With a graceful leap, a creature with the bust and head of a lovely woman and the body of a lioness exits the forest and races after Ben. You turn with Ben and move to the edge of the water when you hear the sphinx skid to a stop and call out, in perfect English,

"And just where do you all think you're going? I can swim too, you know. Much faster than you all can. Why don't you stop and talk first?"

You wade into the water knee-deep, then turn around with Sarah and Ben and look back at the creature, who is sitting comfortably 30 feet away, smiling.

"One of you three is mine. The other two can go free for today," she says. "Is that a deal?"