Free The Mysterious Abductions by Tracey Hecht Page A

looked her over, Dawn could tell that he was clutching something in his fist.
    â€œI am pleased, indeed,” said Boris. He glanced at the trembling jerboa. “You’ve done well, little one. This is a delightful surprise.” The croc tossed the object he held up in the air. Then he caught it absent-mindedly. It was a small red cylinder with a shiny, coppery glowat one end. His eyes blazed with excitement. “Miss, Bee, Hay, Vee, Orr!” Boris’s five henchmen stood at attention. “Bring our new friends to the prison chamber.”
    The swarm of crocs crowded in on the animals. Before they knew it, Cora, Ciro, Dawn, and Tobin were pinned to the floor.
    Ciro snarled and tried to bite the two crocs who held him.
    â€œThere, there,” Boris said. He scoffed at the squirming coyote. “It’s a rough game, so you better get used to a few bumps and bruises.”
    Miss, Bee, Hay, Vee, and Orr laughed in agreement. Boris flipped the strange cylinder up in the air again.
    â€œNow, I wish I could welcome you properly, but I have a practice to lead.” With a sharp whip of his tail, the croc turned away. “I will deal with my new recruits later.”

Chapter Twenty-One
    TRAPPED

    â€œC ome on,” Ciro urged. Once again, the coyote hurled his weight into the stone. The crocs had blocked the entrance to their new prison with a heavy boulder, completely sealing the prisoners in. The coyote could not get the stone to budge.
    â€œOh goodness,” Tobin said. He and Cora rested against the far wall. “Be careful!”
    Ciro shook out his shoulder. “Just a few more tries,” he insisted. “I’ll get us out.”
    Dawn shook her head. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
    At this, Ciro turned. “What’s that?”
    â€œBrute force won’t fix everything,” Dawn continued. “You’re acting the way you did as a pup. Always chewing through coconuts when you could just drop them on rocks.”
    Ciro grinned. “I still do that, you know.”
    Despite her best efforts, Dawn could not keep from smiling.
    Ciro drew close to the fox. “I still think about you,” he admitted.
    A softness fell on Dawn’s face, and she let her eyes lock on Ciro’s. Then she lowered her gaze. “But I’m still a vulpes, and you a canis ,” she sighed. “I will never be part of your pack.”
    Ciro opened his mouth to respond, but a loud, sing-songy voice rang out first.
    â€œMe-me-me-meeeeeeee!”
    Tobin and Cora scurried over and pressed their ear against the stone.
    â€œWhat was that?” Cora asked.
    â€œLa-la-la-laaaaaaaaa!” The voice sang out again.
    â€œSo strange,” Ciro muttered.
    â€œYet so familiar,” said Dawn. The fox movedtoward the boulder. Then she crouched to inspect a crack where it met the wall. A soft glow shone from the other side. Tilting her head, she peered through. “Bismark!” she called.
    The singing came to a halt.
    â€œDawn?” said the voice. “Is that you? Or are the walls so moved by the sound of my singing that they call my name?”
    The fox rolled her eyes. “Yes,” she replied. “It’s me. We’re behind the boulder.”
    There was the scurrying of steps as the sugar glider rushed toward his love. “My sweet!” he exclaimed. Desperately, he flung himself at the stone and wormed his head through the crack. It was a little too narrow for him to squeeze all the way through. “I knew we’d meet again, ma ch è rie ! True love always prevails.”
    â€œBismark,” whispered Dawn, “listen carefully. Ciro’s two friends, Ajax and Julian, are standing guard nearby. You need to find them and bring them here.” The fox moved in closer. “Do you understand?”
    â€œYes, whatever you ask! I will bring you the moon, the stars, the heavens themselves!” He closed his eyes. Visions of