“Hey Joey, isn’t that Brent coming out of the house right now? Isn’t he supposed to be at the docks with Mr Lancaster and all of them?” The guy in the van asks his cohort.

“Yeah that’s definitely the giant. You know the rules he’s immune. He doesn’t nothin. Doesn’t talk. Granny Lancaster loves him. He’s off limits. He probably let him off and sent him home after a quick spanking or something? I don’t know let me call it in.” Joey replies.

“What’s the deal with this guy? Is he special or something?” The driver asks.

“No he’s not special he’s just different. Lady Lancaster loves him and he’s been a really important instrument in a lot of things that have happened. He’s like their lucky charm. They won’t let anything happen to him.” Joey replies back.

“Must be nice…” the driver replies.

“Yeah, hold on. Mr Lancaster I’ve eyes on the giant leaving the house right now what do you want me to do about it?” Joey replies.

“The giant? Brent? You see Brent right now?” Money asks incredulously.

“Yeah, he’s hard to miss just walked out of the gangs house you just grabbed them from. I dont know why you had me stay here as a lookout but I guess-“

“I don’t need your speculation, you’re sure it’s Brent?” Money interrupts.

“Positive.” Joey replies.

“Then follow him. Don’t touch him.” Money replies. He sounds annoyed and Joey thinks he can hear sirens in the background.

“You okay boss? It sounds like you might need us to.” Joey tries to get out.

“I’m fine. Shut up and keep eyes on the kid. I’ve got things under control.” Money states and hangs up.

“Well that was strange.” Joey states nodding to the driver. His coworker.

“What was that?” The driver asks.

“Seems like a bit more nonsense than usual is going on. Money wants us to tail him. So let’s tail him.” Joey states.

“Shouldn’t be that hard. He’s a fuckin’ giant.” The driver replies.

“Yeah I know. Famous last words ya know?” Joey replies they both chuckle.



———————



So Tye clearly wasn’t thinking properly I’m a girl right now so I won’t be recognized. He’s gotta be more clever. He’s freaking out and I’ve got to be more present of mind and in time to be there for everyone. So I snuck out of the house after helping Tye move Nora and Corin to the couch and left him there with the door locked.

I’ve got some cash. I can take a bus to the harbor hopefully Brent won’t get there before me. I gotta leave my phone turned off just in case. I also need to keep a low profile. I know they aren’t looking for a female me but I can’t leave anything to chance right now. Brent’s life is on the line and we gotta make sure this plays out just right…

Boom!

An explosion just down the street.

Locke runs down to the Main Street state street cross section to find there has been a car accident the fire hydrant is spraying water everywhere and there seems to be a fire at the local corner shop. Nobody seems hurt but everyone is in a panic. All signs of an unsupervised Brent meandering about. No doubt in Locke’s mind.

Locke looks at the vehicles involved in the accident and sees it’s a van with two guys who look suspiciously like goons. Definitely part of Lancaster’s squad. There is no doubt. They reek of it just from sight alone. Good, they’ve been distracted. Means Brent probably managed to wander off. It’s kind of crazy to see this happen in live action. Usually they see it after all the dirt has settled after the fact.

I just need to follow the breadcrumbs to find Brent, Locke tells themself. Follow the wanton destruction leading to the harbor or go straight to the harbor and meet Brent there? How Brent meanders he might end up on the opposite side of town before he gets there. Gives me time to case the spot out and get things ready. Okay let’s stack the deck then in our guys favor because they definitely don’t know it’s me right now. We’ve got the advantage.

Locke makes his way to the goons and tries to eavesdrop on their discussion.

“Lady you hit me. Can’t you see. I don’t car just take my insurance card and let me get outa here. I gotta go. I’m on the clock.” Goon one complains.

“Look I said I’m sorry, there were squirrels that ran into the street and I flinched. I know I shouldn’t have swerved I just did. Dad is going to be so mad at me. I don’t know what to do I just got this car.” The girl states crying. She’s a college student no doubt.

“Look, I know a guy who can have it all fixed no insurance or anything needed if that’s the case. Nobody has to know what just happened. Can we do that?” The goon replies back.

“You can do that?” The student asks dumbfounded. “I mean, if my dad doesn’t have to know and all that then yes please.”

