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The Nevada desert stretched on for an eternity, and Camille Everest was once again grateful that she had taken up LanternLady's offer. The SUV she had been given was a bit different from her motorbike, but at least she could keep out of the scorching heat. Though she still kept an eye on the road behind her, past the black bike in the trailer and out into the open road, half expecting to see police lights barreling down, hot on her tail.

It wasn't that she didn't trust her anonymous online benefactor, but when you've never actually heard the woman's voice without a modulator, let alone seen her face, and then have a top of the range SUV waiting for you in Las Vegas after one mention of a trip to see your grandmother, and not to mention the thousand dollars added to your bank account to fund said trip, things get suspicious.

"Your not still worried about the cops, right?". Oh yeah, there was a detail she had forgotten about. She was on the phone with LanternLady. "I told you, the cars one of mine. There's nothing illegal about it"

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the car, but something wasn't right, and Camille's intuition was never wrong. "And the thousand?"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that making sure my friend was well equipped was a crime. Maybe I'll just take it all back, leave you in the desert all alone, just you, your motorbike, and half a dozen bags-"

"Ok! Ok! I'm sorry", Camille couldn't contain her laughter, and neither could Lantern. "Thank you for the car, my mysterious benefactor". It was a common jab, nothing ill held in it, customary for a joke shared among friends, even friends made online.

"Oh shut up, Mangoo, it's the least I could do." Mangoo, her online alias. She had been using it for long enough that her real name started to sound odd. "Besides, I wasn't going to let you drive your motorbike an hour away with six bags tied on." Camille had to admit, the idea, as bad as it was, had crossed her mind once or twice during the flight to Vegas. Honestly, she had lost count in-between the screaming baby and arguing parents.

And then another terrible thought crossed her mind. "Hey Lantern?"

"Yes"

"No one's ever seen your face." Camille moved her blond hair behind her ear, adjusting her sunglasses. "Have they?"

LanternLady went silent, a quietness that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Long enough that Camille wondered if she would ever reply. Until, after a century of silence, the line crackled as Lantern cleared her voice. "No. And if it's all the same to you, Mangoo, I would like to keep it that way"

"Right. Sorry", Camille stammered as she turned back to the road stretching endlessly out around her, the Nevada plateaus like watchtowers, guarding a kingdom of small towns and derelict hopes. The desert was endless, and for a moment, Camille lost herself in her fear. If she swerved suddenly, striking that rock, would she die on impact? Would someone come looking for her? Who would think to check up on her grandmother, her last true family? Would her neighbour think to continue looking after her cat?

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The little tabby monster had to be left in Washington, and while Duck was relatively good with long rides, he had never liked planes. When Camille had rescued him from a local shelter, they had speculated that since the airport had called them about a cat, his owners had forgotten him and no one was sure if he had even been sedated.

"Mangoo?"

"Sorry. I was thinking"

"I could tell"

A sudden beep shocked the two women out of their hazy state, a beep that signified another guest had joined the call.

"Hey Tim-Tam"

"Lantern. Mangoo. How are my two favourite ladies doing?", LanternLady sighed at Tim-Tam-Jesus' playful flirting. It wasn't that he meant anything by it (she hoped), it was just his default setting. For as long as Camille had known him, which admittedly wasn't long, his default setting always seemed to be on Flirt. And he didn't just flirt with her and Lantern.

God, the mum of the group had gotten so used to Tim-Tams antics that the two men had a running joke about it. And whenever they got into it, it was a show nobody wanted to miss.

BaseDropWhat had quickly gotten over her flushed state and embarrassment whenever she joined the call, and Tim-Tam had decided to make it a personal challenge to fluster her.

And 1000Mistaks...no one was 100% sure that she could be embarrassed. Another personal challenge that Tim-Tam-Jesus had taken with gusto.

As for LanternLady? Well, she was left a mess every time, if her quick muting had anything to say about it.

"Fastest Mute in the west. Anyway. Hello Mangoo my dear, how's the drive going?"

Camille had to laugh at the remark as she scared the horizon for the little town of Jasper. "Good. Good. Though I should be able to see the town by now. But maybe it's just because I'm in a car this time, it's slower than my bike"

"My car is not slow!"

"Oh Lantern, my love. Your back"

"You...You shut it!"

"Oh?"

"No more flirting for you!"

"But my dear, I do love flirting with you-"

"No! No more!"

"Come on Tim-Tam, give Lantern a break for a second"

"Thank you Mangoo-"

"You can fluster her after she's calmed down"

"Deal"

"Who's side are you on!"

"That is yet to be seen-OOP!"

"You right Mangoo?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just hit a pothole. Sorry Lantern"

"Well guess what? I'm going to make you pay for that"

"Hey Mangoo, you sound really muffled"

"Yeah, give me a second". Camille reached across the dash for her phone, which had fallen precariously on the passenger seat, threatening to drop to the floor.

"Lantern, there's no need to be petty"

"That was an expensive car, that you very much!"

Camille groaned as she righted herself, taking one last glance at the road around her. The phone had fallen down under the seat, and as she reached down, searching for the device, she failed to notice the drone charging towards her.

"I'm joking, by the way. I won't make you pay for the damages"

"You better be-"

An almighty scream cut Tim-Tam-Jesus' reply short as Camille was thrown forward, her head hitting the dash with a dull thud. The desert outside the car had darkened exponentially as Camille cried out in pain.

"MANGOO!"

"MANGOO!"

Her phone spluttered, grasping on to life and letting her friends hear her choking coughs and sickening wheezes before it gave out.

And Camille was left all alone, watching through black spots as the car's roof was torn apart under frighteningly long fingers. And like it was destroying tissue paper, the great, faceless metal beast peered down at her broken body, nimble spears curling around her waist as her vision faded to black.

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