HIKARI
"Thank you, thank you," Hikari put down the phone.
She came out of her mother's office, and met her butler in the living room.
"Please, where are my parents?" she asked.
"Mr Kinneas is taking Mrs Kinneas out to that new restaurant," the butler inclined. "He's bought it as a surprise, but she of course found that out and instructed me to staff it early."
"Oh," Hikari scratched her nose. "I'm just going out. I won't be long."
Hikari's hands shook as she entered the elevator, and another butler pressed the lobby button. She walked through the lobby and out into fresh sunshine, knowing what she was doing, her mother would explode for.
A car pulled up at the kerb, and Conrad was inside. Tousled blonde hair, light blue eyes, a canny glint not unlike her uncle Max. She swung in the passenger seat, and her glittering skyscraper soon became a dot in the distance as he drove into the hills, and nature was all around them when they got out.
"It's beautiful," Hikari smiled, and a butterfly settled on her shoulder, and darted away.
Garrett
Garrett was reviewing papers in his office - another harried, tiring day - when his secretary buzzed.
"Mrs Spencer to see you, sir."
Garrett brushed the lint of his pants, and rose to receive Phillipa, wondering what on earth she could want in person. The doors opened, and in stepped Maria, clutching a handkerchief. His secretary closed the doors.
"Maria," Garrett replied, surprised. "What on earth's the matter?"
"He's cheating," Maria wept. "I thought I was safe, but he's been doing it with that film actress. You know, the one Matthew Hammond used to date? Of course, now he's living out of a cardboard box. And me! What am I and Diablo to do?"
"Your husband is cheating," Garrett repeated, and thought it not unlikely. "I'm not the best person to talk to about this… "
"Of course you are," Maria sniffed. "I want to escape."
"You'll need to see a lawyer for a divorce," Garrett fidgeted.
"A divorce? Hah! I'll get nothing," Maria sourly added. "My best hope is to hunker down somewhere. Out of sight, out of mind."
"I shouldn't be hearing this," Garrett shifted weight on his legs.
"Oh, yes. You are indebted to my husband's family," Maria let out a bitter laugh. "I had hoped you were a man of integrity, of honor. Now I see you are a politician no better than your predecessor - giving Clara Kinneas a skyscraper in a residential town! Who could think of such a thing!"
Garrett idly realised that here was a real chance to envelop the Spencers in scandal - and yet open himself wide to their revenge. It was what his wife would want, and what his position forbade.
"I could tell you things," Maria mumbled. "If you grant me escape, I will tell you the things I know. Oh-ho, yes. I've bumped into a room where only those four siblings talk without their better halves. And yes, I've heard. I know what's going on. But only if you help me, first."
Lydia
Lydia signaled to the driver. The sedan pulled up in front of a beach house, fairly spectacular, but not out of sorts with the richer houses dotted around Pleasantview.
She walked up the path, and rang the doorbell. A maid answered.
"Mrs Lydia Cartwright," she raised her chin. "I'm here without appointment, to see the Spencers."
"Oh, yes please," the maid showed her in. "Right this way."
Lydia noted that everything was minimalist and chrome, as though the home was a retirement abode for the transition of age to go as smooth as possible. Her heels clacked as she reached the living room, with sliding doors and a curtain fluttering in the breeze.
"The First Lady of Pleasantview," the maid bobbed, and took her leave.
The wrinkled, aged woman who wore a loose tunic and long skirt glanced up.
"Oh, I've seen you on the telly," Mrs Spencer smiled. "Please. I'll have some tea made."
Lydia took her seat on the couch. Mrs Spencer's hands rattled as she took spoons and put in sugar.
"A-are you sure I can't call for the maid?" Lydia wavered, struck between the similarity of her own mother, who yet had been so haughty and vain.
"Oh, no. It gives me something to do," Mrs Spencer smiled, and held out the teacup. "Ah, that's better. You know, it's not often I have visitors."
"What about your husband?" Lydia peered. "Your daughter Grace mentioned he travels a lot."
"Oh, well I barely see him either," Mrs Spencer shrugged, shaking with the exertion of sipping her tea. "This place is only for me and the maid. My memory's a bit foggy, to be honest. We married and had the kids, but it all slips away in the passage of time."
Lydia tightened her grip on her teacup.
"You'll forgive the intrusion, I'm sure. And only acting out of your daughter's best interests, I thought it best to come to you first," Lydia continued. "You see, I have heard from your daughter an account of how your children have led their lives. And what sparks my curiosity is, that it seems their wealth - "
"Oh, that," Mrs Spencer nodded, and set her cup down. "Well, we started out with enough. It was a trust, you see. And when our youngest - Grace - graduated, only enough remained to keep us idle and young, as you can see."
"I hesitate to mention this," Lydia wavered. "But your eldest son entered the Business career, and your younger son dabbled in the Criminal career."
"Well, Adam was buying property left right and center once he graduated, or so Grace told me," Mrs Spencer raised her eyebrows. "She's the only one who checks in, you see. And Max was always delinquent. Of course, he didn't do it for the money. He had enough of his own."
"And do you know - what happened?" Lydia leaned in. "From the sounds of it, neither you or your husband, or the careers of your children, served to enrich them so valuably. It sounds rather like the lottery was won."
"We did think that at first," Mrs Spencer chuckled. "My husband and I learned not to expect answers. We were left with enough, of course. But my memory does fade."
A silence left Mrs Spencer glad for company, and Lydia more irritable than ever.
LEO
Leo followed the directions on the map, and his Yomoshoto's lights blinked twice at the pair he saw on the outskirts of the forest. He got out, where Hikari hugged him, and Conrad both sheepish, and frustrated.
"I only bought it a couple months ago," Conrad scratched his head, gesturing to his sports car. "I'm the man with this shit. If there were laneways, I'd buy a proper racing car."
"As long as you're both safe," Leo gestured. "C'mon. I should get you both home."
"My mother's gonna kill me," Hikari shivered, and Conrad unzipped his biker jacket.
Leo swung into the driver's seat, but Conrad rested his hand on the door.
"I owe ya, man. But I promise, if time's not on our side, I'll get us there faster."
Leo glanced to Hikari, who nodded.
"He's a good driver," Hikari promised, and Leo handed over the keys and got into the backseat, and Conrad revved the engine.
"Dude, you should really upgrade," Conrad swung the car into reverse, and aimed down the lane. "You've got the money, dontcha?"
"My father's money," Leo smiled, and felt a little awkward sitting alone in the backseat, chauffeured in his own car.
Garrett
"Well, it told me nothing I couldn't have figured out on my own," Lydia emerged from the bathroom, and sat at her dresser rubbing hand cream. "Garrett, are you listening? It seems the money isn't old at all. It seems to be some kind of lottery - but even lottery amounts have never been so high."
"Yes, dear," Garrett nodded absently. He sat on the edge of their bed. "I was just thinking about Maria."
"Well, we all saw it was happening," Lydia sniffed. "But to want to escape? She surely wants to preserve her husband's family from scandal."
"She said she had information," Garrett shrugged. "But if her husband's not even in the Criminal career anymore, I'm not sure what could be so damaging."
"If they were running for public office, I'm sure it is the type of information which would scarper their chances. I do agree with you there, dear," Lydia nodded. "But I'm beyond what makes them look bad. My curiosity remains unsated. What fell from the skies to give the Spencers such wealth, that it could not have landed in our lap all the same?"
The phone at their bedside rang, and Garrett glanced up, surprised for it was only to be in emergencies that calls were directed to his home. He picked it up.
"Garrett," came Adam Spencer's voice. "My son and niece are missing. I want the army helicopter to scour Pleasantview at once."