Chapter #42Properly Paranoid? by: rugal b.   You want to believe that things are going to turn out fine but as your ride continues the thought gnaws at the back of your mind and as it continues you become more uncomfortable, more restless. Vee might be confident but confidence will mean nothing when Kristen blabs to everyone else and they ambush her. They'll know she has a mind band of you. They'll know where to find it. They'll know how to stick the real Vee so far under a golemized mask of someone -- Kristen probably -- that she'll never see the light of day again.
Once that's done, they'll come for you. You're sure they will. It'd be too dangerous to leave you around after all, you might eventually get suspicious and much things up for them so when Vee is dealt with you'll have to be dealt with too. Sticking you under a golemized mask of Izzy would be the nice thing too. They seemed pretty serious with their threats of greater harm. Harm that could ultimately be fatal.
The embers of paranoia fully stoked into a raging fire now, you pull out your burner phone and send a text to Vee. we need to talk, you tell her. just heard some worrying stuff from izzys bro.
Yes? comes the reply.
prefects are up to something
might happen tomorrow
didnt know what tho
It's a moment before you get a reply back from Vee but when you do it's one simple word: Fuck.
you think its bad?
They might be doing a room sweep.
Dalton likes doing them at random or for any excuse.
Likely gets hard thinking about them.
For the first time in a while that gets a genuine laugh from you. should we be worried? you ask.
If they find the book yes.
Hiding it without getting seen will be hard though.
That gives you pause. You're still wary about telling her but you realize now that things are in motion they can't really be stopped. they might already know, you reply.
bands record anything the wearers thought
kristen puts it on she'll know your plan
Shit.
Ok we'll meet at the church around 10.
izzy has plans
Canceled. I'll think of something in the meantime.
Remember. The church at 10.
There are no more messages after that. You've still got a few hours left until ten so you'll be able to finish setting up but after that? You spend the rest of the ride back thinking up an excuse but are having trouble coming up with anything plausible by the time you arrive. You thank the driver as you exit and make sure to give him a good review as well (you don't want to screw up Izzy's own passenger rating if you're going to be her) and with a deep breath head into the theater.
"Heya!" you exclaim. "Don's Donut Deliveries! I'm your oh so cute delivery girl here with an order for..."
"Finally!" Alex says bounding over to you.
However you pull the donuts back and grin at her. "Step back lady. Says here it's for Izzy Santos... whoa! That's me! And it says they're from a Ms. Alex Day?" You lean in close and pinch her on the cheek. "Thanks Alex you're so sweet! Appreciate it!"
"Hey!" Alex exclaims as you walk by her.
"Oh Raaae! Donuts courtesy of Alex!" you call out.
Rae strolls up and picks through a box grabbing a powdery jelly donut for herself. "Thanks Izzy dear, you're a doll," she says before taking a bite. "My lord, they taste even better free!"
"Okay, alright!" Alex exclaims as she walks up to you. "Card?"
"I was, like, soooo tempted to buy myself something really nice from the Shoppes. You're lucky I'm so kind," you tease as you hand the card back to her. You look around the theater and notice that some of the decorations have already started going up. "Looks like Walgreens in here."
"Only the best for the Little Match Girl," Rae quips.
"Got what I could earlier today," Alex states defensively. "Gotta have atmosphere though right? We're gonna be watchin' cheesy, low budget movies so we gotta have cheesy, low budget decorations to compliment it."
It actually pains you a little bit to hear her say that. Izzy's been looking forward to another party and as such so have you. Her friends are definitely a lot of fun and you were looking forward to spending a fun night with them but that's been called off because now Vee wants to hit you up at the church... and it's there that you have your excuse.
"I'm gonna have to bail after we set up," you admit.
"The fuck!?" Alex exclaims in surprise. "Last minute and everything?"
"Sorry," you glumly reply, "but my parents texted me on the way back. Kinda got a whiff that something was going on I guess because they said they wanted me home early to make sure I was rested for mass." It seems like a weak excuse but it's something that Izzy's parents have pulled plenty of times before when they suspect that their daughter might be up to something wild so it is, in fact, a very valid and all too believable one.
"Damn but I guess there's nothing you can do," Alex admits.
"The benefits of non-belief," Rae chimes in. "My parents know that convincing me is beyond useless."
You apologize again and finish helping them set up, afterwards you bid goodbye and call for another Uber. Fortunately for Izzy she's got her part-time job (twenty hours a week at Panera) to give her the income needed for Uber rides and whatever else she fancies so you're not putting her into the poor house. Not wanting to waste any time you head directly from the theater over to the church.
* * * * *
"What in God's name are you wearing?" asks the girl incredulously as she enters the church.
"My style," you reply sardonically.
"I wasn't talking about your clothes," the girl says. "I was talking about this... girl."
"You don't think it's unique?" you ask. "Personally I like it."
"You look like a schizo with ADHD," she replies.
"Okay, and who the hell are you supposed to be wearing?" you ask. The girl in front of you is a little taller with long, dark brown hair that falls in loose waves past her shoulders and to the top of well-shaped breasts. Her face is full, her eyes dark but bright, her nose is pert and she's filled out where she needs to be.
In short she's the complete opposite of Davina Macklin and it's only because this meeting is arranged that you know this girl is Vee. But while you were expecting her you certainly weren't expecting her to appear under a mask.
"Her name is Samantha Tait. Nice girl, something of a little ray of sunshine in Founders Hall," explains Vee, and though the voice is softer and more delicate it's retained Vee's notable sharpness.
"Wasn't expecting you to make a mask."
"I needed to get out without being seen," the Samanthaized Vee explains. "Grabbed a few masks and did what I could. Honestly though I wasn't targeting Samantha here but she was in her room and alone so the opportunity was too good."
You suppose her logic is sound enough so you decide not to press her for the moment since right now you've got more urgent concerns. "Okay, well we need to do something in case that sweep... are you sure it's a sweep?"
"No," she answers bluntly, "but I know them enough to be able to make an educated guess."
"Okay, well if that sweep nabs them the book and anything you've made, in addition to what Krisen might 'remember' from Abi's mask..."
"And you didn't mention that before why?" Vee asks. Her features, though soft and friendly, still manage to bore a hole through you.
"Because I didn't think about it," you say defensively. "Not until I put that mask of Kristen on the real Izzy and then when I got that message from Gabe..."
"Alright, I get it," she holds up her hand. "What, then, do you suppose we do about it?"
"Make sure you're far out of harm's way," you answer as you begin to pace. "The whole thing is shot once they're on to you and if the whole thing is FUBAR then Shelly..." You stop and shudder at the thought. "I don't want to risk you ending up like her. Not if I want to help her."
"I see," comes the terse interjection.
"You said you grabbed masks right? Plural?"
"Yes," Vee says as she reaches into her bag and pulls out two masks. She notices you marvel at that. "I've been working. Plus I'd rather be over prepared than under prepared."
"This one's blank," you say as you grab one. "What about the other?"
"It's my face."
"Okay well that gives us flexibility then," you tell her. "If we grab Rae for instance--"
"Who?"
"One of Izzy and Alex's friends. We grab her, you can hide out as her, we've got your golem and the Kristen golem feeding us info telling us when the coast is clear and we can finish up your plan." You're immediately struck by a second thought though. "Or we cut out the middle man. Swap you in for Alex, put her under your mask and send her back."
"I was kind of hoping to ruin her first," Vee insists. "Though I suppose that if I did that it would destroy the point of switching with her now that I think about it. So is that it then?"
You realize that's not it however. There's another option for you. One that's far more dangerous but may also make Vee a lot more willing to trust you.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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