Chapter 26

chapter twenty-six "Flunk!" Boss calls out, shouting down at the pantsless guard. "You was s'posed to be guardin' 'em!" "I—I know," Flunk stammers. "But she tricked me! Her and her friends! The Wretch!" The Rifters are suddenly shouting. "The Wretch is alive?" one cries. "WHERE?" another shouts. Neon answers that question, exploding out of a huge plastic shark at the sixteenth hole.

BOOM He comes crashing down beside us, talons slamming into the green. The Boss Rifter scowls, then jumps off the waterfall ledge. He hits the green—and it quakes. "Perfect." He sneers. "We'll bring Thrull his revenge and his Wretch..." Neon snarls. These are the jerks who tortured him, chased us, and kidnapped me, his friend. Neon isn't going down without a fight. He roars.

And his roar—usually soft and cute—is loud. I think wow, what a perfect time for him to grow into his roar! He's like Simba! But then I realize, it's the karaoke microphone, turning his ROAR into a— ROAR! Johnny Steve has pressed it against the underside of Neon's throat. The sound is so epic that the Rifters leap back. I get chills. It's like Neon is proclaiming ownership over the Rifters' headquarters and everything in it. The Boss Rifter takes a step back. He must be thinking that this baby has suddenly grown full Wretch. That's a scary deal, wings or no wings. "Quickly!" Boss says, pointing to two Rifters in the back. "Untie the Ogres! Get them over here!" The two Rifters run off, looking very happy to have an assignment that takes them away from the suddenly ferocious-sounding

Wretch. They are unchaining the beasts of burden. I see it clearly, because they're lit up by a sudden bright light, almost like headlights in the distance. I gulp. Oh no. Backup Rifters? But no. Wait. Those are actual headlights. And then I hear a new voice. This one booms, too. From Neon's stomach.... Hang tight, buddy. We're nearly there. Globlet shrieks. "NEON ATE JACK!" I do a double take....

It takes me a split second to realize what's happening— Neon ate the walkie! And the walkie is working again?! "Jack!" I shout, pressing my head to Neon's belly. "Can you hear me!" "Yes, friend!" It's Quint's voice now. "You came into range hours ago! We've been tracking you—and trying to talk to you. But YOU couldn't hear US!" "I can now!" I say. "Johnny Steve, put the mic up to Neon!" There's a long pause, before— "Who's Johnny Steve? What's Neon?" Before I can answer— KA-KLANG! There's a metal smash and the gate enclosing the golf course BUSTS open! Then the sound of action-movie music blasting and Big Mama is suddenly there, exploding

through the Putt-Putt sign and my friends are leaping into action.... Boom, you be you with a vengeance. I was still a V stop, baby. Yeah, feeling lucky, punks. Well, Aria feeling lucky.