Trying to navigate these streets at night was hard when you could barely see for long distances. Randall had begun traveling the last length of his journey during the day so he could find his way back to the house. He eventually made it.
His stomach was growling fiercely from hunger and his feet were so tired and sore from walking. Randall made sure to stay invisible until he got up to the house. He went in the back way, finding the spare key to use. He didn't want anyone seeing him.
When he was first in the kitchen, he quickly got himself some fresh water and some food out of the fridge. Some lunchmeat. He scarfed the whole thing, he was so famished.
With his hunger satisfied, then he went and got the first aid kit out of the bathroom and sat down on the couch. No one else was home right now, as it was only 2 in the afternoon. He leaned his back against one side of the armrest part and he began tending to his tender feet.
He put some medicine on a gauze pad and applied it to his feet, which stung through the roof. He bared his teeth, but managed to keep in the screams of pain. It burned, but he set his feet out in front of him and let them air out, just relaxing. He could finally take a load off. The sidewalks had been harsh on his feet in the midday sun. He fell asleep to just let his body rest.
After 6:30 like clockwork, Jo and Jason got home. They came in the front door. The air conditioning felt great it was so hot out. But they also got quite the surprise when they stepped into the living room.
Randall had jumped awake when he heard voices. He looked at the time and he saw it was time for them to be home. He stayed where he was. He wanted to surprise them. His feet were still stinging.
When the man and girl stepped into the room, they got a "Hi guys." It startled them both.
"Randall?" Jason asked.
"Yes?"
"Randall, are you for real?" Jo asked.
"You better believe it, Kid." The lizard said with a smile.
"Randall, I missed you!" Jo flung herself forward before Jason could stop her.
Jo wrapped her arms around Randall's chest and squeezed him tight. "Don't leave me again!" She sobbed.
"I didn't leave on purpose." Randall said.
"What happened?" Jason asked.
"That man who tried to get near me at the gas station on our camping trip followed us home and he broke in and knocked me out with drugs. He took me far away and I spent the last few days getting back." Randall explained.
"I found a syringe on the floor. It belongs to a Dr. Alex Quentin. He's a zoo biologist. He might have wanted you for experiments." Jason suggested.
"He's not getting me without a fight."
Jo finally let go of him. "I'm just glad you made it back."
"Me too. It's hot out there." Randall said.
"Yes, it is. Well, I'm going to get started on dinner. Want to help?" Jason asked.
"I can't. I can barely stand right now. My feet got burnt on the sidewalks making it home today. I got home around two."
Jason came over and saw the first aid kit by the couch. He sat down on the other end and had a look at Randall's feet. The bottoms of them were indeed blistered and sore looking.
Jason applied some burn medicine with gauze on his feet and wrapped them up. Randall winced, but didn't fight the treatment.
"Don't get up unless you have to." Jason said. "You've got to keep the weight off those feet for a few days."
"I figured."
Jason started dinner, meatloaf. He added some apple slices too. Jo stayed by Randall's side. They all ate in the living room tonight, welcoming Randall back.
Jason made sure all the blinds and curtains were closed so people couldn't see inside. Especially should Quentin come back.
The next day, Jason asked for a few days off because he had to look after a sick friend. He would still take Jo to home school and come back.
Over the next few days, Randall didn't leave the couch except the bathroom, and even then, he had to have a little help walking on his blistered, sore feet. Jason changed the bandages every day.
Finally, after a week, his feet were well enough to be without the bandages, but Jason had to go back to work. Randall still needed to keep on restricted movement to let the burns heal successfully.
On the weekend, Jason had to run a few errands and now that he could stand on his own again, he left Randall in charge of Jo.
They played some board games and watched a movie.
"Can we go play outside?" Jo asked. "Your feet feel better now, right?"
"Yes. But we still need to take it easy yet." Randall said.
He followed her outside, limping a little. He just couldn't move real fast on his still somewhat sore feet. He let Jo run around and practice dancing.
Quentin saw something out in the backyard and using binoculars, he saw that the lizard was with the little girl! He had gotten back after all. So, he was that smart to have probably caught a ride. This lizard would definitely be a worthy prize indeed.
Jo and Randall went for a walk in the woods. He stayed with her, but he let her go ahead and get her energy out. When he had first met her, he had had no idea human kids had so much energy to run and play. Monster kids did too.
It had been months since he was first banished and being here had given him time to think things through on what his life could be like.
He thought back to his college days and if he hadn't wanted to join the RORs so badly, to fit in with the 'cool kids,' Randall might have turned out better, a more friendly monster. But being a reptilian, would he have been given a chance by anyone else?
Randall's thoughts on revenge against his old rivals who had banished him had been changed since he had met Jo. She had brought out more of his friendly side and gained her trust and friendship. She had even missed him when he was kidnapped. There was a part of him that wanted to stay, but after she was assured of a good home, he really should move on.
….
Quentin now had a plan on how to get his lizard back. He saw how he reacted with that child. Perhaps there was a way to lure him with the child and she would have to give him up.
On Tuesday, after home school was over, Jo was waiting outside for Jason to pick her up. Randall wasn't with her, as he didn't go with her to school.
Quentin drove up in a hurry and ran out of his car. Jo was in shock at the man who came up to her so suddenly.
"You have something I want, you little brat! Get in the car!"
"Help!" Jo called out.
Quentin hit her in the face so hard it knocked her out. He grabbed her and put her in the back seat and took off.