“Alright take my card and let me get outa here I gotta be someplace.” The goon replies.

“Take your card? How do I know it’s even you and this number works? That you’ll answer? I need your license information and a picture of your plates and all that first.” The girl replies.

She’s smart. Locke thinks to themself. Okay, so I gotta get on the bus and book it tot he harbor before Brent gets there. They’ll be stuck here for a bit. Hopefully. Or maybe I can order a ride? Do I have enough cash on me for a taxi? Shit… what do I do?

The fire trucks and ambulances begin to arrive to fight the fire. The commotion in the area has created a traffic jam. Locke is stuck.

Just then a kid rides past on a bike. Locke thinks the worst then an idea pops into their head. I can run down the bike path to the harbor form here. It’s only like a few miles away. If I run at a solid pace I should get there…

Ugh… this sucks. But it should be safe. Nobody is looking for me I’m just some chick jogging along the bike path through campus down to the harbor. Totally reasonable. I gotta do it…

——————————————

Tye stands above them as they both come too. Waking up to the water Tye’s been splashing onto them for the last few minutes. They’re pretty drenched.

“What the hell?” Corin replies annoyed and soggy.

“Fuckin’ finally. You two princesses sleep like logs. Shit is going down I need you.” Tye complains.

Nora isn’t saying anything beyond rubbing her eyes and messaging her temples. She seems worse for wear at the moment. Corin isn’t moving very quick either as a matter of observation. Tye can feel their heat rate increasing.

“You got us out, we’re back at the house, Locke and Brent are currently out on a mission and we need you two to make it happen.” Tye spills out.

“Hold on. Hold on. We’re back home I see that but what’s going on?” Corin replies.

Nora simply closes her eyes and appears to concentrate on something somewhere else. She opens her eyes in surprise.

“Brent just nearly got decapitated by a falling branch but it missed him and fell onto some sort of string that snapped and I saw lightning.” She states as the power in the house goes out.

“Sounds about right.” Tye replies a bit satisfied.

“You didn’t.” Corin admonishes.

“I didn’t have a choice. Were in the shit right now!” Tye shoots back.

“You know we live here right?” Corin complains.

“Yes. I know we live here. It’ll be okay. Things will recover. It’s all part of the plan.” Tye replies.

“You’re not allowed to plan things remember?” Corin states as she lifts herself up and stomps towards Tye. “When you or your dad plan things stuff like this happens. It’s a rule. You promised us you wouldn’t.”

“That was then this is now. We aren’t abroad anymore we’re literally trying to evade death right now.” Tye replies back.

“Yeah but you just unleashed an unsupervised Brent onto our hometown in the middle of a shit show. You know what happens!” Corin screams back.

“What happens?” Nora inquires.

“Tell her Tye. Say it out loud for all of us to hear about how you plan things.” Corin replies back.

Tye raises their hands as if to say they surrender. Exhales then looks to Nora.

“When we found Brent he was ostracized by the community he grew up in. Not only was he abnormally large he had this thing were bad things would happen around him if he wasn’t watched over by his closest loved ones. The moment he left their side the places he went would get wrecked. They called him a bad omen. He wasn’t even allowed to attend school he was homeschooled cuz the place he went to burned down. More than once.” Tye scratches their head to relieve some of the stress and laughs a little. “My grandma and dad took him in because they say they saw something special about him. Placed me by his side ever since and the bad things stopped happening. So long as he’s by my side or one of our sides. When he wanders off or is sent off it all starts happening again.”

“You’re joking?” Nora states astonished. She closes her eyes again for a moment then gasps and opens them again. “He was talking to a rodent or maybe the rodent was talking to him?”

“Okay, well that’s normal. Nothing to worry about for the moment.” Tye replies back brushing it off.

“Nora you should summon him back to us. Right now. Let’s not let this mistake continue any longer.” Corin states.

“I can’t right now. I need a moment to collect myself. I feel a little spent form what just happened.” Nora admits.

“How long do you think you need?” Corin replies.

“Not much longer but a little bit. There is so much magic about but I feel spent like if I use it right now it’ll damage me in some way. It’ll hurt me.” She flinches. “Every time I check in on him something horrifying just evades happening to him. I’m afraid to look I feel as if I’m drawing attention to him. Like it might actually land if I interfere.”

