The cynocephalus known simply as Chase was not the criminal mastermind in the DMW case that came to be called the Guardians of the Gryphon’s Claw. This seemingly contradictory point was stipulated by Dr. Vantana in the case notes and elucidated to the gryphon as the doctor stood in the creature’s cave high above the Guardian village of Kustos.
Now alone with his mentor—recently revealed to be Phylassos as well—Dr. Vance Vantana divulged an interesting nugget of information he had kept secret since they had left Hérault. Once the enchantment broke over the area, the amphitheater was flooded by Guardians and several bigfoots sent by Carl. As they poured in, Vance noticed a curious figure standing atop a cliff, overlooking the valley. He could tell it was a woman. She had long black hair and a flowing black dress.
“Marzanna,” Phylassos instantly concluded. She was the sorceress Vance and Sam had encountered in Cernunnos’s lair. Vance nodded.
“I think the ol’ dog was a pawn,” he suggested. “Rotten to the core, but a pawn, nonetheless.”
“We have had our share of run-ins with Cernunnos in the past, but this…this is something unique,” the gryphon said.
“He’s growin’ more brazen,” Vance asserted. “Our kidnapping was a bold move. If it hadn’t been for Chriscanis…” Vance was suddenly reminded of the loss of his friend from the Agency for the Welfare of Mythical Beasts.
“I learned of his return to Gaia,” Phylassos said. “He was a brave soul whose courage saved many lives.”
“Including my own…and Sam’s,” Vance noted. Phylassos nodded.
“He’s not dead, Vance,” Phylassos reminded the doctor. “Not in your sense of the word.”
“I know it, but…” Vance let his thoughts trail off. “So what do I call you? Henry? Doctor? Arrigo Busso?”
“I was first and will always be Phylassos,” the gryphon replied. He stepped across the sea of golden treasure and eyed the gryphon’s claw, which was back on its perch. “It is damaged, Vance,” Phylassos revealed.
Vance approached to get a closer look. Sure enough, there was a crack in the gold-plated claw: a small but distinct zigzagging fracture about an inch in length.
“I reckon it must have gotten smacked around mighty good,” Vance said. “Question is, what does it mean, if anything?”
“Of that, I am uncertain. However, it is the talisman that retains the magic, that makes the curse possible,” Phylassos noted.
“So damaging it might what? Compromise the magic?” Vance asked.
“That is one possibility,” the gryphon answered. “But how it will manifest itself remains to be seen.”
“Things aren’t gonna be like before, are they, Doc?”
Phylassos shook his feathered head. “As you can probably surmise, I am quite old, Vance.”
“Well, you look great,” Dr. Vantana said with a smile. The gryphon smiled as well.
“It is time for me to retire my human identity for good,” Phylassos explained. “I shall remain here, in my home, so I may preserve my strength and help when necessary.” Vance’s eyes met the gryphon’s, the disappointment clear in his expression. “Apologies,” Phylassos offered.
“None needed,” Vance replied. “I understand, but you will be missed by everyone, especially me. I wouldn’t be here if—” Vance was getting choked up, despite his valiant attempt to suppress his emotion. He was never a guy who was comfortable expressing his feelings and this conversation was making him all kinds of uncomfortable.
“I know,” Phylassos replied. “This is not goodbye forever, just for a time. Of course, your new partner is much younger and much sprier than I ever was.”
“New partner?” Vance asked with surprise.
Phylassos nodded. “I always knew that when it was time, someone would appear.” Vance considered that a moment.
“You’re talking about Sam. But he’s just a kid.”
“So were you at one time,” the gryphon reminded him. “And there is more to Sam London than you know.”
“But not more than you know?” Vance countered.
The gryphon smiled his great, kind smile. “There is a lot I know. Some of it need not be said. At least, not yet.”
“Still keepin’ secrets?” Vance chided him.
“Not keeping, Vance,” Phylassos said. “Protecting.”
Sam London had a multitude of questions for the gryphon. Questions about the dream that had started it all, about the sudden sight he developed, about the future—the queries went on and on. Sam met with Phylassos when they returned to Kustos and the gryphon thanked him for his efforts in exposing the conspiracy. Unfortunately, Phylassos had little to say regarding his sudden appearance in Sam’s dream or the significance of Death Valley. He seemed as perplexed by these events as Sam.
