Connorletoutalaughandsaid,“Lookatthisactress,soincharacter!Don’tworry,thetigersaresecure.”
Heleanedin,whispering,“Scaredtoletgo,Natalie?Bethehumanlock,orthesetigerswillslaughtereveryonehere.”

Hesmirkedattheapproachingtigers,whichwerenowdevouringthechickens,theireyeslockedonthedoor.
Ifeltcompletelytrapped.IfIleft,thetouristswoulddie.
Connorgloated,“YoudaredtouchSierra—youshould’vetakenthefall!”
“Ifyou’dconfessed,youwouldn’tbehere.Guesswhat?Wechecked—thatcouple?Thestate’srichest.You’lldie,andwe’llclaimcreditforsavingtheirkid!”
Withasmuglookonhisface,heturnedaroundandstartedtowalkaway.
Isnatchedhismegaphone,shouting,“Thisisn’taskit!Theystarvedthetigerstokillme!Sierrastolethelock—tigerswillescape!Run!”

Connoryankedthemegaphoneback,readytolie,butblack-cladmenstormedthroughthecrowd.
LeadingthegroupwastheyounggirlwhomIhadsavedeariler.
Seeingme,sheran,calling,“Sister!”
Iglancedatthetigersnearingthedoor,screaming,“Stayback!Run!”

Bodyguardsshieldedher,whileothersjammedtasersintothelock,holdingthedoor.
Thetigersslammedagainstthedoorwithalltheirmight,buttheguardsheldfirm.Defeated,thecaptive-bredtigersslunkaway,curlingup.
Thegirlthrewherarmsaroundmeandsobbed,“Sister,why’sitalwaysdangerousaroundyou?”
IglaredatConnor’spaleface.“I’mwonderingthattoo.”
Sierrareturned,lockinhand,feigninginnocence.“Natalie,mybad—Igrabbedthelockbymistakeandrushedback.Iseveryoneokay?”
Shebenttowardthegirl.“Hey,kid,backagain?RealizingI’myourrealsavior?”
Thegirlgaveherahardshoveandsaid,“YoudiditonpurposetokillNatalie!”
“I’mnotconfused—Irememberclearly.Why’dyoudeletethefootageandtargetNatalie?You’reguilty!”
Sierra’seyesnarrowedintosites.“Deletefootage?Don’tthinkmoneyletsyoulie.Thecamerasweredownthatday!”
“Everyzooworkercanvouch—Isavedyou!”
Igentlysetthegirldownandpulledupthefootageonmyphone.ThenIhandedthephonetothecouple.
“Thecamerasworkedfine.Thetruth’shere.”