Just so you know, I think this series is going nowhere as well.
At the moment, Lincoln and Whitney were heading over to the club, since it was the open tonight. They had a great time together, but now they think the night was just beginning. As they headed over there, they already saw some friends of theirs waiting outside; Mandee, Jackie, Chaz, Parvanna, Lyberti and Rex, to be exact. Mandee and Jackie were looking pretty worn out, and both Lincoln and Whitney could take a wild guess why.
"Well, looks like some of you guys are already here.", Whitney said to them.
"How's it going with Chaz, you two?", Lincoln asked.
Mandee replied, "We've been better."
Jackie added, "I feel like an old woman. How were things with you two?"
"It was great!", said Whitney. "Lincoln is such a nice guy to have around. He helped me out with my hair a lot."
A few days earlier, Lincoln was helping Whitney out with the curly part of her hair.
"You sure you don't mind doing this, Lincoln?", asked Whitney.
"Not at all.", answered Lincoln. "I used to help out with my sisters' hair all the time."
"Well, they'd be fools to reject your help.", Whitney remarked.
Lincoln then said, "If I may ask, why do you have so much trouble with your hair?"
"It just...gets in the way a lot.", Whitney answered.
"Like...like what?", Lincoln asked.
"Well, one time, it got caught on a closed window...", Whitney explained.
It was then that Whitney remembered when the wind close a window she was leaning on, and her hair got stuck for hours...
"Then, there was the rosebush..."
Then, she begins to remember the one time she fell face first into a rosebush, and she ended with thorns stuck in hair and face...
"And then, the fan..."
And, there's was the worst memory of all, where hair was somehow caught in a ceiling fan...
"I'm not even sure how that one happened.", Whitney said. "Oh, in my hands even got caught in my hair once, but I'd rather not talk about that."
"Ooookaaaay.". Lincoln said, weirded out. "Welp, I'm just about finished here."
"Awesome.", Whitney said. "And since there's still some day time left, wanna go play some tennis with me outside?"
"I don't know. I never really played it before.", Lincoln said.
Whitney replied, "I'm sure you'll do fine."
"Okay.", Lincoln accepted.
Heading outside and grabbing a pair of tennis rackets and balls along the way, the two engaged in a friendly game of tennis. And, Lincoln wasn't very good at it; he was decent, but just not the best.
"You got this, Lincoln!", Whitney told him. "It's all about timing and arm strength!"
"Okay! I got this!", Lincoln said with confidence.
He may have gotten hit in the face a few times with a tennis ball. But, from Whitney's perspective, he really was doing alright...
"Okay, I think we should take a break.", Lincoln said with exhuastion.
Whitney remarked, "You did great."
"You think so, huh?", asked Lincoln.
Whitney replied, "Yeah, of course, I do."
"Meh. Could've been better for me.", Lincoln remarked
"Ah, come here.", Whitney said.
Kneeling to get down to his level, Whitney surprises Lincoln with a small kiss on the cheek, which caused him to blush. Feeling flattered, Lincoln returns the favor by surprising Whitney with a tight hug, and she too embraced him the same way.
Hearing about the time Lincoln and Whitney spent together made everyone feel touched. But now, it was their turn to ask how their time went...
"So...Mandee, Jackie, how'd it go with Chaz?", Whitney asked.
Mandee replied, "...It was a workout."
"A painful one.", jackie added.
"Uh, guys?"
It was then that everyone noticed that Chaz was stuck in the front door.
"A little help?", he said.
"Unbelievable.", Mandee said.
"We've had to deal with that all weekend.", Jackie explained. "Mandee, I think it's your turn."
"Come on! My arms are half dead at this point!", complained Mandee.
"Just do it!", Jackie yelled.
"Fine.", Mandee sadly accepted.
With that, Mandee begins to push Chaz through the door with her right arm and shoulder. Yet, she fails to notice that Jackie had taken out her phone and begins to videotape the whole thing.
"Dang it, Chaz! Why do you have to be so fat?!", Mandee yelled in frutration.
"Hey!", Chaz said back.
"Oh, hush! You know it's true!", Mandee said as she continued to push.
"Heh. This is gold.", Jackie said as she recorded it all.
Parvana asked them, "Have you two had to deal with this a lot?"
"Unfortunately, yes.", answered Jackie. "He even got stuck in our porch door, and it was a slider! Though...I blame Mandee."
"Huh.", Parvana thought.
After Mandee decides to kick Chaz through the door because she was getting tired, everyone else went and headed over to a table to talk about the plan they had in store.
"So, have any of you thought of a way to keep the Louds from finding Lincoln?", Whitney asked them.
"Actually, we have.", Lyberti begins to explain. "You see, we've managed to convince some of our friends to go all around Royal Woods in look out for them."
"How the heck did you manage to do that?", Lincoln asked.
"We have our ways.", Lyberti said weirdly. "Which reminds me..."
And then she takes out a walkie-talkie.
"Shannon, are you in position?"