“As I began my investigation into reports that the gryphon claw relics were disappearing from sites around the world, I asked the universe for assistance in determining the culprit,” Phylassos explained. “The dreams with you started shortly thereafter.”
“Where did you go after what happened at the gas station?” Sam asked. “I saw you save Miss Hartwicke, but then—”
“Events took an unexpected turn in Death Valley, and with Miss Hartwicke’s announcement on television, suddenly everyone knew the gryphon was back. That complicated matters. So I returned to human form and traveled to Kustos to meet with Yeshe, to let him know something was brewing. What, I could not say, exactly. On my way to the village I was apprehended by a group of yetis who were spying on the Guardians.”
“Why did you stay in that prison?” Sam asked. “You’re the gryphon!”
Phylassos smiled. “Revealing my secret would have hindered the search for those behind this rebellion. I thought it best if I allowed the conspirators to believe they had the upper hand. Perhaps they would reveal their identities and ultimate goal.”
When Sam asked about suddenly receiving the sight during his altercation with the chupacabras, Phylassos theorized that the connection the two made via dream might have spurred some unintentional side effects. That left one remaining mystery Sam was anxious for the gryphon to clear up.
“I was bait, wasn’t I?” Sam asked. “That’s why you put the claw in my book bag.”
“Yes and no,” the gryphon confessed. “After the battle in the yeti village, I knew it was going to take something bold to expose the real force behind the conspiracy. I also knew the universe had brought us together for a reason.”
“So you gave me the claw to see who would come for it,” Sam confirmed.
Phylassos nodded. “My apologies for using you in this manner, but I believed it was the best way to draw whoever was after it into the open. Of course, it was not without its risks and clearly did not go as I’d hoped. I didn’t realize the aswang was masquerading as your teacher, nor did I anticipate the ambush in the Philippines. Perhaps these are all clues that I’m losing my touch. A possibility that compels me to make a request of you, Sam.”
“A request of me?” Sam inquired, surprised there was anything he could do for such a powerful being.
“As I’ve said, there is a reason you and I were brought together,” the gryphon explained. “I believe part of that reason played out these last few days and culminated in your bravery and quick thinking in Hérault.”
“What’s the other part?” Sam asked.
“To join the DMW, become Dr. Vantana’s protégé, as he was mine all those years ago.”
Sam was overwhelmed by the idea. His inner voice immediately began throwing up obstacles. “But I have school…and my mom…and…”
“All things that can be worked out,” Phylassos assured him.
“I would be honored,” Sam said thoughtfully. This was an extraordinary moment in the life of Sam London. It was more than an honor; it was an affirmation that he had found his one thing. He was good at this. Not great, he cautioned himself, but good. He was certainly better at this than all the other things he had attempted over the years. And the best part was this counted; this made a difference. He was going to work alongside Dr. Vance Vantana…and he was going to have many adventures and meet fantastic creatures.
Yet in the shadow of this life-changing news, there was an unspoken sadness about a life cut short. Chriscanis was gone. Sam promised himself that he would never forget his friend. Their time together might have been brief, but they had shared a great deal about themselves. Sam would miss him. He hoped to meet Chriscanis’s mother one day so he could tell her all about her courageous, selfless son.
After his meeting with Phylassos, Sam waited at the Guardian training ground for Vance. He watched as Tashi sparred with three of her fellow Guardians and easily bested them. It was only when the trio joined forces that they gained the upper hand on her, but even then she didn’t go down without a heck of a fight.
“It’s time to take you home,” the doctor announced when he arrived. Sam grinned from ear to ear.
“That sounds great!” he replied. He was more than ready to return home, spend time with his mother, and eat her terrible food. “I just need to say goodbye to Tashi.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Vantana informed him. “She’ll be coming with us.”
“Excuse me?” Sam said.
Tashi joined them, still out of breath from her training exercises.
“Dr. Vantana just told me you’re coming with us to Benicia.”
Tashi nodded.
“I was asked by Phylassos to remain close to you. For your protection.”
“Are you going to live in the park again? Up in that tree?” Sam inquired, recalling Tashi’s experience camped out in a city park the last time she’d traveled to his hometown.
