A few minutes later, a black van pulled up in the Rue des Chalets. The road was winding and only one car could pass at a time.

Christophe immediately recognised the heavy van and the sliding door slammed shut.

The lights were on full blast with candles in every corner.

The Kobolds were around Annabelle, Christophe's wife. She dried their tears and they headed for the bathroom where a grooming shower was set up for the dog. They all went under the shower and into the bath for a scrubbing and all their rags were put in the wash.

Then they were given new, clean clothes and Grimm helped Annabelle dress her little brothers and sisters.

In another room out of sight, Christophe was chatting with one of his mates.

"Viper! it's been a while!!!... I see you're still on duty..!"

"Chris... yes... I haven't hung up yet... you know... the action... well... you know...."

"Yes you still have your boots and your toothpick!"

"Yeah, talk about a penknife..."

Christophe sniffed.." You smell... like a reptile..."

"Hah! Chris... you and your dog's sense of smell... and why would I smell like a reptile???"

Christophe stood up and pulled his shirt down to reveal a long, red swipe.

"I think I have broken ribs... You have no idea..."

Then he took his tablet and showed the surveillance film.

A woman with her face hidden by sunglasses, then poof, disappeared from the picture and we see her reappear like that, suddenly in the protected room. We saw her from behind and not well the Kobold but we saw her send Christophe into the background like a straw, crush him and take the gun from him, see him grow a tail, horns and a horrible crocodilian head, lift a child and then disappear like a ninja. Poof!

Christophe gave him the gun.

"Can't you see anything?"

"Er, yes, it's welded?"

"No, her claw slipped in here to lock the safety. She did it so well that the metal was twisted here, and here... and the barrel is warped... You can't imagine the force. It was like a block of iron.

It bends the metal like paper... and it disappears and appears where it wants! It's a monster I tell you... it's a monster...!"

Dragons... they are monsters... and... you know the best one???? They have slaves!

Viper: "Slaves??? what are you talking about???"

Grim was still sore and had trouble breathing.

Annabelle had put a bandage on her with anti-inflammatory ointment to deflate any blow or bruise.

She was lying on her back, moaning in pain while Annabelle put ice on her.

The others were drying themselves in a corner, motionless, terrified.

Grimm licked Annabelle's hand and wanted a hug. They were afraid to go out, to move. They were afraid of Darkia.

Then Ralf exploded: "The Queen of Darkness has marked us! She's going to devour us while we sleep!" Then he cried...followed by the others...

It was a strange whistling choir..with a Kobold accent...

Viper entered with Christophe..

"Christopher.. don't tell me you..you kidnapped dragonets??? we're gonna...we're gonna get slaughtered!!"

"No... they are not dragons... but Kobolds... they were... slaves of the dragons... but followed them here out of loyalty or having nowhere to go... they were persecuted by humans too and it seems they were raised as slaves from birth, like for hens..."

Viper laughed...

"And. Christopher... what are you going to do with all these siblings?"

"Anabelle and I have no children... and I love little Grim... and the others too..."

Grim hid behind Christophe, coughing and grumbling.

Viper: "What's wrong with her?"

Darkia almost took her head off!

Grim "Ahé Darkia. Archdragon... Judge Darkness. Very very powerful....Kobold very afraid... Kobold small.. Kobold nice Kobolds work hard stay Christopher.."

The mercenary lowered himself to the Kobold's eye level.

"But you are very beautiful... Grimm your name is...?"

She nodded and rolled behind Christophe's terrified legs.

Viper (Gerard) smiled and showed off his gold teeth, showing a long history of fighting and muted violence.

"HAHAHA...Hahaha... Kobolds...let's see them... "

He motioned for Grim to come closer...

He sat down and motioned for her to come to his lap.

Grimm was very scared but she obeyed and climbed onto the man, onto his lap

"Not to hurt Grimm... promise?"

He showed the palm of his hand. and his 4 fingers touched her hand...

"Grim fear dragon abyss!!! Grimm very very afraid... Viper protect Grim??"

