BLACK PANTHER. ❪ Newt Scamander ❫ ✓

twenty-five

The interior of Kama's hideout was pitch black. There was water dripping. There was a shaft of sunlight that revealed Tina sleeping lightly on the floor in her coat.

"Tina?"

She woke up immediately, scrambling to her feet with a shocked expression on her face.

"Newt!" she exclaimed.

Tina noticed Kama entering in the background as he raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted.

Newt's wand flew out of his hand and into Kama's. Bars formed across the door, imprisoning them.

"My apologies, Mr. Scamander, Miss Tarnovsky! I shall return and release you when Credence is dead!" Kama shouted through the bars.

There it was again. Someone had once again called Neeki Miss Tarnovsky.

"Kama, wait!" Tina shouted.

"You see, either he dies...or I do."

He stepped away from the bars, then suddenly stumbled and clapped a hand to his eye. "No, no, no, no. Oh - no. No, no, no." He jerked convulsively and collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

"Well, that's not the best start to a rescue attempt," Newt nervously said.

Tina raised an eyebrow. "This was a rescue attempt? You've just lost me my only lead."

Neeki tugged on Newt's sleeve and eyed Tina apprehensively.

"Oh - Tina, this is Neeki. You remember her from New York."

"Hello," Neeki greeted.

Tina narrowed her eyes. "Hello."

Jacob launched for the door, trying to break it down. Pickett unnoticeably escaped from Newt's pocket and crawled over to pick the lock. The door opened just as Jacob rammed into it. He grabbed onto the bars to stabilize himself as he glanced at Pickett who waved at him.

Jacob laughed gleefully. "Yes! All right! Newt!"

Newt grinned as he strode over to the door, picking Pickett up along. "Well done, Pick. You need this man, you say?" he asked Tina.

"Yeah. I think this man knows where Credence is, Mr. Scamander." Tina checked his pockets and took back her wand, as well as gave Newt his wand back.

As they bent over the unconscious Kama, an earth-shattering roar shook the ground. They all looked at each other.

"I smell a cat," Neeki stated.

•

In the middle of the Parisian Bridge was the Zouwu, terrified and lethal. It was too badly hurt to keep running, so it instead swiped at onlookers near it. People were screaming and running out of the way. Cars screeched to a stop as Newt and Neeki Apparated in front of the Zouwu.

Tina and Jacob Apparated with an unconscious Kama. They were fifty yards away from the Zouwu.

"Newt, that's not a very good idea!" Jacob shouted worriedly.

Neeki transformed into a panther and touched her chest to the ground, ready to leap at the Zouwu if needed. The Zouwu growled quietly as it got closer to the pair.

"Neeki," Newt whispered, keeping eye contact with the Zouwu. "Remember what we learned."

Neeki purred and rolled onto her back, looking the Zouwu in the eye. She meowed and rolled around, then hopped toward it. The two stared at each other before the Zouwu tapped its paw against the ground. Neeki jumped onto its paw and kneaded it with her own paws. The Zouwu purred and licked Neeki's tiny body with its larger tongue.

Newt chuckled happily and breathlessly. "Merlin, she really did it," he muttered as he slowly opened the case.

Neeki wagged her tail and nudged her nose against the paw she was sitting on. She leaped off and beckoned the Zouwu toward the open case. Neeki walked to the case and patiently waited beside it. The Zouwu followed her curiously and stared inside. Neeki reassuringly nudged its face with her nose.

The Zouwu stuck its face in, getting sucked into the case. Newt slammed the case shut with a sigh. He picked it up as police cars were approaching the bridge. Nicolas Flamel's card floated up from his pocket.

"Stupendous job, Neeki. Now, come along."

Newt held out his hand for her to take. She transformed back and took his hand, and the two ran back to Tina and Jacob, then they all Disapparated with Kama.