Shattered Relations | Aru Shah AU |

XII

ARU
"I mean, she could be interning there. They take college students too." Aru said. 

"Though, I doubt she knows what's going on. She would have reported it to the police." Mini said, crossing her arms. 

"Or..." Brynne began, "maybe she got the picture from them, but anonymously. Either way, we'll have to ask her." None of them looked excited to ask Leslie Grant questions. 

"Should we call the guys?" Aru asked, steepling her fingers, and staring at the newspaper. 

"Already texted them," Mini said, waving her phone, which had more and more texts flooding in. 

"Whoa. Are all those from your parents?" Aru asked, gesturing at the phone. 

"Some are from my brother too... and from other students. News travels fast." she sighed. 

Brynne got them back on track. "How do we ask Leslie, though? We can't just begin with, 'Are you working for an evil organization that's bent on killing us'?" 

"I'd pay to see the look on her face if she hears that, though." Mini said. 

"It'll most likely be the look of smug superiority," Aru muttered. 

"And all five of us can't go, it'll spook her," Mini continued. 

"At best, two? I mean, that's the best bet, if one person goes, we'll have a repeat of 'the Knife Incident'." Aru said. 

Aru felt her eyes subconsciously flick to Mini. Mini, in turn, groaned. 

"No... do I have to?" she asked, crossing her arms. 

"You and Rudy," Brynne jumped in. "She's hurt the both of you, she'll have to be more compelled to listen." 

Mini scowled. 

"Come on, Mini—don't you want to see these guys brought to justice?" 

Mini sniffed, and said, grudgingly, "Yeah." 

"Exactly! If you want, you can punch her, and none of us would judge you!" Brynne said encouragingly. 

"I definitely wasn't worrying about you guys judging me," Mini scoffed. 

Brynne snorted. 

Aru nodded, and said, "Alright, tomorrow, you and Rudy go and interrogate Leslie tomorrow. Does that sound good?" 

Mini sighed. "Fine." 

————

MINI
Leslie was talking to her friends, the next day, when Mini and Rudy decided to approach her. 

"Will she even tell us anything?" Rudy asked, frowning slightly. The both of them were sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree, on the school campus. 

Passing students shot them strange looks—no doubt, the damage from the article—but didn't talk to them. 

"I mean, what if she uses the same excuse we did when she wanted info on Shakhuni?" Rudy whispered, his gaze flitting from random passersby to the trees to Leslie. 

"She'd have to be unbelievably petty if she does," Mini said, tugging her bangs. "Brynne did say she would have to be compelled to listen to us, after... you know, 'the article'." 

Rudy shifted in his seat. Neither of them had spoken about it, since it would broach uncomfortable topics that were rather left undiscussed... like the fact that Rudy had grabbed onto her hand when startled. 

Stop that, her brain hissed. Focus. 

She turned her attention back to Leslie, whose friends had left her. She was now checking her phone, her backpack by her feet.