EIGHT-FOUR: Mom?

            The hunched figure turned to look at her and the bolted up, pressing her body to the glass. Arous couldn’t move.

            “You shouldn’t have come,” said her mother, “but knew you would.”

            “Mom?”

            “Yes?”

            “What do I do?”

            “Get her out of here!” yelled one of the cocooned Miasmen as it unraveled into the foggy figure of a large man.

            The other grey pinstriped guard grabbed her.

            “This is the on-duty Captain. A weapon’s been discharged. A guard is down. I need back-up Level Three Ministers here immediately.”

            “Leave her,” said the Miasman, “we can deal with her later.  She’s not going anywhere.”

            The two Miasmen had completely unraveled into Grey Guard and pushed past her.  Like sounds far away, Arous could hear a rush of feet running down the hall and she could hear Jason screaming. All their words sounded like they were coming from a dying Victrola.

            “He’s loose. Set to stun,” said a steady voice. It was Simon.

            “Stun? He just killed one of our Guard,” said the Spartan commander.

            “Stun him. That’s an order,” Simon’s voice remained calm.

            “I’m the on-duty Captain of the Spartan Guard here and I’ll use whatever force is necessary. He killed one of my guard!”

            “Whenever I am here, as Grey Guard Captain, I out rank you. End of discussion,” said Simon, “You will stand down.”

            “When it comes to guarding the Lady,” someone else started but didn’t finish.

            “I’ll have your head for this imbecile being in this hall!” said Simon.

            “Arous,” the voice of her mother snapped her back. “You have to go, you’re in danger.”

            “But, mom, they went right past me,” she said.

            “Honey, you’re shimmer is gone. They’ll know who you are. Simon can’t save you if they come back.”

            “Can’t or won’t?”

            “Honey,” she said, “You have to run. My time is up.”

            “I’m not leaving without you!” Arous started screaming and pounding on the glass. “I’ve come all this way.  I’m not leaving!”

            There was someone tugging at her and Arous turned swinging.

            “Whoa, whoa,” said Simon, “Arous, she’s right. You have to go.”

            “Who’s side are you on?”

            “What?”

            “Who’s side?” she screamed. “Do you work for Ricci?”

            “Arous,” her mother called to her. “Listen, baby, you can’t stay here. I can’t protect you. Simon can’t protect you. There’s another time for us.”

            “When?”

            “Soon. I promise,” she said smiling, “Ricci promised to bring you here to see me.”

            “Ricci?” Arous asked. She felt really weak.

            “Yes, Ricci. But you have to go now, okay?”

            Arous shook the water bottle in her hand.

            “No,” said Simon. “You can’t port. The Miasmen will catch you.  In their element, I can’t stop them.  You’ll have to walk out of here.”