EIGHTY-SIX: Tools

            The next day, Jellina showed up at Arrous’ door.

            “Good morning, Arous,” she said. She was beaming. “I’m here to escort you to Ephor Ricci’s.”

            Arous let Jellina in. Octavius growled.

            “You’ll have to leave kitty here.”

            “Why?”

            “You know why you have to come.  And, don’t argue.  I have a couple of Grey Guards waiting outside.  They’ll come up if you don’t come down soon,” she was still smiling.

            “I mean, why can’t I bring Octavius.” 

“It doesn’t matter. You need to hurry. If we keep them waiting and they have to come up, well, they have orders to shoot to kill kitty.”

            Arous walked over to the window where Octavius sat looking out.  There was a hoveh-zine downstairs with two Grey Guard standing outside it.  Waiting for her.

            One of them looked up at the window.  Octavius growled.

            “Where’s Siobhan?” asked Arous.

            “She’s doing something for Ricci,” Jellina paused. “Running some errand with Simon.”

            “Figures.”

            “What?”

            “I just need to send Jude a V-Dot to come get Octavius.  Then I’ll be ready.”

            “Make it quick. And don’t mention where you’re going. It wouldn’t be smart. That Jude is really not good company. He’s not good a following orders.”

When Simon met Jude at the Rabbithole, he was sitting with Octavius.

Octavius really did not like Simon anymore.  Maybe he never did.  It’s hard to tell with cats.

“It’s okay, boy,” Jude said as he patted him on his head. “You just play with your little stuffed horsey and ignore Simon.”

Octavius lay down and placed Arcadia between his paws.

            Simon looked at Jude. Simon was annoyed. He hated the large, mistrusting eyes of a horse that Jude had.

 “Look, I know you like her,” Simon said.

“Like her?”

“But I have a job to do.”

“That’s what she is. A job,” said Jude.

            “Let me finish up. Let me finish up till Ricci’s satisfied. I’ll break her heart and you can pick up the pieces,” said Simon.

“Who are you?”

“Don’t be dramatic, Jude-”

            “You know what? I’ve already told her. But guess what? She doesn’t believe me. She thinks I’m wrong,” said Jude.

            “Hey, what can I say? I’m good at what I do.”

            “You can say the truth! You can tell her what’s going on!”

“Hey, I don’t get a choice in what I tell her,” Simon shot back a Jude.

            “You do, Simon! You could walk out.  You could tell Ricci, thank but no thanks.”

“Jude, not all of us have such spectacular gifts as you.  You have Ricci wrapped around his finger. He just wants you on his side.  That’s all.  You can do what you want. But there will come a point when he’ll grow tired of you having to have your way all the time.  Being connected with Ricci comes at a price.  A price I’m paying for both of us.”

“I didn’t ask you kow-tow to Ricci for me, Simon.  I didn’t ask you for anything.  You followed Ricci’s lead all by yourself.”

“And look where it got me,” said Simon. “Captain, no not just of the Spartan Guard, Captain of the Grey Guard. A position I know you declined.”

“Because I didn’t want to be a traitor?”

“Jude,” said Simon leaning in close. “I won’t be able to hold Ricci back for long.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s getting tired of your antics.  You’re on board, then you’re not.  You’re willing to go so far but not really get down and dirty.  You were willing to pick Arous up from the HaleSpa the night she broke in but you weren’t willing to bring her to him right after.  That’s what you were supposed to do.  Now, he’s had Jellina to go pick her up.”

“What? Where’s Siobhan?”

            “Jude, it’s not that serious. Ricci called Siobhan to the office to ask about Lady Grey, which is more than I should tell you. Just calm down.”

            “Is this about Arous?”

            “No,” he said. “About Lady Grey.”

            “Simon, it’s not about Lady Grey.  It’s never been about her.  It’s always been about Arous.  How could you be so thick?”

            “She’s his daughter. Of course it about her, some.”

            “It’s about her power, Simon.  Lady Grey was a tool.  You and Siobhan – we’re all tools.”

            “What are you talking about?  We led Ricci to Arous.”

