother, your gonna get paid just enough money to fly to Looney Tunes City… downtown. Use that money to get there and you'll have a little money left to pay for a taxi to take you there safely and privately." Tech replied.
"So, only Flazentino and I are going? No Havintine or Destiny?"
"Who are they?"
"They're my closest friends since I was a freshman at the college."
"Well, you can bring one of them…"
"YAY!" Havintine cheered.
"…but, this friend must have an expertise in martial arts and secret agent abilities and flexibility."
"Damn."
"What?" ZaQuintina asked her siberian husky friend.
"I'm not a pro at some martial arts."
"I figured, knowing that you know more about cars than karate."
"Thanks for your observation."
"Hey, I was just tellin' the truth… for your sake. I guess I can bring Destiny then. She's a 15th degree black belt of tae kwon do, jujitsu, and Lui He Ba Fa. It's a… fighting style from one of her favorite Mortal Kombat characters, Li Mei."
"Excellent. Can she handle perfroming those fighting styles on aliens and mutant monsters from outer space that invade our city on a nearly daily basis?" Tech asked.
"Yeah. So can I. I'm a 13th degree black belt on the dragon fighting style and escrima. I also made up my own, which Flazentino inspired me from… I call it parashata ferretisma."
"Wow." Henry and Kate muttered in amazement together. Havintine groaned with jealously as he folded his arms.
"Damn you, ZaQuintina-Mitchell." He muttered.
"Thanks." ZaQuintina replied sarcastically. "So, when does the training start?"
"Tomorrow at lunch time. Be prepared." Wile E. replied. ZaQuintina nodded in response. Flazentino-Raaviarno nodded along with her.
"We'll be ready. I'll tell Destiny about it when I get back…" ZaQuintina paused to look at her brother in tears before she walked up to him and embraced him softly. "…and ZaQuinto, I promise. I'll get the money so you won't die. Please, stay here and rest and I'll be back sooner than you think… I promise." Those were her last words before she was escorted back downstairs with her ferret friend on her shoulder and Havintina following close behind. Henry smiled at his daughter's determination as Kate looked at him.
"Henry?" She asked. Henry sighed.
"Just like her brother." He replied randomly with tears in his eyes.
To be continued…
