Chapter 16 Kidnapped! (NOT!)

On the way to the Hancock, I found a relatively low building and started doing my leapfrog thing again. By the time we got there, I had mastered the art, and even tried doing a few tricks, like twisting in midair, or landing and spinning on one hoof. Duncan didn't seem fazed. He just clung on like a burr.

I slid to a stop atop the huge black monolith and reared, striking the air in front of me. I was panting heavily, and very tired, but at the same time, I felt like I could run for days.

Fiona touched down on the gravel an instant after I did, flaring her wings and settling delicately near the edge. I snorted at her. "Beat ya!"

She rolled her eyes. "I'll get you next time!"

Before I could add to the 'Time' comment, her head snapped toward the street below. "Looks like our ride's here!"

Cautiously, I paced over to the edge and peered down. It was a long way. I blinked at the street below me for a moment, before spotting what she was talking about. "You... You've gotta be kidding me."

A ferrari.

A pine-green ferrari.

With a convertible top.

It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Debatably, but still.

I turned to Dane. "That... That car... is yours?"

He nodded, grinning at my reaction. "Yup. We can take a ride, if you want..."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw both Duncan's and Fiona's faces abruptly drop their smiles. I gulped down at the beautiful car. "Wow... are you sure? What if we wreck it?"

He shrugged. "I'll get it repaired."

The way he said it, like second nature, was proof enough that he hadn't been joking around. I shook myself all over, then turned to Duncan. "You up for it?"

Instantly, his face relaxed. He walked cautiously to the edge and peered down at the beautiful car. "I suppose..."

"YES!!!" I kicked my hooves out behind me, almost nailing Fiona's nose. Say that fast five times.

Everyone chuckled, and we all changed back to our human forms, and climbed on Fiona's back. She took off to a building down the street, where she alighted next to the fire escape. After letting us off and changing, we all trooped down the ladder and walked down the street, laughing and pushing each other around and acting like the bunch of teenagers we were.

Finally, we arrived next to the car. It was just as sleek and beautiful up close as it was from the top of the building. I ran a finger down one side, the smooth, waxed finish feeling like silk under my finger.

We all piled in eagerly. Just as Dane was sticking the key in the ignition, a loud 'woop woop!' announced the arrival of several police cars. I sighed and Dane groaned. Fiona looked annoyed. I couldn't see Duncan, because he was sitting behind me. Raven let out a humph. "Well, this figures. Either someone finally put two and two together, or your butler was so concerned about you that he set us up."

Dane faceplamed. "When I get my hands on him..."

I chuckled. "Well, you're the one with the money, right? You can just leave again."

He shook his head. "Not now. They'll be watching my every move."

Just as I was about to reply, one of the policemen stepped out of his car and strode over to the driver's side. "Are you Dane Syeriys?"

Dane hesitated, then nodded.

The policemen gestured impatiently. "I'll need you to come with me. you are on the missing person's list, and I'll need to return you to your family. The rest of you are under arrest for kidnapping."

Dane sat up straighter. "Excuse me? They didn't kidnap me, they helped me! And I refuse to go back to my so-called 'family'. Now, excuse me." With that, he twisted the key in the ignition and put the car in drive. The policeman jumped back just in time to avoid getting his toes run over. I blew a kiss to him as we drove away.

Then the two cars behind him began moving.

Crud. "Yo, guys? I think we're being followed,"

Dane glanced behind, and then turned back to the front, letting out a few words that I didn't even know existed in the english language. "We'll have to ditch the car. As soon as I turn this corner, you guys jump out and run to the nearest alley. Change, and then get me, ok?"

We all nodded, and me and Duncan exchanged glances. We would let Fiona do the rescuing.

"Ready..." The police cars behind us turned their lights on. "Set..." The corner was fast approaching.

"...GO!!!" We screeched around the corner, avoiding a taxi that had pulled up at the last second. As soon as the police cars were out of sight, we leaped out of the car, Dane barely slowing down, and raced to the closest alley, which was about ten feet away. We ducked into it, already concentrating on the change. Seconds later, the alley was crowded by a horse, a raven, and two dragons, one the size of a Komodo dragon, the other the size of a smallish car.

I raced out first, clearing the way for Fiona, who zipped out of the narrow alley and lifted off, her wings creating gusts that nearly blew the smaller wyvern into the air. Duncan hopped onto my back, and Raven flew overhead, as out motley party careened down the narrow sidestreet.

Dane had yanked the car over to the curb, and by the time we ran past it, he was already on Fiona's back.

Just seconds after we rounded the far corner, the squad cars came roaring to a stop at the empty vehicle. We watched, peeking out from behind a building, as the baffled policemen stared around, scratching their heads and looking annoyed.

Cackling with laughter (especially Raven), we wandered off in the direction of the fountain, changing back along the way. We decided unanimously that unless some major catastrophe came up, we were going to take the rest of the day off.