"theres a lady who knows
all that glitters is gold . . ."
in which a wannabe hero leaves the safety of her own life to help a girl
with a very strange problem.
...
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DJ DIDN'T REALLY LIKE THE COLD.
Being from Southern California gave DJ a slight intolerance for the cold. She spent most of the time at Dick's in Detroit in his apartment, and most of the time since she had met Rachel indoors.
DJ shivered outside the dingy gas station Dick had stopped at, leaning against the car her babysitter traded his expensive car for. She didn't care all that much, she was happy with Gar and Rachel in the back until like a half an hour after they left the Caulder Mansion, then they were arguing over how little space the three teenagers had.
She held her phone up to her ear, waiting slightly impatiently while it ringed. DJ sighed in relief as her mom's voice on the other end said, "DJ?"
"Mom." DJ replied, a smile spreading across her face.
DJ had been unable to call or text anybody since the Convent explosion. She couldn't exactly have a conversation running with Rachel, and she didn't get any cell reception at the Caulder Mansion. And she couldn't really call her parents or siblings and risk Gar or Rachel hearing something that hinted at her family's other job.
"DJ! Where have you been? I haven't heard from you in hours." Laurel replied, the worry pouring over her words.
Another voice spoke on the other side of the phone. "Is that DJ?"
DJ's smile turned into a grin. "Dad!"
"What happened? You haven't updated us on anything. We've been worried sick." Oliver said, and DJ felt guilt crawling into her chest.
"I'm sorry, but I was in a place that like, hated cell phones or something." DJ answered, not even sure where to begin explaining the Caulder Mansion and it's inhabitants and what happened within it's walls.
DJ attempted to start at the convent explosion, and she got to being found in the wilderness by Gar, but Dick had finished filling up the car's gas tank, and was calling for everyone to get back in the car. In addition to DJ hanging around the car, with her parents on the phone, Rachel had gone to the bathroom, and Gar was carrying a shopping bag filled with snacks. Only Kory was in the car, sitting in the passenger seat.
"Hey, I'll text you or something, Dick's trying to get us into the car." DJ said into the phone.
"You better text us, Baby Bird. Get to the part of your explanation where you couldn't call us at all." Laurel said.
DJ smiled. "I love you."
"We love you, too. Stay safe." Her parents said, and hung up the phone.
DJ put her phone back in her pocket and hopped in the back of car. Gar climbed in next to her, pulling the bag of snacks to his lap and opening a bag of candy. "Want one?" Gar asked, offering the bag over to DJ.
She smiled. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks, though."
Gar waved his hand in a 'don't mention it's kind of way. "So what's the plan?" DJ asked, a smirk on her face.
