After logging out, Gray wanted to cry himself to sleep thinking about all of the merits he wasted on virtual food even though it was delicious. Gray logged back in to the game the next day in the morning and saw that Geoff was already up. Gray waved to the staff at the military headquarters as he heard whispers among them such as:
"That's the other guy!"
"So much food..."
"What a waste of food"
"Hope they explode from overeating"
Gray became embarassed realizing that the story spread already and hoped that it didn't reach the military base he was stationed at. Walking out of the headquarters, Gray saw Geoff with the same depressed look upon his face and they both silently vowed to never bring it up again.
Geoff and Gray got back in to their rented truck and waved at the guard to open the gate so they could return to the Military base.
"Please wait, we're looking for someone and need to search every vehicle that leaves." said the guard.
"Fine with me, it was parked at the Military Headquarters all night so it should be fine." said Gray.
"Eh, you're probably right, have a good day... and try not to eat your Military base out of food like you tried to do to our city." replied the guard while grinning at them.
"..."
__________
Geoff drove back to the Military base with Gray in the passenger seat, about half way back to the base they had to avoid a pot hole but the road crumbled around it and the truck became stuck in the pot hole which was now twice as big as before.
"Son of a... not even four wheel drive is pulling us out with the truck being stuck so deep." complained Geoff
"I'll get the jack and try and raise the drivers side up enough so you can drive it out." said Gray
"Sounds good."
Gray climbed out of the truck and saw that the truck had both wheels on the driver's side spinning freely and the the truck bottoming out on that same side. The remains of the road between the front and rear tires on the driver's side appeared to be solid enough so Gray decided to try to jack up the whole driver's side. Gray walked around the back of the truck and went to utility box in the bed of the truck and tried to open it.
"Huh, it's locked..." said Gray "Hey, toss me the keys, I need to unlock the bed cover it looks like to get in to the utility box."
Gray caught the keys from Geoff and unlocked the bed cover and was even more surprised to see a young girl in the back of their truck.
"Uh, is this one yours Geoff?" said Gray while the girl looked sheepishly at Gray and waved.
"What're you talking about?" replied Geoff.
"We have a stowaway."
"Let's take her back to the city, no good has ever come from keeping a mysterious girl found in the back of a truck." said Geoff
"No wait! I'm uhh, trying to escape from slavers!" said the girl in a panic
"Is that the best you can think up? You're way to well fed and taken care of to be a slave!" said Gray
"Did you just call me fat?!?" said the girl angrily
"No, I said you are well taken care of and well fed, don't mince words." said Gray. "You look kinda familiar though."
Gray thought back to where he's seen this girl before then suddenly a light bulb went off in his head. "Ahh! You're a mini Maven!" Gray exclaimed while pointing at her.
"I am NOT a mini Maven! Maven is my sister, my name is Lilly!" said the girl named Lilly.
"See? Knew you weren't a slave." said Gray
"Whoops." Lilly said coyly.
Gray had Lilly get out of the back of the truck and put her in the crew seat behind Geoff. After closing the door Gray heard the girl yell "I'm NOT A MINI MAVEN!" so he's guessing Geoff noticed the resemblance as well. Once they got the truck out of the potholes, Gray sent Caleb a message saying they would be late due to a small problem that came up leaving out the details.
As they pulled back in to the city, Lilly started to get depressed and pouted a lot. While it was adorable, Gray and Geoff knew it would be more trouble keeping her around.
"Where should we drop you off Lilly?" asked Geoff.
"Anywhere but here, Maven... she... she is a real witch!" Lilly exclaimed
"Right..." said Geoff while rolling his eyes.
"Well, guess we'll just drop her off at the Military Headquarters and they should be able to hold her until her sister comes to pick her up!" said Gray.
"Nooo! Don't do that! Last time that happened my sister asked them to hold me for a few days and military rations are gross!" whined Lilly.
"Then where should we take you?"
Lilly let out a defeated sigh and said "Let me message my sister then and you can drop me off at the place they're staying at."
Lilly sent a brief voice message to her sister, Maven, saying that she was coming back home and was in a Military truck with two soldiers. What Gray and Geoff didn't see was that she also sent a text message at the same time saying that they kidnapped her and that was why she couldn't come home last night.
As Gray, Geoff, and Lilly pulled in through the gate leading to the villa where Maven and her crew were staying at, Lilly started to get a devious look on her face.
"Expecting something?" asked Gray as he looked at Lilly's expression.
"N-No, just happy to be back." said Lilly shakily
Geoff parked the truck near the front door of the villa then Geoff and Gray got out of the truck. Gray helped Lilly out of the truck and some movement could be seen through the doorway to the villa. The same Maven that Gray and Geoff saw in concert last night opened the door and rushed out.
"Lillly!!! I was so worried about you!" Maven said as she squeezed Lilly in a very tight embrace causing Lilly's face to turn slightly blue from lack of oxygen.
Lilly inhaled sharply once Maven finally let her go and looked up at Gray and Geoff. "Thank you two so much! I am sorry for any trouble she has caused you!"
"Sis! They kidnapped me!" yelled Lilly
"Do not lie, especially about that sort of thing. If you ever were kidnapped and sent a message like that, I might not believe it."
Lilly pouted due to her sister's shrewdness at being able to pick up on the truth.
"We're sorry we didn't notice her sooner! We were heading back to our base down to the southeast and found her in the back of our truck hiding about halfway there." said Gray
"I understand, still, don't blame her, part of it is my fault for not being able to spend time with her when we're on the road." replied Maven.
Thinking for a moment, Maven continued "Are you by chance players?"
"Uhhh, yeah, I still find it strange that a lot of people call us players." said Gray.
"Well, you are a special existence in this world after all. Since you are players, let's consider this a quest then for returning my sister. As for your reward..."
Maven reached in to her purse and pulled out some black lipstick and applied it to her lips liberally then walked up to Geoff and Gray. She put one hand on Grays right cheek and then kissed him on the left cheek leaving a black lipstick mark on his cheek. She did the same for Geoff leaving a black lipstick mark on Geoff's right cheek.
Gray and Geoff stood their stunned and stammered a few indiscernible words and grinning like idiots.
Maven laughed melodiously and said "Oh, I'm sorry, did that put you under my spell?"
Lilly unhappily muttered "Told you she was a witch..."