unfortunate circumstances // milo manheim ✰

mission impossible.

owen's pov

"Lo, where is the shop. We've been driving around for like 30 minutes!" I said beginning to get impatient.
"It says it should be right here!" She told me pointing to a house.
"Lo, that is not a shop. That is a house." I explained to her.
"I'm not blind Owen. I can see what it is." She snapped at me. "Let's just check it out! Maybe they know where it is!" She suggested. I pulled over and shifted the gear into park. I grabbed my wallet that was filled with the cash and walked over to the door with my sister.
"Are you going to knock?" I asked her.
"Geez. I guess. I thought you were going to." She said knocking loudly on the door.
"Hmm. I guess no one is home." I said beginning to turn around.
"Hi sorry I was just cooking. Are you two looking for someone?" A lady asked us.
"Hi! Yes. Uh, we were online and we found two costumes from a shop? And the directions led us to this address. Do you happen to know where this shop is?" I asked her.
"Oh. Yes sorry if there was any confusion. My mother runs it from here. She's retired but she loves designing costumes so I let her. We never usually get customers but I'll let her know you're here. Come on in!" She said opening the door. We walked in and sat on the couch as a frail old lady walked into the living room.
"Hello. My name is Gail. I made those costumes you saw online. Are you interested in them?" She asked us.
"Yes ma'am. We saw them and thought they would fit us perfectly. Is it possible for us to try them on?" My sister asked.
"Yes of course. My daughter is bringing them in for you both. I made different sizes so hopefully you two can find some that fit." She told us.
"Here you guys go! Here are all the different sizes. This is the women's style, the men's style, and the unisex style." Her daughter said laying them on the table in front of us.
"Thank you. Is there a place we can try them on?" My sister asked.
"Yes. We have a bathroom right over here. It's pretty small so only one can go in at a time." She said pointing to a door opposite of the living room.
"Lo, why don't you go ahead." I suggested as the lady led her to the bathroom before leaving back to the kitchen.
"So what are the costumes for?" Gail asked me.
"Oh, uh, one of our friends is hosting a costume party and my sister and I thought we'd go as spies! Our favorite movie is uh Mission Impossible!" I said quickly covering up our true purpose.
"Are you sure? Why did you drive all the way here for these specific costumes when there's other easy acces costume places?" She asked.
"I-uh. Actually it was my sister's idea!" I said as my sister quickly walked out of the bathroom.
"Okay. So I will take the size small women's style and if I know my brother's size well, Owen you can take the size medium men's!" She said handing me the hanger with the costume on it. I quickly took it and walked into the bathroom before quickly trying it on. I walked back out and looked at my sister. "Does it fit?" She asked.
"Yup! Can you go grab my backpack in the car?" I asked her handing her the keys.
"Sure. I'll be right back." She said getting up from the couch and out of the door.
"How much do I owe you?" I asked Gail.
"Take it for free." She said to me.
"No, no, no. It's okay we'll pay." I insisted.
"With what you're doing? It's better to leave a paperless trail. Keep your friend safe." She warned.
"What do you mean? What friend?" I asked in a state of shock.
"Hmm. What's her name again?" She asked herself. "Skylar? Or was that her middle name. One of your friends was in a coma. Her life, it was turned upside down. Do everything and anything in your power to find out what happened to her and who did it. I have a feeling her fight is not over yet. Most people can handle surviving trauma like that once. But, the second time around, most are not so lucky. Now go. Get your sister and help your friend. Protect her." She warned me.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I will. We will." I said to her with a smile.
"Oh, take these. You might find these helpful." She said handing me some gadgets that would be useful when snooping. I thanked her again as I grabbed the costumes and gadgets and ran into my sister on the front porch.
"Owen? What's wrong? I thought you needed your backpack." She asked me.
"No. It's fine. We need to go home." I told her turning her around and walking her to the car.
"I'm confused. What's going on?" She followed up my statement.
"I'll explain on the way. Come on get in." I told her starting the car. As we drove off, I couldn't help stare at the house remembering what the lady had said to me.
"Okay Owen. What happened? What's going on?" Lauren asked.
"The old lady." I said bluntly.
"Gail? What about her?" She asked cluelessly.
"She knows." I said driving into the freeway.
"She knows about what? What does she know about? Can you give me an answer that isn't three words or less please?" She said beginning to frustrated.
"She knows about Lanie!" I yelled feeling frustrated.
"Wh-What? How could she possibly know?" She wondered.
"I don't know but we have to find out. We need to talk to Lanie." I said as I sped up trying to go as fast as I possibly could.

