Kingdom Keepers: Next Generation (Unfinished/Unedited) *Republished

Chapter 6- Spy Time

Sofia's POV

A few hours after movie night ended, I stood just around the corner from my parent's bedroom. I was listening to a conversation they were having about Wanda.

"Finn, I want to find him, just as much as you do but..." my mom hesitated. "It's hard to believe they are back."

"I know Amanda but, they have come back before. You know what Mattie said." Who's Mattie?

"I completely trust Mattie, but it was years ago. We were 18. That part of our lives is over."

"After everything we have been through, we should know by now, anything is possible."

My mom was silent for a few moments.

"What are we going to tell the kids? Oliver never babysits them by himself, he is always with Jess. And this is very short notice. Tomorrow? I mean, I understand why but, where are we going to even look? If it is them, where would they take him? Why would they take him?"

"The more important question is: How do they know he is alive? Judge Doom killed him in Toontown."

I didn't think I could get any more confused. My parents were up to something not possible. I had to leave before they found me standing here. I walked over to my brother's room, directly next to mine. There used to be a connector, but when we turned 12, my mom said that we needed some privacy. I knocked quietly.

"Come in!" Lucas said from inside his room. I walked in and found him sitting in his chair by his computer.

"What are you doing?" I asked standing behind him.

"Researching." He said simply.

I looked at his computer. He had several tabs open: "Disney Announces Models Auditions for New Hologram Hosts" "Kids Chosen for Disney DHI project" "DHIs Open at the Magic Kingdom" "DHIs are a Huge Success!" "Magic Kingdom puts on Best Firework Show Ever Seen for Private Party" "Lightning Strikes Cinderella Castle at DHI Day Celebration" "Witch and 2 Boys Seen Flying from Cinderella Castle after Lightning Strikes" "Strange Events in Animal Kingdom- DHIs involved" "Two girls seen helping 'Kingdom Keepers' at Animal Kingdom" "Kingdom Keepers Book Released" "Disney Villains attack Panama Canal 'Kingdom Keepers' Cruise" "Panic at Panama Canal Opening Ceremony!" "Odd Events at Disneyland".

"Why are you looking at this?" I asked.

"I think they are looking for Wayne Kresky." He said.

"Who?" I asked, confused.

"He is the one who came up with the idea of hologram hosts. He designed the technology. The only thing is..." He hesitated. "He supposedly died in 2009."

I looked at him. I decided to tell him what I had overheard. When I finished, he said, "Now I'm positive."

"How is that even possible?" I asked him.

He looked at me. "How are we possible?" he said to me. I looked at him. I knew he was right. I nodded.

"Same plan?" he asked.

"Yes." I replied.

The next day, all of my parents' friends' children came over to our house, because it was the biggest. My uncle Oliver, Emma's dad, was going to watch all 13 of us. We relied on the fact that Uncle Oliver would be too busy with Carter, Logan, Ella, Amelia, William, Aria, Evelyn, and Mila to notice us leaving. After my parents left, we asked Uncle Oliver if we could go on a bike ride. He said yes, playing with Aria, Mila, and Carter. We left quickly. I grabbed my bike and put on my helmet quickly as Eli, with his silver bike, Emma, with her pink bike, Alexander with his orange bike, and Lucas with his red and black bike did the same. We split up, Alexander giving us walkie-talkies beforehand. We left in different directions looking for one or more of our parents' cars. Suddenly, Eli's voice came on the walkie's speaker.

"I've got them all on Waterlily Drive!"

"Heading your way!" I said, pedaling faster.

We all met up and followed our parents a little bit behind them. We arrived backstage at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We scattered behind a scenic area. There was a bench, two rather large oak trees, several thinner/smaller trees, lots of flowers, and a huge rose bush. Emma and Alex took the bush, Eli took the smaller of the two oak trees, and Lucas and I took the larger tree. Behind us was forest, so we didn't have to look back. We watched as our parents were shown into a large studio. Two security guards were stationed outside.

"Dang it!" I said.

"If we could get up to that window, we could see what was going on. But I don't see how we can..." Lucas was cut off abruptly by Eli.

"I know how to get us up there." He said. We looked at him incredulously. He was looking at the side of the building. I saw what he was looking at. There was a person on a ladder painting the side of the building. The ladder led all the way up to a part of the roof that led to a skylight.

"How do we get him down?" I asked.

"Leave it to me." Emma said. Before we could stop her, she walked briskly to the base of the ladder, avoiding the security guards who didn't seem to notice her. She got the attention of the painter, who politely came down the ladder to talk to her. She guided him towards another soundstage, talking to him. As he turned away from her, she beckoned towards us to get up the ladder.

"Come on!" I said, leading the boys to the ladder. We hurried to the ladder. Alex climbed first, then Eli, Lucas, and finally me. I looked towards Emma, who was hurrying back. She climbed the ladder.

"How did you...?" I asked.

"I told him I was looking for the nearest bathroom. When I apologized for bringing him down, he said it was time for his lunch break anyway. I circled back around and you guys were up here." She answered.

"Come on," Alex said, nervous.

We hurried over to the skylight. We positioned ourselves so we couldn't be seen. Thanks to one of the panels being opened, we had sound. Lucas and Alex both pulled out notebooks and pens. Two of a kind, well, almost. They took notes on what everyone was doing while Emma, Eli, and I listened. We watched as about a dozen people worked a green stage area. Then, our parents came out wearing green tights and leotard-like costumes. I listened as a man spoke.

"This is like déjà vu. Alright, guys, ready?" he said.

"Of course, Joe." My mother said.

They had never mentioned a Joe to me, and by the look on Lucas' face, he hadn't either. Our parents posed and did athletic things while the team recorded it. They had a break about an hour in. They sat down on the side and we could hear them talking to the man named Joe.

"I wish this was under different circumstances." Joe said.

"Wayne isn't one to just disappear. Not without telling anybody." My dad said.

"I just hope it is due to something else." Joe said.

"I think we all do." Aunt Charlene said.

"How possible is it that they would be back?" Uncle Terry said.

"They have been gone a long time." Aunt Willa said.

"But they have resurrected Maleficent before." Uncle Dell said

I looked at my friends. Did he just say Maleficent? The fairy from Sleeping Beauty? They seemed just as confused as I was.

"True," Joe said.

"When will we cross-over?" Uncle Terry said.

"Tonight," Joe said. "We can have you online."

"I think we should just scout tonight. Hopefully, somebody may know something." My dad said.

The rest of the adults nodded.

Then, out of nowhere, my dad looked up. We all ducked. We waited.

Finally, I said, "We should go before Uncle Oliver figures out how long we've been gone."