Misty's Point Of View;
She showed me her phone with the last location of a microchip that supposedly belonged to the Angela I knew. As she explained what she thinks likely happened to her I could hardly believe it. Angela couldn't be dead, I don't believe it! I won't believe it! She would have said something if someone was out to get her, right?

My head felt like it was spinning so I dropped the tablet out of my hand so I could hold my head. My breathing seemed to be uneasy. I had to get out of this room and away from here. I took off running. I heard Angela call after me but I didn't stop as I ran through what seemed like a never-ending hallway. I wasn't really aware of where I was going, I was just running to help me process my thoughts.

It can't be true, please don't let it be true. She would have told me or our uncle. When we picked her up that day I admit she was uneasy. But could it really be because it was a plot against her life? No! Please let it be no. As my thoughts were trying to make sense of this information my emotions got the better of me as tears began to stream down my face.

I very well knew that the answer was she would not have told me as she would have wanted to handle it herself. She knew how both uncle and I would worry. Forget this family reunion. All I wanted was to have that part of the ocean checked out. I was now noisily sobbing while running with my head down. Because of that, I ran right into someone and we both fell down. I stayed on the ground facing upward with my eyes close as I continued to cry. What if it was true that she was dead?

The person I had run into now stood over me and blocked the light casting a shadow. I didn't care who it was, I just wanted to be alone right now. Then I heard a familiar voice that made me even more upset. Of all the persons to run into at this time, why him? The minute I opened my eyes a flash of a phone camera blinded me.

"Hey Misty, that you buddy. Where are you going in such a hurry? Want to say something to my viewers? Wait- are you crying?"

"Going to my room Austin.... now just leave me alone," I answered between sobs.

"Well, you're nowhere close to it. You're in the yard," He replied pointing upwards showing a night sky with decorative golden lights that hung from the routine of a house roof-shaped wooden structure.

As I got off the floor and got a hold of my emotions I realized that I was near the doorway to the outside where the reunion was to take place. I had run all the way over here to this side of the house in such a short space of time. It was decorated beautifully with the lights above the tables and chairs. The tables were in a pattern of round and rectangular with each having a centerpiece of a twisting structure with a bouquet of white flowers. Aunt went all out for this as family meant the world to her. How will she handle this news? Her niece is gone so near when Mr. Fransis, her older brother is gone also.

"My dad and I just got here and he went to look for your uncle. So where's Angela? I want to get her take on all this," Austin continued completely ignoring the part with me asking him to leave me alone.

"Why ask me? She could be anywhere, this place is pretty big," I answered feeling a pang of guilt because in a sense it was true.

"Um yeah but usually you're always around her. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get any alone time with her when you're around? And believe me, I've tried," He said with a smirk and I rolled my eyes at that statement.

I turned to go back inside to leave this idiot out there but he seemed to be following me. I just couldn't deal with him and his vlog right now. It was no secret that he idolized Angela and counting the fact that he rivals my channel makes me even more upset he's here. I stopped walking and faced him but he no longer had his phone out as he met up to me. 

"I'm not going to where Angela is. I'm going to my room to finish get ready. So do you mind not following me?"

"Who says I'm following you? I'm going to go meet my dad, he must be speaking to your uncle by now. I may take pictures there," He answered shrugging his shoulders. Considering that Uncle's room is right next to mine it made sense that we both had to go in the same direction.

Since he had passed in front of me at that point I was now behind him strolling somberly. My thoughts go back to Angela and the terrible news. What should I do? Should I tell Uncle Alaric? Tears and sobs start back again and I stop walking this time. Instead, I dropped to my knees because of grief considering the situation.

I then felt a hand on my shoulder causing me to look up. It was Austin and he looked concerned as he handed me a rag. He didn't say anything and I was glad for that cause I really didn't want to hear anything. He just sat next to me for a while until I calmed down enough to get up and we both continued to walk. I stopped off when we got to my room and went in while he went over to where Alaric and his dad were talking.

I stood in front of my mirror for a while and considered the facts as I looked at my reflection. The facts of the matter were that the Angela I knew was missing and the only lead of her whereabouts is a microchip that can be tracked. I have to get that location and use Uncle Alaric's connections to get a search team out there. I hope it's not true but if it is, it would be better than not knowing at all. I take a deep breath and tried to get ready for the reunion. Then I would meet this other Angela and get her to give me the location.

Since it was a semi-formal event, I wore a suit but left out the tie that I bought at the mall earlier. It was a shiny yellow shirt and an off light purple pants. I washed my face and when I finished set my hair, I came out. My eyes were still a little puffy so even though wearing sunglasses at night would seem ridiculous, I took one with a frame that matched my pants. That way it could be seen as an accessory.

I went over to where Angel's room is and knocked. She may not be my Angela but she has been filling in her role all this time. She also has saved my life and even Uncle's, though she didn't know us. So she may be just as innocent in all of this so it's fair to trust her now. The tablet I dropped earlier has all of the theories Edger Francis worked on and my Angela had put it back a few weeks ago.

She must have had a reason for that, she could of made some sort of advancement in it to cause the arrival of another her? But why would she want another Angela to be here? That was what I had to find out. But she obviously didn't want anyone to know about it, so I have to keep quiet about it also. Which means I have to keep Austin as far away from this as possible. I knocked on the door a couple of times but got no answer so I decided to call out while knocking this time.

"Angela! Open up, I want to talk to you!"

There was no reply and at the same time, I got a text from Alaric saying that the reunion was beginning. Maybe he sent her a text also and she's going there.

