Page 36 of Training my Human

It would seem Pip might not have been overly paranoid after all.

“Our surveillance has indicated it’s in the trailer.” The man in the suit spoke.

The woman pointed. “Spread out and surround it. We don’t want it escaping through a window.”

“What of the roof or floor, ma’am?” A tinny-sounding question from the tallest helmet wearer.

“This model of trailer doesn’t have any egresses other than the door or windows.”

“Assuming it wasn’t modified,” the tinman said.

“Then you’d better pay attention,” snapped Graytemples. “And don’t miss when you shoot those tranquilizers. These creatures can be dangerous when cornered.”

“We don’t need another incident like the one in South America,” the woman added.

The more they spoke, the more I found myself concerned. They appeared to have come prepared, but then again, so was I. I slid down and stuck my arms through the straps of the bugout bag Maddox left for me then eyed the floor. Contrary to this woman’s knowledge, there was a hatch leading to a makeshift storage box under the trailer. Pip showed it to me, saying “If you can’t run, then hide and be quiet until they leave.”

I moved the carpet covering the hatch and hooked the hole with a claw and flipped it open. Quickly, I slid into the dark and cramped space. Pip had cleared most of the items from it, leaving me enough room to crouch. While I couldn’t replace the small rug, the hatch blended seamlessly into the mosaic floor once closed.

Bang.The door to the trailer broke as the strangers bullied their way in and footsteps thumped overhead.

“Search the trailer. Given our specimen isn’t very old, it might still be small enough to fit in a canister or cookie jar. Be vigilant and thorough,” the woman ordered.

A set of steps moved away, but the woman remained, judging by the slight creak right overhead. Cupboards open and closed. Things were moved, and not with care.

“Find anything?” Graytemples entered the trailer.

“Not yet, but it has to be around. See the scratching post in the corner? Looks like it’s going through a molting.”

“Seems late for a first one. Subject Vermillion only took five days,” Graytemples stated and I almost gasped. Could it be I wasn’t the only dragon currently alive?

“You’re assuming that’s its first shed,” the woman cautioned.

“You think it might be on its second one already? I guess it’s possible if it hatched soon as the volcano blew, but the fragments we recovered from the firepit seem to indicate it happened more recently.”

“Could be this one matured in the shell for longer and is going through the phases faster,” the woman opined.

“I haven’t found anything,” reported another tinny-sounding male.

“You haven’t been searching long enough,” barked Graytemples.

“There aren’t many places to look,” argued the other. “This place is tiny.”

“Search again!”

Thump. Thump.

“Are you sure our eyes in the sky didn’t accidentally miss it leaving the trailer?” the woman asked.

“Only the owner exited. She left on her bike and there’s been no movement since, but the drone’s last pass overhead captured a heat signature.”

“And where is that drone now?”

“Getting recharged. A new one should be in the air shortly. Soon as it passes overhead, we’ll know where it’s hiding.”

I felt a chill go through me despite the fever. Would the drone’s sensors be able to detect me under the floor?

“Well, well,” Graytemples muttered.

---