Chapter 12

Moments later the kids had their food. The dining area was still closed, so they headed outside and sat on the curb to eat. Bob could hardly wait to get at the tacos. He was nice enough to let Evan and Justice get a taco first, but then he pulled out two and began eating immediately. Leah didn't love them as much as Bob did, but she grabbed two in each hand. Evan and Justice seemed very thankful for their surprise lunch.

Evan looked a bit confused as he watched his new friend stuffing his hungry mouth and banging away on his phone. "Who are you texting so much?"

Bob snapped out of his thoughts and stopped a second to find his words. "Oh, I'm not texting. I'm just recording some plans." Then he realized young Earth boys probably don't type their plans up much. He added, "I uh, I'm always saving my ideas for stuff to do...so I don't forget them."

"Hmmm," said Evan, as he nodded and took a bite of his taco.

Just then the door opened up and the manager came out. "I'm glad I found you guys. Here's that note I promised. Look it over. Let me know if I can keep the dog." He handed the paper to Bob. He wiped his taco-greased hands on his pants before grabbing the note, but Leah still saw his fingerprints showing on the note as he read it.

Bob finished chewing and said, "This will work. The dog is yours." The manager smiled. Bob handed the note to Evan. "I just need one more thing," Bob continued. "Can you please get me another paper with nothing on it?"

"A paper with nothing on it?" he asked slightly confused. Bob nodded. "Uh...yeah," said the manager. "But the dog is mine, right?"

"Yes, yes," said Bob, slightly annoyed. "I promise I don't want the dog back."

The manager quickly went back inside. Before Bob was done with two more tacos, he returned with a piece of paper. "Here's one paper with nothing on it. Have a nice day, kids," he said as he gave Bob the paper headed back to work.

Everyone stared at Bob, dying to know what he had in mind with the paper. Bob set it on the sidewalk and tapped something on his phone. He turned to Evan and Justice with a smile and said, "Check this out."

He moved the phone above the paper about an inch from it. As he did, writing and images started to show up on the page. They were light at first, but then they got darker.

"Dude!" Evan said in disbelief.

"What app is that?" Justice wondered out loud. Leah just smiled.

Bob turned off his phone. "It's an expensive app someone gifted me," he said as he folded the paper a few times until it was a small rectangle.

He looked at Evan very seriously and no longer sounded like a little boy. "Evan, can you deliver this note to someone? You have to promise not to read it and you can't forget."

This was all so strange, Evan didn't know what to say. He just nodded, took the note and put it in his pocket.

"Both of you," Bob continued. "Please make sure it gets to Mrs. Loman at the shelter. Ok?"

Evan and Justice just stared into his very serious face. "Yes," they replied in unison.

"Thank you," said Bob, as if what he just did was extremely important.

Leah couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Uh, Bob. I didn't realize what time it was. We really need to get going. Right?"

Bob was a little surprised, but he knew Leah was trying to tell him something. He looked down at the time on his phone and acted shocked. "Oh, you're right," he said. "Evan and Justice, we need to get back home quickly. We will see you tomorrow. You can keep all these tacos too."

He handed the bag to Evan. He and Justice were a little dazed by how quickly the conversation ended. They just waved as Bob and Leah rushed down the street and turned a corner.

No one was near them, so Bob didn't bother using Mind Talk. "What's up?" He asked as they quickly walked down the sidewalk.

"We have to get back to the ship," she replied.

"Did you hear back from the Leaders? Are we going to get a mission update?" He continued, "My mind was on helping the kids. I forgot there's still so much we don't know about the mission."

Leah stopped and looked at him. Bob stopped too. "Captain Bob," she said. "I think the mission is over."

"Whaaa....," Bob was completely confused.

"I think we're done with the mission," she repeated. "Tell me what you gave Evan and Justice and I'll know for sure."

"It was a note to the owner of the shelter. If she follows my directions, she will have enough money to help all the families who are staying there now. And probably even more after that."

"Then the mission is done. C'mon." She started walking again as she explained. He followed after. "I wasn't supposed to tell you, but this mission was a test. You just aced it."

"It was a test for me?" he asked. Leah could tell he was thinking back over all the twists and turns that brought them this far.

"Yes. You were given only some information, and some of what they did tell you was not accurate. The Leaders wanted to see if you'd crack or if you'd end up helping people."

"Whoa," he said as he stopped. "That makes a lot of sense. But it also makes me mad. I almost lost my mind on the ship."

"It was to test your training," she said. "It had to be that way. I couldn't say anything. And don't be mad, because I have some really good news too."

Bob looked at her. She couldn't tell if he was still thinking it over or if he didn't trust her. She continued, "This is your last mission. When we get home, you can retire from Galactic Exploration. You can finally be done."

"Seriously?" he asked in disbelief. Leah just nodded and smiled. He thought for a moment and smiled too. "That would mean in just one day I managed to make two new friends, help a whole bunch of homeless families, finished my final mission and I got rid of that annoying chihuahua!"

Leah laughed out loud. "Yes, it's the best day ever. Now let's get to the ship. By the time we do, they'll have it ready to go."

"So it wasn't out of fuel?" he asked as they started walking again.

"No, it's fully loaded."

"That's the best news ever!" he said. Leah couldn't remember the last time she saw him smile so big. "I still have one question, though," he said.

"I have one too," she replied.

"Me first, since my whole life is apparently a big trick. Why did they send that owl along with us? Like, why would we ever need an owl that turns into a---"

Leah interrupted. "I was hoping you knew. Honestly, I'm not sure. I guess it's all part of the mystery."

By then they were out of the city and heading to the woods where they left the ship. "So what's your question?" he asked her.

"Tell me what you sent Mrs. Loman. You know I'm dying to find out how you were able to help."

"I will keep you waiting just a little longer on that," he smiled. "We have a long flight home. I'll tell you on the way."

Bob and Leah came upon their ship. Much to their relief, the door opened and steps came down automatically as they approached. It seemed to be in complete working order. When they got to the steps, though, Leah gasped. She was surprised to see a wolf sitting inside the door, as if waiting for them.

"Don't worry," said Bob. "That's what I kept trying to tell you. My owl turns into a wolf for some reason. They said it had to in the Survey."

"And we always follow the Survey, right?" Leah said with a smile.

The wolf jumped high in the air and instantly transformed back into a large, white owl. It flew high, away from the two aliens and their ship.

"I guess it's also a wolf that turns into an owl," Bob joked as they climbed the steps. Within seconds they were at their familiar controls and strapped into their seats. The robot crew had repaired the damage caused by the chaos of the huge chihuahua. Everything looked as Bob and Leah remembered it.

Leah pressed two buttons and grabbed the control handle. "Ready to head home, Captain Bob?"

"More ready than you know, Leah," he replied.

They smiled at each other as the ship left earth.

Continue to the Epilogue.