We kept following the smell down a winding path until we ended up in front of one house where it was incredibly strong. In fact, it smelled like Zoey had been on the front stoop just a couple of hours earlier.
This is it, I said.
You can sneak into the backyard through the alley, said Allison, still speaking to us from above. They have a large window through which you can see.
We immediately took her suggestion, squeezing into the narrow alley, careful not to scrape our small riders on the walls. A bright, glowing light came from the window; it appeared that the kidnappers were home. Afraid of what I would see, I peeked around a bush, making sure I was well hidden. Tony had dropped off of Xander and was trundling up closer to it.
Zoey was there. She was right there. I nearly howled in pain, but managed to keep myself quiet. I couldn't believe we had found her. I simultaneously felt relieved and frightened. We were going to have to deal with these freaks if we wanted to get her back.
She didn't look happy, but she didn't look unhealthy, either. In fact, she had a plate of pasta in front of her, her clothes were clean, and she didn't look like she was hurt or dirty. It at least appeared that they were taking care of her. But why in the world would they have stolen her, if they didn't have some nefarious purpose in mind?
We should call the police, said Xander. The shifter cops will be able to use our evidence for a warrant.
We don't even have a phone, though, I said. We'd have to go all the way back and get one, and then call them.
But if we call them, we can get these people arrested.
That was a good point. I wasn't sure which option was best. I wanted to get her back in my arms immediately, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt. If we tried to rescue her ourselves, it would become a mess. The kidnappers wouldn't recognize us for who we really were.
My heart jolted when I saw the lady from the zoo walk into the kitchen, along with her boyfriend, or husband, or whoever he was. She walked right up to Zoey, stroked her hair, and said something to her. It looked for all the world like a perfectly normal family evening. My blood boiled.
She walked up to the glass and Xander and I drew back. Tony was out there, but then, it wasn't unusual to see an opossum in a yard. The lady didn't look happy, though. She stepped back, surprised, then returned with a broom, stepping out the door and batting at Tony. He scurried away and she seemed to relax.
Now's our chance, I said. The door's open. It's now or never.
Okay, said Xander. We'll do it. Mrs. Blain, Tony, Allison, can you distract them? Kade and I will get through the door and grab her.
Whatever you say, said Allison.
Mrs. Blain walked out to where Tony was. The lady screamed and went at them with the broom again. Then, Allison dropped down from the trees to prevent them from getting too hurt, flapping all around the lady's face, scratching at her with her claws.
I dashed into the house. The man was taken totally by surprise, but of course, Zoey recognized me.
Get out! I cried, transmitting my message only to her. Get out of the chair!
She scrambled out of it, knocking the pasta bowl and fork to the floor with a jarring clatter, and I immediately stood between her and the man, growling viciously. Xander was behind me, growling in his husky Alpha voice, and I could still hear the shouts of the woman and the flapping of Allison's wings.
I took a step towards the man; he was scared shitless, and kept stepping backward, running into cabinets and counters. Xander herded Zoey outside and I followed him, keeping an eye on the man the whole time.
The woman was still occupied with our allies. Tony was trying to get on her legs, biting and scratching, while his mother nipped at the woman's toes. "Hey!" she cried. "Those wolves are getting away with our baby!"
I was shocked at what I had just heard. Making sure that Zoey was safe with Xander, I stepped toward her and growled, nipping at her thigh. She yelped and batted at me with the broom; it didn't hurt too much, but it was so long that it was hard to avoid it while also trying to get to her.
I heard a horrible hissing sound and saw that Mrs. Blain had been thrown by the broom. Tony rushed to her side. Without thinking, I grabbed her in my jaws, as gently as possible, and knelt down so Tony could clamber onto my back. The woman was just staring at us, her face ghostly white, the broom forgotten.
I disappeared into the bushes and ran after Xander; he had helped Zoey transform into her own wolf form, and they were trotting down the street at a brisk pace. I saw Allison's shadow swoop in front of us. We had gotten the whole team out with minimal injury.
Except for Mrs. Blain. I could sense that she had gone unconscious; her little opossum body could not handle being hit so hard with the broom. Mom! cried Tony.Mom! Can you hear me?
There was no answer. We have to get her to a safe space to see if she can transform back, I said.
This neighborhood was so well-kept that there weren't many dark alleyways or vacant lots, but we found one eventually. I set Mrs. Blain down on a bed of grass and Tony scrambled next to her, sniffing and poking at her prone body.
She's not dead, is she? asked Xander privately.
I could feel a pulse when I was carrying her in my mouth. She's okay, but she can't transform back when she's been knocked unconscious.
Zoey peered at the still opossum, sniffing curiously and looking worried.
I'm going to go see if Rockley or one of the others can bring a car, said Allison.This seems like a good spot to wait.
Good idea, I said.
Xander walked up to my side and pressed himself against me, and Zoey trotted up and nosed my legs, too short to reach my face. Their warm presence was welcome. Now that we were far away from the kidnappers, we could relax a little, and let our emotions return to us. I was immensely relieved that Zoey was back with us. I wouldn't be able to relax fully until we were back home, but for now, I was satisfied.
But I felt horribly guilty about what had happened to Mrs. Blain. It was my rash actions that had put her in danger. If we had just waited and called the police, like Xander had suggested, this wouldn't have happened. I hadn't been able to control my emotions and Xander, bless him, had gone with my plan.
She will be okay, said Tony. But I think her leg is broken.
I took a closer look at the opossum, noting the strange angle of her back leg. Another wave of guilt washed over me. I had done this.
Zoey yelped when car headlights lit up the vacant lot. The passenger window rolled down and I could see Rockley's face in the driver's side.
Xander sat in front, while I sat in the back with Tony, Zoey in pup form, and Mrs. Blain. We were all nude, but that didn't matter to us-we were shifters. Now that I was human, I could see her condition more clearly. She would definitely have to go to a shifter doctor-we couldn't have her waking up as a human in a veterinarian's office.
"So you found Zoey," said Rockley.
"We did. Thank you so much, again, for your help," I said. "There was no way we would have known where she was without the help of you and your allies. And Tony, Mrs, Blain, and Allison all helped us in her rescue."
Tony had gone back to being his usual quiet self. He was obviously profoundly worried about his mother. Her chest rose and fell, but she was still out cold.
Rockley dropped us off at our house and handed us our clothes, which his wife had sent with him. We thanked him profusely again, and thanked Tony as well. He promised to update us on his mother's condition, but there was nothing else we could do for her.
When we cleaned up and put our clothes on, we all curled up together on the couch, hugging Zoey tightly between us. "I guess we'll have to go to the station tomorrow and request to speak with the shifter division," said Xander.
"Yeah. Man, the past forty-eight hours has been such an effing rollercoaster," I said. "Kidnapping, animal shifters … "
"I'm overwhelmed," said Xander.
I rested my head on his shoulder. "But we have her back, and that's what matters. That's all that matters right now."
We slept well that night, exhausted from the rescue, but with all our anxieties banished. When I woke up the next morning, I settled into our usual routine. Xander made Zoey breakfast while I helped her bathe. Things were back to normal-almost.
I got a call from Joel later that morning. "Hey man," he said. "Tony told me you got Zoey back."
"Yeah!" I said. "I can't believe it."
"I'm happy for you, but I have bad news, too."
My chest tightened. "What is it?"
"I'm gonna have to quit the band. I was just approached by the singer of Capital Saint and they need a bassist."
"What!" I cried. "You can't stick around for the recording, at least?"
"Nah, man. They need someone to go on their tour starting now." He sounded firm but apologetic.
"Wow. What about your contract?"