Clandestine

sixteen

-julia- 

"Why am I in danger?" I ask.

My mother calmly replies, "I just got off the phone with the security guard at the city jail. Alan Tinsley has escaped the prison. He is wandering somewhere through the city. Of course, we have several men looking for him. But you still aren't safe. He's going to be more than angry at me for putting him in prison for his crimes. Of course, he should really just be mad at himself for committing those crimes, but that isn't really how criminal minds work."

"But why would I be in danger?" I wipe my palms on my pajama pants.

"Because he's mad at me. And you are my daughter. The position of the Assembly is passed down into families right? And you are my only heir. Your father has disappeared for years, so I wouldn't be able to have another true heir. He might get some twisted idea in his head to kill you so that our family will go extinct. Our family would be removed from the Assembly, if there is no one left to be in it. Maybe he thinks that if there's a position open, he will be able to stride right back into the Assembly."

"That's insane."

"Well, he's a criminal. They don't have much intelligence within their pathetic heads."

"I'll stay in the house with Carlotta and Rosalina. We'll be safe."

"Good, good. I'll hire a few extra guards, just in case. I don't want you to be afraid. Just aware."

I nod, "Do you have the video of him escaping? I'd like to see how he does it. I think it would be good for the guards to see as well so that they know how to prevent it in the future. If our jails aren't secure, none of us are safe."

My mother says, "I'm sorry. There is no video. He snipped the camera wires. That was why it was so easy for him to escape. No one was able to see him or track him."

I frown, "The cameras in the jail still have wires. I would have thought those would be wireless, at least. Don't they want the best technology for the jail? If they want to keep people inside..."

"The budget has been pretty tight for the jail for a long time. I'll look into a bill to get them some more funding. Then they can upgrade their cameras."

I nod, although something isn't quite right. Something about how tensely she is holding herself, as if she wants to appear relaxed.

I say, "I'll be sure to keep myself safe. Thank you for telling me."

"Of course, my dear. I tell you everything, don't I?"

I try not to think about how untrue that is as I nod along. I make some reassuring comments about always staying safe and not going anywhere alone. I excuse myself and then go back to my room.

Carlotta and Rosalina both look at me when I enter, "Rough meeting?" Rosalina asks.

"I..." I should tell them. They tell me everything and I them. But the idea of telling them that my mother's worse enemy, and apparently now mine, is going to come to kill me after escaping from jail, it feels like too much.

I will tell them eventually. I know I will. I have to. I just need some time right now to think things over. Sift through everything my mother told me and sort the lies from the truth.

But I know exactly where to begin.