SEVENTY-THREE: Hamlet to England

Siobhan’s fear was strong. Arous had held on to her long enough that the images of her memory burned into my brain.  Octavius could smell her fear, sending it back to me making the vision even stronger.  I’ve never liked reading in through people’s fear but I had to know what Arous was in for and maybe find out what Ricci was really up to.

Siobhan and Arous’ mom were on a job, a last minute, thrown-together type of job.  They were in a big, fancy hotel room in the Delusion.  A knock came to the door. Siobhan answered it. There was a member of the elite special forces unit of the Spartan Guard called the Gray Guard.  He was tall with a grey suit and red-rimmed, mirrored glasses. His deliberate words fell from cold lips.  His skin glistened. He held a V-dot in his open palm.

“A private V-gram. For Lady Siren Grey.”

“I’ll take it.”

“No. It’s confidential.  Is the Lady here?”

Arous’ mother marched to the door.

“Yeah?”

Arous’ mom took the red dot with a V, popped it in her mouth and swallowed. It took only seconds for it to attach itself to her cranial nerve, vibrate its message and dissolve. She listened to the V-dot emotionless.  She faced the door, away from the clients.  Her body tensed a bit but didn’t move.  Siobhan thought she detected a slight change in her countenance before she smiled.  Lady Grey was the consummate actor.

“Well, lady and gentlemen, surprise, surprise. There’s something special in the kitchen.  Siobhan and I have been instructed to bring it up and give it to you personally. We’ll be right back. Compliments of Ephor Ricci who will be here within the hour.”

Something made Siobhan ask if she should take her scarf that she had left draped across one of the chairs.

“Nonsense.  We’ll be right back.”

Lady Grey linked arms with Siobhan and walked out the door to the end of the hall.  As soon as she got to the elevator she turned and look toward the room.  She turned back to the elevator, the smile had vanished.

“What’s going on?” asked Siobhan.

“Never, I mean, never again bring something that might be left, no coat, no scarf, no bag. We leave without a trace, understand?”

The elevator chimed ‘Bienvenue’ and the door opened. Men in grey suits and red rimmed, mirrored glasses glided out of the elevator. One of them looked down at Arous’ mom and nodded, giving a quick knowing smile.

Siobhan and Lady Siren Gray walked into the elevator and the doors shut.

“Perfect timing.  He’s trimming it closer and closer.”

“What is happening?” By now Siobhan was shaking.

“Have you ever read Hamlet?” Lady Grey asked.

“Yeah.”
            “You remember why King Claudius sends Hamlet to England?”

“Yeah,” said Siobhan.

“Well, let’s just say if Hamlet is in that room and the Grey Guard we just saw were England, Claudius would have been successful,” said Lady Grey.

“Who’s Claudius?”

“Aah-aah.  Don’t ask that question.  Never ask that question.  The less you know the less you have to lie about later,” said Lady Grey.