Chapter 2

After parking the car, Lance is looking around the camp. But before he can call out for his father, a rustling sound can be heard. Lance soon finds where the sound is coming from, as he is now approaching a bush right beside one of the cabins.

Lance: "Dad? Dad! I came to see you before heading home. How'd you been old timer?"

However, it's not Leonard Loud, Lance's father, who is crawling around in the bush. But a cute, medium-sized, gray dog, probably only a year or two old, bearing a purple collar. Who jumps out of the bush and runs up to a very surprised Lance, trying to give him kisses, all while her tail is wagging happily.

Lance: "Hey there girl!"

He says with a smile, as he bends down on one knee to give the dog head pets.

Lance: "Did my dad adopt you? Make sense, it can get pretty lonely for someone to live in a big empty camp like this one just by themselves. Well…"

Much to the dog's sadness, Lance gets up from the ground and makes his way into one of the cabins.

Lance: "I guess I'll just have to see Dad later. I have a mission to start."

But as soon as the word mission reached the pup's ears. She put her nose near the ground and started to track. Back with Lance in the cabin, we see him guiding his hands across the wall looking for something.

Lance: "It should still be …" (Finds a teeny hole in the wall): "It is!"

After inserting his pinky figure in the hole, Lance raises it up. And with the sound of a click, the way starts to open. Showing that part of the wall is a secret door and once it's fully open a secret room is revealed.

Lance (Shocked): "Lynn?!"

Lynn Sr. (Turns away from an open window and telescope): "Lance?!"

Lance and Lynn Sr.: "What are you doing here?!"

The two brothers said in sync as they collided with each other for a hug. Meanwhile, down the hill, Luna is going over a checklist with her group.

Luna: "Tents set up."

Shane and Sully (Standing by the tents): "Check."

Luna: "All the food tied up high on a branch."

Sam (Sitting high on top of a tree branch): "Check!"

She tugs on the rope that is holding up all the food that is being stored in a cooler high off the ground.

Sam: "Not even an adorable little bear cub can cut through this knot."

Luna: "Fire pit built along with the seats set around it."

Mazzy (Setting up the last fold-up chair): "Check and double-check!"

While they're doing this, Lance and Lynn Sr. are watching them from their secret hideout via the telescope that the latter has brought with him.

Lance: "Geeze Lynn, this not a very good telescope you brought. I can barely see what the kids are doing through it."

Lynn Sr.: "It's only one I could find on such short notice."

Lynn Sr. starts to look around the room for either another telescope or a pair of binoculars. Much to his brother's annoyance.

Lance: "Lynn…no one knew that our secret summer hideout was even here for years. Not even Dad knew about it. And he spent hours looking for us whenever Mr. Rinsler wanted each camper to go through his homemade dirt maze."

Lynn Sr. (Shivers in response): "I'm so glad he stopped doing that before retiring. Each maze got dustier year after year."

Back at the campsite, after putting the checklist away. Our band of campers put on their hiking bags, each grabbing their water bottles, or canines for Luna and Sam's case. And off they go on a hike through the forest. With Sully leading the way, Sam and Mazzy behind him, and Luna and Shane are in the back, giving the cousins a chance to catch up.

Shane: "So, your dad almost burst out into tears when he dropped you off like mine did?"

Luna (Annoyed): "More like almost started a new river as soon as I set foot out of Vanzilla. I'm telling you Cuz, ever since Lori left for college, Popstar has been attached to me and my sibs more than ever. Not even poor little Lily can go to the park without Officer Coddle and Smother making sure she is wearing double knee and elbow pads."

Shane (With a raised brow): "Double..."

Luna: "She fell and got a scrape on her elbow a few weeks ago."

After taking a deep breath, a smile develops on Shane's face.

Shane: "Well, at least our Dads are giving us a chance to do something on our own. That shows a new level of trust when I think of it."

Luna (Develops a smile of her own): "At least it's better than Dad pacing back and forth worrying about every single thing I do."

Lynn Sr. was actually doing that, worrying what horrible things could pop out of the trees and bushes to attack his little rocker, if she's not careful. Right before his foot got caught in a hole in the floorboard, causing him to trip and fall flat on his face.

Lynn Sr. (Lifts his head): "We need to get these floorboards replaced."

Lance: "Wait Lynn…"

He gets down on one knee next to an opening left behind by the floorboard that Lynn Sr. tripped on lifting it up.

Lance: "I think you opened a secret compartment."

And how right Lance is, as he takes out a metal case from the open floor, with a title plate on top that says in big capital letters: THE ALL-SEEING EYE.

End of Chapter 2