Aldo lunged into the closest stall in the Shetland Pony Shed. Spencer could feel the bear’s heart pounding, and his own heart hammering in his chest. Ivan was standing in the open door at the far side of the stables. His back was turned. He hadn’t seen them. But Spencer knew if Ivan was here, Margo probably wasn’t too far away. Then Spencer heard her.

“What’s taking so long, Ivan?” Margo snapped. “We have a flight to catch, and the boss is not going to be pleased if we don’t tow that stupid truck before we leave. Creative Pastry,” she spat. “Ha! Like we wouldn’t have seen through that phony business.”

Spencer clenched his fists angrily. Margo was wrong. The Creative Pastry front had worked just fine. If it hadn’t been for Dora, Bearhaven’s team would never have been caught!

“At least now Pam has a full set of bears in the Caves again,” Margo added. The sound of footsteps continued. The Lalickis were coming toward Spencer and Aldo. Spencer willed them to stop walking.

“Not for long,” Ivan said slowly, his deep voice booming through the stables.

Margo cackled out a loud laugh. “You’re right. That bear sold for thirty-five thousand dollars last night. He’ll be a bearskin rug before long.”

Spencer shuddered. He hadn’t told Aldo about the auction. He could hardly stand to think about it, and news of B.D. being sold for thousands of dollars to one of those horrible people at Pam’s party made Spencer’s stomach twist into knots. They had to get B.D. out of Hidden Rock Zoo, and fast. The footsteps stopped. “Come on, get in the truck,” Margo ordered.

Spencer listened to the sound of car doors opening and closing. An engine rumbled on.

“They’re leaving,” Spencer whispered. Aldo nodded. Once they heard the truck pull out of the Stables, Spencer slid down off Aldo’s back. “That was close!” he whispered.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I ran in here without checking. We were just so exposed in the Savanna—”

“Don’t worry,” Spencer interrupted Aldo’s hushed apology. “They didn’t see us. We’re still okay.” He pulled the Hidden Rock Zoo map out of his pocket.

“What did they say?” Aldo asked. Margo and Ivan’s conversation had been a mystery to him. He could only understand humans who were wearing Ear-COMs connected to his own.

Spencer didn’t answer right away. He couldn’t explain the auction to Aldo and tell him that B.D. had been sold for lots of money. It was too terrible, and he would have to explain that Aldo himself, Professor Weaver, and Kate had all also been sold last night. Spencer’s hands were shaking as he held the map between them. “They’re towing our catering truck, then leaving Hidden Rock Zoo,” he finally managed to choke out some words. “And I think Margo gave away B.D.’s location. She said Pam has a full set of bears in the Caves. Look.” He pointed to a part of the map labeled The Caves. Its illustration showed bear enclosures. “They must be keeping B.D. there.”

“It’s on the other side of the zoo,” Aldo said quietly. He extended a claw and traced it around the map. “We’ll have to get around the gardens. I know it’s a little risky, but I don’t think we should stay in here any longer.”

As though on cue, the sound of footsteps echoed through the stables. Someone had just walked into the building. Spencer and Aldo both froze, listening. Whoever it was stopped walking. A minute went by, then another. Spencer and Aldo exchanged a look. Spencer quietly slipped his mission pack off his back. He unzipped the front pocket without a sound and retrieved a little handheld mirror. He crept to the very edge of the stall and poked the mirror out beyond it until it reflected a view of the rest of the stables. As soon as he’d gotten a glimpse of who was in the stables and what they were doing, he pulled the mirror back and returned it to its place in his mission pack.

“It’s a guard,” he whispered. “He’s sitting on a stool at the far entrance. His back is to us, but I don’t think we’ll be able to get past him without a distraction.”

“Okay,” Aldo replied, looking around.

They were only ten feet from an open door. They didn’t need the guard to be distracted for long, but they couldn’t risk him glancing over his shoulder as they snuck out of the stables.

Spencer crept back to the edge of the stall they were hiding in. Each stall in the building was spotless, its wood gleaming almost as much as the fancy cars and trucks parked inside. Spencer counted the stalls, there were eight on each side, and brand-new-looking vehicles were parked in four of them. Spencer spotted a silver Maserati, and a plan started to take shape in his mind.

“I have an idea,” he whispered as he dug into his mission pack for something else. When he pulled out the slingshot, Aldo eyed it with curiosity. Spencer searched the floor. He grabbed a pebble a second later. Let’s hope this works, he thought, trying to remember the last time he’d actually used a slingshot. “I’m going to get onto your back, okay? Just be ready to run.”

Aldo crouched down. Spencer climbed onto the bear’s back, clamping his legs around Aldo’s sides. He fit the pebble into the slingshot and took aim at the Maserati. “Ready?” he whispered.

“Ready.”

Spencer pulled back the slingshot and let the pebble fly straight at the side of the silver Maserati.

Ping!

Weee oooo weee oooo!

The pebble hit its mark, and the Maserati’s alarm immediately started blaring. Spencer grabbed hold of Aldo’s fur, getting the best grip he could with the slingshot still in one hand. At the sound of the alarm, the guard leaped up from his seat and ran into the Maserati’s stall.

“Now!” Spencer hissed as the guard disappeared into the stall. Aldo flew forward, lunging out of the Shetland Pony Shed. The sound of the alarm drowned out the bear’s racing footsteps.