Insomnia Wake #Wattys2016

Chapter 20 - Going Forward Without Thinking Is The Best Way To Handle A Problem

The doors to the Headquarters slid open and I looked over.

"Neuman!" shouted Ariel as soon as her eyes found me laying down on the couch. She ran to me. "You're okay!"

"Yeah, somehow," I said, standing up.

"We were told that he made it here safely after all," said Buddy as he joined us. "What all happened?"

I explained all that happened since we were split up. Throughout the story their faces seemed to only get more and more surprised. When I finished even they were speechless for a while.

"Well then." Buddy shook his head at the ground. "That's quite the adventure you had there."

"There was good news in there though!" exclaimed Ariel. "You have a power! It's confirmed!"

"Yeah, but I have no idea what it is."

"You'll figure it out eventually! Anyways, this is what happened to us."

The two of them filled me in on their side of the story. They didn't have too much new information to provide me, but at least I knew more about who we were messing with. Urbain and Havel sound like dangerous men, and they're nothing compared to their boss. One thing was for sure: we needed to get far stronger before we could do anything. The question was how.

"Oh yeah, what are they doing here?" I pointed to the crew of three who were sitting on the ground on the other side of the room.

"Go fish!" said Kayson to Bishop.

"Dang. I guess I'll just have to find my fishing pole then. Or do you have one in your purse, Marion?"

Marion's palm met her face in an audible slap. "I thought we were playing One?!"

"We are, I just told him to go fish. I felt like it would help his patience."

"Marion! Do you or do you not have a fishing pole in there?!"

She sighed. "Yes, that is indeed something that he could work on."

Ariel interrupted their fiasco and invited them over.

"The Defenestrator Squad is complete at last!" said Bishop.

Kayson agreed.

"Wait, why are we suddenly part of your squad?!" Ariel crossed her arms. "If anything you all should become part of the Odd Squad because you wanted to tag along with us!"

That's your issue with it?!

"Yeah alright."

Don't give in so easily!

"There you have it Neuman!" Ariel smiled. "They came because we decided to work together!"

I don't believe "we" means what you think it does. I sighed. "Well, the more of us there are then the better off we probably are." I looked at the five faces in front of me. They each had their quirks, but they were all good, fun people. They seemed to understand my desire to chase after my brother without me even saying it. Arlen, just you wait. We'll get to you, stronger than ever! "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Took you long enough," said Buddy with a smirk. He lead us out the door. "All aboard the couch to South Vespuccia!"

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We raced through the air, the sun setting over the land below us. I leaned back in the seat and watched the trees flow below me. Buddy was of course driving, and
Ariel was throwing her hands back behind her to feel the full extent of the rush of air.