Chapter 30 Wednesday, 2230 hours (10:30 PM)

"It's like a little circus car," thought Rom watching the tiny zoo cart.

There were five people in the vehicle, including Kit and Derek. Kit was bright and cheerful, but his clothes had the scent of fear. Something terrible must have happened back with Mr. Cave.

The other three in the cart, Jack, Brian, and a friend of Brian, did not get out, but just waved cheerily, and drove off.

Kit came up to Rom with a look that said he had lots to say, but not now. Rom tousled his hair and he ran off to be with the other cubs.

Derek walked over, and Rom could smell fear on his clothes too. Something extremely bad must have happened. Derek had the same look as did Kit; of not wanting to talk about it now. Rom was exceedingly curious though.

"What's going on?" asked Rom.

"It's almost over," said Derek. "Joshua Cave is dead, and in the morning, the zoo will be handed back. It'll take that long for all the Calfers to stand down."

"But what happened? I mean with Kit."

"This is hard to believe," said Derek, "but Joshua seemed to be planning some political gesture...."

"And?" prompted Rom.

"and I think he was planning to kill Kit."

A large zoo truck driven by Jack, ferried them back to Zoo Center. Rom sat next to Kit and expected to be told the details of what happened to him. Instead, Kit looked deep in thought, and gazed out the window into the darkened zoo. During the ride, a wave of exhaustion overcame Rom. Now that things, both human and werewolf, were under control, Rom's adrenaline levels were returning to normal, and he needed nothing more, but sleep.

By the time they reached Zoo Center, Rom had barely the energy to get out. He was too tired to make any decisions. Derek could make them. Rom was dimly aware that his behavior now was indistinguishable from his scouts.

Derek seemed tired too. He suggested that instead of everyone going back to the Education Building, they just bed down in sleeping bags upstairs.

Rom followed Jeffrey, Kit, and the Scouts up to the second floor of Zoo Central. They located sleeping bags, laid them out, and Rom fell asleep within seconds.