The sound of her ringtone had never filled Lucy with such relief.

　　As it chimed, she made her excuses to Jerry and Lecorondia and moved back inside the police station. When she closed the door, she sighed as the noise from the masses of humanity swarming the town since their interview cut off. The number on the screen wasn`t one she recognized, but she didn`t care. Even a telemarketer or hoax would make a wonderful escape.

　　When she answered, she put on her most professional voice. "Lucy McCloud."

　　"Hi Lucy, my name is Vera. We haven`t met, but I got your number from the television program the other night. I run the Steward`s Animal Rescue." The voice reminded Lucy of her grandmother, soft and well spoken but with enough steel to let her know she wouldn`t take any nonsense.

　　"And how can I help you, Vera?" As she spoke, Lucy moved to the chair and grabbed a half-full notebook, ready for another fantastical story.

　　So far, she`d heard he was under the ground, in space, eating the local cats, and eating a group of schoolchildren in Queensland.

　　They`d had to check the one about the cats, but it turned out the cats had simply hidden themselves underneath the woman`s house. She`d been grateful to get them back, and Lucy admitted it felt nice to help.

　　"Well, I just wanted to let you know that your—"

　　The sound of a door opening cut her off, and Lucy heard another pair of footsteps on the other end of the line.

　　"Grandma, do you know where the spare seed is?" A young woman`s voice asked.

　　"In the top drawer, out the back, dear."

　　"Thanks grandma."

　　"Sorry about that. Now, as I was saying, your quarry was here."

　　Lucy frowned and focused on the most important word in that sentence. "Was?"

　　"Ahh." Vera chuckled. "Yes. You didn`t mention how smart it was or, well, how dangerous."

　　"Dangerous, ma`am?" Lucy half rose from her chair. "Are you hurt?"

　　"No. No, it didn`t attack any of us. My other animals, on the other hand? Well. Farmer Brian won`t be happy at the loss of his cow, let me tell you. That was how I found him, you know. He`d gotten into my paddock and eaten Ol` Betsy."

　　"I`m sorry, he ate an entire cow?" Lucy tried to picture it, but simply couldn`t.

　　Vera chuckled. "I know. I couldn`t believe it, either. When I found him, he was scratching at his face and whining, and then he passed out. So I put him in a cage. My granddaughter started looking after him. She thought he was some kind of fairy creature."

　　"I can see that." Lucy laughed. "I take it he didn`t remain caged?"

　　"He didn`t. The little fella was fine with the food and could move about performing tricks, so he wasn`t hurt. Then he got loose, god knows how with the locks on the outside, and went after some of the other animals."

　　There wasn`t any laughter in Vera`s voice now, and Lucy didn`t blame her.

　　She focused on writing down the information before she asked her next question. "And I take it he escaped."

　　"He did." Vera confirmed. "Ate a cockatoo I was looking after. But there was something else. My granddaughter made the strangest claim before she watched him run out of the barn and off the property. It. Well, I`m not sure I believe it, but I don`t see why she`d lie about it."

　　"And that would be?" Lucy asked.

　　"Why, that he could talk."

　　Lucy`s pen clattered to the floor, and she sat stunned as she tried to process the news. Lecorondia hadn`t said anything that would make that remotely true. Then again, she hadn`t exactly mentioned him being smart enough to break out of a cage. Was this something he`d learned, or had the ambassador simply left it out?

　　"Miss McCloud?" Vera asked, pulling her back to the conversation.

　　"Yes, I`m still here. Sorry." She stumbled over the words before coughing to give herself some time. "You said he spoke?"

　　"Well, it`s what my granddaughter claims, but I`ve never heard it."

　　Lucy licked her lips. "I see. Did he say a lot of things to your granddaughter?"

　　"Oh no," Vera sounded confident. "Only a single word, and then she ran screaming for me. More out of shock than anything else, apparently he was in the rafters, though I have no idea how he managed that without wings."

　　"And what exactly did he say?"

　　Vera chuckled. "It`s almost silly, like something out of a movie. There he is, staring down, and what does he say? Mommy."

　　Lucy hoped her chuckle sounded genuine. "Well, I`ll inform the ambassador. Please, if he returns, keep me posted. Do you think we can come look at the scene?"

　　"You`re more than welcome," Vera said, but Lucy heard the sheer lack of enthusiasm in her voice. "I`m not sure you`ll find much, however. He scarpered pretty quickly down a massive hole a little way off the property. My granddaughter tried to track him down."

　　"Ahh. Of course. Thank you for calling, ma`am. If you spot him again, please reach out again."Stolen novel; please report.

　　"Will do. Thank you!"

　　With that, the line went dead, and Lucy let out a slow breath. She wondered how Lecorondia would react to the news.

　　***

　　It took Lucy more time than she preferred to pull Lecorondia away from yet another interview. The ambassador appeared obsessed, getting in front of any camera or microphone pointed at her, regardless of the potential viewership size.

　　Journalists, vloggers, and podcasters had arrived amid the first wave to arrive. She`d watched them camp for the best spots and had dealt with them herself on more than one occasion. Lecorondia was adamant that she was recognized for leading the charge in finding Erodicilee.

　　In some ways, it had paid off. She no longer felt those blistering nerves that had attacked her during the first interview, though she still didn`t enjoy it. Another way was that she was getting used to giving out the least amount of information possible.

　　They fed on soundbites, and after watching Lecorondia give nothing answers, she`d followed suit, a talent that came in useful here.

　　"I`m sorry. I need to take the ambassador for a debriefing."

　　It wasn`t the first time she`d said it, but finally, Lecorondia appeared to get the hint. With a smile and a wave, she stepped away from the man holding up his phone. Together, they pushed their way into the police station.

