The Timeservers

Chapter 70

A few kilometers outside of Ottawa, Ontario

The Lius'

December 22, 227 P.F.E

2100 hours

"V, V, wake up. V, we have to go. It's mission time."
Via sniffs and rolls over, stretching. "What? What time is it?"
"Believe it or not; nine pm. You were pretty tired after the travel... and everything else." Kelly sits on the edge of her bed, smiling a little and brushing the hair that she got in her eyes from rubbing them out of the way.
"I guess so. I haven't been asleep at this time in years. Why are we going now?"
"Belova's having a gala at her residence. We have to go and see what we can dig up. She's actually invited you personally; Chancellor Via Moss. We've got to get ready."
Via's vision finally clears and she's able to see that Kelly's wearing a suit, and looking good doing it.
"I don't have anything for that kind of thing. I don't even have fake Chancellor robes."
The grin spreads and Kelly reaches behind his back. "The Guardians have thought of that. What do you think?" Kelly presents a fancy dress from behind his back. It's modest and more understated than most of the dresses that will probably be there. It's long in the skirt, and light and flowy. It's champagne colored. There are pale blue lace sleeves that will rest off the shoulders and thin spaghetti straps of pale blue ribbon. More of the blue lace circles the waist and tumbles down the back in a bow.
Via gasps and covers her mouth. "That's beautiful!"
"Thought you might like it."
Via takes her eyes off the dress to look up at Kelly with curiosity. "You didn't pick this? Did you?"
"They only sent a few options, but this was the one that looked most like you."
"We're okay, right? We're okay after that whole fiasco at the circus? And after the circus?" Via clenches the edge of her sheet bringing it up just past her chin so she can cover her head in abject embarrassment at a moment's notice.
"Some of us have to hold together after all this. It'd be nice if it was you and me. Even if it's not in that way. You haven't kept a secret from me since we met. You haven't done it successfully at least. You saved my life. That's more than I'm used to and more than I could ask for."
"Sometimes hearing you talk makes me want to cry and give you a hug."
"The hug would be good." Kelly opens his arms wide and Via clambers from under her sheets so she can give it to him.
"This is really it? Tomorrow's the last day?"
"Yeah, tomorrow's the last day," Kelly sighs. He holds on to her just a little tighter.
"Remember your promise."
"Never forget it."
"You don't have to go."
"Don't ask me to stay. Please, don't ask me to stay."
"Don't let her hurt you. Don't disappear completely."
"Only if you do the same. They're going to try to change you. They're going to try to take everything."
"Everything you love about me."
Kelly laughs a little bit, shaking them both. "Not a person then how come you know me so well?"
Via pushes away, picking up her dress and heading for the bathroom. "You're my best friend. You're also kind of easy to read."
"Sophia didn't notice the things you did."
"Oh, so you were listening to our little argument?"
"A good spy would."
"Tell me about the mission," Via calls out as she struggles with the straps on her shoes.
Kelly sighs and takes his screen out of his suit pocket. "It looks like a fact-finding mission. We're supposed to find a casual excuse to get into Belova's personal rooms. Once there we have to look for evidence of her sympathizing or smuggling people from the camps out to Historian territory. If we find something we take it and we're supposed to bring it back to the Spire so she can be charged."
"But, we won't."
"If we find something it will be up to you. You're the one going back."
"It just feels weird; trying to find something to reduce the one person with the power to make good changes for the people who need it. It's even worse when I'm sitting over a treasure trove of iniquity right here. How many prisoners that were liberated from the camp do you have on the first floor of the barn?"
"Nine. Mom and Dad are taking them tonight though, so you don't have to worry about it for long."
"Who said I was worried? About that. I'm a little concerned that this dress is a bit too puffy. What do you think?" Via steps out of the bathroom picks at the skirt and looks at the ground.
Kelly freezes then gets up slowly and smiles a little as he gets close to Via. He takes her hand and she does a little twirl, making the skirt billow before she spins into him, stumbling a bit and laughing. "You look perfect."
Via has her hair done in a pretty but messy bun, stacked high on top of her head. She has minimal makeup, just enough to accentuate her best features. The small heels make her an inch taller so they can easily see each other from this close.
"Tell me to stay," Kelly whispers. He drops his head so that his forehead rests on hers. He closes his eyes and their breathing synchronizes.
Via takes his face in her hands and kisses his cheek. She looks into his pleading eyes and shakes her head. "It's up to you."