<Thank you,> I said. I lowered my head and pecked at the paper with his number on it, then bird-walked forward and grabbed it in my talon. <I'll try not to. Usually the kind of trouble I get into . . . I wouldn't want someone involved in.>

I didn't mean to sound so ominous. But John seemed like a nice guy, and I didn't want him to get hurt. If the Yeerks were here, then he'd be a perfect target, I thought.

I flapped my wings a few times, trying to get some lift. It wasn't easy, in this warehouse, so I hop-flapped forward, until I'd made it to the door. Once I had, I transferred the paper from my talon to my beak so I could properly push off the ground. Once I was in the air, it was easy to catch a thermal and ride it straight up.

<Be safe, okay?>