Beneath The Mask

chapter 10

Chapter:

Cameron:

I get a text during breakfast from Raven. [Why are you in England?]

"Oh my goodness, no Ray. No no no, don't." Don't search me out, you'll only aid Mycroft, get involved with Mycroft, and there is no way I can tell you that James has a history. The problem of having a detective friend.

But I have to give her something to know I'm ok. I text her back. [Cnt xplain on #.]

[Well thanks for letting me know you're *alive*]

[Thx 4 making me feel worse. Cnt talk/xplain. Ttyl]

[I'm sorry. I was scared. Ttyl.]

That makes me feel even worse about it. I don't mean to make her scared or worried. I just don't know what else to do. "I'm sorry, Ray. Really, I am." Not that sayong will do any good. It's not like she can hear me.

James: 60 hours (72 awake)

I'm jolted from my thoughts after being shoved against the wall.

"There is a fee for being here. It's called attention."

I don't respond. My silence rule is easy now. It's hard to come up with anything to say at all. I'm not sure how long its been. Paying focus to this man isn't on my list of concerns. He looks annoyed when I keep glancing away, hearing someone call my name in the empty room.

"Just make this easy on everyone, please?" he says.

He's not the same man I remember. The one I hit had red hair. Or was it blonde? Did he even have hair?

"Hey!" he says louder.

I have a headache, I can't be bothered with his nonsense. I slide down the wall and sit down despite my instructions against sitting. But my legs are tired and I can't think straight. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to have a problem with it. My eyes close and I don't even hear his whining. Everything stops when my mind runs like mad to a sleeping state. Until I'm hit with another wave of ice water.

My eyes burn while I'm forced to listen to audio recordings. More questions follow.

"Did you meet with the prime minister's assistant?" he asks, "Are you listening?"

Not really.

"Are Jack and Jill a member of your gang?" he continues asking, "How long have they been working for you?"

Who?

"Cinderella and the prince are already in custody."

It takes me a while to register what he is saying. Actually I have no idea what he is talking about.

"The king has fallen, he says, "All his horses and men can't put him back together again." He looks at me with intent exasperation. "Pay attention, James. My mother and I used to go for walks."

Huh?

"Most men don't like the idea of being psychoanalysed." He can't have said that. What is going on?

"Are your friends lemmings?"