“See! This is what I’m saying. You’re not allowed to make the plans.” Corin complains to Tye poking them in the chest aggressively.

“Hey, don’t fucking poke me. Hear me out. Brent is going to the docks to retrieve a boat that belongs to one of my aunts. I snatched the keys from my dad’s when I was over there recently. He stole them from her and made a copy for himself a while back. I took them. I thought we could grab the boat. Sail it out into the middle of nowhere and you could make a portal to link it to us. That way we can jump to it and away from everyone else when the heat gets too close on us.”

“Yeah that sounds really smart and all but you’re forgetting one thing. I don’t know how to make portals they just happen.” Corin shoots back.

“We’ll figure it out.” Tye replies.

“It’s a stupid plan!” Corin yells back.

“No, I think it’s a brilliant plan. If this place is unsafe then I can keep one of you on the ship you speak of and I can move us between them as needed. No need for portals.” Nora intercedes.

“Yeah exactly. Not everything revolves around you Corin. See.” Tye replies.

“Dude, you unleashed Brent onto our hometown. Your dad is chasing after us with his entire mafia. Like…” Corin puts her hands over her face and exhales in frustration. “Why me?”

“I asked that every day of my life for a long time now ya know? Don’t feel bad for you one bit. You know what it means to hang around us Lancsters.” Tye replies thumbing their chest. “Just get with the program already and help me make this work.”

“There is no making it work with you lot. It’s close your eyes and wait for the ride to be over and hope everything is still in one piece. By which I mean everything bad happened to everyone else around us.” Corin complains.

“See, I was speaking to the family therapist about this and they said to just let those emotions go. Let them roll over you because you don’t have control of what’s happening around you only how you react to them.” Tye replies knowingly putting a hand onto Corin’s shoulder.

“Get your hand off me you idiot. It’s your plan. It’s you. It’s you!” Corin smacks Tye’s hand off he and paces backwards in a small circle trying to think.

“There we go! Finally Corin is back in the game! I haven’t seen the pace and circle in a while. Hey remember last time at my dad’s resort? When we stole the keys to that underground temple with the beating heart in it?” The states then covers his mouth. He can’t believe he just did that out loud.

“What did you just say?” Corin can feel her face turn red.

“Yeah what did you just say?” Nora asks aswell. Completely thrown off by the statement.

“I mean… Why am I just remembering that?” Tye replies.

Corin flinches. She too is just remembering the moment. Outside the temple doors. Tye freaking out and Locke and Brent off on a mission that’d lead to the destruction of the luxury resort and their climactic escape from the establishment. The place was literally swallowed up by the earth if she’s remembering correctly. Well, by the ocean and earth. You’d need to dive down to get to it at this point. Doors won’t budge without a key. Thick and water resistant. You’d need a torch and hours to weld through it under water….

“Get me the heart.” Corin can hear the voice in her head. She can feel its desire and can feel it pulling at her every fiber. She can almost not even control herself she smiles to widely. Licking her lips.

“Yo, you okay?” Tye asks Corin a little disturbed by the display.

Nora too pulls back from Corin feeling the malevolent presence inside her.

“She’s possessed!” Nora declares.

“Yeah no doubt. Come back to us man. That thing ain’t got you yet.” Tye demands snapping their fingers in Corin’s face. It seems to do the trick as Corin comes too again.

“Shit…” Corin replies.

“Are you okay?” Tye asks Corin rubbing her back. “I think there’s something in you?”

“Yeah, I think so too. I feel normal right now but I felt really funny right then. Like something was taking control of me.” Corin replies back. She runs her hands through her hair and exhales. Overwhelmed. “Everything is so complicated right now…”

“I know I know. It’ll get better though don’t worry.” Tye replies trying to cheer Corin up.

“What heart?” Nora asks them both.

They both go silent and look at her for a moment then each other. Neither of them really wanna talk about it. They really meant to forget about it. Remembering it now is kind of obnoxious. Like their subconscious is betraying them or something. Finally the breaks the silence.

