"Good. I have a problem."

Texas stiffened, her ears pricked in excitement. She wasn't entirely used to helping people off the street. Most of her missions were assigned to her from the Director. But at this point, she'd help save a turtle.

The lady motioned for them to follow her, then she turned and walked down the balcony, her steps wobbly and uneven. They watched her for a few seconds, almost unsure of what to do. There's the off chance that this could be a trick. A ploy to get us in the dark to either be killed or kidnapped. But, there's another chance that this lady might actually be in danger and need our assistance. I'm in no position to help, considering I'm technically no longer in the Logistics. But who am I to turn down a person in need? She began to follow the lady across the balcony to the sidewalk.

Lappland gaped at her. "Tex?! You actually believe this broad?"

Texas looked over her shoulder, a stone look on her face. "Yes, I do." She turned and jogged after her, slipping into the bar, the door sliding shut in her wake.

Lappland stood their, arms limp at her sides. "It's official. She's gone loco."

Exusiai shrugged but began to follow. "Like I said, Texas is a handful. Try to keep up."

***

The three of them sat at a booth, squeezed tight next to each other. The lady sat across from them, her milky eyes grazing over each of them as if deciding if they were qualified or not to accept her secret mission. Lappland couldn't have looked more bored. She sat in between Texas and Exusiai, her head resting in her left hand. She played with the menu, knowing they weren't ordering anything but details on what the lady wanted.

With a loud cough, the lady began, snatching the menu from Lappland so she would pay attention. "This is deadly important. But you can't breathe a word to anyone."

Lappland chuckled. "What? Are you in some kind of trouble with the law?"

The lady glared at her. Eventually the awkwardness of the situation made Lappland uncomfortable. She held up her hands in surrender. "Ok, ok, sorry."

The lady huffed and continued, clearly annoyed about being interrupted. "My name is Betra, and my sweet little niece is in need of your help. She was kidnapped by some evil man a few days ago, and I'm extremely worried about her state. I've tried contacting the police, but they won't do anything because they say 'there's nothing they can do.' Can you believe that? Police officers who won't even do their job!"

Texas listened intently. This definitely didn't sound like a trick. This sounded serious. A poor girl getting kidnapped by a stranger? Something like that rarely happens on Rhode Island. This lady must be from somewhere else. The fact that she must've had to travel an awfully long way to save her niece was incredible.

"I've contacted everyone I know. None of them can help me. You're my last resort." The lady looked desperate. She reached her hand out and took hold of Texas's. Her pleading eyes were wide with hope, but also overshadowed in fear. "Will you help me?"

The lady certainly knew how to put up a good argument. While she wasn't allowed, technically, to help someone with this sort of problem, which was the type of problem the Logistics handled, Texas couldn't say no. It was clear that she was in deep need of assistance, and if no one else was going to help, what reason would Texas have to say no as well? Her job was to protect Rhode Island. For the first time, she was extending her swords to aid new people with their own unique situations. After all, she signed a contract that said she would always help those in need.

Exusiai held up a hand, flashing her best smile. "Very sorry, but we need to discuss this as a group before launching on a rescue mission. Excuse us!" The lady watched as Exusiai scrambled out of the booth, tripping several times. She then grabbed Texas and Lappland and dragged them outside. The chilly night wind made Texas shiver involuntarily.

"Ok, there's no way we can do this." Exusiai said flat out. "We were laid off Penguin Logistics, but she thinks we still work for them. Now, I know I'm usually super duper helpful, but going on this type of mission with no backup or help from Logistics is kinda pushing it."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Angel is right." Lappland said.

"My name is Exusiai, not Angel, but thank you." Exusiai smiled.

"We don't know what we might be getting into." Lappland continued. "Let's look at this logically. Some strange lady suddenly pops up and happens to hear Exusiai say we're from Penguin Logistics. It might be so that she was spying on us. And that story? Pfft. I didn't believe it for a second. She laid it out a little too thick, in my opinion."

"And she never told us the nieces name. Maybe while she was coming up with a story, she never thought up a name for her." Exusiai added, wagging her finger back and forth. "I'll tell ya. Something doesn't add up."

Texas just listened to their notions, hands in her pockets. None of them were wrong, only a little far fetched. What purpose would an old lady have for lying about some kidnapped niece? But it is possible for the lady to be working for someone. She's the perfect bait. Nobody suspects a sweet old lady of criminal behaviour. And as Exusiai put it, the lady never mentioned a name. Perhaps she just didn't get to it at that time. So many thoughts and theories swam around her head. She struggled to focus on one at a time, so she decided to go with her heart.

"I say we help her."

Lappland and Exusiai stared at her, almost in disbelief. "How can you believe that quack of a story?" Lappland barked. "It was clear she was making it up."

Texas shrugged idly. "I see no logical reason for Betra to lie. She gave us solid information and told us her name, be it her real name or not. I can't perceive her actions as false, simply because we don't know her. On that note, I see no reason for us not to help her."

The two stared unblinking, as if in a trance. With that, Texas turned and walked back into the bar, sitting down across from Betra.

"We'll help."

The smile on the lady's face said all Texas needed to know.