Lexia's car pulls into the Bliss Town Community Center parking lot. She coasts across the worn asphalt, eyes sharp as she scans the area for a parking spot. Old beat-up vehicles take up most of the good spots, but there is one near the door, and Lexia sharply veers into it, putting her vehicle bumper to bumper with a neon green bubbly car. Inside said car is Vanessa putting on red lipstick and checking her makeup in her mirror. When she sees Dixie, she beams and waves, and Dixie returns the gesture with equal enthusiasm.

Lexia and Dixie get out of the car, and Lexia holds her hand as they walk across the parking lot. Vanessa exits shortly after and trails them. Above, the dark gray clouds swirl and break from the cracks in the sky, and Dixie looks up with a shimmer in her eyes and a small smile on her patchy face.

“It's going to rain again,” says Dixie.

“Yes, it is. Now let's get you inside for your class,” says Lexia.

*****

In a nearby alley, Rolland's van door is open, and Rolland is struggling to insert a fresh battery into his handheld radio while a weather report is broadcasted through his van’s dashboard radio. Strong gusts of wind shake the van, and outside, Dacre, Shae, and Cyrus are with a pair of junkies, impatiently waiting as the druggies struggle to count their money.

Rolland peeks out, sees his team is still working, then turns on his radio.

“Snake to Awesome-O, do you read?” says Rolland.

“I’m here,” says Claribel.

“We found Bazooka Bunny and her sister, but we couldn't trail her because we had that purchase appointment,” says Rolland.

“Mortimer is more important than purchase appointments!” says Claribel.

Rolland frowns. “Hey, I don't see you out here looking for your boyfriend.”

“I have work to do on my end.”

“Like what? Playing that game?”

*****

Claribel stands in a record’s room at a post office, her eyes snapping to and fro as she flips through files in search of Lexia Hartwick. The thugs she is with are guarding the area while postal workers are counting money and Reel-Sight pills.

“I’m doing my part in finding Mortimer,” says Claribel into the radio. She sets the radio down and searches for a few more seconds before she stiffens, then yanks out a folder, grinning broadly. “Yessss~”

She sets the folder down and flips it open. Then her smile drops.

“What the fu-”

*****

In the van, Rolland looks out the window and sees the junkies haggling with his group. He turns on his radio without taking his eyes off them and has his hand on his pistol holster.

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“Uh huh. I haven’t seen you out here all day. It just seems rather shitty to choose a game over your bed buddy,” says Rolland.

******

Claribel’s face heats up, but her red eyes are focused on Lexia’s address and personal information being covered by black bars. And in the corner of the file is “LOL.”

Claribel stiffly grabs her radio and brings it to her mouth.

“We aren't bed buddies,” says Claribel heavily. “We don't even share the same room! Keep searching for Bazooka Bunny and her sister and let me know where they are when you see them. I'll go over there and take care of her myself.”

“Yeah, because you've done such a bang-up job so far,” says Rolland.

“You know what? You're a dick. Don't contact me until you find Bazooka Bunny!” yells Claribel.

Claribel snaps the radio back to her belt and stomps over to the Post Office Supervisor. She shoves the folder to him and jabs her clawed finger into his chest.

“What the hell is this!?” says Claribel.

The Supervisor looks at the contents. “It seems that someone doesn’t want some information to get out.”

“I can see that! But who gave the order to block it out and why is it for a stripper!”

“Actually, she’s a pole dancer.”

Claribel narrows her eyes, and the Supervisor smiles nervously.

“I mean, that’s above my paygrade,” says the Supervisor.

Claribel clenches her fist and brings it up to his face, seething and trembling.

“You have no idea how close I am to hurting you, right now,” says Claribel.

*****

Back at the van, Rolland is lounged in his seat, rubbing his face. His hands drop to his thighs, and he turns to look outside. A few seconds of staring pass, and something in his brain clicks. He leans forward squints his eyes. His van is pointing directly at Lexia's car at the Bliss Town Community Center.

Rolland reclines in his seat and scoffs out a laugh. “Well, butcher my ear and call me Rick.”

He picks up his radio and strains his neck to keep the car in his line of sight as a bus pulls up, covering it from his eyes.

“Hey, Claribel, it's me again. We just found the Bazooka Bunny at the Bliss Town Community Center,” says Rolland.

*****

The bus screeches to a stop, and Mariana’s bored voice crackles over the intercom.

“We have arrived at the Community Center,” says Mariana.

Jayson, Derrick and Nermal hurry off the bus, and the group quickly makes their way across the parking lot. Wind pushes against them and tosses dead leaves and old trash in their path, and upon entering the Community Center, they find the brightly lit building to be in disarray.

Nermal takes the lead as they go deeper in. They pass various pictures of events, displays of trophies and memorabilia, and there is a collage of various pictures that combine to make a gasmask.

Nermal takes Jayson and Derrick to the far end of the Community Center where a sign made of popsicle sticks says, "Welcome to the Popsicle Stick Building Class!"

There is talking on the other side, and Nermal carefully opens the door. The room is filled with rabbits of various ages, and leading it is an old, brown bunny with messy fur and wiry black hair, named Patrick Patrickson. Patrick is carefully gluing popsicle sticks together to add to a bridge, and his droning voice carries across the room.

“Now, when you're gluing, don't use too much glue or else the popsicles will slide around,” says Patrick.

Jayson and Nermal looks around, and Derrick takes one look before he taps Jayson's shoulder and shows him Lexia.

Lexia is next to Dixie, who is next to Vanessa. Dixie is making a bridge like Patrick, but she has also made a small tower with a clock drawn on it.

Patrick looks at Jayson's group as they approach Lexia, and Nermal politely waves to Patrick. The wave is returned, and Patrick resumes his lesson.

“Hold the glued popsicle sticks tight and don't let go for about thirty seconds. If you let go too soon, they'll slip apart,” says Patrick.

Jayson takes an empty chair next to Lexia and leans into her, whispering, “Hey, we need to talk to you for a second.”

“Can it wait?” asks Lexia.

“It's important.”

“Portals are important, too,” says Dixie.

Jayson looks at Dixie, and Lexia waves dismissively.

“Don't worry about that. Reel Sight fried her brain, so now she thinks clocks are portals,” says Lexia.

Jayson nods. “Understandable. But we need to talk to you about the... Thing.”

Lexia looks at Jayson critically, and then at Nermal, and finally at Derrick. All three of them have stern expressions, and she sighs heavily, nods, and puts a hand on Dixie’s shoulder.

“I'll be right back, Mom,” says Lexia.

“Say hi to your father if you see him,” says Dixie.

Lexia stands up and gives her mother’s shoulder a slight squeeze before standing. Jayson follows her up and Nermal holds the door open. She sighs again and looks at Jayson.

“Make this quick,” says Lexia.