TWELVE

  Chelsea pocketed Majesty, what good was a sword against an earthquake and a heatwave? She turned to Justin,

"Is this going to be like the Tony incident?"

"Much worse." He answered finding his balance. She began running out of the yard. "Caves where are you going?"

"To make sure my friends are okay. Here, we don't get earthquakes."

"Caves get back here!" But she was already gone. He sighed and went after her. She's so tiresome.

Chelsea couldn't believe this was happening again, she wondered what was happening around the world. She noticed Justin catch up to her. "Tell me about this Hell Gate."

"Exactly what the name says, the gates of hell, Tartarus, punishment-"

"I think I get it."

"Basically hell in clashing into earth. In those days boundaries were very thin and dimensions could easily clash into each other." He checked to make sure she was getting everything. "That's why the gates were created- as boundaries. But like you, immortal beings don't like being told what to do."

"Am I supposed to to be sad or insulted?"

"Take your pick." He said as they crossed the street. People were definitely panicking. The police weren't making it any easier, mainly because they were as confused as everyone else. Clearly the city didn't have 'how to handle earthquakes" in its emergency procedures.

"Any luck on our third Keeper?" Chelsea asked Justin again.

"If I did we'd be halfway to their city by now."

Out of the blue, the earthquake gradually stopped. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"How come finding this third Keeper is so much harder than the first two?"

Justin shook his head. She hated it when he did that, like he was so smart. It wasn't her fault that she didn't grow up with adults that deal with mystical stuff. She wondered how things would have been if she had grown up with her dad and he really told her about her mum. Things would have been different.

"For starters," Justin said bringing her back to earth. "Tony and Nate were some what famous so definitely finding the on the Internet would be easy, which means right now, our Keeper is a normal person."

"That's the best you can come up with?"

He ignored her. "I searched the name of the last fourth Keeper, his last known location but nothing came up. No job, no nothing no sign that he might have even had a kid."

"Maybe you're missing something out."

"You try working with scarp." He flared, frustrated.

"Jeez, cool it." She said blithely. She guessed she should have watched what she said but she was definitely not apologizing for giving her opinion. Before both of them could take their argument any further they noticed someone coming their way.

Chelsea felt the familiar sense of being in an uncomfortable spot.

"Chelsea, there you are Tyler said he saw-" Ray was about to continue but then he noticed Justin. He frowned. "Oh its you, from her birthday party."

She really wished he hadn't brought that up.

"Who are you anyway?"

"Tutor." Chelsea said just as Justin said, "cousin."

They stared at each other

"Cousin."

"Tutor." Justin eyed her.

"So which one?" Ray narrowed his eyes ay both of them.

Chelsea kept her eyes to the ground and bit her bottom lip out of embarrassment. Justin wasn't about to be stared down by some minor so instead he turned to Chelsea.

"I'll see you later. The name is Wong." With that he left.

When Justin was gone, Ray said. "I just wanted to check on you... it seems you're alright." He began to leave.

"Ray, wait." He stopped. "Thanks I appreciate it. Hope you and your grandma are okay?"

"Didn't know you actually cared about what's up with me and Nelly when you're hanging out with Mr tall, dark and attractive."

"Don't be like that he's my cousin-"

"And tutor? For god's dakes I don't know why we even bother anymore. If you're going to keep lying to us at least, make an effort to hide it so we don't feel hurt."

She sighed. "Are you going to tell Nelly?"

"I don't think so."

She was sure he just knew she was lying but not what she did so she felt somewhat relieved. "I'm sorry. I'll see you guys tonight you know for the movie."

He bagan to go again. "If its not cancelled yet."

When he had left Chelsea made her way home. Another day of total failure to keep her life in check. She remembered what Justin had said before he left. Wong. Now why was that name familiar?

She got home and leaned on the wooden fence. Throwing stones absent mindedly at the shrubs. Justin had given her the name in that you-think-you-can-do-it-then-do-it voice, which meant she'd better find answer or he would not let her hear the end of it. He was immortal now so he could torture her as long as she lived.

Which she guessed wouldn't be long because she was so sure she'd die soon. The feeling just kept nagging at her more than ever now. She shook her head to clear her mind. She pulled out her phone and typed 'Wong' into the Google search engine.

Let's say about a thousand links came up. Why me?

"Chelsea how you doing?"

She was slightly startled. The sounds of the real world had faded so far back she hadn't counted on someone actually calling her. She looked up from her phone in time to see one of her friends Tyler. He was dark skinned and really friendly, and could've actually joined the soccer team if he didn't prefer video games amd libraries.

"Did I scare you?"

"No Ty, I was just carried away."

"With what?" He peered down at her phone screen. "Wong?"

"Yeah. I can't really explain why I'm searching it." She sighed.

"I remember we had a classmate with that last name."

Her head snapped up in attention. "What did say Ty?"

"Some Elizabeth Wong, weird kid. She stayed with her mum before they moved out of town."

"What about her dad?"

"She never spoke of him."

"Where did they move to?"

He placed his chin in his hand, thinking. "Her former best friend said maybe Washington."

Chelsea hugged him. "Ty you're a genius."

"I know- hey Ray was looking for you earlier. Those were some nasty shakes."

"Don't worry everything will be just fine." She ran into the house.

Ty smiled. That girl is so wierd.

"Hello, Justin. Where are you?" Chelsea asked once she was up in her room. She had put her phone on loudspeaker and was packing her bags. She had to make a call to her dad soon.

"What's the problem?"

