The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Eleven - Part Three

as I do. And with protection from the Council, I think I can actually make that happen. Addy, I thought you wanted change –”

“And I do.” My friend insisted, cross. “But that’s not the issue.” She looked away for a moment, trying to catch and hold the last of her patience. “I trust you, Mimi. I trust you when you say that my father’s job is safe within the Leadership, just like you trust me when I say that I would never narc on you to your grandfather. But I don’t believe – not for one second – we can trust Tidus. You know, he used to be on the Council once. Do you even know why he’s not anymore?”

“No.” I answered, feeling slightly uncomfortable. I hadn’t wanted to ask. The possibilities of his answer had been too ominous.

But Adelle’s sweeter nature prevailed, and she took pity on me. She exhaled sharply instead, shaking her head at my ignorance. And rather than continue into an argument, she pulled out her phone and engaged herself in a text conversation with Collin. I was relieved. We had disputed animatedly the whole of the afternoon. Adelle was convinced that Eve was plotting, and that her plan would backfire and cause us a ‘shit-ton of mayhem and disaster’ in her words. But I chose to stick dogmatically to my newfound assumption that ‘innocent until proven guilty’ was still relevant and practical. I had made no strides to coming out with a definite yes or no on the issue. But even then, somewhere deep inside, the stirrings of a decision were already coming to life. I couldn’t say out loud what it was that I would decide to do, but I still knew what it was that I needed to do.

The lights of Claire’s dusty blue car were approaching now from the distance. Addy and I watched as she disappeared round the side of the building and into the alley. And it wasn’t long before we saw her making her way toward us, silently, from the far side of the building.

“You didn’t tell me you had an accomplice.” Claire said, affronted, from behind the opalescent lenses of her huge sunglasses. A short black dress, black handbag, and a black scarf about her head and throat effectively gave her the look of some cliché housewife from a 1950’s detective movie.

“She isn’t an accomplice – she’s a business partner, Claire.” I said with a grin.

“Pleased. Awfully.” said Adelle, and she extended her hand.

Ignoring Addy, and glowering at me, Claire eased her way around us and led us to the building’s front, swiftly unlocking it’s heavy, glass doors. We followed her inside the darkened building, and with our wolf’s eyes we watched her figure running clumsily in the dark, using her cell phone for a light. Her heels clacked loudly across the floor as she scrambled to get to the company’s alarm system stashed behind the information desk.

“Should I be worried?” Addy whispered, with her arms tucked across her chest.

“This place is owned by a bunch of Vampires – none of which are on the Council. But if we get into a scrape, I have a feeling Tidus could take care of it.”

“Hmph.”

After punching in the necessary numbers, Claire came striding back across the empty hall, gasping slightly.