Chapter 1
Eeva sat back as her younger sister explained her plan. Slowly, the older of the two nodded, not quite thinking the plan would work. Aria, the younger sister, continued explaining her long, convoluted plan to get their brother back, all in a hushed whisper, so she didn't wake up their parents or the youngest sister, Aika.
"I will admit it is a good plan….." Eeva began, whispering as quietly as her sister," but there's a few problems. First of all, mom and dad probably won't be helping with Aika-"
"So we do it ourselves," Aria countered.
"Also, we have no idea where he's at. I mean, yes, we have a general idea…. But that general idea is filled with billions of people!"
"Actually…." Aria began.
Eeva raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"I've narrowed it down to a city. And in that city I have… 3 possible places."
"How?" Eeva asked incredulously.
"I put a tracker into that gift I gave him. Although, I think that broke…. Anyway, it told me his location until… well, until we were in a state where it was safe to retrieve him… which is why he's lost. Then I was able to get that last city, and as I studied all of their newspapers over the years, I found reports of this one person…. I don't remember what they called him…. It sounded just like him." Aria explained.
Eeva looked at her sister for a moment and smiled. Then she began whisper-yelling, losing her serious attitude to happiness she was trying to hide. "Why… if you knew where he might be why didn't you tell me?"
"I guess the time wasn't right," Aria said plainly, a little surprised by her sister's sudden mood change. She decided to join in the happiness until the two could conceal it no more. "But it is now!"
The two sisters hugged, and then continued to detail their plan. They planned everything. Eventually all of the previous kinks were worked out. They probably would've kept planning until there was nothing left to plan- if it weren't for the small footsteps that approached Eeva's door.
"Aria? Eeva?" A small voice interrupted the two girls. A young girl with dark brown hair looked at the sisters as she rubbed her eyes.
"Oh, Aika honey, what are you doing up? It's only 5 in the morning!" Eeva asked her little sister.
"I had a bad dream," Aika replied. She took a few more steps into the room.
"What was it about?" Eeva asked.
"I don't… remember anymore," Aika said between yawns, her voice becoming a mumble. "Aria, why are you in Eeva's room?"
"I couldn't sleep either," Aria told the 3 year old.
"Oh. Can… I sleep… here?" Aika asked, dangerously close to falling back to sleep.
"Of course," Eeva said softly, picking the young girl up and setting her on the bed.
Aria looked at Eeva, giving her a look asking if she could stay in Eeva's room too. Eeva looked back at Aria, with a look to tell her yes. Eventually the three sisters fell into a peaceful sleep for the rest of the night (well, technically it was the morning, but…)
"Good morning girls," Lila said.
"Good morning mom!" Aika replied cheerfully.
"Someone's awful cheery for a girl who was up early," Eeva said.
Lila chuckled and then returned to making breakfast. Eeva looked over at Aria expectantly. Aria tilted her head to the side, not quite understanding. Eeva made a series of gestures and then pointed at Lila (and Kaleo, who had just entered the room) as if that made more sense. Aria just stared at her confused.
"The plan," Eeva whispered as quietly as she could. Aria finally understood.
"Um, mother?" Aria began awkwardly. "Last night- well, technically it was in the morning- Eeva and I came up with a-a… a sort of plan… thingy…."
"For what?" Lila responded.
"Um, well…" Aria took a deep breath and tried again, her voice only a whisper. "A plan to find Erik."
Lila looked at Aria for a moment and sighed. "Aria, we have no idea where he might be. For all we know, he could be dead."
"But we do know where he might be," Aria said desperately," I have a few ideas of places."
"I'm not sure it's a good idea, especially with Aika…" Lila said, trailing off.
"Eeva and I could go! And then you and dad can stay back and take care of Aika!" Aria tried.
"I suppose… but what if you get lost there too?" Lila asked.
"Well, I doubt we would, because this time we'd have proper communication lines, and a planned way to get back, and it would be just like going anywhere else! Unlike when we sent Erik…. Because we were under attack then, and we aren't now….." Aria countered.
Lila hesitated for a moment. Was she really going to let her two girls go into the unknown? 'Yes' a voice in her head persuaded her 'They have a plan, we've done this before, just not to there. Besides, they're old enough to care for themselves…'
Before she could speak, Kaleo made up his mind and said," Yes."