“Nope,” Dr. Vantana answered for her. “She’s trading up. Miss Bastifal, your neighbor.”
“The lady with all those cats?” Sam asked.
“She happens to be a child of Bastet,” Vantana revealed. “She’ll be taking Tashi in as a foreign exchange student.”
“Student?” Sam said in surprise as he looked over to Tashi. She nodded her confirmation.
“Looks like you two are gonna be neighbors and classmates!” Vantana declared as he slapped both Tashi and Sam on their backs.
* * *
Sam London arrived in Benicia, California, later that night. Dr. Vantana dropped him and Tashi off outside Sam’s home before returning to Redwood National Forest to brief Penelope on the events in Hérault. He assured Sam he would be back soon to check in. When the doctor drove away, Sam walked Tashi to her new home next door to his own. Sam’s neighbor, Miss Bastifal, had always been known as the “crazy cat lady” around the neighborhood. She was unmarried, had a dozen or so cats, and was a professor at Stanford University. Little had Sam known, she was also a child of Bastet, a race of half-human, half-cat creatures descended from Egyptian royalty. When Miss Bastifal opened her front door, Sam finally saw his neighbor in her true form.
She was a cat version of a cynocephalus. She had a large feline head with piercing blue eyes, whiskers, and pointy ears. He’d always thought she spoke funny—slowly, with a tendency to draw out sentences toward the end. But hearing Miss Bastifal speak and seeing her true appearance provided a new understanding to this odd manner of speech.
“I always knew you were special, Sam London,” Miss Bastifal whispered. “I always did.”
“Thanks,” a blushing Sam replied.
Miss Bastifal then turned to Tashi. “You must be the Guardian.”
“Tashi of Kustos,” Tashi announced with formality.
Miss Bastifal bowed slightly. “Welcome to my home. I shall do my best to accommodate you.”
“I require very little in the way of accommodation,” Tashi responded matter-of-factly. “A place to train and a place to sleep.”
“What about a place to eat?” Sam asked.
“That would be fine as well.”
“I think that can be arranged,” Miss Bastifal said.
Tashi turned to Sam. “Good night, Sam London.”
“Good night, Tashi. I guess I’ll see you around.” Tashi nodded and disappeared into Miss Bastifal’s home.
Sam slipped back into his house with little fanfare. Nuks was ecstatic to see him and demanded details on all that had happened. Sam stayed up most of the night and obliged the tanuki. Afterward, Sam shifted the subject to how they were going to handle his mom. According to Nuks, when Ettie returned home the night of the aswang attack, Nuks had convinced her it was the dog that had caused the mess and he had the training school come and collect him. The question remained: How were they going to reintegrate Nuks back into the house in his natural form? How could they convince Ettie he was not going to rearrange the furniture again?
Before dropping him off, Sam and the doctor had discussed a means of communication that would help them avoid an explanation to Ettie. Dr. Vantana suggested telling Ettie he was a state psychologist charged with checking in on Sam following the incident in Death Valley. But Sam thought this was a terrible idea. He knew it would freak Ettie out and lead to more worry and questions. Sam told the doctor he would think about it and come up with a better solution. In practical terms, Sam and Vantana would communicate via Sam’s new DMW badge. It had been designed as a two-way communication device that enabled rangers to contact each other when necessary. One would simply tap the badge and say the ranger’s name, and it would alert that ranger, wherever he or she happened to be.
It wasn’t long before Ettie learned Miss Bastifal was hosting a foreign exchange student. Once she did, she invited them over for tea and cookies and insisted Sam come down to meet their new neighbor. Sam found it particularly amusing that, after all they had been through, he had to pretend not to know Tashi. He could tell the Guardian found it equally entertaining.
Sam and Tashi exchanged knowing smirks while Ettie asked questions like “So what’s it like in Tibet?” and “Have you visited America before?” or said things like “You stick with Sam; he’ll show you the ropes at school, and he can be quite chivalrous if any of those other boys give you trouble.” Little did Ettie know, this quiet new girl next door could take down every boy at school, at the same time, with one hand tied behind her back.
The moment Sam found the most amusing was when his mother admonished him in front of the company for taking too many cookies.
“Sam, you’ve had too many cookies. They’re not good for you, remember?”
“Where I come from, cookies have been known to save lives,” Tashi said, sneaking a wink at Sam.
