91|Chameleon

Two minutes into stepping off the helicopter, Marybeth wanted to run back inside and ask the pilot to take her back to Clifton Bay.

She was overwhelmed by everything—from the sounds to the colours and smells. But the unbearable heat beating down on her was the worst.

She'd heard the weather in Rock Union could be extreme and sometimes unpredictable. Scarlett had even warned her to take some sunblock and maybe a coat and rain boots.

Convinced she'd melt into a puddle at any moment, Marybeth wished she'd heeded her friend's warning on the sunblock.

Orlando, though, had no problem with the City of Gold. She made it known exactly how thrilled she was to be there as soon as she let go of Marybeth's hand and took off, screeching her excitement at the man leaning casually on one of several Mercedes G-Wagons on the tarmac, "Uncle Drei!"

The tall stranger, clad in a dark two-piece suit, forgot all about the toy drone he'd been preoccupied with just moments before when he heard Orlando's voice.