Immortal Tales #Wattys2020

Chapter Thirty One

Valeria

Back in Italy, Valeria had been a spy. She had walked side by side with her fake husband Isaac and collected information on the mist people by studying folklore and tales.

The girl didn't like reusing old masks. She was too afraid that their personality would stick on her, but she couldn't avoid it this time.

Giulia was a princess, she wanted all eyes on her at any time.

But Valeria was a shadow, hiding a violent nature behind kindness and innocence.

That was who she needed to be.

Mathias led her through the dark alleys of Chicago. They were in a popular neighbourhood, Cicero, famous for the half prize pizzas and sparkling cocktails. But at 4am in the night, the only thing keeping them company was the eco of their steps on the pavement.

They couldn't see Mr Dawson, but the bliking dot was still moving in front of them on the tracker. They would have moved faster, but they had to stop every two hundred meters to avoid being spotted by the guards. 

As soon as they had left the Opera, two more were added to the escort. They always remained behind in fear that someone would follow Mr Dawson.

"I wonder why" the girl thought sarcastically.

-Mike? I think I heard something - said one of them. Valeria froze on the spot and pushed Mat's down to the ground with her, behind a waste bin.

The other turned and adjusted his glasses.-Nah dude you are imagining things, it must be your nerves. I know there is something off with this job that the boss is not telling us, but money is money. -

The other shook his head. -I swear to you, someone is watching us. We need to check. -

Valeria held her breath. They could go nowhere, do nothing. The dumpster was right in front of a dead end. The only way out was the direction where the guards where approaching from. She could kill them, but they were just mortals following orders. How could she live with that afterwards? But if they got caugh, Nature knows what would happen to them. She would end up in prison again.

The following events happened so fast her immortal brain could barely process them.

The guard leaned in. She trusted her instincts and threw her own body to shield Mat's.

 And then she exploded.

There was no loud bang, no smoke or fire. Her explosion sounded more like the hissing of a snake moving through rocks. Her body lost all corporeal matter. She was made of wirls of smoke, fog hiding Mathias from the guard's inquiring eyes.

No, not smoke.

Mist.

The guards were looking at a shadow in the night.

The girl didn't know how she could see them without eyes, but their bodies were as clear as the night sky. And it wasn't just their bodies. She could see all of them. Isaac and June hiding behind a car in front of a mansion. Andre sitting at home, refreshing the computer to allow its calculations to process. Mr Dawson walking a mile away directed towards an old barrack. The guards now jogging towards him having found nothing in the dumpster.

She knew she should have been afraid, but the only thing in her heart was the pulse of magic. As strong and fierce as when she first saw it. But there was also something else. A strong light thread was pulsing not too far away.

"Mathias is still there" she remembered. It was hard to care about anything.

She had felt like this before in her life, when the mist people had taken away her emotions. The light thread pulsed more vigorously, as if trying tell her something.

"Andre, Isaac and Jane need me" the impulse stronger than any magic.

The fog collected, becoming compact. The pressure around her popped, and she had a body again.

She fell to the ground, not sure how to respond to gravity. Everything was so heavy. Her heart was wild with emotions and she felt overwhelmed like she had been those first few nights as an exile. She looked at her arm and the mark was still there, burned into her flesh.

-Luz! What the hell was that?!- a voice rang in her hears. Mathias held her by her shoulders as if he was afraid she would dissolve again.

-I ... I have no idea - she said getting up, her knees still wobbly. -But Dawson is not far from here, I have seen where he was going. -

Mathias' eyes were full of worry but he nodded. At least the guy had his priorities straight.

The barrack she had seen from the misty state was even creepier from upclose.

It was not large, maybe a few tens of meters squares. It was made of darkened wood and rusted metal. The door was an heavy block of coppery material, clearly newer than the rest of the place. Maybe it had been put there as a safety precaution, together with two of the guards that had been looking over Dawson himself. The councilman was nowhere to be seen.

-I am willingly stepping into a cage - she muttered.

Mathias didn't seem as shaken up. But then again, he hadn't spent three years in prison or just dissolved into mist.

-Yeah ok sunshine, but look at the bright side. - he said winking. -There are only two guards at the door, so it will be easy to come in and out and plus ...You are with me, most girls would die to willingly get in a cage to have some Mathias time. -

Valeria rolled her eyes, but she did feel a little bit better. She would never admit it out loud, but without her connection with Mat's past ... she might have never come back to her solid state.

The girl put a hand into her dress.

-Woah lady, I didn't mean NOW. Like ok, I maybe could find a few minutes, but we are in the middle of an investigation so probably not the best idea. - he said.

Valeria pulled out a vial and a cloth from her bra.

-You can hide stuff in there?! - he gasped. -That seems awfully unfair. -

Valeria smiled wickedly. -Marilyn Monroe used to say she never left the house without a drop of Chanel. I tend to do the same with highly concentrated chloroform. -she replied. - We break this in front of the guards and they will fall asleep in a few seconds. Now follow my lead.-

She stripped out of her dress, trying to avoid Mat's burning gaze on her naked back, and she stepped out of the alley.

Valeria slouched her back and covered her underwear with her hands. She hid the vial in her fist, faked a sob and run towards the guards.

-Help me please! - she cried, not too loudly to avoid suspicion coming from the inside. -He wants to hurt me! -

The guards, to their benefit, stepped ahead to help the poor naked lady. They seemed confused, but their hands didn't go to the guns in their belts.

-Oh gosh lady, who did this to you? Who wants to hurt you? - said the one with glasses. His eyes seemed genuinely concerned, but his emotions betrayed him, a little too intrigued by her silk underwear.

-It's him! - she pointed as Mat stepped out in the open.

Both guards gave her their backs, shielding her with their bodies, their guns pointed at Mat. The boy raised his hands.

-How dare you hit a woman, boy! You have no shame, no dignity! - said Mike.

The girl threw the vial at their feet, the gas evaporating quickly into their lungs. The guards just had enough time to turn towards her before collapsing on the ground.

Mat was next to her in an instant, offering her dress back.

-I feel quite flattered actually. Bold of them to assume I have any shame or dignity left. Come on Luz - he said, quietly pushing the door open.

Thanks to the darkness playing in their favour, Dawson had not realised they were into the barrack. Valeria wondered if even in plain light, the councilman would have noticed them. He was too busy chatting with the remaining two guards and glowering over his prisoner.