Chapter Eight: Soot:

We’re going on a field trip! Sort of!

Boss man T.J. is dragging us along on this stupid little hunt for Ben’s bride. Is it bad that I wanted to the wedding canceled just so I could sleep in? No? Okay, good. Anyway, we’re going on a field trip! Sort of! I know I already said this. Don’t point it out.

Moving on, how the hell do we start this field trip? Even Boss man has no idea. (I know, right?) My peps and I waited by the front door. Bemmer looked over at me.

“So where are we going?” he asked. I shrugged and shook my head.

“Shit if I know,” I said. Mandy pushed back her blonde hair.

“They’ll let us know,” she said.

“And when would that be?” I asked. Mandy pressed her lips together.

“They will let us know,” she repeated.

“Figures,” I muttered. Mandy put her hands on her hips.

“Look, it might not be that bad,” she insisted. It was all we could do to keep from laughing our asses off. I think she realized that herself as she rubbed her forehead.

“You get what I’m saying, right?” she asked.

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered. Boss man walked outside.

“Ready to go?” he asked. We all gave him funny looks.

“Go where?” I asked.

“The last place that ******* was seen last night,” T.J. said.

“And that is?” Bemmer asked. T.J. reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. More strange looks came over our faces when we read the name written in fancy letters.

“Yoko’s?” Daisuke asked.

“Isn’t that a strip club?” Mandy asked.

“Yep,” Boss man said.

Mandy raised an eyebrow. “Can we even get in?”

“Nope!”

“So how do who find *******?”

“You won’t. I am going to do this first part.”

“So… why are you taking us with you?” Soot asked. Boss man pushed down the brim of his hat and smiled.

“Cause,” he said. “We said so.”

“We?” we asked.

“Noiz split us up into teams to look for the little bride and bring her back to the wedding,” T.J. said.

“Why are we bringing her back?” Bemmer asked. “Clearly she didn’t want to get married in the first place. Isn’t that why she ran away?”

“Don’t ask questions!” Boss man said. “We have to get going!” He shoved us along before we could ask any more questions. We’re going on a field trip! Sort of!

Okay, I’ll stop now.

“Thank you,” Mandy said.

“No one asked you.”

“I’m speaking anyway!”

“Less talking, more walking,” Boss man said.

“Yes, sir,” Mandy and I muttered as we walked into the parking lot and headed to his truck.