The Nobleman's Masterpiece ✔

3 A MISUNDERSTANDING

Mouth agape, Lydia looked between the identical men. Her heart pounded against her chest, dreading the prospect of suffering another bout of humiliation thanks to Osbourne. Once was enough, however brief their encounter.

One well-intentioned yet ultimately calamitous knight in shining armor was one thing, but two? Lydia dared not answer for fear this encounter would end just as awful.

Once again, Joshua came to the rescue, although, judging from the narrative of his words, it was easy to see he was trying to save his own neck.

"So you see, sir, it's really just a big misunderstanding."

Though Joshua carried on, Met stared Lydia down. The High ELETE never looked away or blinked. It was rare to see Joshua snivel—and to a high ranking guard no less. Joshua was a lot of things, but a fool wasn't one of them. He knew to heed Met's reputation—the High ELETE wasn't called The Butcher for nothing.

"Just a misunderstanding," Joshua said again.

Met parroted him, "A misunderstanding? E's—modern day E's—reenact the very event that was single-handedly responsible for throwing the Colony into a five year war, where baby E's were gutted and mutilated for sport." Met's eyes shifted to focus on Joshua. "And you call that a 'misunderstanding?' In Defenses we call it a mistake. A colossal mistake."

The busy theater ground to a halt.

"We are fortunate that a startled nobleman with a pistol didn't shoot one of the E's, or sustain an injury himself, because that would move it up from a mistake to a crime against the Colony. And you know how the saying goes...."

Nobody spoke, nobody moved, but Lydia found the words leaving her mouth before giving it a second thought.

"Better to step on your own mother than your Colony." As soon as she'd said it, the edge on Met's glare told her she should have chosen less casual wording.

Turning his attention to Joshua again, Met said, "So I'll ask you again, was one of these two there?"

"Well...well, I can't say for sure," Joshua floundered. "I was by the buffet when the ruckus...commotion happened."

"A.R. Ruckus has been arrested for her participating a reenactment of Delany's last stand. All diskettes have been returned to their owners. That is what I intend to make certain of," Met said. "Which is why we were rather startled to find a random one still at large."

Lydia's heart leapt at the prospect that the money might come back A random one? Her hopes died when it dawned on her. Ruckus hadn't had her diskette. She willed herself not to focus on the twins. Osbourne—whichever one he was—had her monetary diskette.

"And as you've said, they've been returned. Lydia hasn't filed a complaint, so on what grounds are you dragging me along?" Joshua asked.

"Your party, your responsibility. One would think you'd be happy to know we've caught them all."

"Right, and that means the issue is finished. It's all f—"

"Stop talking," Met ordered.

Joshua yelped as he clammed up.

Met turned to Lydia and asked, "Was one of these two men there?"

Palms sweaty, Lydia did what she was always told to do in the presence of a Colony guard: if she couldn't lie well, tell the truth.

"Yes."

The twins flinched. Met leaned away. Whether it was out of surprise at the information itself, it was hard to say.