            “Because Arous can Misama-port, Arous can skin-dance, Arous can heal.  Ricci knew all these things, Simon.  He used you to bring her to him.”

            “So, what? It’s no big deal.  She’ll be his little daughterly protégé and all will end well.”

            “Ricci is evil Simon.”

            “Okay, now you are being dramatic,” said Simon. “And really, trust me, Ricci sent a V-Dot to Siobhan early this morning about Lady Grey.”

            “What about her?” Jude’s heart was racing.  He realized Simon was telling the truth about Lady Grey but there was also something that Simon didn’t know about Siobhan.

            “She’d dead,” said Simon with a smirk. “Now, that wasn’t all over the news. Ricci made sure of that. Doesn’t want my skills with Arous undermined by a little . . . house cleaning.”

            “You killed her?”

            “Look I got to go,” Simon began to walk away from their table. “Siobhan is probably going to be admitted to the HaleSpa late tonight. If things go according to plan.”

            “What are you not telling me?”  Jude had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach the way Simon said Siobhan’s name.

            “She’s been sick or haven’t you noticed?”

            “It’s not treason this time, is it?” the sarcastic smile spread across Jude’s face.

            “Like you said, Arous has the power of healing.  Ricci just wants to see how strong it is.”

            “He wouldn’t,” gasped Jude.

            “He has.  In fact, I think he’s perfected a way to gradually make people Miasmen. Or, in this case, it would be a Miaselle.”

            “Oh, no.”

            “You’re too puppy-dog-eyed over Arous for me to tell you anything else.”

            “And you’re such a catch,” mumbled Jude.

            “Look, Jude, like I said, it won’t be long before there will be plenty of pieces to pick-up.”

            “Simon, I’m leaving.”

            “I know, Ricci told me. He’s sending you, I mean, you’ve decided to go to Burton’s Farm. Which is it, you think? Did you decide or is that where Ricci wants you?”

            Jude didn’t answer.

            “Right. Oh, and I almost forgot.  Ricci wanted me to tell you to be at the HaleSpa, Purple Wing, like in thirty minutes.”

            “I’m not going,” said Jude. “He can have one of his thugs pick me up on the way to the Farm.”

            “That’s fine.  Though, you’ll make it to the Farm, alright. You’ll just spend a lot of time wondering what happened to Arous.”

            Jude stood up and began to walk to the door.

            “Oh, and when you get there, make sure you are in full Miasma.  He doesn’t want Arous to recognize you.”

EIGHTY-FIVE: She lies

            Things had gone wrong fast. Simon escorted Arous out and around to the service entrance. Simon began barking enough orders through his radio to keep all the Spartan Guard busy and distracted so that she could slip out.

            “I can turn the video surveillance off for five minutes. You have to run.”

            There was a crack at Simon’s radio.

            “He’s down. He’s down, Captain Hodges-Baire. It was an accident.”

            “Who?” asked Simon.

            “Simmons is dead, sir.”

            Arous was shaking. She looked down at her water bottle.  A fog was swirling around in it and was coming out of the top. Simon knocked it from her hand.

            “Run!”  he kissed her on the cheek and ran back inside.

            She was in the woods and there was no sign of Siobhan. She paced from the hoveh twenty feet into the woods and back. She opened her mouth. Shut it. Paced thirty feet into the woods and back to the hoveh.  Marched forty feet into the woods. Stood there. Pitch black.  Just before she turned around hands grabbed her, spun her around and covered her mouth.

            “Shhh. It’s me.”

            “Jude.”

            “Where’s Siobhan?”

            “She couldn’t come, Arous.”

            “Why are we standing here?” she asked.

            “Waiting for you to smile.”

            “They know . . .”

            “Who?”

            “The Grey Guard,” she said. “Miasmen.”

            “What?”

            “And the Spartan Guard.”

            “They know what?” asked Jude.

            “That it was me,” she said. “When I saw my mom I lost the shimmer. They just ran past me. And Simon.”

            “Did he see you?”

            “If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have gotten out,” admitted Arous. “Alive.”

