“SO YOU LIED?” EMMET SAID.

Emmet had to admit, even though Dr. Catalyst had given his hair a really bad dye job, he looked a lot like Calvin’s dad. At least from the picture Emmet had seen. It must have shaken him up.

“You lied!” Emmet repeated. “You said if I survived, you’d let me go.”

Dr. Catalyst shrugged. “So I lied. But I’m glad you’re here, Calvin. You have disgraced our family, helping these people who have been systematically destroying your ancestral homeland. What a disappointment you are.”

Emmet looked at Calvin. Most of the time his expression rarely changed. A lifted eyebrow or a shrug was it when it came to showing his emotions. But now Emmet saw something on his friend’s face that he didn’t think he’d ever seen before. Calvin was angry.

“What did you say?” Calvin asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“I said your behavior has disgraced your family name,” Dr. Catalyst said.

“I’m not the one who lost his way!” Calvin shouted. “I’m not the one who polluted the River of Grass with your abominations of nature! Don’t try to push your failures off on me! If your son were alive to see what you’ve become, he would hang his head in shame. Then he would turn you in himself!”

Wow. Go Calvin. Emmet was going to pipe up, but it sounded like a family matter. Best to let them work out their issues.

“Don’t you mention my son,” Dr. Catalyst hissed.

“Why? Because I spoke the truth? My father loved the Glades. All you’ve done is try to destroy the people who are working to save it. What is it, Grandfather? Do you feel guilty because you were taken from the reservation and were raised in wealth and privilege? Upset that when you returned to the Seminole Nation no one there would accept you? You didn’t fit in, so you faked your death? You say you fooled with Mother Nature to save the Everglades? You’re destroying them!”

Behind Emmet, the Swamp Cat was still struggling and thrashing. The fence was holding for now, but he wasn’t sure how much longer it would cage the cat.

“Destroying it? I’m single-handedly saving it! And I’ll continue to save it. I don’t care if you’re my grandson or not. You’ve interfered long enough. I’m through talking.”

Dr. Catalyst raised the gun, pointing it in their direction. Neither of them had a chance to even say anything. This was it.

Rifle shots exploded in the ground in front of Dr. Catalyst. A helicopter burst over the horizon, and then another and another.

“Drop the weapon!” a voice shouted through a loudspeaker.

Emmet heard a poof sound from behind them, and the Swamp Cat snarled. He turned to see a tranquilizer dart sticking out of its side. The creature laughed — the strange, manic cackle of a hyena — for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground. Nighty night, Emmet thought deliriously.

“Drop the weapon and get down on your knees! Last warning!” Emmet now recognized the voice as Stuke’s dad. Dr. Catalyst tossed the pistol aside and dropped to his knees. Two helicopters landed nearby. An FBI tactical team burst out of them and had him in handcuffs in seconds.

Emmet couldn’t remember the last time he was so happy. Two men got out of one of the choppers, Lieutenant Stukaczowski and another man, who had shaggy hair and was limping a little bit. His face was covered with scratches and what looked like bite marks.

“You boys okay?” asked Lieutenant Stukaczowski.

Emmet didn’t answer because he was looking at the other guy.

“Dr. Newton?” he said. It was him. The Newt.

He pulled a wallet out of his back pocket and held it up. Out flashed a bright, shiny badge.

“Actually, it’s Special Agent Newton of Interpol,” he said.

“Agent who of what?” Emmet said.

Newton laughed.

“You’re too much, Emmet,” he said. “I’m an undercover Interpol agent. Interpol is an international law enforcement agency that deals in cases like this, involving the international import and export of exotic animals. When you started accusing me of being Dr. Catalyst, I thought you were going to blow up years of work. I’ve been after this nut job for a long time. But I guess if I’m honest, without you I never would have caught him.”

“We thought you died,” Calvin said.

“I almost did. A couple of times,” he said.

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” Emmet said. For some reason he couldn’t pin down, he still didn’t quite trust him. But he did look like he’d recently been put through a meat grinder.

Newton laughed again. “I know. But right now we’re going to get you guys home. Emmet, you need to get that shoulder treated. One of these choppers will take you to Miami to your parents. I’ve got to stay with my team and gather evidence. But I promise we’ll talk, okay?”

Emmet looked at Calvin. You wouldn’t know it unless you knew him like Emmet did, but he was as confused as anyone.

He shrugged.