Clandestine

twenty nine

From my spot along the wall, I watch Julia cut through the crowd. It's incredibly easy with her head of bright pink hair. It's clear that she's the type of girl that enjoys to stand out.

I can't get what she said out of my mind. My father was killed by a guard. He didn't get into a fight. Did Marcia Quintana lie to me?

Unless it was Julia that was lying to me. She was a complete stranger. Why should I trust her?

But I think I'd sooner trust a complete stranger than Marcia Quintana.

Julia finds some girl she must know. She tugs at her arms and says something. They seem to get into a small bicker, the the friend eventually follows after her. Julia grabs another friend and the three of them disappear out of my door.

I guess she got too grumpy after our meeting to stay for the party.

I'd rather she goes anyway. I don't like her constant pink hair reminding me that my father may have been murdered.

But why would a prison guard kill my father? Unless they were ordered by someone else. Marcia Quintana to be exact. Precautionary jail time is one thing, but a precautionary killing?

Shivers run over my skin.

My fingers are itching to find my laptop so that I can hack into the records of the Assembly and see the given reason for his trial and death. Maybe he admitted to more imaginary crimes.

Fury boils inside me, but I keep the blank expression plastered to my face the entire time. People stumble over to me, more and more drunk as the night goes on, asking me where my father is. I give them the same lie every time about him being in a business trip. They buy it every time.

Sometime a little after midnight, I finally allow myself to go back inside. I've stuck around the party long enough. I can retire.

I nearly sprint up the stairs and whip open my laptop.

I quickly hack into the website and scroll through the list of recent data. Nothing.

My father's death was never filed under the Assembly's reports.