Cryptotrappers!

Cryptotrappers- Pray To The Skies!

Friday 2. Waking up that Friday, the day before still didn't feel real. Mike, the Phoenix, the volcano and the car, all of it felt like some sort of haze in my mind when I woke up that morning. But looking out of my window, the car was still there in the driveway, and I could finally process the day before properly. By time I'd properly accepted that, it was already almost midday, and I didn't feel like there was any point whatsoever in going to college. In fact, there was only one place I felt like I could be, and that was at work with Eva. At least I could drive over there now.

Parking outside the statue for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth the vehicle drove. Gone were the days of being forced to ride with Sid or Randy; now I had my own car to drive and I could stay as far away from Randy's vehicle as I wanted to! I descended into the base, with Eva working on the transporter as I got down there.
"Michael, you're early today!" Eva began chipperly, turning towards me with a smile. "Glad you're here actually, Sid and Randy are in the back taking care of some of the cryptids and I've been making sure this thing works more safely for us in the future. All help is appreciated right now, it's a busy day!"
Something about her demeanour seemed a little off to me, but I couldn't exactly place what.
"Eva, have you even slept since yesterday?" I asked, concernedly.
"What, of course I have!" Eva replied unconvincingly, before changing the subject. "Anyway, the Phoenix is currently in one of the empty enclosures, but I'll fetch him out for you in a second. Sorry that we didn't get to attempt capturing the Death Worm yesterday but you seem to have bonded well enough with that Phoenix. So, do you fancy taking him home?"
I hadn't been awake long enough to answer a question like this properly.
"Sure?" I replied, wide eyed and caught off guard.
"Great!" Eva replied, clapping. "Then the next point of contention is it's name!"

Eva's top hat from yesterday became a useful receptacle for folded slips of paper with potential names for the Phoenix written on them, provided by myself, Eva, and the two other members of the team. There was about three from each of us, as far as I could tell, and it was about time to draw.
"You okay with this plan then?" Eva asked me as I nodded back intently.
"Yeah, let's make this a group effort!"
Plunging my hand into the hat, I pulled out one quickly folded sliver of paper. As I unfolded the name, I could straight away tell from the handwriting who wrote it.
"And the winner is... Seth!" I replied, to some mild applause from Eva. Even if the handwriting hadn't given it away, Randy's face certainly had.
"It's a name from a... thing that I watched." Randy sheepishly replied. "But it fits really well, I swear!"
"More importantly," Eva interjected, "are you happy with the name Exo?"
"Yeah, I am." I replied with certainty, turning to the perched bird. "Welcome to the team, Seth. Officially."
"Now!" Eva smiled, clapping and taking her typical mission-giving stance. "Before anything else, I think it's time to give Seth his trial run!"
The three of us taking our positions, Eva began to spell out what we'd be doing today.

"New Jersey, Musconetcong River. Any guesses before we continue?"
Nobody else answered. I shrugged and gave a tentative reply.
"The, uh, Jersey Devil?"
"Not quite, but I love the enthusiasm!" Eva replied, snapping her fingers at me. "No, today's focus is on a strange bug-eyed amalgamation known locally as the Mantis Man! Eight foot tall, described as mottled brown or green, with a nasty temperament!"
"Sounds fun." Sid dryly replied.
"And that's without even mentioning the bone-snapping claws and the chromatophoric camouflage!" Eva continued, appearing now mildly manic. "But, hey, that's fine! You'll be fine, right, Exo! I mean, you killed a Cherufe, what's an eight foot tall bug person to you now!"
Before I could interject, Eva had turned to leave the room.
"Sid, Randy, start packing for a riverside stakeout. Exo, you're with me whilst I give you a crash course in Phoenix care!"
Shrugging, and with Seth perching back on my arm ready, I followed Eva to the next room.

"So, Exo." Eva began to explain, pulling me into a side room decked out to look like a falconer had started squatting in the base. "Since you left yesterday, I've been working on making sure that your experience as a Phoenix owner is as good as it can be! I spent some time after you left researching things you'd need to know about the cryptid-"
"So you didn't get any sleep last night." I interrupted, flatly. Eva sighed and rested her hands on my shoulders.
"Michael, I'm fine, really! Can we just move on with the crash course?"
"Alright." I agreed, approaching the leather falconry glove. "Should we start here?"
"Right. Now, I wasn't exactly sure what size gloves you wear, but I know your arms are, well... there's a reason you have bodyguards. So, I bought you the smallest size."
I would probably have been offended, except the glove was a near perfect fit. So begrudgingly, I gave her a pass in that department. Plus, it was nice to have Seth on my arm without him gouging my skin accidentally.
"Now, I've also bought you some dead rats for snacks; for Seth I mean, obviously; a great carrier cage for him that should hopefully be fireproof, a perch for the base, a perch for your home, a cat climber, since it's basically a big birdhouse with built in perches, and a squeaky rubber ball that you can bounce for him for enrichment!"
I stared blankly at Eva. Silence hung for a few seconds between us.
"I... don't think I can ever go back to the local pet shop after buying all that in one go." Eva replied, awkwardly. "But, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Now onto basic care!"