Chapter 2

            Just as we got to the door, it opened and there was a flash of lightning.

 

“James Pleiades Hawkins,” Sarah yelled.

 

“Mom, he’s hurt… bad,” Jim answered as we walked in with Bones.

 

He carefully lowered the salamander to the ground while the dog-like man, Delbert, shut the front door. I let Bones drop where he was.

 

“Me chest, lad,” he beckoned and Jim pushed it towards him.

 

Bones unlocked the chest and pulled out a sphere wrapped in cloth. I knew it was the map. I almost swore at my rotten luck.

 

“He’ll be comin’ soon. Can’t let them find this,” Bones said.

 

“Who’s coming,” Jim asked.

 

The old salamander pulled Jim by his collar again.

 

“The cyborg,” he whispered. “Beware the cyborg.”

 

With that, he took his last breath, slumping on the floor. He left the cloth-wrapped map in Jim’s hand. I’d have stepped forward and snatched the sphere, had it not been for the engine and lights from outside.

 

“Oh, blast it all,” I muttered.

 

Jim ran to the window to peek outside and I ran to anther part of the room, hiding. Jim ran off with his mother and Delbert, up the stairs. Just seconds later, the crew busted through the front door. I stepped out from where I was hiding and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

 

“Em, there ya are,” my father said as I walked forward.

I stood beside him and watched as the crew destroyed the inn, setting it ablaze. We went outside and watched it burn to the ground.

 

“Our crew can’t do anything without destroying the place, can they,” I asked.

 

“Just being thorough, Em.”

 

“The map’s not in there. The boy has it now.”

 

“Boy?”

 

“Inn-keeper’s son. The lizard gave him the map,” I muttered.

 

“Blast it all!”

 

“That’s what I said.”

 

My father called the crew back and we all went back to the ship. The crew passed on all the information they could give and I told my report as well. Once my dad and I were alone, we sat on the couch in his living quarters. He draped one arm over my shoulders and used his mechanical one to adjust his hat.

 

“Now what do we do,” I asked, leaning back. “The boy’s got the map and we don’t know where he is.”

 

“We’ll just have to find him and take the map,” my dad answered.

 

“Those idiots I call family destroyed their home, something I don’t want to have to do again.”

 

I gave a quick whistle and a small, transparent, pink blob came floating across the room. He snuggled up against me and licked my cheek before settling in my hand.

 

“Hey, Morphy,” I cooed, rubbing my finger against him.

 

He changed his form to look like Bones’ spaceship, asking what had happened in his own, unspoken way.

 

“Bones is gone and he gave the map to some boy he met. If everyone could have waited two blasted minutes, I’d have gotten the map from him and been on my way back to the ship right now,” I answered, my hands clenching into fists.

 

“I think you should be getting some shut-eye, lass,” my father suggested.

 

I gave a quiet sigh before nodding and stood up.

 

“Goodnight, Dad. See you bright and early,” I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

 

“Rest up, Ember,” he answered as I walked away, towards the bedroom I had in his quarters.

 

            I’d slept late the next day, something I never did. Upon realizing this, I threw the blanket off of me and grabbed some clothes. I pulled on a pair of loose, black pants and a khaki shirt before throwing on my black jacket. It was much like my father’s, only smaller. I pulled on the brown work-boots I always wore on the ship and pulled my hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of my face and away from my deep green eyes. I ran out of my room as fast as I could, only to run into my dad just a little ways down the hall. He threw his arms around me and laughed heartily.

 

“Dad, why’d you let me sleep in,” I asked.

 

He ignored my question, going on to say something much more interesting.

 

“Em, we’re getting that treasure,” he bellowed, finally setting me down.

 

I stared at him, wide-eyed, for a moment.

 

“What?”

 

“The boy figured out what the map was. He had to. There’s gonna be a ship leaving at the beginnin’ of next month and I’ll get us in as the crew!”

 

A grin formed on my lips and I laughed with my father 

“That’s great! We’re just a few months away from Flint’s trove,” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him again.