Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out--life caught up to me. Expect another new chapter soon--maybe for New Year's.
"Got everything?" Jennifer asked once more as she grabbed her duffel bag.
"Yes, mommy," Gizmo drawled, flipping the panel shut on the machine he wore on his back before slipping it back on.
Raven raised a brow. "Were you actually able to fix that?"
Gizmo made a disgruntled noise deep in his throat that she wasn't quite sure how to qualify as a response. "Needs more work," he grumbled. Melvin patted his shoulder despite him trying to brush her hands away.
Raven frowned when Malchior held out his hand to her. "C'mon then," he said.
She glared but relented, placing her hand into his. He hauled her up then swept her up in his arms despite her shouts. "I can walk," she snapped.
Gizmo snickered. "Barely."
"Can we not fight before we even get out of the house?" Jennifer asked balefully. Mercifully, they fell silent. "Alright, let's move out." She paused only a moment to reach down and grab Melvin's hand before she opened the door.
They hurried out in the shadows. Dusk had already fallen, but there was still just a bit of light left for them to still see not that it lasted long. Quietly, they started out, Jennifer in the lead. They had decided they were just going to keep walking tonight, no breaks. Jennifer and Gizmo had peeled over her map hours before they left, tracing out this route to the shelter where the rumored costumed hero had frequented. Raven did her best to settle in the dragon's arms and tried not to brood; they all had to be alert tonight.
Melvin was the first to speak; to her credit, they had gone a fair amount of the way before she spoke. "Can I have an energy bar?" she asked as they paused at a corner.
"No, crud muncher," Gizmo growled. "No breaks."
It took all her will power not to snarl at the pintsized villain right there. Instead she settled for almost kicking him in the head.
"Hey, watch it-!"
"Shut it," Malchior growled. (Ever since he knocked Gizmo out, the smaller boy had kept a healthy fear of the dragon, so for once he fell silent.)
"C'mon," Raven said after a moment, "let's keep going." It's going to be a long night, she mused as she heard Gizmo grumble again.
A half hour later, as they ran nearly headfirst into a battalion of Sladebots, Raven couldn't help but want to kick herself for being right.