            “You’re mother?”

            Arous started shaking.

            “Did you find her?”

            Arous was sobbing and he tried to comfort her.

            “She was alive?” he asked finally.

            “Yes,” Arous choked out.

            “That’s good . . . that’s something,” he said not convinced of his own optimism.

            “She lied to me.”

            It was a silent ride back into the City.  Jude didn’t breathe the whole drive until Arous finally said something.

            “I’m glad you came,” said Arous.

            “Really, I couldn’t let Siobhan,” he began.

            “No, I mean, I wish I’d asked you to begin with.”

            “But, you had to know if you could trust them.”

            “Yeah.”

            “Can you?” he asked.

            “Simon saved my life,” she said. “Siobhan would’ve gone. What I’m trying to say, I’m glad it was you.”

            “You believe me?”

            “I think you’re wrong,” said Arous.  She could see Jude’s knuckles turn white on the hoveh’s steering wheel and his jaw clench.  He glanced out the corner of his eye at her and relaxed.

            “Jude, I trust you, I don’t think you’re lying,” she said even more tired. “I just think you are wrong about them.”

            “I wish I was.”

            “Why do you keep insisting that your own cousin is a bad guy. He saved my life!”

            “Because I know him!”

            Jude and Arous sped the last few miles to her apartment. When they got there, Siobhan was standing in the middle of the room with a news flash playing full blast.

            “Have you heard this!” she was almost breathless and her eyes were wide.  It was hard to tell if she was afraid or just thrilled that she was almost part of an adventure.         “You guys made the news!”

            “This just in” the commentator began, “there has been a hostile break-in at  HaleSpa North.  The target seemed to be Jason Simmons who was killed in the intrusion.  Several members of the Spartan Guard were injured and killed.  Desperados from the Outlands are suspected of targeting Jason Simmons; because HaleSpa North is and Idelle and Celbrity retreat, Ephor Ricci is taking a personal interest in the matter.  If anyone has any information on the people responsible, please send a V-Dot to Senator Ricci’s office immediately. For more information tune in at 1200 hours, put your settings to-”

            “Off.” Arous didn’t want to hear anymore

            “What happened in there, Arous?” asked Jude.

            “Not all that Spartan Guard stuff, not while I was there.” She sank to the floor into some pillows. Jude sat next to her.

“Jude, What do I do? Simon saw me, so did my mother, so did two Miasmen.”

            “You saw Miasmen!” Siobhan went pale.

            “I thought you didn’t believe in them,” said Jude. “Just lie low. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about the Miasmen, they have one track minds. You’re mother is already locked-up and Simon can take care of himself.  He doesn’t answer to anyone but Ricci.”

            “Oh no, oh, no. I’ve ruined everything. So many people,” Arous was rocking back and forth while Jude tried to comfort her.

            “Who did you skin-walk as, Arous?  You said you lost your shimmer when you saw your mother.”

            “A Novice I saw when I was there. Novice Hopeful.  It was her night off but they’ll think she was around.”

            Jude looked at Siobhan and she stopped pacing and sat down.

            “You think she’ll be okay?” asked Arous.

            “Yes, she’s works at the HaleSpa, maybe not in that hall but it’s better her than one of us, I suspect.”

            “At least I did something right,” she said and started crying again.

            “Arous,” Siobhan reached out. “Who is Jason Simmons?”

            “How could you not know that?” said Jude.  “He’s the guy accused dog-on-dog-icide.  And killing his friend.  He went nuts in the HaleSpa.”

            “I don’t keep up with pop culture.”

            “Siobhan, you are pop culture,” said Jude. “Arous, what does Jason psychopath Simmons have to do with your mother.”

            “He isn’t a psychopath and he has nothing to do with my mother. Except that he was obsessed with her.”

            “Did you involve him in this?” asked Jude.

            Arous didn’t answer.

“Arous, what does Jason Simmons have to do with you?”

            “I’m the reason he’s there,” she said.  It was the first time she felt really sorry about Jason. She buried her face in Jude’s chest.

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.”