Note: I edited some details in the last chapter to make them match up to the book. Nothing you need to reread, but just letting you guys know!
Mel carefully maneuvered herself behind a house so that she ended up behind the girl with the blonde hair. She thought this approach was more normal. She quickly slipped her sunglasses over her eyes, just to be safe, and approached her. "Excuse me?" she asked, hoping the girl was okay with talking to strangers. Most Souls appeared to be from what Wanda had told her, but you never know.
The girl stopped and looked at Melanie, examining her face carefully. "Hi," she said kindly in a high pitched, but pleasant, voice. It would have sucked if the girl had an annoying voice.
"Hello. My name is Melanie," she announced, trying to act as Soul-like as possible. "i'm new in town and . . . I think I'm lost," she said, making up the story. Hopefully the girl would buy it.
"Oh! Where are you trying to go? I'll take you. Our car is just back-"
"No, it's not far," Melanie interrupted. She needed to get this girl to go to her car. "I was going for a walk, but now I can't find my way to Becker Street." Luckily, Melanie had paid attention the street names on the way here.
The girl smiled, seemingly pleased to meet someone new on her street. The girl tried to explain the way to Melanie, who completely ignored everything. It's not like she was actually lost and needed directions. "Could you show me? I'm sorry, what's your name?" she asked. Souls are polite like that. They introduce themselves.
"Of course! Come with me. I'm Petals Open to the Moon, but my family mostly calls me Pet." Melanie thought the name was odd, but then again most Soul's names were. "Where are you from, Melanie?"
Melanie laughed at this, getting in to character, and asked, "Do you mean San Diego or the Singing World, Pet?" She was a very good liar.
"Either one," the girl giggled. Wanda's not a giggler, but maybe Pet will rub off on her, help her ease up a bit. Pet rattled on about a few other Bats living on the street, but Melanie wasn't paying much attention. She was looking off to the alley, where Jared and Jamie should be waiting in the car. But they weren't. They were standing in the street a few feet away, waiting patiently and nervously. Pet noticed her strange staring and turned around. She watched the boys, almost interested, and then turned back to Melanie.
"These are my friends, Pet."
"Oh! Oh, hello," Pet said, excited. She enthusiastically took Jared's hand, shaking it in her small one. But quickly the shake turns into Jared tugging Pet closer and pushing a rag into her mouth, filled with chloroform. Pet almost screamed, but she seemed to shocked to do so. Melanie felt bad for hurting such an innocent Soul, but she knew it was what was for the best.
The three quickly headed back to the van, Jared carrying Pet delicately. He set her down in the backseat of the car, her head resting in Jamie's lap at his request. In a day or so, this would be Wanda.
After loading up the van, they drove down to a convenience store. Jared headed in to pick up a few necessary items, including clothes for Mel, and then rushed back to the car. Small raids like this were easy, since you didn't have to buy anything. He barely even had to talk to the Soul up front at the register.
"Everything good?" Mel asked when he got back, looking nervously out the window. They couldn't get caught now. Not when they had a body for Wanda ready.
"Yup. Now, go to sleep. We've got a long drive home.
A couple hours later, Mel, Jamie, and Jared-grasping Pet carefully-were running through the desert again, heading through the wind at full speed. The raid was quick, but all three of the missed home. But more importantly, they missed Wanda. They wanted to get her back as soon as possible, even if it required running until their legs turned to jelly.
"Almost. There," Jared breathed, noticing Melanie's tiring face. Though Wanda had kept her body healthy and active, Melanie had a hard time running like this. Her mind wasn't in sync with her body yet and it was tiring.
They reached the cave entrance and let themselves in, breathing hard. Jared set Pet down carefully on the rock for a moment, regaining his composure. Nobody was waiting for them, probably since they weren't used to the raid being so quick. After gathering themselves, they headed down to the center of the caves, where everybody was going about their daily lives. "Jared!" Lily called, smiling. "Mel, Jamie! Thank god you guys are all safe!" she smiled, rushing over to them. The others all noticed their entrance and encircled them, hugging and asking questions. Everybody looked down curiously at the sleeping figure in Jared's arms. "She looks perfect. Just like Wanda," Lily grinned.
"I know!" Jamie replied excitedly. "Come on, let's get her to Doc!" He practically barreled through the crowd, rushing to Doc's little hospital. Jared sighed, following him despite his desire for food. He could smell something coming from the cafeteria. Mel raced after them.
"Doc! Doc, we're back!" Jamie called, rushing into the hospital. Doc looked up from his makeshift desk and smiled as Jared set Pet lightly down on the cot. "And we've got a body for Wanda. Can we put her in now?" Doc stood up and looked at the small girl, lying unconscious.
"I'm afraid not yet, Jamie," he sighed. He was just as anxious to get her back, but he knew they had to wait. "We have to give the girl a chance to wake up first. If she does, I'm afraid we can't put Wanda back in. That was the deal. And that's whats best."
"Oh," Jamie gasped. He'd forgotten about all of this. He was too anxious. "Okay. But can you make it as quick as possible?"
"Of course," Doc smiled. "I'll take this Soul out right now, and then we'll give her about a day to wakeup. If she doesn't, Wanda will be in before you know it!" He already started to get to work, grabbing the tools he needed. He picked up an unoccupied cyrotank and handed it to Jared, who opened it readily.
"Jamie, you don't need to watch," Mel said, knowing this wasn't going to be pretty. She'd seen it too many times in Wanda's head before.
"It's not that bad," Jared laughed. "The kid deserves to watch. He loves Wanda just as much, anyway."
"Yeah!" Jamie agreed.
Mel looked to Doc, who's scalpel was raised carefully above Pet's neck, where a light scar already was.
Mel sighed and rolled her eyes, rubbing her hand through Jamie's hair. "Fine." Jamie grinned and turned to Doc, who cleanly cut a thin line on Pet's neck. He slipped his finger through the slit and searched around for the segment that unhooked the Soul. Jamie watched in awe as Doc pulled out a sliver of gold. "Woah!" he exclaimed as Doc slid the Soul into Jared's open cyrotank. "It's that easy? That's so awesome!" Jared scoffed. Mel just grinned and hugged him tighter.
Doc applied all the necessary creams and then turned to the little gathering of people. "We'll give her till tomorrow afternoon. I'll make sure to keep an eye on her."
"Thanks, Doc," Jamie and Mel said in unison. They turned around and headed down the caves, only to run into Ian.