It was supposed to be easier than this.

Lynn snickered to herself as the thought appeared in her head, knowing that Erica would hear her.

You could at least be sympathetic.

Lynn laughed outright this time, and she knew Erica was rolling her eyes. The connection that let them hear each other's thoughts also let them feel each others actions, if they wanted to.

Why would I be? You're the one that wanted to meet and try to convince them to work with us. Also, thanks for waking me up. Meany.

Lynn pushed back the covers on the bed and sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes and sighing inwardly at the mess it must have been. Her silk nightgown fell neatly around her as she climbed out of bed and grabbed the glass of water on the bedside table.

Your fault. You shouldn't have slept in so late.

Erica laughed through the connection, then quickly shifted her attitude.

They're back.

Lynn rolled her eyes this time, but she was obediently silent and pushed Erica's thoughts to the back of her head, knowing the other girl would say something to get her attention when she wanted to 'talk' again or have her pay attention.

She grabbed her matching silk robe and walked out of the oversized bedroom. There was leftover pizza in the fridge that had her name on it--her name was literally on the box, thanks to Erica feeling the need to be crazy--and then she could get herself cleaned up.

"Good morning," the maid, Jen, smiled as Lynn walked into the room. Jen was always amused when Lynn walked into the kitchen in the morning, before she was dressed, when her hair was a mess and her eyes were still mostly unfocused.

"'Morning," Lynn mumbled.

"I assume you want the pizza in the fridge?"

"Yes, please." Lynn smiled, looking slightly more awake. She grabbed a coke out of the fridge while Jen heated up the cold pizza.

"Late night?"

I assure you, we have no other intentions...

"Yeah," Lynn answered, pushing Erica's thoughts to the back of her mind again. Nothing important, and the other girl would get her attention if she needed to hear something. "Yeah, Erica kept me up with her constant mumbling."

Jen laughed. "You can ignore her voice in your head, but you can't ignore her mumbling next to you?"

Lynn threw a napkin in the vauge direction of Jen, who just laughed again.

It was true, though. Lynn could push Erica's thoughts to the back of her mind, listening without really listening, but she couldn't do the same when Erica was mumbling or talking beside her. It was because Erica's thoughts were always present in her mind, and she was used to them, but she wasn't used to Erica's voice--and probably never would be. They didn't talk to each other all too much; there was no need to. Words were limiting; thoughts and emotions weren't. And then there were the times when she had to ignore Erica's thoughts.

"Just eat your pizza," Jen said.

"Okay, okay," Lynn mumbled, digging in to the pizza. Breakfast was one of the few times of day when she didn't have to act ladylike, and didn't have to hide the mental connection between her and Erica. Breakfast was one of Lynn's favorite times of day.

Lynn.

Lynn paused for a second in her eating.

I'm on my way back. Have Jen heat up some of that pizza for me?

Will do.

"Erica's on her way back. She'd like you to heat up some pizza for her, if you could."

"Sure," Jen replied easily.

Thanks. And, five-ish minutes.

"Thanks," Lynn repeated out loud. "And she'll be home in about five minutes."

"Did she get any sleep at all last night?" Jen asked as she pulled the pizza from the fridge slowly. There was no need to hurry.

"I doubt it. The Jakes probably kept her up all night, and I didn't hear her dreaming. And, she woke me up, though she was awake when I went to sleep."

"Poor girl."

"Psh. Yeah. Poor girl. Sure." Lynn laughed, and Erica's protests in her head made her laugh harder.

"Are you done making fun of me?" Erica said with her head in the door. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Of course," Jen said, glaring playfully at Lynn, who was still laughing.

"Nice to see you too, Lynn." Erica grinned, making her sarcasm sound a lot less sarcastic.

"You know I love you," Lynn replied, laughter finally subsiding.

Sure, I'll believe that.

Okay, fine, it's more like I can't live without you, but you can see how I can confuse that with love.

Erica laughed, and Jen rolled their eyes at them. She was used to their silent conversations and the feeling of always missing something. The two girls were close, in pretty much every way, and they often forgot that not everyone could hear their inner conversations. Jen sometimes wished she could be in on it, just to feel that kind of closeness. But she couldn't be, and so she lives with just being near them and doing as they ask.

So, how did it go?

"It went pretty well," Erica answered aloud so that Jen could hear too. "I had a little trouble staying quiet until they left, but I managed."

I almost thought they knew I was there. The kid kept glancing at the vent where I was hiding.

"Why did they come back early?" Jen asked.

"I'm not sure. I think there was a problem with their car."

"You got out alright and everything, though?" Jen looked slightly worried, even though she knew Erica would be okay.

Yes.

"Yes. The kid came with me willingly. Dropped him off at the police station. He was really happy to be away from the Jakes."

He didn't want me to leave him, though. I felt bad that I had to. He was so underfed, and pale. I'm probably the only one that's treated him well in years.

Lynn saw a picture of the boy from Erica's mind, and winced in sympathy.

Poor kid. But he'll be alright now.

"That's good." Jen smiled. "Poor kid. Now, eat your pizza before it's cold again and get some sleep."

Erica grinned back at Jen, and obligingly started eating her pizza. Lynn snickered at her.

I'm glad we found him so quickly. I don't think he could have made it another couple months. And he was so afraid of them. He didn't know me, but he didn't want to leave my side after he saw me.

Lynn shuddered at another picture from Erica's mind, glad that she hadn't been there herself, and even more glad that they had been able to find him within a week of getting the job.

Lynn's cell phone rang before she could say anything back to Erica, and she walked out of the kitchen as she answered.

"Lynn Smith," she answered.

"Hi," a slightly nervous voice answered. Resolving to be patient, Lynn walked into her 'office' and waited for the few seconds before the other voice said something again. "Um. I got your number from Ms. Austin, she said that you found her kid after she was kidnapped?"

"Yes, that's right. My partner and I specialize in finding lost kids." Lynn pulled open her filing cabinet and pulled the Austin file, and a blank file for this new job. "What can we do for you?"

"I was hoping you could, um, find someone for me. She's not... not my kid, but I kind of think of her as mine since she's always at my house-- but, well, her parents sent her away and--"

"And you want to know if she's okay?" Lynn wrote this quickly on the paper, and then an estimate on what to charge.

"Yes. And if she's well taken care of. Her parents, well, they were really bad people and I'm worried that something else has happened to their daughter."

"Alright. We do tend to have a nice fee for our services, just to warn you."

"I can pay you anything you want, as long as I have a few days to get it."

"Payment is worked out depending on how a person can pay, and we can figure that out later. Right now I need whatever information you can give me on the girl."

New job. Doesn't sound too complicated.

Those are the ones that are most complicated.

"Yes, of- of course. Whatever you need. Her name is Aurora Thomson..."

Lynn typed the information on her computer, asking the necessary questions about the girl's family and friends and life in general. She got the number of the caller-- Miss Ashley-- so that she could be contacted when they knew more about what would be required for the job.

Trust me. It'll turn out to be really complicated.

Lynn rolled her eyes, but conceded that Erica was probably right. The easiest sounding jobs always turned into the most complicated.

XxX

What do you think?

Lynn thought for a minute, about what Miss Ashley had told her, and about what the thought of the woman herself.

I think she's really worried about this girl. From what she told me of the parents, I think the girl is still alive. We'll find her and see how she is, and go from there.

Sounds simple enough.

But like you said, those are the jobs that turn out to be the worst.

Yeah. I know. But maybe this will be different.

We can hope, eh?