　　Once again, the lovely lack of people made itself known for a brief second before Jerry pushed his way inside.

　　"I have bad news, lass."

　　Lucy wanted to groan, but she held herself back. "What happened this time?"

　　"More arrivals," Jerry said, as they moved into the small interrogation room. "Science fiction geeks. I got a call from the airport half an hour ago."

　　"When did you set that up?" Lucy asked, frowning.

　　Jerry chuckled. "After the first group of alien hunters turned up and then got stuck out in the desert, I figured getting a headcount might be best. They can`t give me accurate numbers, of course, but better than nothing."

　　She winced, remembering that story. One of the local farms had to rescue them and drag them back to town. What they thought they were doing, she didn`t know, and of course they`d come knocking on the station`s door to complain. It was more than she wanted to deal with.

　　"As interesting as this is, did you pull me away from my interview for a reason?" Lecorondia asked, taking a seat and drumming her fingers on the table.

　　Lucy picked up her phone and fiddled with it as she answered. "I received a call from someone I believe might be a reliable source."

　　She flinched as Lecorondia leaned forward hard enough to shake the table. Her tail flicked in the air, and her snake-like eyes went wide.

　　"Tell me." There was a hiss to her voice, which Lucy had never noticed before.

　　Jerry raised an eyebrow. "A legitimate source? Who?"

　　"Vera, she runs the animal rescue place those teens told us about. Apparently, she had found Erodicilee. He killed and ate one of her cows."

　　"He did what?" Lecorondia asked, concern filling her voice, and Jerry repeated the question, though he sounded far more amused.

　　"Ate one of her cows and a cockatoo. She said he played with her granddaughter before escaping his cage and fleeing the area. When her granddaughter chased him down, he dug a hole to escape."

　　"An entire cow, lass?" Jerry let out a low whistle. "And he`s such a small thing."

　　Lecorondia looked towards Julep, who was looming in the corner. Lucy hadn`t even noticed him come in. The bodyguard showed no reaction, and soon the ambassador was watching her again, hands balled into fists.

　　"My baby couldn`t do that," Lecorondia said.

　　Lucy shrugged. "Well, that`s what she`s claiming. It`s not the weirdest thing either."

　　"It gets weirder? Fantastic." Jerry shook his head as he leaned back in his chair.

　　"Yeah, apparently he can talk now."

　　The room fell dead silent, and Lucy watched as Lecorondia raised a hand to her mouth. Her yellow eyes flicked toward Julep, who took a step forward. Even with his crocodilian features, she could tell he looked concerned. She didn`t like that. Her gut churned, almost commanding her to ask more questions.

　　"You never mentioned this before. Is it typically for whatever he is?"

　　There was a flash of something in Lecorondia`s eyes, and she lowered her hand and nodded.

　　"Oh, yes. He`s genetically engineered to be a companion. Why have one you can`t talk to?" She smiled warmly. "I`m simply surprised it happened this soon."

　　"Is that so?" Jerry asked.

　　"Absolutely. It would be so terribly dull, and what mother wouldn`t want to talk to her baby?"

　　There was something there, and Lucy knew it. However, before she could press further, Lecorondia asked another question.

　　"What were his first words?" Her voice filled with anticipation, and she leaned forward enough that Lucy scooted back.

　　"Oh. Um. Mommy?"

　　Lecorondia squealed and leapt to her feet. Even Julep took a step back at the display as she whirled towards him and threw herself into his arms. Lucy watched them embrace for a second before the ambassador released her bodyguard.

　　"I`m sorry for the loss of decorum, but it`s a big day."

　　Jerry laughed and reached over to shake her hand. "I bet. I remember my daughter`s first words. As a parent, it`s an experience you never want to miss."

　　"And yet, I must," Lecorondia sighed, slumping dramatically back into her chair. "You said he escaped through a hole he dug?"

　　"I did," Lucy agreed.

　　Lecorondia sounded resigned, even as she tossed a hopeful look at Julep. "In that case, there is little we can do, I fear, unless you know a way?"

　　With a small shake of his head, he spoke. "I cannot track him underground."

　　"Well, in that case, we should stay here. Surely one of the brave hunters here will locate him?"

　　Jerry laughed at that, and Lucy rolled her eyes. They were more likely to hurt themselves than find Erodicilee, but with no real leads, they had little else to go on. She sighed, trying to imagine having to deal with whatever idiot attempted to do the search.

　　"Either way, I have interviews to do. If I may?"

　　"Of course, ambassador," Lucy said, smiling as she watched her leave.

　　As soon as she was sure they were both gone, she turned to Jerry, who leaned back in his chair with a sigh. She`d never seen him smoke, but she could picture him with one in that moment.

　　When he spoke, his voice was soft, and his eyes never left the door. "I take it you saw through that little performance, too?"

　　"Yes." Lucy nodded. "She`s not telling us something, and now we have more people turning up. What do we do?"

　　"Get things organized," Jerry said, rising to his feet.

　　She followed suit, unsure as she moved to the front of the station. He checked the door before turning back to her. Apparently satisfied, he turned to her.

　　"Now, you`re the one in charge of this mission, but I`m going to ask. How do you feel about being the person people go to? Not me, but all of them."

　　Lucy bit her lip and looked out the door. "I don`t know. Will they want to listen to me?"

　　"Lass, Lecorondia has done half the work for us already. Your nation-wide news, if not world-wide. People will see you as the face with little prompting on our end. All that needs to happen is that we make it official."

　　"How?" she asked.

　　Jerry grinned. "Simple. We`ll set up an office here. That way, people can go somewhere obvious if they want to find someone before they go off and do something stupid."

　　With a sigh, Lucy agreed. Though she couldn`t help but speculate that someone was going to do that regardless of what they did.