ι'м ησт qυιтє нυмαη, вυт ι'м ησт qυιтє α мα¢нιηє {Rue}

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"You have three hours," Burn told her. "That's when I plan to leave." He stepped past her, leaving the apartment and heading down the street.

[assassinrue]

Valerie raced home, but this time as a human. She knocked on Isaiah's door. She was going to hate herself for this.

Isaiah pulled open the door, his long hair tied back. "Hello, can I help you?"

"I'm so sorry! I - I think I hit your dog with my car, she was running across the street and I didn't see her in time! And - and I don't know where she went! She dragged herself of into the bushes and I can't find her!" At this point, Valerie's histaria was real, everything with Aron, taking away the one thing Isaiah loved, it was destroying her.

Isaiah looked faint, like he was in shock. "Oh." He said quietly. "I'll um. Okay." He ran his hand over his hair and looked at her wildly. "I'll search for her just please leave."

Valerie did as she was told, racing to the nearest gas station and asked to use the phone and called the man from the apartment.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Burn was in the middle of packing when the phone rang. "This is Burn Badrick," he answered. He pressed the phone between his shoulder and ear so he could continue getting ready to go.

[assassinrue]

"Um it's the girl from Aron's house. I'm on my way."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I'll see you soon," he said. "I'm almost ready to go, so we'll depart as soon as you get here."

[assassinrue]

Valerie turned and ran, she was faster this way, she knew her dog body better than her human one, she knew how it moved, how to push it to the limit. She turned before she walked up to his door and knocked.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Burn opened the door and immediately turned his back. "Come on in. You have perfect timing."

[assassinrue]

Valerie walked in and glanced around. She suddenly felt very nervous and panicky.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Burn grabbed his suitcase off the bed and walked back to the living room. "We'll be going through a portal to Oregon."

[assassinrue]

"Um okay." Valerie stood uncertainly by the door. "How - What do I do?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Just wait there." Burn set down his suitcase and got started on the portal. He wasn't the most talented person at traveling by portal, but he could manage it. A minute later, a large black hold stood before them, and he gestured her through. "Ladies first."

[assassinrue]

"I just walk through?" She stared at him incredulously.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Yes," Burn said calmly. "Whenever you're ready."

[assassinrue]

Valerie swallowed and stepped through the portal. She screamed but she was pretty sure the sound was swallowed by the nothingness around her.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Once she had disappeared, Burn grabbed his suitcase and followed her through. They exited into an empty apartment, one of his safe houses for emergencies, and also a great way to not been seen stepping out of a portal.

[assassinrue]

Valerie stared at him wild eyed. "What now?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Now we use a locater spell to find him," Burn said. He unzipped his suitcase and took out a silver coin he'd taken from Aron's apartment. It depicted Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes.

[assassinrue]

Valerie stood helplessly to the side, she was utterly useless. Why did she come? Aron wouldn't even want to see her.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Come here," Burn said, waving her toward him. "I need your help." He held the coin in one hand, and he held out the other for her to take.

[assassinrue]

Valerie tentatively took his hand and waited.