“Oh…is that right?” Ettie said with astonishment. “Those must be special cookies.”
“Yes, I suppose they are,” Tashi replied, while Sam tried his best not to burst out laughing. An awkward silence ensued. Uncomfortable, Ettie quickly filled it in.
“Why don’t you go show Tashi your room?” she suggested.
Once the two were upstairs behind closed doors, Nuks emerged from his hiding place and leapt into Tashi’s arms.
“Tashi!” the tanuki exclaimed.
“Hello, tanuki,” she replied, petting him. “I mean, Nuks.” Her use of his name made his day.
“Sam?” Nuks said. “Your badge has been beeping.”
Sam grabbed the badge from beneath his pillow and tapped his finger on its shiny metal face.
“This is Sam London.” He couldn’t help feeling a little strange talking to a badge, but a few moments later the familiar voice of Dr. Vance Vantana was heard.
“Sam?” Vance said. “I was in the neighborhood. Have you come up with a cover story for Nuks yet?”
He hadn’t, but as he looked at Nuks, the solution was suddenly clear.
“Yes. Yes, I think I have.”
* * *
When Vance knocked on the front door an hour later, he was holding Nuks. The shape-shifting raccoon-dog had slipped out Sam’s window and met up with the doctor around the corner. Sam raced down to answer the door. Ettie emerged from the kitchen a few seconds later to see who was visiting.
“Mom, this is Dr. Vantana. He’s an animal trainer.”
For a moment, Sam’s usually effusive mother was silent. She eyed the doctor.
“Have we met before?” she asked.
“I…don’t recall ever havin’ met,” Vantana replied haltingly. “But please forgive me if I don’t remember.”
“It’s just…you look so familiar,” Ettie said, sounding truly confounded. “Are you sure?” Sam wondered if Ettie recognized the doctor from the hospital in Bakersfield. He didn’t think she had seen him, but he supposed she might have caught the smallest of glimpses. “I guess it doesn’t matter. We’re meeting now,” his mom continued. “I’m Odette London, Sam’s mother.” She offered her hand. “Nice to meet you.” Sam couldn’t remember the last time his mother had used her whole name when introducing herself. It was always Ettie. Vance took her hand and gently shook it.
“Nice meeting you as well, Miss London. Pretty name, by the way. Reminds me of Swan Lake.”
“A favorite of mine…and my parents, I guess.” She smiled.
“Maybe you’re right and we have met before. My memory isn’t the best. I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten what I was up to for whole years,” Vantana added with a grin.
“I know what you mean,” Ettie said. There was that silence again, and Vantana still had Ettie’s hand. Sam decided it was up to him to interrupt the awkward moment.
“Nuks is all trained now.”
Ettie pulled her hand back. “Trained?” she said with a healthy dose of skepticism.
“Yes, ma’am,” Vantana responded. “My apologies for what happened earlier. We had some extra training sessions we were supposed to complete before releasing him from our care. But he’s extremely well trained now.”
“And what if he has a relapse?” Ettie asked. “Not that I’m agreeing to take him in again; I’m just curious.”
“That’s a legitimate concern, Miss London. But I’d be stopping by every now and again to check up on him.”
“You would?” Ettie brightened at the mentioned of the check-ins.
“I would. I might even bring him in for some training updates,” Vantana explained.
“How much?” Ettie inquired, her skepticism still firmly in place.
“Sorry?” said Vantana.
“How much will it cost us, if we keep him? Which I am not saying we are, but if we do, what will it cost for all this special training?”
“Oh…it’d be free,” Vantana answered. “Nuks is a rescue dog, and, well…we just like to see our dogs taken in by a good family. We help to facilitate that as much as possible. Plus, he helps us train the other dogs in our care.”
“Watch this, Mom!” Sam exclaimed. He then proceeded to deliver a series of basic commands to Nuks. He had him sit up, beg, roll over. Ettie was marginally impressed, so Sam decided to turn up the volume. “Go fetch the mail!” Sam ordered the raccoon-dog. Nuks hesitated, as if unsure. He glanced over at Vantana, who shrugged subtly. Nuks took off down the walkway.
