It had been a few months since encountering Icy. Shurki was trying to find another place to get the ingredients she still needed. She wasn't going back to that mountain. She would not risk losing Isabel. Speaking of the girl, she was now under great protection. The guards guarded any way Icy could get to Isa. Elena was confused and frustrated. She didn't know how Esteban got out of jail. It had been four months, but still no sign of him. What if Icy kidnapped him? What if she had him, but she changed her lair so no one knew where she was? That's probably what she did. The guards checked her old lair, but she had moved. Now, they couldn't find her new lair. Elena hoped Esteban would be okay.
Poor Isabel was still terrified. She had nightmares every night. She was afraid Icy would somehow manage to get her. She made a promise. Icy was probably going to make sure she kept it. Isabel would show Shuriki her inventions. Shuriki seemed impressed by her skill to invent. One thing still ran through Isabel's mind. What about her parents? Were they going to be dead forever? Shuriki said she was going to find another way. But… what if there wasn't? What if the mountain was the only place the ingredients are? They would have to go back to the mountain. Sure, Icy's lair was moved, but that didn't mean she couldn't still be lurking around. Isabel wondered where Esteban was. Shuriki and Elena told her he was also searching for another way. It's been three months, and he still hasn't shown. She had a feeling they lied to her. Something else was going on.
Elena and Shuriki were best friends now. They talked and hung out with each other. They were now frenemies. They never thought they'd make it this far. They never thought they'd be friends. Elena hated Shuriki for killing her parents. Shuriki didn't like Elena because she didn't like her. They would always remember the one thing that brought them together… Isabel.
The trio were now eating dinner. Shuriki had made lasagna because it was Isa's favorite. Shuriki and Isabel did not want Elena to cook. Not even Elena trusted herself. Isabel moaned with every bite she took. Elena and Shuriki giggled.
" I'm assuming you're enjoying the meal," Shuriki said.
" Mm hm," Isabel answered. She swallowed her last bite of food. " What really happened to Esteban?"
Elena and Shuriki looked at each other. They knew they couldn't keep it a secret forever. Isabel waited impatiently for an answer. She wanted the truth and only the truth.
" We- we don't know," Shuriki finally admitted.
" What do you mean you don't know?" Isabel asked, getting angry.
" He escaped prison a few months ago, we haven't seen him since, we don't know where he is, we can't locate him, we have guards searching for him, but we know nothing," Elena explained.
" We think Icy captured him," Shuriki added.
" He's probably dead then," Isabel remarked.
" Oh, don't talk like that, Isa," Elena commanded.
Isabel looked at Shuriki. " Do you like, like him?"
" Isa, that's rude, you don't ask people that," Elena scolded.
" Sorry, Isabel apologized.
Shuriki gently lifted up Isa's chin. " And what about you? Do you like, like Esteban?" she asked.
" Ew, no, he's my primo!" Isabel shouted.
Elena and Shuriki bursted out laughing. Isabel watched them for a few seconds. She crossed her arms and scowled at them.
" What's so funny?" she inquired.
" Uh, your hair is all messy," Elena lied.
" It always is," Isabel replied.
Shuriki and Elena laughed some more. Isabel banged her head on the table. She tried to think of ways to get them back. Then she had an idea. She got up and walked away. Shuriki and Elena looked confused.
" You think we hurt her feelings?" Shuriki inquired.
" Nope, she's trying to get back at us," Elena answered.
" So, yeah, we kinda did," Shuriki said.
Elena shook her head with annoyance. The two of them went the way Isabel went. They tippy toed everywhere they went. They had no idea where she was. They heard Isabel's giggling and followed where it was coming from. They went into a room, but found a recorder on a table in the room. Isabel recorded her voice to trick them.
" Clever girl," Shuriki mumbled.
They exited the room. They continued looking for Isabel with no luck. Where did she go?
" Let's beat her at her own game," Elena commanded.
" What do you mean?" Shuriki inquired.
" We stop looking for her and she'll come back," Elena explained.
" Oh, okay," Shuriki replied.
They went back to the kitchen. They sat down at the table. A few minutes passed and Isabel still didn't show. Shuriki started to become worried. Elena seemed to know what Isabel was trying to do. They both noticed something was different. Their food was gone.
" Hey, where is our food!?" Elena asked.
" I ate it!"
Shuriki and Elena turned around. Isabel came out of the cabinet she was hiding in. Elena looked pissed. Shuriki looked shocked and confused.
" Okay, okay, you got us," Elena said.
" Yeah, I did! You guys should've seen your faces!"
Elena was about to say something when the doorbell rang. The trio glanced at each other. They went to the front door. They carefully opened the door. They stayed alert in case it was Icy. It wasn't Icy, though. It was… Esteban.