The Cumberbottom Incident: Rhett and Link

Chapter Two: Odd Goings On...

Link's POV-

When we walk into the parking lot toward the car...something seems strange to me. It just feels like something in the air is really off. "Rhett, wanna drive?" I say as push the 'unlock' button on my keys. "Sure." He puts his hand in the air- "Here." I toss the keys to him and get in the car.

It was around 3:42pm and there was still traffic clogging up the side streets. That's Burbank for you. I sit back in my seat and stare blankly out the windshield just in time to see a dog crapping in a bush down the sidewalk.

A typical sad looking teenager is holding the leash staring off into a distant universe. The strange feeling that I felt in the parking lot seems to be following me. Since Rhett and I can basically read each other's' mind, I decide to ask if he knows what I'm talking about.

"Yo, Rhett..."

"Hmm?" He answers as he bobs his head to Lionel Richie's All Night Long.

"Something feels...off. Y'know?" I take my glasses off and clean the lenses with the corner of my cardigan. He turns the radio off and actually looks like he gets what I am trying to say. "Yeah actually...when we walked out of the building...it's like I forgot something."

"Yeah," I answer as I put my glasses back on, "It's kind of weird that you know what I mean." He chuckles and turns the radio back on, "Thirty 'somethin years Neal...It'll get to ya." As he cranks up the radio knob I find myself nodding off and he over-dramatically sings Lionel Richie lyrics: "ALL NIIIGHT LOONG...all night, all ni-i-ight..."

Rhett's POV-

I do agree that something is up. I find it really weird that Link and I both think so. Usually with both of our brains together, we are right about something. But, I don't want to feed Link's worry. It is clear that he is tired or something and with his recurrent anxiety, he doesn't need more. I look over to find Link sleeping in the passenger seat with his mouth wide open.

I think he beat his record of falling asleep in under 120 seconds. I can't help but snicker at the fact that he never fails to sleep with his mouth open like that. It gets me every time. It's weird really, but what are you going to do. I sing along to good 'ol Richie and grip the steering wheel and drive down the road trying to block out the annoying driving habits of idiots who somehow got a driver's license. Link is awoken with a jolt as his text tone buzzes in his pocket...I can't help but laugh.

Link's POV-

Even though I have been asleep for maybe five minutes, it feels like much longer. I take my phone out of my pocket and squint as I type in the code on phone screen. I had to read it over a couple of times to process what I saw. I gasp--

Rhett's POV-

When I see Link gasp my heart stops. I have a feeling that this has to do with that weird feeling we both had...what are the chances?! I try and keep my eyes on the road, but I can't stop looking at his horrified expression. I am about to ask him what the matter is when he tells me--

Link's POV-

"Pull over." I say. Praying that my eyes aren't 'messin with me. "NOW." Rhett pulls over and his worried expression grows with the rhythmic clicking of the blinker. My heart is racing and I wonder what Rhett's reaction will be once I show the message on my phone screen. We pull over to the left side of the road and Rhett turns the key to silence the engine. When we are stationary, I lean toward him. I turn my phone to him and I watch the expression go from nervous, to confused.

"You made me freak out and pull over to look at a screen saver of me dry-heaving?"

"What?"

He raises an eyebrow. "OOOhhh...my phone went to sleep." I say with defeat. He smiles. "This isn't funny Rhett." I say sternly, "Swipe left." Rhett rolls his eyes and swipes left. "What's your password?" Seriously? I think, of all times, now? "Goozzle." He types in the password as I still hold it facing him. He raises his gaze and looks at me blankly. I can tell he is having difficulty. "G.O.O.Z.Z.L.E."

"Ohhh, I knew I spelled it wrong." He types in the password and then, after a few moments of reading and shocked facial expressions-he gasps. The next thing he says sounds like one long word:

"whatarewegonnadowhatdoesthisevenmean--" I cut him short, "I have no idea. Really. We need to figure this out."

Rhett's POV-

I unlock the phone with frustration. Who has a passcode like "Goozzle"? Then I begin to read the oddly long text. Nothing is gonna be easy from here. We are in for it...

I squint at the screen, it reads:

No more "GMM". Nothing until you meet with me and we make a deal. By the way, the name of your channel sucks. So do your names. Your pathetic "crew" is confiscated. Your building is mine. Find me, and all will be well.

Ha ha ha ha ha... *imagine my evil laugh*

I look at Link. Link looks at me. We are quiet for about about a minute. I lean my head back on the headrest of the driver's seat.

Link's POV-

I turn off my phone and put it face down in my lap."Where will we start?," I manage to say quietly, "He...or she could be anywhere!" Rhett looks concerned. But I can see that he is thinking about something. I wonder what. He pauses and looks at me- "Don't you think the tone of that text was a little...strange? Like, it could just be a dumb joke or something right?" He squints with suspicion. "Gimme the phone for a second, I wanna see something." I hand over my phone.

As he types in my password again, he mouths each letter in a faint whisper so he won't mess up. He scrolls through the text again with his other hand squeezing the back of his neck. I fiddle with the edge of my cardigan hem as he tries to figure out what we are dealing with. Then he raises his head and breaths and audible gasp, causing me to jump.

"That's it! All we have to do is search this number and we can see who sent it. They obviously want us to find them. So we will. How 'bout it Neal?"

"Great. Let's do it. Let's make our way to the office and look at the damage. Let's pray that the crew is okay." Then I stop and think. I pick up my phone to check the time. "It's almost five. The only people still in the building at four-something are...Stevie...Mike...and who?"

"Alex. And Chase on Thursdays. But it 'aint Thursday."

*sigh* "Thanks Rhett."

Rhett starts the car and sighs. I can't tell if he is sighing because of this new issue we have to deal with, or the fact that we can't go to Hardee's. We pull back onto the street and are trying to find the next turn-around. After a long moment of silence Rhett asks:

"Hey...uh, why is your screensaver a picture of me dry-heaving?"