Underground

33

Estelle
Two hours later, we had a Riverdale style detective board, complete with strings of yarn attaching the twins.
"You can be Betty if I can be Jughead." August says, winking.
I shove him. "Shut up."
"Anyway, where should we start?" He asks.
I point at a dark haired girl named Anneliesee Citree. "She looks vaguely familiar."
"Really?"
I nod. "I have an idea."
"What is this idea?" He asks.
"It's very risky." I say.
"How risky?" He asks.
"Worst case scenario, I die." I answer.
"Maybe it's not the best idea." He says quickly.
I sigh. "Dying is very rare."
"Okay, I feel like that's obvious."
"Just wait here." I say, walking to the office, grabbing a few pencils, a paper, and the matches by the vanilla scented candle.
I walk back into the living room, setting the supplies on the coffee table before getting to work. I write her name, along with the Pangaean symbol for location, an astrix with a little crystal in the center.
Then I light the paper on fire, chanting lightly, going into a trance.
She walks through a hallway, her barefeet clicking against the floor. She looks at herself in the full length mirror.
"I wish it wasn't this." She says to herself, looking down at her calloused hands, a small blue flame erupting in her palms.
She runs down the hallway, looking out at the skyline, a Portland water tower on the horizon.
Then my hand is doused in water, an electrical feeling going through my fingers. "She's in Portland."
August hold a towel to my nose, concern dancing in his eyes.
"Aug, she's in Portland." I say.
"Hold still." He says, dabbing my nose with the dish towel.
I lower his arm with my hand holding his face in my other hand, running my thumb against his cheek. "We need to go to Portland."
"You're bleeding." He says in the same demanding tone.
I put my hand up to my nose, feeling a warm liquid. "I overworked myself."
"I shouldn't have let you do that." He murmurs.
"Aug, I'm fine." I assure. "I promise."
"God, you just went into this trance and you wouldn't stop staring at the TV, and Atlas kept whining. I thought you were possessed." He rants.
"I'm not, I'm fine." I say, touching his bicep lightly.
He looks straight into my eyes. "Tell me something she would only know."
"Ned Flenderson is your best friend, your favorite food is pizza. When you focus you get a little crease right there." I pause and point at the space between his eyebrows. "You have 3 sisters, Rebecca, Trisha, and Kathryn. You sleep shirtless unless it's cold. Shall I go on?"
"Okay, it is you." He says, taking the towel off my face.
"We must go to Portland." I say. "We need to get Anneliesee."
"That's an hour drive, are you sure?" He asks.
I nod.
"Well, what are we waiting for?"
***
An hour later, we were in Portland.
We park next to a pub and get out.
"Can you feel her or something?" August asks.
I shake my head. "But I could probably pinpoint where she is."
"Did you see something specific in your sight?"
I point at the Portland water tower, then follow it over to a skyscraper. "There."
We get back into the car and speed toward the skyscraper.
I get out first, starting toward the building.
We reach the front counter lady.
"Hello miss, how can I help you?"  She asks.
I feel a hand on the small of my back. "Well, my husband here dropped our son off at his babysitter's apartment."
"Yes, do you want me to buzz them?" She asks.
I sigh. "Problem is, he forgot what apartment number it is."
"Oh that's an issue." She laughs.
"We were wondering if you could just give us the number and we can go pick him up." I offer.
"I suppose. What's the tennant's name?" She asks.
"Annaliesee Citree." I say, looking over at a blushing August.
She nods. "Gordon Syko's new roommate. Room 67."
"Thank you." I say, walking toward the stairwell, August following.
"Mrs. Jones." August smiles. "Why all of a sudden are we married?"
I wink. "It was the most likely story."
"God you're cute, what's our son's name?"
"Joshua Rian Jones." I say. "He's three months old."
"Cute." He smiles, stepping out of the stairwell once the sign says 64-67.
I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him, before quickly pulling out of his reach.
We stop in front of Apartment 67, and knock on the door.
A tall lumber blonde guy opens the door. "Yes?"
"We need to see Anneliesee." I demand.
"You're not one of those scientists right?" He asks, boredom dripping off his tone.
"No, I'm Pangaean as well." I say.
"Oh cool." He drones, stepping aside to let us in. "She's in the back."
August and I walk through the decently sized apartment.
Once we get to the back, we immediately hear weeping through a door.
I step forward and push the door.
Anneliesee was curled on a cot, sobbing.
"Anneliesee." I say, barely muttering the words before she springs up and tackles me.
She grabs a fistful of hair and pulls. 
I headbutt her, making her roll over, clutching her forehead.
Hastily, I roll over on top of her, holding her shoulders down.
I sit up, using my knees to sit just above her stomach. "English?"
"Little." She says.
"Okay." I say. "We help. Rewen." Which translates to save.
She nods a little.
"Come with us." I say.
"Where?"
"Home." I say, notioning to August and myself. "Our home."
"Pangaea?" She asks.
I shake my head. 
She motions to August. "Pangaean?"
"No." I motion between us again. "Poweema." Which translates into love.
"Pregnant?" She asks.
My eyes to wide. "No."
"Baby?" She asks.
I shake my head. "Come home?"
She thinks for a second, before nodding her head.
I stand up, letting her stand and collect her things as well.
"That was easy." August says.
"It was only easy because she has no one." I say. "Just you wait until we have to collect people that have made roots, or don't need anyone."