Mrs. Gonzalez heard the screeching tires and saw a man dump a child in the car and ran to take off.
"Hey!" She yelled, running out of the house and the car took off before she could get there.
When Jason got there, he saw that the teacher was upset. "What's wrong? Where's Jo?"
"A man took her." The woman said.
"Who?"
"I don't know. A white man with brown hair, black shirt, jeans."
"Did you catch the license plate number?"
"Yes." She said and gave it to him.
Jason called into his dispatch that the girl who was in care was kidnapped and gave them the plate numbers. He sadly went home and had to deliver the news to Randall that Jo was now kidnapped.
"But who would take her?" Randall asked.
"I don't know."
Then the phone rang. Jason picked up. Randall listened.
When he hung up, Jason said, "It belongs to a guy named Johnny Sterns."
The name Johnny reminded Randall of his old fraternity president. But he snapped out of it. "So there's no way to trace the kidnapper?"
"He could be the one, or someone else. All we can do is wait for any ransom notes. I'm sorry, Randall."
"Take me to the scene of the crime." Randall said.
"Why?"
"I might be able to find out for sure."
"Alright." Jason said. He took Randall to the school.
Randall was invisible to the public. Using his forked tongue, he could taste the air and the ground, much like snakes and other lizards.
Jason wondered how Randall could find out anything here that a scent dog couldn't.
The scent that Randall came up was familiar to him. He gasped. "I know who took her!"
"Who?!" Jason demanded.
"I remember the smell from the man that kidnapped me. It was him, Quentin!" Randall said in a panic.
Jason would take his word for it and he drove them both to his station. Randall vanished and he followed the man inside, staying clear of other officers by being on the ceiling. He went to tell his boss that he had a lead on the kidnapper.
"Boss, the kidnapper was Dr. Alex Quentin! I swear!"
"How could you know without a ransom note this early, Jason?"
"I know because he has been stalking me lately. A witness I know knows it."
"And who is this witness?"
"A friend who wants to remain anonymous." Jason said.
"I'm sorry, but until there are anymore leads or a ransom, we need to know what his intentions are." The boss said.
Jason knew that he and Randall could go around in his car.
When they came out of the room, an officer just came up to Jason with a note that was written down. He read it and Randall looked too over his shoulder.
"Give me my lizard, and you can have the brat back by tomorrow at noon!"
This made Randall mad. So he wanted him, huh? He would gladly do this, just to get him away from Jo. He hoped he wasn't hurting her. She was just an innocent child. Of course, not long ago, his thinking hadn't mattered about human children, but saving and caring for this one had changed his mind about them.
Quentin would regret this! He growled.
The police department was notified.
"What lizard is it talking about?" The blonde woman in front of him asked.
"A lizard that I know about that he wants. He's ransoming Jo for him."
"What lizard? We could help."
"No. The lizard he wants is like no other. He thinks it would be valuable to him." Jason said.
Randall could hear his words. He knew he probably would be worth his weight in gold, with his talents, but he wasn't going to let that maniac hurt the child he cared for, his first real friend in this world.
Jason went to his desk. He typed in the information on where they might be able to find this Johnny Sterns. Maybe Quentin was staying with him? Randall was standing by the desk too.
Jason got the address and wrote it down. "Got it! Let's go, Randall!"
Randall followed him out to the car. They took off to go get Jo back.
…
At the hideout, Quentin had tied Jo up so she wouldn't be any trouble.
"What do you want with me, Mister?" Jo asked. She was scared.
"I don't want anything to do with you, little Missy. But I do want your lizard friend." Quentin said.
"Randall? What about him?" Jo asked.
"Randall, huh? That's a stupid name. I'll give him a better one when he's mine to study."
"You aren't going to hurt him, are you?"
"I wouldn't dream of it. I've never seen anything like him before. He's worth keeping and studying, maybe even making him a daddy."
"He says he's alone out here. He's got no one else but me." Jo said.
"I doubt that very much. Where did you get him?"
"He found me. He came from the swamp."
Randall had never really told her where he came from.
"That's intriguing. That means he's wild and doesn't really belong to you after all. All sorts of legends about that swamp."
"No, I don't own him. But he is my friend." Jo said.
"Well, your friend is now going to be living with me. He seems to be so loyal to you that I had to take you in order to get his attention. That cop is bound to want you back too. It's simple. The lizard for you. A kid is far more valued by humans than a mere lizard is any day." Quentin said. "So I'm sure the cop wouldn't hesitate to give me the lizard to get you back, my dear. And lizards don't talk either, so you wouldn't know if he's alone."
"Randall can talk. He's not a normal lizard."
"I've seen that. He can stand upright. Not like a normal lizard. And he has way more limbs too. Obviously some sort of mutation, but I can see he's able to use them all."
Jo was too young to understand all what he was saying, but she could understand this man just wanted her lizard friend for her in exchange. She didn't want to say goodbye to Randall just yet. And not for a long time.
There was another man there too, the Johnny Sterns. He was Quentin's friend and he had been letting Quentin stay with him while he was out of work for the moment.
Johnny had red hair, brown eyes, and wore a brown t-shirt and jean shorts. He was about 5'5.
Johnny didn't understand entirely what his friend wanted. He just knew he was a scientist. He had a gun there should anything break out. But he wouldn't shoot the child. It was only for self defense and killing animals for food.
Quentin was trying to think of a plan to get things the way he wanted and no one had to come to harm, but the kid needed to cooperate and let him take the lizard. He figured she had no business with him.