Answering my question with another question well done Yang. "I got the info we need we're heading to Washington."

"Washington?"

This time the voice wasn't from her phone. She turned from her wardrobe to see Justin sitting at her desk. She bit back a shriek, her room was a mess, clothes and other personal stuff everywhere. How had he gotten in?

"What are- how did you-"

"Forget that and explain to me why we're going to Washington."

She gritted her teeth and explained her discussion with Ty.

"So we're travelling halfway across the country just because of some lead from your friend- which may be wrong?"

"It's called taking a chance."

"No its called a coincidence."

"Quite helpful isn't it?"

He said nothing. She smirked, finally she'd nailed him.

Justin scrutinised something on his phone before looking up at her. "Over the last few days, death rates around the world have gone up. Father time told me just before I got here. These earthquakes they're happening everywhere. But they're stronger at...Washington."

Chelsea felt like doing her victory dance, that was if she had one. She put making one on her to do list but for now, she'd settle for gloating. "I told you so."

"Shut up. How long will it take to make arrangements from your dad."

"Give it four days." She shrugged.

"I so hope you're right about this."

She stared out the window to the darking skies. "Me too."

Chelsea made herself comfortable in the seat of the private jet, she as really counting on this Washington DC trip not to be a wild goose chase. She had told her friends that she was going to see her dad. They were so happy for her, even Ray.

"So what are you going to say when they ask you what your dad's like?" Justin asked after taking a sip from his soda.

"I'll find so business magazine with his face in it or I'll just say he didn't come." She replied, her tone bitter.

"You've had a history with lying haven't you?" He was trying to be jovial but clearly she wasn't in the mood.

"If you need me I'll be in the back."

He watched her stomp out with her bag. He was trying not to care but in a way, he did.

Chelsea found a nice spot and pulled out her mum's journal,  she had been looking through it the night before and found out it was like some sort of instruction manual, Just like Yang had said.

Most pages had headings like topics in textbooks, everything was in lovely handwriting.  Her mum's writing. Majesty. The AO. Information on different mystical beings and other things of interest. Chelsea closed her eyes and began flipping, hopefully she'd land on something that could actually be useful in future.

After about a minute, she stopped and cracked her eyes open. Summoners. She scanned through. Apparently, Summoners were beings who could summon spirits, creatures or even objects. Powerful beings who could even summon immortal beings across dimensions to do their bidding.

Amazing. But this wasn't what she was looking for. She turned the page but still, there was more on the Summoners. She felt she had to at least finish it. But before she could glance another paragraph she was interrupted.

"Miss Caves?"

She looked up. It was Mr Rickman, their chaperone and her dad's close friend. He had this always stern look on his face and was probably in his early forties, wearing a crisp suit. She stowed the book out of sight.

"May I ask what you were doing on thr floor?"

"Just reading." She gave a bright smile.

He rolled his eyes. " I just wanted to inform you that we're about to land. Might want to get to a seat belt." He began to walk away.

"Mr Rickman, wait."

He faced her once more, one brow raised.

She nervously pulled at a lock of her hair. "My dad, will he be able to come on one of these trips soon?"

He expression softened to that of pity. "He has a pretty tight schedule. Meeting after meeting, luncheons, decisions... those kind of things."

She nodded and walked past him to the other room and collapsed beside Justin and said nothing. He looked up from the video game he was playing and immediately knew something was wrong. She was trying so hard not to cry, he could feel it.

"So how are we going to find this Elizabeth Wong?"

"We'll keep looking till we do." She said flatly.

"Come on Chels, we're going to the capital of the United States. It's like, close to a vacation."

"Except there are earthquakes and possibilities we might die." She said dryly with a small smile.

"Now that's more like it." He strapped in. "Now don't dampen the mood."

She did same. "Sure."

As soon as they stepped foot on ground Chelsea's mood changed for the better. She bought every tourist item that was within her reach. Including one oversized t-shirt which said 'Welcome to Washington.' On the front and 'I'm a tourist' at the back.

"Can you take that off?" Justin said irritated.

"But then I'd be shirtless." She took the sun visor from the salesman and put it on her head. She hoped Mr Rickman was really okay with taking their stuff to the hotel while they ran around.

"You left your old shirt in the restroom?!" He tailed behind her by some distance so no one might notice they're together. What was wrong with this girl? "Plus that visor is not cool."

She stuck her tongue out at him and took out a small camera. She hadn't been able to do this in LA because of cool factor but here she felt free-er some how.

She took Justin's hand. "Now let's go find Wong."

"Are you purposely trying to humiliate me?" He questioned as they stepped onto the streets.

"Maybe." She was looking around, the whole place seemed to carry that air of historical authority. A place whose worth date as far as their ancestors. She was so carried away that Justin was the one leading her through.

Making impressions on chics was hard when the kid right next to you looked like your creepy younger sister. Okay maybe kinda cute younger sister.

Chelsea stopped a cab. "A nice park just around the area please."

The driver nodded. Justin sighed.

In about ten minutes, with mild traffic. They were dropped off at a park. Chelsea didn't quite catch the name, she was too busy running in. She came to a hasty stop when she saw a bunch of people gathered in front of a small stage. Music wss blaring. It was some kind of show.

She dragged Justin towards it.

"Aren't we meant to be working?" He was desperate now. Anything to either get away from Chelsea or out of public.

"Trust me. We'll get to that but right now my instincts are leading me to have fun."

"Mine are screaming for freedom."

She tuned him out a finally pushed both of them through the crowd. She looked up at yhe stage but she'd soon regret that she did.