Chapter 8: Helpful Hints
"Okay, I'll call Trista and get back to you." Lita said to Ami. She closed the conversation with Ami and tried reaching Trista.
"Lita, we have important news." Trista said upon receiving Lita's communication.
"What?" Lita asked urgently.
"Earlier as we were driving, we went past a group of models getting into a limousine and we all felt something. I can't describe it. And Small Lady said one of the models looked like Queen Serenity." Trista said. She had a pained look on her face. Lita thought this over. Artemis looked at the communicator from Mina's shoulder. How odd…
"Okay, well, if we come across any agencies we'll go in. I'll pass the message along to Ami and Rei." Lita finished up; with a nod both girls closed their communicators.
"A model." Mina inquired almost whispering. Lita shrugged and made a quick call to Ami and Rei. Mina and Lita continued walking down the street. Every few people they'd stop and pull out a photo of Serena and ask if she'd been seen. Nobody had. Eventually they came upon two girls, Mina assured Lita they were models. As they approached Lita pulled out her picture of Serena.
"Hey," She said to catch their attention. "Have you seen our friend? Her name's Serena." The brunette took the picture from her hand. She gave the blonde next to her a discreet look and showed her the picture. The blonde looked a little startled, but managed to maintain her composure.
"Uh, sorry, I haven't." She said quietly, handing the photo back. Lita and Mina shared disappointed looks. The brunette felt sorry for the girls, but she had to protect Serena.
"Hey," She said. "Listen, this city, it's like runaway city. It's where we all come. Not many people here will give up runaways, because they are runaways themselves." Lita and Mina looked shocked, Tai continued. "If the girl was in a bad situation you might get some info on her, but if she's doing fine, no one will give you anything." She finished. Lita and Mina looked extremely depressed at this. After a few awkward moments Lita thanked them for their help and she and Mina started off.
"Hang on a minute!" Tai called. They turned to face her again. "How many people are out looking for your girl?" She asked.
"A lot." Mina replied. "Why?" Artemis climbed up on to her shoulder.
"This is very odd." He whispered.
"Just curious…" Tai said quietly. "By how many you mean…?" She said inquisitively.
"Two more walking around, two on a motorbike and four in a car." Lita said impatiently. Tai paled a little, but just bade them good bye and turned to Luna.
"We better get back and warn Serena." She said urgently, the two girls turned and rushed back the way they had come.
Rei and Ami discussed their last message from Lita as they walked.
"Did you feel something earlier?" Rei asked. "A little shudder that made you feel as if everything was alright?" Ami thought for a second. Luna jumped onto Ami's shoulder and added that she felt it too.
"Yes." She said. "Back when we were passing that restaurant."
"Darien passed us in the car not long after that." Rei commented. She paled a little. "What if we walked right past her and didn't notice…" She said. They all walked in silence until they came across a modelling agency. They looked at each other.
"I guess we should try." Rei said and they walked in. No one was at the front desk, but after ringing the little bell a man came walking in.
"Hi," Rei said cautiously. "We're, uh, looking for our friend, Serena." She said holding out a picture. The guy looked at it for a second then said.
"Hold on a minute, I'll just get our hairdresser Kiara, she'll know better than me if she's one of ours." He handed back the photo and walked out. Ami and Rei waited patiently.
"Luna you want to check this place out?" Rei asked. Luna nodded and went off through the door.
Kiara was on her way to Serena's room when Kieran pulled her up.
"There's two girls here looking for Serena." He said. "What do we tell them?" He asked. She's not here!" Kiara said. "We haven't seen her. Okay." She said.
"At least come out and look at the photograph and pretend to think about it." He said.
"Okay then, Hey is that your cat?" She asked spotting a black cat behind her boss.
"No it was with the girls that came in. You better take it out with you." He said going off. Kiara scooped up the cat and went out front.
"Hey, I heard you need some help?" She asked. "And this is your cat." She added. Ami took Luna off her. Rei handed her the photo. Kiara looked fro a bit then shrugged.
"Sorry, she isn't one of ours. Pretty girl though." She handed the photo back. "Sorry I can't help anymore." She waited for the girls to leave before rushing back to Serena's room. Only to find Tai and Luna already there.
"Oh! Hi Tai, Luna." She said in surprise. "Serena, there were two girls and a cat here looking for you!" She said urgently. She could tell by Serena's miserable face this wasn't the only bad news she'd had today.
"Yeah, I know." She mumbled and let Tai and Luna explain their run in with Serena's friends.
"What are you going to do?" Kiara asked, sitting down next to Serena.
"I don't know, how did they find out where I was?" She asked.
"It could have been several things, or maybe they just got lucky." Tai said.
"They appear to think that you would like to see them again." Luna said. They looked at her, she shrugged. "It just looked that way to me…" She trailed of in her wispy voice.
"You'll have to hide out for a couple of days." Kiara said. Serena nodded and asked if she could be left alone for a while. They girls nodded understandingly and left.
How did they find me! Darien must have felt that if they're looking for me at modelling agencies. Tears fell from her eyes. Guys I'll come back as soon as I can, but until then… I need to do this on my own. She lay down on her bed and wept. I promise I'll contact you as soon as I can. As if someone heard her tears, she fell into a vision.
Serena stood facing a tall beautiful woman.
"Hello dear," The woman said. "It will be time soon…" She said. Serena let out a sob.
"I can't go on like this…" She said. "I need my friends and family. I need to be with them again… Why can't the scouts help?" She yelled. "I need them; I've never won before without their help. I just can't fight without them! She looked fiercely at the woman. "Who are you? Why are doing this!" Serena's voice rose louder. The woman just stood there.
"The scouts, your friends, they would die. If they try to help you, you will fail." She said ominously. Serena stood there panting; this seemed to be taking its toll on her energy. The conversation carried only in their minds. The weird surroundings. Everything felt as if it was relying on Serena to hold it up. She gave in before the silent conversation could continue. She lay passed out on her bed.
Rei and Ami stood looking disappointed outside the agency. They hadn't found Serena yet and it was downing their spirits.
"Girls, don't be sad." Luna said. They looked at her. "Serena is in there." She said with anger in her voice. "I heard that hairdresser and the manager talking both of them knew where Serena was and they just denied it." Luna filled with sadness, Serena's hiding from us. Rei and Ami thought this over.
"We can't do much about it now. We should get the guys to meet us at the hotel room and discuss what we'll do next from there." Ami said. Rei agreed. They quickly called the others and told them to go back to the hotel room and they would explain everything when they got there. Then they rushed back themselves.
I decided to end this chapter here, though I was going to add their discussion in the hotel room. Serena's conversation with the mysterious woman is in italics, because nothing is said, just thought. Please review!