Ava
Only a few feet away from me, Rigel seizes on the floor.
Is he breathing? Or still alive? There is no time to check on him because a scourge yanks me out from under the desk. My eyes tear up and the walk to where these scourges take me is a blur.
They leave me in a cell for pets. Near the door are two bowls, one filled with water and the other with an awful-looking mush... Yuck, not eating that (not that I could eat right now without getting sick).
On the opposite side of the room is a holey blanket. The room is so cold that I wrap the blanket around me. Why does everything smell like wet fur?
The metal door whooshes open.
Thump! My back bangs against the wall when I fling myself as far away from the door as I can get. I stare at the silver floor and the distorted reflection of what can only be a scourge.
Ready or not, the scourges will drag me to a new owner, so I might as well face this head-on. I glance up, and...
A crouching scourge with a familiar pair of eyes, one brown and one blue, stares at me. Oh, it's Sirius, the scourge who had been kind to me; he had been the one to leave food out for me and I think he was the one who called Rigel.
And now?
He holds a leash in his hand. "Kata." Come.
I can't help noticing that although Sirius gives a command, he makes no move toward me, almost like... it's my choice?
I lift my head, so he can access my collar. Sirius clips the leash to me. When he stands to leave the cell, I go with him, walking down long corridors. Eventually, I recognize doorways—the park, Rigel's workplace, and... Are we going where I think we are? I can't help myself, I'm eagerly walking faster, pulling at the leash to the full length it will go. Sirius keeps pace with me.
Sure enough, we turn a corner and I see the gleaming door. I run and Sirius jogs with me. We stop in front of the door and Sirius bangs on the metal.
The door opens and Sirius drops the leash.
Rigel's eyes are wide. He seems as surprised as I am.
I just stand in front of Rigel, frozen. He scoops me into his arms and his wings go around me.
Rigel's voice rumbles as he speaks to Sirius, but my attention is mainly on Rigel's strong arms and the warmth of his chest, and his wonderful blanket of feathers.
Finally, the tiny shard of hope I had as I walked with Sirius grows. I won't need to live with the scourges and maybe... Does this mean Rigel might want me?
***
The door closes and Rigel sits on his computer chair, still holding me against his chest. The wall makes a sound and...
"Ava," asks Kayla, her voice coming from the direction of the wall.
I look out from between Rigel's wings. The large faces of Kayla and Tarak are on the wall, looking at us.
Kayla waves. "The fact that you are now with Rigel means the first part of the plan worked. Now for part two. Ava and Rigel, it is time to make your way to Tarak and me at the Firefly."
"The Firefly," Rigel repeats.
Kayla nods. "Also, not to worry anyone, but... in the interim of Sirius bringing Ava to Rigel's place, word has gotten out that Ava is not where they left her, so... try to avoid any Hydra officials."
The wall goes dark.
Rigel continues to hug me against his chest as he stands. "Let's go, sweetheart."
"Alert. Enforcers are on their way," announces the wall.
Rigel takes me into the hallway, walking briskly. When he turns a corner, we see it—Enforcers running straight at us. Rigel breaks into a run and holds me tight. I cling to Rigel.
Please let us get away.