The mercenary was happy but also uncomfortable.

Kobolds were like dragons but much more docile, less frightening but they were intelligent. Like children, but they knew how to reason like adults.

Viper sighed and resumed his seriousness.

"Christophe.. Christophe... I don't know what you've gotten yourself into but we're used to you..."

Have you made contact with the farm?"

"No... not yet and I don't know if it's a good idea."

Then he turned to the Kobold sitting on his lap.

"And you... do you want to go to the farm? To find the dragons? Go back to being a slave?"

Grim swung her little legs... and lowered her head...

Then she cried...

"I don't know... I don't know anymore... we're scared...!!!"

"I want grandma Valtrax!!!" She knows what to say what to do...Grandma Valtrax good dragon, good master!!!

And she stuffed her head between her shoulder, arm and chest, to look like a brooding wing, a protection..

Annabelle: "We have to talk to the dragons..but...I'm so scared...they will slaughter us...they are monsters...!!

Grimm: "Valtrax not a monster!!! Valtrax big and nice... never scolded Grimm! Valtrax give Grim hugs... lots of hugs..."

Annabelle took Grimm in her arms...

Listen, my little one... I'm going to go see Valtrax... ok? But if it's dangerous... I don't want you to get hurt. I'll be your mommy and give you lots of hugs."

Grim hugged Annabelle with her little arms. "Thank you...you are a nice human...Humans are not very nice..."

Viper : "Christophe, you see, I have my sources and then... shit, I got myself into a mess too"

Christophe then asked his wife to take the kids out of the shelter and leave them alone.

But Grim noticed on his way out that there were 10 large chews on the floor.

"Anabelle: "Is that for us?

Anabelle: "No... "as she picked them up. They were really big and expensive, almost 20 euros each!

"Christophe!!! Will the expenses cover it???"

"It's not me! I swear!"

She picked up the chewing tobacco... "Shit! The monster had bought chewing gum?"

Grim realised this and said "Throw it away! The witch brought it. It's poisoned!

Annabelle took the little grim in her arms and the Kobold began to cry in terror, clutching Annabelle " Hug! Hug! "they shouted....

They were settled in the living room with blankets over them but they wanted Annabelle to sleep with them. Most of them were still sucking their thumbs covered with different coloured scales but often red or black.

Annabelle was on the couch with a mountain of kobolds on top of her, whimpering and then falling asleep in turn.

That night she could not sleep.

She was afraid of the dark for the first time.

Meanwhile, in the cellar, in the safe shelter...

"Listen, Christopher... you can't imagine what is going on. The world has its eyes on the dragons and ..I was paid for a special operation... I was part of the commandos... The old team... and I kept some of the winnings for you, because we're still brothers... brothers in arms... but I made one mistake too many with what you showed me.

I'm not obligated to reveal the Kobolds to my employers and even if they paid me, I'd refuse.."

"Gerard.. I owe you my life.. but why did you get yourself into this thing.. You saw my ribs, and the gun!!! and they have human form...

She just went through the whole thing. Kobolds... they're kids... but dragons... we don't know anything about them yet... They have powers you can't imagine...

You're gonna get slaughtered! The whole team! Damn it! Gerard..... And your wife?"

He laughed and showed his gold teeth. "Christopher... she was my sister at home... not my wife and we got you!!!"

"Get serious for once.... you didn't see her... but the Kobolds know better... she's a super dragon... a judge!... and she didn't hesitate to punch in the crumb and throw me around like a big shit.."

Gerard looked at the floor...

"Gerard... tell me... the dragons, where are they???"

"They're being loaded onto a cargo ship bound for Taiwan... Manitoba I think... In a container each containing canned edible crabs, crabs from Finistere..."

"Gerard.. we have to help them...you saw the monster..we don't have a chance.."

"Christophe, yes, you're right, but the boss is not easy to deal with and it is said that he also has powerful powers, beyond imagination. If he doesn't have his dragons, he'll kill us too.