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.