Somewhere in Royal Woods, Shannon was on the rooftop of a building overlooking most of the town."
"Yep, I'm here.", Shannon answered.
"Any sign of the Louds yet?", Lyberti asked through the walkie-talkie
"Nothing from where I'm standing.", Shannon says while running her hand through her hair. "But, the others have gotten a few sightings of them."
"Good. Carry on.", Lyberti said.
"So...do you all keep in touch with each other through walkie-talkies?", Lincoln then asked.
"Not just that, but also something else.", Parvana explained. "Allow me to show you."
Getting up, Parvana was about to walk away to go get something, and it was then that Whitney noticed something Parvana's Hijab that seemed a bit off...
"Um, Parvana?", Whitney began to ask.
"What is it?", she answered.
"Where did that stain come from?", Whitney asked her.
Parvana replied"What stain?"
"On your...", Whitney points to her head.
"Oh, my hijab?", Parvana said, adjusting it. "It's just from time I let Lincoln use it."
"I...used it as a tissue.", Lincoln said awkwardly.
"Seriously?", Whitney said, almost grossed out.
"I didn't mind. He needed it.", Parvana explained. "Now, if you excuse me..."
Heading to pick up something, it turned out to be some kind of computer. Opening it, the screen turned onto Carol, who was somewhere else in Royal Woods.
"Hey, Carol. How's it going?", Parvana asked.
"I wish I picked a better spot to stakeout.", Carol whined. "It smells like a dumpster."
"...That's because you're right next to one.", Parvana explained.
Carol was in an alleyway, with a smelly old dumpster in it.
"Right.", Carol accepted.
Parvana then asked, "Any sign of the Louds from your position?"
"Actually, yeah.", Carol said. "I see Mr. and Mrs. Loud right now."
Rita and Lynn Sr. were seen near a clothing store from where Carol stood. Soon after, they head in.
"They're heading to some kind of clothing store." She said. "I'm going in after them."
"Okay, just don't get caught.", Parvana told her.
Heading into the clothing store, Carol hides behind a few racks of clothing, while continuing to monitor the Louds, who seem to be looking for some clothes themselves.
"Hmm, guess they're taking a break from searching.", Carol thought.
What do you think, honey? You think these could fit me?", Rita said, holding a pair of leggings.
"I'd say they look good on your just fine.", Lynn Sr. said, flirting.
"Oh, Lynn.", Rita said, flustered.
Carol shuddered, saying, "I did not need to see that."
"Neither did we.", Parvana said, grossed out.
"Why do they always do stuff like that?", asked Lincoln, embarrassed about his parents right now.
"Keep doing what you're doing, Carol.", Parvana said. "We'll be in touch."
"Alright.", Carol said.
Typing on the computer, Parvana switched the video feed over to Miguel, who was a large water tower. And by the look on his face, he seemed afraid.
"Miguel? How's it going up there?"
"Oh, fine! Fine! Just peachy!", Miguel said sarcastically.
"Are you sure?", Parvana asked. "It doesn't sound too peachy."
"I...may have forgot to tell you this, but...I'm afraid of heights.", Miguel struggled to say.
"Seriously?", asked Lyberti, surprised. "You chose to do a rooftop patrol, saying you were okay with it!"
"Yeah, I didn't expect to be so high off the ground, where it feels like I'm gonna die!", Miguel yelled out.
"Well, just try some deep breathing then.", Jackie told him. "And tell us if you see anything from where you're standing."
"But, it's cold as-", Miguel began to say.
"Next!", Parvana said, typing on the computer.
And now, the video feed switches over to Fiona, who looked like she was in a car right now. A ford to be exact, with a red flame pain job. She was actually eating right now, since this seemed to be taking a while.
"Hey, guys.", said Fiona, taking a bite out of her snack.
"Hello, Fiona.", Parvana said. "Do you see the Louds from where you are?"
"Nothing yet. You know, it's kinda late.", Fiona explained. "You really think they would be-? Wait. Nevermind, I see them. Two of them, anyway."
"Who do you see?", asked Parvana.
"Looks like Lori and Lola.", Fiona said.
Lincoln's looked like he was having some mixed emotions after hearing the names of his sisters. Speaking of who, Lori and Lola were not at all happy right now. They were pretty mad, not at their family, Ronnie Anne and certainly not Lincoln. It was more like they were angry at themselves, and each other.
"You know, this is kinda your fault, Lori!", Lola yelled.
"Don't put this all on me!", Lori said back. "You're responsible for this too!"
"If you didn't treat Lincoln so badly for just that one mistake, he would still be home with right now!", Lola continue to complain.
"We both treated him badly!", Lori told her. Don't think you're coming off clean here!"
"Whatever!", Lola growled. 'But we don't deserve to be treated like dirt for what we did!"
"We had it coming, Lola! Don't you see that?!" Lori roared. "We pretty much deserve everything that was coming our way!"
After that outburst, their anger turned to sadness, realizing how bad they both are.
"I miss him.", Lola said with tears forming in her eyes.