“Sam…,” Ettie said, embarrassed by her son’s request. But sure enough, Nuks scampered to the curb, leapt up to their mailbox, opened the flap with his mouth and leapt again to retrieve the mail. If that wasn’t enough, he leapt a third time to close the mailbox flap before returning to the front door and placing the mail at Ettie’s feet. She was too stunned to speak.
She finally managed to address Vantana. “You’re an extraordinary trainer, Dr. Vantana,” Ettie said.
“Well, thanks. We do our best.”
“Please, can we take him back?” Sam begged.
“I suppose we can give him a second chance, but if—”
“It won’t,” Dr. Vantana assured her. “Thank you. If it’s okay, I’d like to give Sam some instruction on how to communicate with Nuks, like the trainers do.”
“Oh, sure,” Ettie said. “It was nice…meeting you.”
“My pleasure, Miss London.”
“Odette.”
“Odette,” Vantana said with his most charming smile.
Ettie disappeared back into the house and Sam closed the door behind him.
“Clever idea,” the doctor complimented him.
“Do you think she saw you at the hospital?” Sam asked.
“I don’t know,” the doctor answered, as if still trying to figure it out.
“Well, hello there!” a voice bellowed. They turned to find a man walking toward them from across the street. He spoke with a British accent and seemed oddly familiar.
“The name’s Christopher Canis. Just moving into the neighborhood.” He gestured to the moving truck parked on the other side of the street, a few houses down. Sam and Vantana exchanged the same dumbstruck expression. The new neighbor walked up and offered an outstretched hand. Vantana shook it tentatively.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Vance. This here is Sam.”
Christopher offered his hand to Sam, who shook it. As he did, he immediately noticed a small white patch of skin on the man’s arm. Sam couldn’t take his eyes off it, even continuing to clutch the man’s hand to get a better look.
“A family birthmark,” the man explained. Sam nodded in disbelief. “Do you attend Benicia Middle School?” he asked. Sam nodded again. “Well, then I will likely see you there. I’m the new teacher.”
“New teacher?” Sam asked.
“Yes. I will be replacing Miss Capiz. She needed to move from the area. Something with her family, I believe.”
“She was my teacher,” Sam responded.
“I suppose that means now I’m your teacher,” he said. “Fancy that! I’ve met my first student. And we’re neighbors. I have lots of fun things planned for the class. Do you like field trips?” Sam managed another nod. “I love a good field trip.” Sam had heard those words before. “I should probably return to the laborious task of unpacking. It was nice making your acquaintance, Sam, and…”
“Vance,” the doctor reminded him.
“Right. Vance. Cheerio.”
As Sam’s familiar new neighbor headed back across the street, Sam spun to Vantana. “Was that…,” he began.
“Phylassos said the return to Gaia is different for all creatures,” the doctor noted.
“His courage granted him his wish,” Sam concluded. The doctor looked at Sam, uncertain of his meaning. “He always wanted to be human,” Sam explained.
“I reckon he did,” Vantana said. “Well, kid, it’s been a hoot. You keep that badge close now, ya hear? I might be needing your help sooner than you think.”
“I hope so,” Sam replied.
Realizing this was goodbye for an undetermined amount of time, Sam felt a surge of emotion and sprang forward to give Vance a great big hug. Of course, the height difference between the two made it more of a torso hug.
“Goodbye, Dr. Vantana.”
With all they had been through, Sam was really going to miss the ranger. Vance was caught off guard and nearly fell over. He let out a surprised chuckle and gave Sam a hearty pat on the back.
“Take care, Sam.”
They parted and with a wink and a smile, Sam’s new mentor and friend was gone.
* * *
That night, as Sam lay in bed, he contemplated his extraordinary new life. There was now a girl living next door who was a fierce mythical warrior sworn to protect him at all costs. Sam’s former schoolteacher turned out to be a monstrous creature from Filipino folklore who was replaced by a reincarnation of his late friend—a dog-man who had risked his life to save him. And if all that wasn’t enough to keep Sam’s head spinning, he was now a member of a secret government agency that protected creatures no one knew or would ever believe existed.
Dr. Vance Vantana would return soon to recruit Sam’s help on a new case. It was on this investigation that Sam would happen upon shocking information about his family. Sam London thought the craziest revelations regarding the world around him had already been revealed. Little did he know, he was in for the biggest surprise of his young life.