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Her phone beeped, indicating a return message from Ronnie. Approved and being sent to the pilot now. They should be ready by the time you arrive.

“Perfect,” Paige said as she clicked off her display and shoved the phone into the pocket of the hoodie she’d donned. “Let’s blow this joint.”

Dewey swung the refrigerator door shut, shoved two cans of Energy Dragon into his bag, and zipped across the room with a fist raised in the air. “Let’s go!”

Paige unzipped Dewey’s pet carrier, and he dove inside, nestling down as she closed it.

“Did you call a cab?” he asked, peering through the mesh top.

“No, I’ll take my car.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had a car.”

Paige hefted the carrier onto her shoulder, set Dewey’s duffel on her suitcase, and wheeled it to the door, letting it bounce down the stairs behind her as she circled around the tower. “I kept that one I stole from the werewolf.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah,” Paige answered with a shrug. “Ronnie said it was okay. The hood’s a little crinkled from when I blew through the gate to escape the creepy werewolf mansion, but it runs fine.”

“Nice.”

They made the short trip to the private airstrip. Paige eased the car to a stop outside Hangar Thirteen and tugged the luggage from the back seat before she pulled Dewey from the front.

“I can’t wait to get out of this carrier,” he huffed.

Paige rolled her eyes as she dragged the luggage behind her toward the plane. “You’ve barely been in there thirty minutes.”

“Hey, Paige,” the pilot called as she crossed the large concrete floor.

She offered him a wave, heading straight for the stairs. His forehead crinkled as he stared after her for a moment.

“He’s weird,” Paige noted as she hauled everything aboard and unzipped Dewey’s carrier.

Dewey flew out and sprawled on the couch, eyeing Paige. “Yeah.”

Paige furrowed her brow at the simple response as Dewey rooted in his bag for his RP device.

“May as well do some research before I take a nap. Got a long flight ahead.”

Paige plopped onto the couch catty-corner to Dewey’s and kicked her feet up. “Right. I think I’ll just stretch out here. I could use the rest after that ridiculous adventure in that stupid book.”

A grin crossed Dewey’s features as he tapped around on the portable research device. “Yeah, I bet. At least it’s all over now, and you’re cured.”

“Yep,” Paige said as she pulled a blanket over her and adjusted the pillow behind her head before closing her eyes.

The roar of the engines sounded, and the plane lurched forward. The humming noise sent her straight to sleep.

* * *

Paige’s eyelids fluttered open as the plane’s wheels jerked against the ground, and the brakes squealed. She reached her hands overhead and stretched her legs out, pointing her toes.

With a giant yawn, she said, “Oh, are we here?”

Dewey avoided looking at her as he sat staring at his research device. “Yep.”

Paige sat up, pulling the scrunchie from her hair and running her hands through it. “I can’t believe I slept that whole time.”

“You were out. Probably needed it,” Dewey said, his eyes fixed on the screen.