SIXTY-FOUR: Spy vs. Spies

When Arous go home, Tennant-12 had a message for her from Simon, that he’d taken Octavius out.      There was also a V-dot from Siobhan. She asked Arous to ping her when she got home.  She had something for her.  Then another V-dot saying she’d just stop by that evening on the way back from one of her potential Causes.

            “That cat,” sighed Arous.

            Simon looked down at Octavius bouncing along beside him. Simon was tall but Octavius shoulder came almost to mid-thigh.

“I have no idea why you continue to insist on coming with me when you know I’m going to Rose House.  It has to be the third time.  Lady Rose is not going to like it as much as she didn’t like it last time.”

Octavius chirped and rubbed up against his leg.  Simon laughed.

“She charms you too, huh?”

Simon walked up to the grand doors of Rose House. Octavius in tow.

“Open.”

“Recognizing Captain Simon Hodges-Baire. Opening, sir,” the doors squeaked open. “And congratulations on becoming Captain of the Gray Guard.”

Simon growled. “Smart doors.”

He walked into the foyer, to the right through the kitchen, and into the receiving room. Lady Rose sat in an overstuffed, rose patterned wing-back chair glowering at him.

“You’re late,” said Lady Rose.

“I had something slowing me down,” said Simon.

“What is he doing here?” she said.

“He invited himself,” snapped Simon.

“You should’ve hurried.”

“You rush delicate things and they get broken and can’t be mended,” continued Simon.

“Simon,” Ricci stood at the window. He kept his back to Simon who sat at the table. Simon didn’t notice him until he spoke. All his loathing had been directed at Lady Rose.

Simon sat in silence.

 “Can you confirm or deny her identity?” asked Lady Rose. “I don’t see the need in dragging this out, Ricci. Either he knows or he doesn’t.”

Out of all the people he had ever met, Lady Rose was one of Simon’s least favorite.

“Dear Lady, I’ll handle the conversation from here,” Ricci smiled. “Bring the Ladoiselle in, please.”

“Cindra, please have Siobhan come here,” said Lady Rose.

Silence mocked Lady Rose as she stared at Ricci as if waiting for him to continue.

“Give us a few minutes alone,” said Ricci. “Please.”

She turned and walked out.

“Thank you,” said Simon. “I hate that old bag.”

“She is useful.”

“Abominable,” said Simon.

“Be careful. Not too many outlive their usefulness in this profession,” said Ricci; he smiled. “Now, what do you have to tell me?”

“She doesn’t even know you exist,” Simon said.

“You’re sure?”

“She couldn’t care less about you. She is solitarily concerned about finding her mother,” Simon said.

“No design.”

“No political ones.”

“That’s too bad. Life has become so boring without a little espionage,” said Ricci.

“She knows little about the City, the culture and even less about the politics. If I was to mention your name she wouldn’t bat an eye and would be even less likely to remember it.”

“That’s enough information.”

“Why?” said Simon.

“What do you mean, why? Why, what?”

“Why do you want to - ?” Simon started.

“I thought you liked being Captain?” asked Ricci.

“My uncle -”

“I know your uncle. When this has something to do with him I’ll let you know, until then, your loyalty is to me.”

“Are you - ?”

“I am drawing a line in the sand. Make yourself aware of it,” said Ricci.

Cindra stepped in and announced the arrival of Ladoiselle Siobhan through her teeth.

Spying on Arous was his job.  The only thing Siobhan knew about him is that he worked for Ricci. Simon didn’t need her getting in the way but Siobhan had started to put Simon’s showing up to Ricci’s doing.

“Charming. Send her in,” said Ricci while watching Simon.

“Siobhan?” said Simon. “You can’t be serious?”

“Sit down.  Here’s someone who could teach you a thing or two about lines in the sand.”

 “Ladioselle Siobhan, please join us as we were just beginning our tete-a-tete.”

“I think this is pre-mature,” said Lady Rose as she entered just moments after Siobhan.

“Lady Rose, nothing I do is pre-mature,” said Ricci. “However, Siobhan is now one of a few new girls to serve as my image. I want her in on this. She is the only one that will know.”

“I don’t think,” Lady Rose started.

“I don’t pay you to think,” said Ricci, “however, I will pay Siobhan to.” Ricci gestured to her and she took a chair beside him at the window.

“I don’t understand what all the fuss is about,” said Siobhan. “Once she finds her mother, she’ll go home.”

“Need I remind you that it’s what you gave to her that started this,” said Ricci.

“I thought it was her arrival,” said Simon. He knew he was pushing his limits.

“You were spying on us at the Rabbithole,” Siobhan turned on Simon. “I knew it the minute I saw you.”

“This one doesn’t miss much,” said Ricci laughing then stopped. “Let’s get something straight. Your friendship shall not be cooled by this encounter. There is more happening than you know and more at stake than you can imagine.”

Two men in grey, Miasmen, appeared in the room on either side of the door.

Ricci continued. “The consequences for both of you are graver than you realize.”

            “She’s already making plans to break her mother out of the HaleSpa. Why don’t you just let her have her mother?”

            “You, of all people,” said Ricci through his teeth, “Understand who Lady Grey is.”

            “Let them go back to the Bowl. They’ll do no harm there.”

            “You’re sharp as a tack and as naïve as a sheep!” said Ricci.  “That’s not the plan, Siobhan.”

            He regained his composure.  Octavius, sleeping at Siobhan’s feet raised one lid and lowered it back down.

            “She’s my daughter,” he said.  “All the myths, all the wives tales you’ve heard about devils and gods, Prince Charmings and evil Kings are all true.  She is my daughter, with her gifts and with my gifts, we will rule the world. Literally.”

            “You, my Ladoiselle, will bring her to me, when the time is right. And you,” he said looking as Simon.

            “What role does her mother play?” asked Simon.

            “Her mother doesn’t like me very much anymore I’m sad to say,” Ricci made a frowning face. “That’s why, Simon, she is you’re responsibility.  At the appropriate time I expect you to deal with her.”

            “I will, sir,” he said.

            “Do me a favor,” he said, “and make it quick. I loved her once.”

There was a ping and Tennant 12 stepped from the wall.

“You have a . . . “

            “Must be Siobhan,” Arous sat up from the virtual puzzle that was embedded in the floor. “Let her in.”

            Jude was standing in the doorway smiling his crooked smile which always made her stomach flip.  He looked so familiar standing there.

            “I love puzzles,” said Jude. “I hope you like sushi.”

            He sat across from her on the floor. They pulled virtual puzzle pieces from the side and slide them into the appropriate spaces in the puzzle.  The puzzle shifted and re-colored itself with each move. A piece of the puzzle. A piece of sushi.

            “Simon and I have a way we describe girls that we like. You know what we say?”

            “No, idea. You say they’re cute.”

            “No,” he laughed at her. “We say, ‘No that’s a girl I’d like to hold hands with.’”

            Arous had reached to the side to grab another puzzle piece. Jude reached at the same time. His fingers stroked her hand, danced around her wrist, tickled her palm and began to intertwine with her fingers.

            Arous looked up from watching his hand.  Jude was staring at her.

            “Arous,” he said.

            “Jude, if Simon . . . I don’t know . . .”

            “Simon’s a tool, literally.  I love him but he’s a tool.”

            “Jude, he’s been so good to me.”

            “You need him because you think he’ll help you get into the HaleSpa to see your mother. You don’t like him.  Don’t try to deny it, Arous.  It’s us, Arous. You and me, that are familiar.  You’re only using him”

            She jerked her hand out of his.

            “I want you to leave.”

            “Okay,” he said. “But you can’t run me off that easily.  I’m as patient as water.”