They took their time cleaning up, straightening themselves out, and Park had just started the car when there was a buzzing sound. Park slid his phone out of his pocket, and when Cooper reflexively glanced down, he saw Eli’s name.

“Where are you?” Park asked immediately upon picking up. He frowned, then put it on speaker. “Say that again.”

“I need help,” Eli said, voice ringing out tinny and hollow in the little room. There was a pause. “Something bad happened.” He was speaking in a very slow monotone and hesitating before each sentence.

“Where are you?” Park repeated. “What’s wrong?”

“He—” Pause. “He wants to talk,” Eli said. Pause. “Come to the zoo’s medical bay. By the Andean bears.”

“Who?” Park asked urgently. “Eli, is Neil Gerhart there with you?”

Pause. “Yes. He’s here.” Pause. “You and Cooper have to come in the next half hour.” Pause. “Or I’ll be the next—” Pause. “—bad little wolf punished—” Pause. “—for betraying you—” Eli’s voice shook for the first time. “—and telling the stupid—” Pause. “WIP where to find Arthur.” Pause. “Don’t tell anyone else. You know I—” Pause. “—still have plenty of friends in the Bureau and I will find out.” Pause. “Half an hour now. Don’t be late.”

Pause. Then Eli said in a rush, “Oliver, don’t—”

The line went dead.

The zoo was just closing and the sun nearly set when Cooper and Park arrived. It was still drizzling out. That light, inconsistent misting of raindrops that might have come from the sky or had merely fallen from the swaying trees. Wind blew shockingly bright orangey-red leaves around their ankles as they walked down the paths, and the color reminded Cooper of the coral roses.

Park was looking around, trying to catch any sign of a threat. The problem was, there were too many sounds. Too many smells. The zoo was a sensory overload even for a human; for a wolf, it must have been a nightmare.

The door they’d taken that first day when searching for James Finnigan with Sophie was cracked open with a brick. Cooper entered first with his weapon drawn. The long hallway with the cages appeared to be empty, but it was very dark and smelled faintly of ammonia. Probably not so faintly to Park, who coughed and had to blow air out of his nose a few times as if it burned his airways.

It took a lot longer to travel down the hall than it had last time, now with the need to check each cage. They were all empty. Even the last one where the bear had previously been kept.