"So do I.", Lori said in a low voice.
While they continued to walk by, Fiona, who hid in the car, listened to everything and felt bad for them both...
"Did...did you guys here all that?", Fiona asked them.
"Yep. I'm starting to feel bad for them.", Parvana said. "What do you think, Lincoln?"
Turning to Lincoln, they saw that the boy was on the verge of crying...
"I miss them too!", Lincoln cried out with a breaking voice.
With that, Lincoln hugs Mandee, who was sitting next to him and she just comforts while the others start to feel bad about all this. Jackie and Rex especially, since they were right next to both of them. Meanwhile, Fiona was listening in, feeling bad too about how Lincoln missing his sisters.
"Sorry you had to witness that, Lincoln.", Fiona said, giving her condolences.
"It's okay.", Lincoln said, sniffing.
"Should I keep tracking them?", Fiona asked.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Fiona.", Parvana warned her. "It'd look creepy if they find out somebody is following them around with a car.'
"Right. So, what do you want me to do now?", Fiona asked.
"Hmm...go over to where Miguel is at.", Parvana said. "He could use some help getting off the water tower."
"Got it. I'll be in touch, guys.", said Fiona as she signed off.
There was one last person to check up on, and that was Mazzy. Switching over to her frequency, they found her eating a burrito...
"Mmm...Heeey.", Mazzy said while taking a break.
"Hey, Mazzy. Do you see anything from where you're standing?", asked Parvana.
"Nope, sorry.", Mazzy said, taking another bite. "I've check like three times, still nothing."
Lincoln then asked her, "Wait, are you at Flip's?"
"Noooo...why ask?", Mazzy asked sheepishly.
"I can see the sign."
Mazzy felt a little embarrassed about the situation, turning around to see Flip's Food & Fuel right behind her...
"...My bad.", Mazzy said with a full mouth.
"Mazzy!", yelled Parvana.
Lyberti told her, "Stay focused!"
"You need to keep watch for the Louds!", Whitney complained.
"I was hungry!", Mazzy argued. Give me a break!"
"Please, just get back to your post when you can.", Parvana sighed.
"Got it. Don't worry.", Mazzy said.
Whitney rolled her eyes as she said, "We'll be getting more people out there soon, Lincoln."
"Okay, but if I may ask...", Lincoln said. "Don't you guys think you're taking this whole thing a bit too seriously?"
"Don't worry, Lincoln.", Whitney said. We have a perfect reason for all this. Trust us."
Accepting, Lincoln said, "Okay then."
He knew they were hiding something from him, and it had to have been something bit, considering what steps they're taking to defend. If it was that bad, it made Lincoln worry, wondering what exactly was going on around here. The others could see how Lincoln was growing concerned, and they quickly decide to snap him out of it.
"Uh, Parvana?", Whitney asked. "Why don't you go with Lincoln to get some food, alright?"
"Sure! I'll do just that!", Parvana said over-enthusiastically. "Come along, Lincoln!"
"Uh, Okay.", said Lincoln, unsure.
As Parvana took Lincoln over to the buffet table, the others gather up after avoiding a close call.
"Okay, that seemed a little too close.", Whitney sighed. "I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this from him."
"We have to.", said Mandee. "It's the only way we can protect him for right now."
"He's eventually gonna find out anyway, he's a smart kid.", Jackie added,
"Yeah, but I don't think telling him right now is gonna make the situation any better.", Mandee said.
"Mandee's right. The less he knows, the better.", Whitney said. "With HER still out there, we can't afford to take any chances."
"I never liked that psycho chick.", Jackie said. "Always figured she had some loose screws."
"That doesn't matter.", Whitney pointed out. "If our hunch is correct and she's after Lincoln, protecting him this way is safer for him and his family."
The person they were talking about was somewhere in the woods, in an abandoned warehouse, the only place she claimed to be her home. Whoever it was, they were training themselves to fight with naginata spear, slashing, thrusting, spinning it like a bow staff. With every blow that she made, each seemed more vicious than the last, cutting through the ground, the walls, a few dummies she had put for herself to mutilate. And once she was done, as she could barely catch her breath, she tossed her weapon aside and headed over to a table, on the tables and taped to the walls were pictures of some popular teens all from Royal words. The one she had marked...was a picture of Lincoln...
"How I envy you, kid. You got so much to love. A family who doesn't disrespect you, friends who don't neglect you. You have it all...everything I never had."
Taking a knife, she stabs through the picture of Lincoln, shredding the face apart."
"Don't worry though. I'll soon rid you of these burdens. Once I find where you are."
Tossing the torn up picture aside, she gets her naginata and heads for the door. In the light of the moon, she could be seen wearing a leather jacket, dark red shirt with a snake symbol on it, a green skirt with yellow stripes. She had a jade necklace wrapped in a golden snake, her hair was neon purple tied in two long ponytails behind her head, and on her face, there was make up that seemed be running from tears for some time. Placing her weapon on her back, she looks over to the town near by...
"I'll make them remember. I'll make them notice me."