Cut and Run 6 - Stars and Stripes

released Ty and sat down. Ty staggered back and leaned over, gasping for breath.
    “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen,” Zane whispered, still stunned.
    Ty began to laugh. “That’s what he did in his enclosure.” He held out his fist to the tiger, and Barnum smacked him with his paw like he was giving him a fist bump. “Loves to hug.”
    “You’re an idiot.”
    “We need to get those animal control morons over here. Or call the sanctuary, let them know we found him.”
    “You’re a fucking idiot!”
    Ty straightened and Barnum sent a low grumble in Zane’s direction. Ty shook his head, smirking a little. “My tiger disagrees, Zane.”
    “Son of a bitch.”
    “Go call the place, I’ll stay here with him, keep him calm.”
    “Fuck no.”
    “Well, what do you want me to do with him?”
    Zane stared. Both Ty and Barnum were looking at him with their heads cocked. He wasn’t even sure he was awake right now. “How tame is he?”
    “I don’t know. Tame enough that he’d rather hug me than eat me right now, but I don’t fucking speak tiger.”
    “Should we give him food so he won’t eat anybody?”
    “Zane. Why are you asking me like I know what to do? Sure, go grab a brisket off the grill and we’ll see how he likes it.”
    “Briskets aren’t cooked on a grill.”
    “I’m standing next to a tiger, Zane!”
    “I’ll go call the sanctuary.”
    “Thank you.”
    Zane took a careful step back, giving Barnum one last wary look before turning and calmly walking to the corner of the barn. He couldn’t run no matter how much he wanted to. He remembered what Tish had said about playing tag with a tiger.
    He was halfway to the house when his father hurried up to him. “Have you seen Sadie?” Harrison demanded.
    “What?”
    “We called animal control to get their worthless asses out here and got people leaving for safety, but we can’t find Sadie!”
    Zane went cold. He turned to look back at the barn.
    If the tiger didn’t have the little girl, then who did?

    Ty fought the urge to fidget. It wasn’t hard, what with Barnum leaning against his leg and demanding contact. He stroked Barnum’s cheek, one of the places Tish had told him was safe when handling the tigers. His heart was still racing. Tame circus tiger or not, he was still a fucking tiger and they were not in his enclosure anymore.
    The seconds ticked by, and Ty imagined he could feel time expanding as he waited. What the fuck was taking Zane so long?
    He looked down at Barnum, and the tiger peered up at him, tongue lolling, his golden eyes full of intelligence and trust. A chill ran down Ty’s body and he fought the resulting shiver.
    “What’s the matter, big man?” Ty asked, maintaining a soothing tone. Barnum made a few chuffing noises, responding to his voice. Ty swallowed against the knot of nerves in his throat and began to sing. The first song that popped into his mind was one he used to sing during his Recon days: “Show Me the Way to Go Home.” It was slow and soothing and easy to remember the words to when trying not to panic.
    Barnum hefted his body to stand and sniffed the air again. He took a few steps away, and Ty forgot about the song. Then Barnum prowled to the side, beginning to pace.
    “Oh please don’t eat me,” Ty whispered.
    Barnum rumbled in response, sniffing the air again. He glanced back at Ty in passing, then stalked off toward the darkness, heading away from the barn.
    “Barnum,” Ty whispered. He clucked his tongue and made a few hissing noises, but who the hell was he kidding? If the tiger wanted to go, it was going to go. “Come on, buddy, don’t leave me. I’ll sing a different one,” he said as he followed after the big cat. “‘Eye of the Tiger’?”
    But Barnum paid him no mind, slinking off into the night so quickly and quietly that Ty lost him in a matter of yards.
    Ty peered into the darkness, his heart pounding hard. “Everyone’s a critic,” he grumbled as he backed away from the last spot he’d seen Barnum. It was just too dangerous to track the tiger in the dark, no matter how tame or friendly Barnum seemed to be. Ty needed to get to safety, and then warn the rest of the partygoers.
    He continued to back away, turning once he no longer felt eyes tracking him. He made his way to the truck and climbed in, breathing a sigh of relief when he got the door closed behind him.
    He found the keys under the brake pedal, where Zane often left them, and got the truck