SHIPWRECK. ❪ Newt Scamander ❫ ✓

fifteen

The interior of Kama's hideout was pitch black. There was water dripping. There was a shaft of sunlight that revealed Tina sleeping lightly on the floor in her coat. Trinity noticed her first. She knew Newt would eventually see her, but she wondered if she could murder Tina without Newt noticing. She thought it was very likely that Newt would notice, so she decided not to. Instead, she tugged on Newt's sleeve and pointed to Tina.

"Tina?" Newt called out.

She woke up immediately, scrambling to her feet with a shocked expression on her face. "Newt!" she exclaimed.

Tina noticed Kama entering in the background as he raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted.

Newt's wand flew out of his hand. Bars formed across the door, imprisoning them.

"My apologies, Mr. Scamander! I shall return and release you when Credence is dead!" Kama shouted through the bars.

"Kama, wait!" Tina shouted.

"You see, either he dies...or I do." He stepped away from the bars, then suddenly stumbled and clapped a hand to his eye. "No, no, no, no. Oh - no. No, no, no." He jerked convulsively and collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

"You've just lost me my only lead," Tina said. "What are you doing here?"

"We're looking for Queenie," Trinity said, stepping in front of Newt, protecting him from what she considered to be a threat. "She's in Paris, looking for you. I think you brought yourself into this mess."

Tina's glare didn't soften. It only seemed to harden with fury. "Mistakes happen."

Trinity nodded slowly. "I'm well aware of your mistakes."

"Right - uh - let's figure out a way out," Newt said, interrupting the brewing fight.

"You think I haven't tried that?" Tina asked.

Jacob ignored Tina's attitude and Trinity's need to fight, and launched for the door, trying to break it down. Pickett unnoticeably escaped from Newt's breast pocket and crawled over to pick the lock. The door opened just as Jacob rammed into it. He grabbed onto the bars to stabilize himself as he glanced at Pickett, who waved at him.

Jacob laughed gleefully. "Yes! All right! Newt!"

Newt grinned as he strode over to the door, picking Pickett up along. "Well done, Pick. You need this man, you say?" he asked Tina.

"Yeah. I think this man knows where Credence is, Mr. Scamander." Tina checked his pockets and took back her wand, as well as gave Newt his wand back.

As they bent over the unconscious Kama, an earth-shattering roar shook the ground. They all looked at each other.

"That would be the Zouwu," Newt whispered.

•

In the middle of the Parisian Bridge was the Zouwu, terrified and lethal. It was too badly hurt to keep running, so it instead swiped at onlookers near it. People were screaming and running out of the way. Cars screeched to a stop as Newt Apparated in front of the Zouwu. Trinity, Tina, and Jacob Apparated with an unconscious Kama. They were fifty yards away from the Zouwu.

"Newt, get back here!" Jacob shouted worriedly, glancing at Trinity who was glaring at the Zouwu.

The Zouwu growled quietly as it got closer to Newt. Newt bent down slowly and opened the case, keeping eye contact with it the whole time. He stuck his arm into the case, feeling around for the object he needed. It was taking longer than expected. The Zouwu was losing its patience, and so was Trinity.

Jacob had to hold her back as she attempted on getting in between Newt and the Zouwu. Trinity didn't like how Newt was so trusting of stray beasts. Most of them were dangerous, much like the Zouwu.

The Zouwu bared its teeth. Newt found what he was looking for and raised his arm out. He was holding a fluffy toy on a stick with lots of feather surrounding it and a bell on it. The Zouwu's tail twitched as it bent down further with puppy-like eyes. Suddenly, it soared through the air. People screamed, but Newt dropped the toy into the case and the Zouwu followed it, getting sucked into the case. Newt slammed the case shut. He picked it up as police cars were approaching the bridge.

Nicolas Flamel's card floated up from Newt's pocket as he grouped up with Tina, Trinity, Jacob, and an unconscious Kama. Then, they all Disapparated.