Lia and Irene finally arrived at the house. It was large and modern looking, with large windows that overlooked the expensive landscaping.

"Hurry!" Irene led the way into the vast hall and rushed up the curving staircase. She turned down a hallway and entered Kyle's room.

It was large, with its own balcony that led onto the roof. The balcony was cluttered with bits of broken motorcycles and other vehicles, most likely from things that Kyle had crashed into.

The room was quite messy, there were jackets tossed carelessly over the full sized drumset, and a toppled pile of books (which had never been read) spilled across an electric guitar with broken strings. Despite the apparent mess, Irene was careful not to disturb things and made sure to put everything back exactly where it had been as she searched through piles of stuff.

"Does Kyle actually play this stuff?" Lia asked, gesturing to the drums and guitar as Irene searched through a pile of junk by a huge amplifier and the cables that went with it.

"No. He used to want to be in a band but he was too lazy and stupid to learn to play anything. He mostly wanted to do it to seem cool and get girls." Irene made a disgusted noise and pretended to vomit.

Lia laughed and began to help search. Nearly an hour passed and still there was no sign of Nikki's seal skin.

"Ugh! Nothing!" Irene shouted in frustration as she threw down a crumpled t-shirt.

"Maybe it's not here...? He could be keeping it somewhere else..." Lia suggested.

"Yeah, but where... SHHH!" Irene froze. Lia listened, and then she heard it too. The rumble of an engine, then the slam of a car door.

"Kyle!" Irene said running to the sliding door that led to the balcony. "Run!"

Lia ran onto the balcony, Irene closing the door behind. They quickly picked their way across and around the debris, and climbed onto the roof. They crept up the roof and hid on a ledge, out of sight of the window.

They heard a muffled thud as Kyle slammed his bedroom door. Then silence. A long moment of silence. The sliding door was thrown open and Kyle stomped out onto the balcony.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" A female's voice spoke from within the room. Irene and Lia exchanged a look clearly saying who is that?

"Uh... no... no problem." Kyle scowled before retreating back inside.

"You said you had something to show me?" Her voice was like honey. Too sweet.

"Yeah... let's go. I'll meet you in the car."

Irene and Lia ducked down below the peak of the roof. They waited until they'd heard the car start and drive away, then quietly crept down the roof back onto the balcony.

They turned to the door and Lia and Irene saw what Kyle had lingered to do. Taped to the window of Kyle's room was a note reading "YOU ARE DEAD IRENE."

Irene swore and began climbing down the outside of the house. Lia followed carefully.

"Who do you think he was with?" Irene asked once they were back on solid ground.

"I don't know... " Lia replied, although she did have a hunch. The girl's voice had seemed vaguely familiar.

"I wonder what he's doing with her, whoever she is. Actually, scratch that. I don't think I want to know." Irene shook her head slightly.

"We should go somewhere else before they come back," Lia suggested. Irene nodded.

"Let's go back to your place," Irene suggested as they began to walk back toward town.

*******

Nikki sat on the sofa waiting for Lia. She gazed out at the ocean, missing home. She curled up and leaned her cheek on the arm of the couch and closed her eyes.

Nikki didn't remember dozing off, but she must have. She awoke with a start, looking around. Lia had just walked in with... Irene. Nikki groaned inwardly, still not liking that particular human.

"Hi, Nikki. Sorry for waking you up." Lia said. Lia ran a hand through her damp hair. Nikki looked from Lia to the window. Sometime while she had been asleep it had begun to rain. Rain sounded different from within a human's house than it did in the sea.

"Hi." Nikki replied to Lia before turning to stare coolly at Irene.

"Hey Nikki. I'm sorry for the things I said before," Irene began. "Lia and I want to help you though. We've been looking for your skin."

Nikki looked somewhat surprised, but nodded gratefully. "You didn't find it though, did you?" She asked quietly.

"No... not yet." Lia looked sad. "But we won't give up."

Nikki nodded, then turned to look out the window at the fading sunlight.

"Hey, Lia is it okay if I spend the night here?" Irene asked, after a long moment of silence.

"Yeah, I can see why you wouldn't want to go back today..." Lia glanced at Nikki, who looked grumpy, but didn't say anything. "You can stay in my room."

"Yay! Thanks!" Irene beamed. "Oh! We should watch a movie! Has Nikki ever seen a movie???"

Nikki looked very confused.

"I'm guessing that's a no." Irene laughed a bit. "You'll like it Nikki!"

Nikki narrowed her eyes, but reluctantly moved over on the couch so Lia and Irene could sit there too. Irene went to make popcorn while Lia set up the movie.

Lia came and joined Nikki on the couch, flicking through menus with the remote. Nikki's expression was one of astonishment as she watched the box which, until moments ago, had always been black and unmoving. Lia chuckled slightly at the reaction.

"Another fascinating example of human technology!" Irene said, walking in and sitting beside Lia as she set down  a huge bowl of popcorn. Nikki looked at the bowl curiously, but made no move to touch it.

Irene grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it in her mouth. Nikki hesitantly picked up a piece and inspected it before putting it into her mouth.

Deciding it was okay, Nikki grabbed a few more pieces. Lia finished setting up the movie, and they all settled in to enjoy it together.

The evening came and went, and soon it was well into the night. Lia and Irene laughed and talked, Nikki occasionally joined in. It was past 2 AM when Irene and Lia finally turned off the TV. Four movies and a lot of popcorn had almost made them forget their problems for a while.

As Irene and Lia left the room, Nikki's thoughts slowly returned to the sea and the home she missed so much. Irene's thoughts returned to the threatening note. Lia, however, was thinking about something else. She tried to go to sleep, but the more she tried, the more her thoughts raced. Sleep was hopeless.

Lia lay awake, waiting until she heard Irene stop moving, and then heard light snores.

She silently slipped out of bed and pulled on sweatpants and a warm hoodie. She had no idea how long this would take, and with the unpredictable weather, she decided warm clothes would be wise.

Silently, she slipped the her phone and keys into her pocket, and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Lia walked out into the rain, which had slowed to a drizzle. She squared her shoulders. She was a little afraid of what she was about to do, but it was something that had to be done.

Lia set out into the night, without glancing back.