lanie's pov

Milo and I were chilling in my room when we heard a knock on my balcony door. I got up and out of Milo's arms before seeing Owen and Lauren waving frantically.
"Hey guys? You could have used the front door?" I joked.
"Lanie. You need to sit down for this." Lauren said walking in.
"Yeah. What we're about to tell you is a lot of information. And we need your help." Owen said closings the door and laying the costumes in the closet with the bulletin board.
"Okay? What's going on? How can I help?" I asked as Milo got up to close my bedroom door and locked it.
"Well, let's start off with some good news. Uh, as you saw we got the costumes. So we'll be able to snoop a bit tomorrow." Lauren said while whispering the last portion.
"But, the old lady that made and sold us the costumes. She knew about you. She told me to protect you because your fight isn't over yet." Owen explained to me as Milo sat down wrapping his arm around me.
"She knew about Lanie's situation?" Milo asked Owen and Lauren.
"Yeah she did." Lauren answered back.
"Do you happen to know who this woman was? And how does she know who I am?" I asked them.
"That's what we were hoping you would be able to help us with. Maybe it'll help us with a new lead?" Owen questioned.
"Okay. I can try. What specific things did she say." I asked them.
"She called you by your middle name Skylar. She specifically said Skylar first and then she asked herself if that was your middle name. Which is a pretty specific coincidence if I do say so myself. Do you know anyone who calls you Skylar?" He asked me as I tried to think.
"Not a lot of people call me Skylar. The only person I can think of are my aunt and uncle but they live in England. And Joe Lacob, the owner of the Warriors." I said hoping that would help them a little bit. "Did she ever introduce herself? Did you get a name?"
"Yeah. She introduced herself as Gail. She was a frail old lady." Owen said as I dropped my mouth in shock. I began to cry as Owen and Lauren looked at each other confused.
"Babe? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Milo asked me as I cried into his chest.
"That's not possible. What did she look like?" I asked clearly traumatized.
"She was short probably like 4'11"-5'? Uh she had chocolate brown hair and wore rectangular shaped glasses. She also had this jade pendant around her neck. The shape looked like one of those life saver candy things." Lauren explained.
"How is this possible?" I asked them crying even more.
"Do you know her?" Owen asked.
"There's one more person who calls me Skylar instead of Lanie." I began saying.
"Who?" Lauren and Owen asked in unison.
"My grandmother Gail Jean Adalair." I said as all three of them looked at each other.
"Your grandmother was the one who gave us the costumes and the gadgets?" Owen asked. "That's pretty badass."
"It's not. Because she's dead. She passed away right before my high school graduation. How is this possible." I asked myself over and over again. "Was there anyone with her?" I asked them hoping I would be able to identify anything to prove it was my grandmother.
"Her daughter was there." Lauren said.
"What did she look like?" I asked practically begging for more clues.
"Uh short dark brown hair with a daisy in it. She's probably like 5'5"?" Lauren guesstimated.
"Did she have a cross necklace?" I asked.
"Uh let me think." Owen said closing his eyes trying to remember. "Yeah she did. It was yellow gold it wasn't a long necklace. Like just long enough to not be a choker. It had two crosses on either side of her neck." He answered.
"That's my Aunt Lucy. She was my grandmother's care taker before she supposedly passed away." I answered wiping away the tears.
"Lanie? Are you sure your grandmother didn't pass away in your alternate universe?" Milo asked.
"Mi, she passed away in both." I told him.
"That's what she meant." Owen said realizing something.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"She said that whatever happened to you could happen again if we don't act on it. And that some don't make it the second time. She made it through both times. She's trying to make sure you make it too." Owen explained.
"This feels like Mission Impossible." I said feeling down.
"Chin up. You got a mission to complete Miss Kim Possible." Lauren said smiling at me.

A/N: shorter chapter but it was more of a filler! double date will be the next chapter! Also, I have a template for the meet the author but if you guys do have questions you want to ask me just leave a comment with them! I will answer them all truthfully and fully in detail! Alrighty! don't forget to leave a comment and a vote! have a good week y'all! xoxo, lanie🧡