Nesia 021

“I need to know what’s going on,” Nesia sighed.  “Give me the long version.”

“Really?” Cam said happily.  Maybe a little too happily.

“I’m not sure…” Kale started to say as he followed the women into the large bathroom.

“Shush,” Cam snapped back.  “She wants answers and I’ll give them to her.”

Kale shrugged and walked out of the bathroom and back to the kitchen.  Cam lost no time in opening her bag and pulling out more hair products then Nesia thought existed.  A faint trickle of recognition pulled in the back of her mind.  Cam’s profession was based entirely on appearances.  She could make anyone look different.  That was where her nickname came from.  Cam had some how derived from the word chimera.

“So, we’ll start from the beginning,” Cam said as her fingers started sorting through Nesia’s hair.  “So, of course, young Miss Katherine contacted Card about wanting to hire you again.  Come to think of it, did she seek out Card first or him her? Anyway, she wanted you to double for her again.  I think she actually enjoys living vicariously through you.  After all, you say things that she feels she can’t.  Despite all of her attempts to break free I think she’s just too shy.  Of course, I wouldn’t know for sure.  I just get her looks.  You got to spend time learning from her and her ways.  Here, hold this.”

Nesia found a handful of curled hair extensions in her hand.  She glanced over at the doorway and spotted a slightly amused Kale folding a paper bird.  Now, too late, did Nesia’s mind bother to let her know that Cam’s short version was a normal person’s long version.

“What was the job?” Nesia quickly inputted during a pause in the flow of words.

“Oh, yes, the job,” Cam said dismissively.  “As I said, she contacted Card about needing you.  You know, at the time I wondered why he seemed hesitant about the job.  We were already looking into the Asuraeson vault anyway.  Then again, since you two can’t seem to decide if you like each other or not, I guess he felt threatened about the whole going to an arranged marriage interview thing.  I mean, I don’t know what you…”

Cam’s voice faded out as Nesia’s memory wandered back.  It was several years back.  Almost ten to be exact.  Her hair was cut short and dyed a dark purple.  She was sitting in a police interview room with her hands cuffed to the table.  Not graduating high school on time was starting to look like the least of her worries.

“So, can I make a plea deal?” she asked the officer in the room.  “I told you.  I just provided them with the information.  They tried to leave me behind to take the fall.  I will gladly testify against those losers.”

“You’re claim is that you were able to illegally copy blue prints and obtain ways to bypass the security of a national artifact,” the officer said sarcastically.

“I didn’t illegally obtain anything,” Nesia defended.  “I made those blueprints myself.”

In hindsight that probably was not the best argument, but she had been scared and angry.  She knew that the crime the officer wanted to charge her with was a high profile national crime.  No matter how much the charge got lowered she was still facing a hard penalty.

“Some agents will be arriving soon to get your convoluted side of the story,” the officer jeered.

The officer knew she had holes in her story.  She was far from stupid.  No one would believe what had actually happened.  She did not want to be interred for being insane.  Still, she was young and was hoping that playing the victim would work in at least getting her parole.

“Excuse me officer,” a man said as he opened the room door.  “I’m Agent Phelps.  I would like to interview our witness.”

“Witness?” the officer questioned as he stood up.

“Would you please share any information you have with Agent Tennor.”  Agent Phelps did not make it a request and the officer walked out of the room with a woman in a skirt suit.

Agent Phelps sat down at the table and pulled out a phone.  He quickly tapped a few buttons and then set it on the table, no doubt turning on the recording feature.  He pulled out a notebook and started to scribble down some notes with his stylus.  He made no move to actually do any interview or even idle conversation.

The memory started to fade out a little, but Nesia held fast to it.  This event was a life changing event.  Kale’s cautions about overdoing it were ignored.  She could rest for the whole day, but she was not going to miss memory.  If she could just remember if she said something first to Agent Phelps, then she felt she could pull herself back into the memory.

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What did she say to Agent Phelps?

(and yes, I am continuing a memory since you picked the option that actually allowed for the memory)

1 – I may not be innocent, but I’m certainly not guilty

2 – Do you want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help your sanity?

3 – Say nothing and wait for him to talk first.

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