Linh's POV

         Linh had been stalking Glimmer for weeks and she still hadn't found anything suspicious about her. It was getting really annoying. What made it more annoying was the fact that Tam seemed happier around her. 

            Ugh. Why couldn't he be happier around Linh than stupid Glimmer? She hadn't even told them her real name. Also, she thought he liked Biana. Biana liked Tam, and they would be good together. But of course, Tam, the shade, had to go for Glimmer, the mysterious flasher. 

             They didn't even know what she looked like! Linh just wanted to do something interesting. She was bored. The Neverseen hadn't attacked for a long time, and so all she had been doing was going to school. 

              She wanted to show people that she wasn't helpless. Everyone knew she was powerful, but they all thought that about her power. But she was also strong and brave. She felt horrible for Dex and Sophie. She couldn't imagine a parent that she loved go missing! She would be perfectly fine with Quan or Mai going missing, she didn't care about them. 

            The doorbell rang and Linh ran to get it. She could still hear Tam and Glimmer talking upstairs. She rolled her eyes as she pulled the door open. Sophie, Dex, and Keefe were standing there with grim expressions. "Sophie! Dex! How are you?" She asked worriedly, pulling them into a hug.

            Before they could answer, Keefe said, "Hey, don't I get a hug?" Linh hugged him as well and noticed Sophie staring at them. Keefe must have felt her emotions because he grinned and let go. Linh sighed internally. When would Keefe tell Sophie how he felt? It was obvious to everyone except Sophie. And maybe Fitz.

            Linh turned her focus back on Sophie and Dex and repeated the question. Dex didn't seem to be listening, so Sophie answered for both of them. "We're doing okay, and we have a plan. Could we come in? We have to talk to you and your brother. Oh, and Wylie." 

            Linh raised an eyebrow. "Glimmer will be wanting to listen too, you know," she said. Sophie sighed. "I forgot that she was living here," she said, turning to Dex. "Do you think Bex will want us to tell her, too?" 

             Dex shook his head. "Probably best if we just do the people she mentioned," he said, and Sophie nodded. Knowing Dex's family, Linh didn't ask why they were listening to orders from Dex's younger sister and instead invited them inside.

              They sat down on the couch in the living room and Linh called Tam and Wylie. When they came in, Linh walked over to Tam and whispered in his ear. "They want to talk to us. Without  Glimmer." 

               Tam rolled his eyes and turned to Glimmer. "Sorry, Glimmer, but they don't want you here," he said bluntly. Linh didn't like Glimmer very much, but Tam did and he was just being plain rude. 

               "What my brother means to say is that Sophie and Keefe and Dex have some news for us, and..." Linh wasn't sure what else to say, so Glimmer nodded in understanding and left. Tam glared at them all. "Way to make her feel welcome," he said saltily. 

               Linh rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like saying they don't want you here will make her feel more welcome." Tam glared at her. "I was just telling her what you said." Before Linh could yell at him more, Sophie interrupted. 

              "Guys. So you know how my mom is missing?" She asked. Linh and Tam nodded sheepishly. She felt horrible. She was arguing with her brother, while Sophie and Dex's moms were missing. 

              "Anyway," Sophie continued, "We want to go look for her. And Dex's mom. Ourselves. And we're being blackmailed to take you or else Dex's younger sister will tell Kesler, Alden, Grady, and the Council."

              That explained what they were talking about earlier. Tam nodded in approval like he was impressed, then stopped when he noticed Keefe doing the same thing. They glared at each other for a little, then turned their attention back to Sophie when she cleared her throat. 

              Linh bounced on the balls of her feet, barely containing her excitement. "Oooh, this is such a good idea! I've been so bored with nothing to do! Of course, we'll help!" 

              Sophie smiled at her. "I'm glad you're okay with this. But we also need Biana, Maruca, Marella, and Stina." 

              "Not Maruca," Wylie said at the same time that Linh said, "Stina?" Sophie nodded at her and shrugged then turned to Wylie. "We don't want her to come either. But if she doesn't come, then Bex will tell everyone, and we won't be able to search for them at all. Please, Wylie, I need to do this for my mom. We'll protect her. She can handle herself, though, she's really brave."

              "I know she's brave, but...ugh. Fine. But everyone better take care of her," he said, giving in. Everyone nodded and Linh grinned again. She was so excited! Finally, she would be doing something!

Sophie's POV

              Marella and Maruca immediately said yes. But they were now at Stina's house, and it was going to be hard to convince her. They went up to their door, but when Stina answered and didn't invite them in, Sophie just explained the problem at the door. 

                Sophie did not expect Stina to say, "I'm in." Sophie stared at her in shock. "You are?" Stina nodded. "I've been bored out of my mind here alone, and I want to get out and do something," 

                "Me too!" Linh called out from the back of the group.

                "Anyway, my parents won't want me to, so that's an added bonus. I'll get my stuff. Where do I meet you and when?"

                 "Um, at Havenfield, at, um, let's say in an hour." Stina nodded and went inside. 

                 Sophie turned around, still in shock. Keefe caught her eye and made a face. Sophie giggled and walked back to her friends. "Okay, so the last house is F- the Vackers'." She had almost slipped and said Fitz's, but no one seemed to catch that except Keefe. He smiled at her that made her insides fluttery. 

                "Okay, this may be the hardest house yet, because, um, Bex said to only take Biana. So Fitz might get a little upset." Tam snorted, Linh giggled, Keefe rolled his eyes, and Wylie laughed. Dex was still staring into space, but everyone seemed to know that Fitz was not going to be happy. 

                  Sophie took a deep breath and held her leaping crystal up to the sky. She gave Keefe a small smile and stepped into the light. She waited outside the gates of Everglen until everyone had arrived. She slowly opened the gate and went inside, happy that she was with real friends.

Sorry that the chapter was kind of short, but I will keep writing as much as possible. Hopefully a chapter every day, but I might skip someday because of writer's block. Does anyone have any ideas to add to the story? Thank you for reading!

P.S. 199 days until Unlocked comes out!