"This is Cambridge, and this is Somerville. Oh, and this is Everett. All these places and more are areas you'll have to navigate through. I don't think it will be very hard. Get a cab, name the place and it'll take you there." Beagle ran her index finger over the partly torn and yellowed map, her pink eyes tracing every name on it.

All nine of them were gathered in a small yet bright room that Beagle explained was for planning and preparing. Preparing for what, she didn't specify. Looking over the room now, Texas saw that there was a skylight. The outside was covered in sticks and leaves, but the light it let in was enough. A few feeble lights swung idly back and forth from the ceiling, casting dancing shadows along the walls and floor. Sora sneezed, which made her jump.

"Sorry," she mumbled and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"How and why do you guys live here?" Lappland asked. She poked one of the swinging lights with her fingertip, making it wobble.

"No reason, really. It's easy to find places like this here. We don't necessarily make a heck ton of money, but we still like it here. Makes us look mysterious." Beagle said with a wave of her hand.

"Yeah, and you have to make sure not to stomp too hard, or everything will collapse." Kroos said. Her smile didn't fit the sentence she shared, but she couldn't seem to not smile. Ever since they came into the room, Kroos had been all smiles. Exusiai felt like her smile job was being taken over.

"Now we know how to kill them," Lappland whispered to Texas. Texas elbowed her to keep quiet, but also found herself struggling to hide a smile. Why would that make me smile? It was a stupid comment that wasn't at all appropriate. But yet, that stupid comment...made me smile? Why? Exusiai has a hard enough time with this. In all honesty, I do humor her sometimes by flashing a tight smile, but this is different. Way different.

Shaking her smile away, Texas was back to her old stoic expression. "How far until we reach New York?"

"Eh, shouldn't be too far. Like Beagle said, you might need to take a plane." Fang said with a shrug. Her long purple hair fell behind her back like silk, her spear still in her hands like Texas and her team would strike any second. Red was no better. She stood at the back of the room, arms crossed and a vexed look on her face. A long and fluffy tail flicked to the side every now and then, proof that she was annoyed.

"Wait, do we really need to take a plane? Can't we drive?" Lappland said, her voice almost sounding like panic.

"Sure, if you want to drive for two to three days." Beagle said. "We can give you money for the plane tickets, then you'll be good to go."

"But didn't you say you didn't make a whole lot of money?" Sora asked. "We wouldn't want to take all of it."

Beagle chuckled. "No, we have some stored away. We'd be happy to give you some."

"No, we wouldn't." Red interrupted. She moved off the wall and came over to Beagle. "We don't know these people and now you want to give away our money? Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. These people need our help." Beagle replied.

"How do we know there even is a missing kid? They could be making it all up." Red barked. She casted a glare to Lappland, who smiled and waved.

Texas slapped her hand. "That's not helping."

"I gotta be me," Lappland affirmed with a grin.

"Red, maybe you should give these girls a chance. After all, you'll be taking them to the airport." Beagle said pointedly.

Red froze. "What?"

Lappland shook her head. "No. Nope. Absolutely not. Let us get lost on our own. She'll lead us to a ditch somewhere!"

"Isn't that a little accusatory?" Sora asked softly.

"Why me?" Red complained. "Why not Fang? She knows Boston better than me. Make her go."

"Sorry, but I can't." Fang said. "Kroos and I are working on a puzzle that can't be ignored."

Texas raised an eyebrow at that. A puzzle? Something as small and insignificant as that could outweigh the needs of action? These girls really had their priorities straight.

Red huffed. "Fine. I'll do it. But don't expect me to be nice about it."

"We weren't." Croissant said quickly.

"Before we leave, I have one last query." Texas said as her team began to file out of the room.

"Shoot," Beagle said. She sat down in an old chair and folded her hands in her lap.

"Do you have any connections to Rhode Island? You seemed to let us off the hook because we're from there. Have you ever been to Penguin Logistics?"

Beagle looked thoughtful for a second, her eyes scanning Texas as if looking for anything false or out of order. "Yes, I have several connections to both Rhode Island and Penguin Logistics. I sometimes work there for a few months before coming back here."

Kroos nodded. "Yep! It's fun."

"And tiring," Fang added.

Texas nodded. So. These girls are part-time Logistics members. I'd never have known if they'd never told me. They certainly don't look the part, but they sure can play the part.