When I got out to the back yard it was filled with relatives. I was the only one representing my side of the family since they were all busy working in their hometowns. I greeted a few of them as I was looking for my seat that would be near Alaric. I also kept looking for Angela at the same time. I had no doubt that Alaric would be sitting next to Jordon Porker who was Austin's dad. They were best friends since his college days for some reason.

Aunt Sung had begun talking on stage asking everyone to take their seats as she was probably going to say a few words of welcome to everyone. As my eyes scrolled through the crowd for Alaric I noticed his friend, Jordon, in his loud suit as waved me over. He was just as wacky as his son. When I saw him earlier he just had on the white shirt with a yellow bow tie.

I didn't know he had a jacket to match. Ugh! The only reason I wore yellow also is because it makes purple stand out more. Now I felt like changing cause if uncle and he decides to do one of those weird line dances, I want to be able to claim I don't know them. Austin's appearance was the same as when I saw him earlier wearing a dark blue hoodie and a light blue T-shirt inside. with Uncle was sitting with them across from him and that was my place too. Austin was there but Angela wasn't.

I wanted to ask Uncle if he texted her also but as soon as I sat down Austin had his phone out recording and started to whisper at me some very annoying questions instead of paying more attention to what was happening on stage.

"Hey Misty, what did you do to Angela? Isn't she suppose to sit with us."

"What do you mean by what I did to her?" I said making my irritation known.

"She must be upset with you. I haven't seen her since I got here and she's missing the reunion speech. Your uncle texted her earlier but still no reply,"  He said from across the table.

"Well, she didn't really have to reply. I told her to wait outside for Karla. She's off duty so I invited her and I don't think she really knows the house layout," Uncle Alaric put in before I could answer. It was probably for the best because I would have just told Austin to mind his business.

"Are you satisfied now Austin? Can you just pay attention to what's happening on stage and stop bugging me now?" I said resting back on my seat.

"Shh guys, I can't hear," Mr. Porker interrupted.

It was no problem for me to quiet down as I didn't want to discuss this with Austin anymore. But he seemed unsatisfied with that answer so he put his phone back in his pocket and got up from the table. Aunt Sung now finished with her welcome speech that was supposedly funny to the audience. She then began introducing a performer on stage.

I really had to figure out where this other Angela is. I had doubts that she was actually out waiting for Karla cause if she was ideally waiting she would be on her phone. The waiters started to serve food to all the tables. I didn't stay for that and got to the bathroom where it would be quiet enough to call her. On my way there I must have called her about 5 times but it just went straight to voicemail. I left a voice message on the last call when I closed the door to the bathroom. Then as I turned around to head back out I bump into Austin again.

"Dude why are standing so close behind me?"

"Well, I was going to tap you on the shoulder,"

"Well, you missed," I said as I walked passed him but he got back in front of me blocking the entrance.

"What is your problem, man?"

"Angela's phone went to voicemail and I've been calling her since I saw you earlier. And it's been that way since," He said in a worried tone.

"Where did you get her number from? I know she never gave it to you," I responded dismissing his worry.

"I have my sources, but what's important now is finding her and having you apologize for whatever you said or did," He said getting a little irritated. I wasn't going to let him take that tone with me.

"And why do you think that I'm the cause of her not showing up!" 

"You're the closest to her and your personality makes you easy to be upset at," He said making eye contact with me.

"Listen here you-" Before I could finish he raised his voice more

"No, you listen OK! Forget about our conflict right now. This is about Angela. Where is she? Cause believe it or not other people, who are not you like it when she's around. If you two aren't getting along, fine but-" 

I knew he was right so I sighed and then tried to put his mind at ease also. "I'm not responsible for her not coming, she made that choice on her own. And of course others like having her around. She's a hero and for you a real boost to your channel."

"Is that why you think I'm concerned? Cause of my channel, internet popularity may be your sole concern but I have a life offline!"

I passed him and head back to the yard while purposely knocking his shoulder. If he's talking about what I think he's talking about, then that's just as bad. I'm a friend enough to my cousin and she doesn't need any guy coming in to complicate her life even more. She already has a huge responsibility. As I walk down the corridor of the party I noticed that it was quiet. There was no music or even my aunt talking on the microphone.

There was nothing and as the yard came into sight I saw people were knocked out and some even with their heads resting on the plates of their food. I crouched down and hid to see what was going on as I moved closer. The waiters were in a corner at gunpoint by the security guards aunt herself had hired. Aunt Sung along with the performers was also in the same situation but on stage. Austin was not too far behind me and did the same but instead took out his phone and began to record secretly. He was even worse than me

One of the security guards who seemed to be the one in charge took the microphone that was hooked up to the speakers of the house so everyone both inside and outside could hear it.

Man: ANGELA! IF YOU VALUE YOUR FAMILY'S LIVES! SURRENDER YOURSELF!! OR YOUR AUNT HERE IS HISTORY! YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO. AFTER THAT EVERY 30 SECONDS THAT PASS WILL MEAN ONE LESS PERSON TO INVITE TO THE NEXT REUNION! YOU'RE TIME STARTS NOW!

Both Austin and I looked at each other when he said that. I could see we both had the same thought running through our minds. We need Angela now more than ever as both his dad and the rest of my family's lives were on the line. That's when the realization hit me that this Angela would not be familiar with the house. So she could be still at the lab or wandering the grounds.

I had to get her and bring her here and the first place to look would be the last place I saw her. So I ran down the hall in the opposite direction of the yard but not without getting Austin's attention. The house had some of the security guards also and we had to keep running at a certain pace if we would make it to where Angela was. As we both ran away from them Austin had the decency to put away the camera. Although that hardly mattered right now as I was too worried about the rest of my family to care about what he recorded. The important thing was avoiding running into more security guards and getting Angela to help.