Once everything was safely stowed to sell the next day. She turned to her team and raised her hand.
"High-five everyone. We made over 1,000 credits and I won't tell you the number in tips thanks to 2 very generous people. Let's go to the library and see if we can find what we need, shall we?" She grinned her biggest grin.
In the library, they were able to find both books they needed in the used section. For 9,000 credits, both Aqua and Revlis were able to get the next book. Soon they would be able to level up. They left the library and headed back to the dorms, exhausted from their hard work. They had food in their rooms, so they simply ate what they had and relaxed.
Minx went straight up to the Logan's so he could film the rest of the particulars. His camera was a spider robot. It simply climbed on her shoulder to get a free ride back to his room. Once in Logan's room, they got ready for additional filming. She asked what he needed her to do and followed his instructions meticulously. She loved this kitchen and wanted it to be successful.
The decision Logan's parents made was she would film the initial advertising campaign. She changed her hairstyle to a single ponytail, worn normally. She liked it much better and decided to make the change permanent. They used technology to put her in a nice dress since she was wearing her miliary uniform.
She demonstrated the ease of opening and closing the kitchen a few times, the cleaning process, the durability of plates and cookware, she even added in that one tank of water can do two full cleanings. After 2 hours, they were finally done. Minx was exhausted. Logan sent the footage the company to get his parents' thoughts.
Production was scheduled to start in two days. They wanted the advertising campaign launched as soon as possible. They needed to establish interest in their son's latest invention.
It was now 8pm. She yawned and Logan told her to go get some rest as he resumed his normal seat and picked up a devise. Soon he was tinkering, yet again.
Just after closing his door behind her, she sent a text message.
[Did you enjoy everything?]
[Enjoy what?] Came the reply.
[The juice? The sandwich, the deserts?] She responded.
[Where are you?]
[Just entered the stairwell on the third floor.] She replied.
[Come to my room.]
She had just reached the second-floor landing when she got his message. She looked at the door to his hallway. She shrugged and decided why not. If a sexy blond was going to invite her to his room, who was she to say no?
Her hand just knock on the door when it opened.
"Why do you keep giving me lovely things but are shocked when I do nice things in return?" Vorden asked.
She looked confused, "What do you mean?"
Just then he noticed her hair and smiled. "You should do that more often."
"Do what? You are confusing me."
He sighed exasperated. "Come in, please."
She did as he asked and followed him in.
"You and your team worked really hard today. I looked shocked when I paid you. You all deserved that for the hard work you put in. Look. All I'm asking is that you accept that you deserve what I gave you and for you to wear your hair like that more often," Vorden said with sadness in his eyes.
"Did I attempt to reject your kindness? I was surprised to see you out there if I'm going to be honest."
"Why is that?" It was Vorden's turn to be confused.
"I pestered you. I'm sure you don't appreciate Raten helping me. I would think you'd stay away from me as much as you can."
Vorden's eye twitched. "It's not that I hate you or even dislike you. I want to protect you."
She smiled brightly. She liked what he had to say though she didn't believe he was being honest. "Are you going to answer my question? Did you enjoy your selections from earlier?"
"Well, if I'm going to be as frank as you," he crossed his arms and put on a stern expression, "I'm going to have to say no. I don't appreciate finding out you have been holding back on me."
"Excuse me?"
"The apple juice. I need more. Lots more."
Minx giggled, "I'm glad you liked it! I only have so many jars. There is a process to making it, so I don't make it often. It's not for sale, either. I had it on hand for us to drink. I'll be out there again in the morning doing the same thing so I figured it's something we can enjoy while working."
He nodded, "Why were you in your not-boyfriend's room? I thought you gave him my sandwiches on Monday and Thursday."
Minx laughed at his comment, "I was asked to do some filming for the kitchen he gave me. His parent's company decided to market it and have me do the commercials."
"OH! Moving up in the world, are you?" Vorden said with a big smile on his face. "See, there are people who value you. I know what you …. What is it?
She thought she saw movement from the corner of her eye, perhaps out the window. As she turned her head, an overlay filled her field of vision. She was concerned and had no idea what was going on or how this could happen. Just then, Quinn stepped into the room. It was 8:32 and he looked beat. He obviously wanted to relax before he went to bed.
"I… There are trees in my vision, but they aren't really in this room… It's… Kind of like in a medical book where you see the organs then put a clear film over the top that shows the blood vessels. An overlay. Yeah, I think that's the best way to describe this. I'm seeing an overlay?"
She tried shaking her head, then nodding, the overlay moved with her eyes staying in her vision. She groaned in frustration. "I hate this damned ability!"
She decided to examine at the overlay, what exactly it was showing her because there had to be a reason for it being there. She saw trees from overhead and dots as though she was looking at a map from directly above it. There was also a big red X. Vorden and Quinn both stared at her. Vorden had fear in his eyes.
She had a thought and said, "Wait a second…"
She called Midas on her watch. "Are you under my tree?"
"In the park, yeah. We decided to walk off dinner since we ae too much. We are under that willow you planted back when we first got here." She looked at the floating trees and saw four green dots under a spectral tree that resembled her willow. The red X was flashing from one place to her tree then another place. With each flash, a red dot moved.
"Okay, I see you, now."
""Wait, are you in the park? You shouldn't come here alone."
"Um, no. Something strange is happening. I really don't know how to explain to you what's happening but I'm trying to figure it out."
She watched the red X for a few moments. It stopped blinking right next to another dot.
"What's with the polka dots…" she said exasperated.
Quinn and Vorden shared concerned, helpless looks. There was a strange girl in their room seeing things only she could see. Given who they were, they weren't as weeded out by it as others would have been.
It decided it must be like a traffic light. Green is safe to go, red is stop or traffic will kill you. The other must be neutral. She had never played video games before and had no interest. Had Midas been able to see what she was looking at, he could have explained.
"Midas, I need you to turn volume all the way up on your watch. I need to speak to the tree." She waited long enough for him to do so. "Are there people with ill-intent nearby?"
She could see the word "yes" appear above her tree in her overlay.
"Okay, red means bad," she said out loud. "Lock it down. Place the humans in your branches." She gave the tree a few moments to accomplish the task, "Midas, can you confirm that?"
"Uh… Yes but not everyone is enjoying this…"
"Sorry… I'm … throwing spitballs right now….."
The X and the red dots surrounded the tree. She saw one move closer the back away, closer to the X. She assumed someone tried to move the branches but failed. They dots remained stationary for a little while as if waiting. She felt like it was a stand-off.
After a few minutes, she noticed the red X blink from near the tree to the other side of the trees in her vision. A red dot moved with it. Each time the X blinked back to the tree and a red dot disappeared at the same time the X blinked to the other location. It was clear the X was someone moving someone to a different location.
"I think it's Tucker."
"Sis, Please, clarify."
"I'm need you get back here. Tree, only allow the four people presently in your branches and me to be under you. Stay on lockdown when we are not around. Return them to the ground and let them to leave then return to lockdown."
She watched four green dots leave the tree, the distance between them growing. She bit her bottom lip worried her friends and brother could be in trouble.
She saw four green dots steadily moving toward the path that led to the dorms. There was a wall on one side and trees on the other as the friends made their way back to their building, thoroughly confused by Minx' voice coming from Midas' watch. The X went back to the tree and stayed there for a bit. Then is stared skipping across the overlay toward the path, bouncing across her vision.
"Um guys, I suggest you run…" The green dots started moving quicker. The red X paused like it was listening or thinking. The green dots were halfway there when the X reached the path.