“I don’t know. I just know my dad said that’s what’s in there. A heart that beats and to never look upon it. That the whole place was built to shelter it and that I’m to honor him and his father by defending it. That I’m not supposed to mention it. I completely forgot about it.” Tye finished.

“Corin?” Nora asks. “Can you explain? Are you okay? I don’t sense it in you right now is it gone?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. I think… I think she wants it. That thing we met that first time we met. The one who showed us the way. It wants the heart. It wants me to go get it. I know were it is. That means she does too. That means it’s not safe anymore. I don’t know what to do.” Corin replies back.

“Not safe anymore? What is it?” Nora asks.

“I dont know what it is I only know she wants it and I’ve got a feeling they’re not the only ones.” Corin replies.

“Maybe it’s something that can help my people. It must be something of great power if a demon wants it so badly.” Nora reasons back.

“I don’t know about that. I mean, no. I’m to defend it. From anyone and anything that includes you.” Tye cuts in flatly.

“What?” Nora demands.

“I said that includes invading summoners from another dimension.” Tye retorts. “I just know it. Nobody is to have it. It’s to stay there. Protected. Ideally forgotten.”

“We’ll, not anymore. It’s gotta be moved and soon and we gotta do it. Cuz she knows were it is now. No telling what might happen.” Corin replies back. She flinches as if struck by some unseen force. Admonished. Physically, emotionally psychologically. Her legs give and she drops to the floor. She exhales meekly. “I can’t be part of that but it has to happen. Okay?”

“Yeah, we’ll put it on the to do list. Next to banishing an interdimensional demon in another world, save a summoner’s village, stop a multitude of magical mythical creature armies from destroying everything and not dying by the hands of my family. Sounds good. Top of the list then.” Tye states aloud sarcastically.

“You know, you’re my best friend but I hate it.” Corin replies. The reaches out to her and helps her to her feet.

“You lie. You know you feel so alive right now. Time to prove once and for all I’m the superior.” Tye states back. Corin rolls her eyes but a smile breaks on her face.

Nora is dumbfounded by the display and overwhelmed by the information. So many questions. She has to focus. Reaching out this time to see Locke. Locke’s currently snooping about in some sort of building by water. She can smell fish and hear waves. Locke must be near the ship they spoke of already. Now were is Brent?

He’s completely on the other side of region. Eating something. Sweet. Smells delicious and is very cold to the touch. What are you doing?!

“Lady summoner?” Brent’s thoughts can be heard by Nora.

“Were are you?” Nora asks him.

“I’m at a shop that sells ice cream. I thought if I could lose the tail I have I might get a snack and be able to get to the shop without anyone noticing. I was just trying to let some time pass till it got darker.” Brent thinks to themself.

Nora never noticed before but Brent actually speaks in his head and she can hear his inner voice. It sounds so full and trustworthy. A real man’s voice… absurd.

“They’re all worried sick about you. You’ve nearly died every time I’ve checked in on you. Are you currently okay?” Nora asks.

“Yes lady summoner, I’m fine I’m just going to eat my ice cream and take a bus to the harbor in an hour after the sun has set.” Brent thinks to her. Showing her how he imagines himself walking into the harbor and into a boat without anyone around.

“I see your intentions I’m relieved to know you’re okay.” She thinks back. Then she observes through his eyes that a rodent is eating some of his ice cream while he’s not paying attention. It seems to be a passenger on Brent. It looks over to something. She tries to see out the corner of his eye and can see more squirrels with wooden sticks that burst into flame.

“Brent. You should leave there immediately.” Nora thinks to him.

“Why?” Brent thinks back before the fire alarm goes off and sprinklers begin to pour all over his ice cream and everyone in the establishment scream.

She is cut off and returns to the living room with Corin and Tye.

“I don’t believe what I just saw.” She stares aloud.

“Following Brent? Is he okay?” Tye inquires.

“He seems to have an alliance with rodents and they seem to be mischievous.” She states.

“She doesn’t even know the half of it.” Tye replies back not shocked at all. “See Corin I told you squirrels are evil and they’ve got an unholy deal with Brent.”

“Tye, before it was a joke okay… now it’s not so funny anymore.” Corin replies back.

“I know. Magic is real which makes it all so much worse.” Tye smacks there head overwhelmed.