25

"It's four in the morning, Alice. What in God's name do you want?"

"I need the drive, Nivens."

"Is this actually your last resort now, or are you just wanting it just to have?"

"It's my last resort. I need to track down a witness."

"This couldn't have waited until later? It's Sunday. Some of us actually take Sunday as a leisure day, the way it's meant to be."

"The trial is on Tuesday. I can't afford leisure time."

…

"Fine. Meet us in the parking lot at eight. Don't be late, and wear something nice."

"Okay, first, us? Second, are we going to Ipalm again?"

"Us meaning Thackery and I. And maybe later, but we're going to church first."

Four hours later Alice is sitting in the front row pew of an unfamiliar church wearing the same grey button down and black dress pants outfit as before, making a mental note to get more semi-formal button downs. She'd left her jacket in Niven's car, thinking it didn't fit the formality of a church setting. Her clothes seem to fit in with most people attending, but between Thackery and Nivens, she's wildly underdressed. Nivens wears a navy vest and matching bow tie and slacks, — his pocket watch ever present, glimmering, the chain hanging out slightly — a white dress shirt underneath. Thackery wears a similar combination, except his vest is harvest orange, his tie is a knit style with white dots, and his pants are black rather than matching his vest colour. Somehow Alice figures that Thackery, jeans-and-flannel-loving Thackery, didn't own any of this beforehand. However, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his hair wind ruffled, Alice can't help but admit that he pulls off the look rather well, despite looking a little tired, and wonders if she could look that good in a vest.

The service goes by in a blur, boring as always, until it gets to the homily.

The priest steps up to the podium, pulls the mic down with an audible creak, and begins to speak.

"Now, brothers and sisters, I understand that sometimes, it is difficult to resist temptation."

Alice groans inwardly. Aaaaaaand this is the part where they bring up homosexuality and how one must "resist the temptation of the flesh", and "this all will pass if one stays strong in the Lord".

"I am not speaking of the temptations of the flesh."

Hold on, what? Is he reading her mind? What other temptation does the church ever speak of anyway?

"I am speaking of temptation in general. Temptation to seek revenge. Temptation to give in to darkness. I know that there are times when that path seems to be the only way, but when we are scared, sometimes we cannot see the alternatives that would steer us away from eternal fire."

At this moment his eyes land on Alice, and she pales. How does he know?

"Violence is never the answer. When Cain killed Abel, he was cursed and marked for life. I find that no one understands how long eternity is until they have fallen for grace. Yes, nothing you do is unforgivable in the eyes of the Lord, but think of how much harder it will be for you to return to the light the further you descend into darkness. Sometimes you fall so far that you cannot find your way back. Realise what you are doing and stop yourself before it is too late. Do not become like Cain, dying the same way he killed his brother, buried underneath stone."

Alice frowns. Cain killed Abel because he was jealous that God favoured his sacrifice over his own. She isn't jealous of Bumby, is she? Or is the court God in this instance, and she is Cain, fearing that Bumby's Abel case will overpower hers? The court does play God in a sense that it decides the fate of those on trial. Is she no better than Cain if she takes that chance and ends Bumby's life?

She's lost, so lost that when it comes time to kneel after communion, the wafer dry and flavourless on her tongue, that she pulls down the kneeler with Thackery and Nivens, and prays, for the first time in years.

Hey, God, she begins, a bit hesitant. She knows that's not traditionally how most prayers start, but at this point, she doesn't have a script in front of her to guide her. I… I need your help. I'm so scared that we're going to lose. I'm not sure how you're going to help, or if I'm just talking to myself right now, but I would appreciate any help you could send my way. People keep telling me you have a reason for everything. Unbidden, a memory resurfaces: the announcement of her father's death. You took my father away. You let me suffer in an asylum until I broke myself out. I don't understand the reasoning behind any of that. If you're so powerful, can't you just make this all go away? I wish you would. That would make all this so much easier. I know I haven't been the best about coming to church, or praying everyday, or wearing my faith on my sleeve like some people. So, if not for me, help… help Mirana. Help Mason. They both believe in you, even after everything they've been through. Let the witness we find help us on our way to victory. Give us something to help us win! If we win I… I'll come back to church. I'll go every Sunday. I'll try not to fall asleep during the service. I'll do anything, just please, let us win.

No response. Not that Alice expected any, of course, but there isn't any harm in trying. She hears the kneelers being pushed up and unfolds her hands to follow suit.

Her knuckles are wet.

Alice quickly rubs at her eyes before Nivens and Thackery can notice that she ever cried.

It's relatively quiet as the three of them pile into the car. Nivens takes the driver's seat while Thackery punches in an address into his phone. He yawns, pulling out the clip that will attach the phone nearby for Nivens to reference, and fixes the phone into it, pressing play. He has to quickly turn it down when Siri starts shouting directions, shooting Alice an apologetic look.

"We'll be driving for a while. Miss Turkel is two hours away." Nivens says, pulling out of the parking lot. "We're stopping at Caffè Nero, though it's not as good as Ipalm, otherwise I won't be able to keep my eyes open."

Thackery seems to have already failed to do so, dozing off in the passenger seat. Alice buckles herself in. "You've already found a witness willing to speak with us?"

"Not so much willing as she was the only one I could track down. She doesn't know we're coming." Nivens glances back at her. "Did you tell Mirana where you were going?"

"No, I didn't tell her anything." Alice thought it'd be best that she didn't. She pulls her phone out to power it back on, having turned it off for mass.

And finds six new voicemails and several frantic text messages.

"Shit." she mutters under her breath.

"What's the matter?"

"I probably should have at least told Mirana that I was going out. I'm going to call her, do you mind?"

"Not at all."

Alice dials her number, mentally preparing herself for the tongue-lashing she's bound to receive.

Ri —

The phone doesn't even finish ringing before it's abruptly cut off by Mirana picking up immediately.

"AlicewhereareyoudoyouhaveanyideahowworriedI'vebeenI'vebeencallingyouforthepasthourandyouhaven'tbeenrespondingwhichreallyisn'thelpingthings—"

"I'm out with Nivens and Thackery!" she blurts out before Mirana can keep going.

She hears Mirana take a breath, probably to make up for her rambling. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Um?" Nivens shrugs when she looks at him. "Secret friends?"

Nivens snorts at that. Alice can practically see Mirana rolling her eyes on the other end. "Since when is it a secret that you three are friends? And since when are you out of bed before ten on the weekends?"

"Let me talk to her. Put her on speaker." Nivens says.

Alice complies, holding her phone a little closer to the driver's seat. "Nivens is on." she says.

"Hello, Mirana?"

"Hello, Nivens."

"Right. Alice, Thackery, and I are going to retrieve some vital information for your case. We can't tell you what it is, but it will help you, if we are successful."

"And why can't I be there? Since it's for my case."

"It's two hours away."

"I didn't want to wake you." Alice adds. "I just forgot to leave a note."

She hears Mirana grumble something on the other end, muffled. "Honestly, I appreciate what everyone is doing for me, but other than conversing with the lawyer no one has thought to involve me in anything else. I know you snuck out with Tarrant, Alice. What you all seem to be forgetting is that it's my name on the case. So, if you haven't gotten too far already, please come back for me. I don't want to just sit here while the rest of you go out there."

Alice feels the urge to point out that that is exactly what a queen does, but thinks better of it and keeps it to herself.

Nivens inhales sharply, then turns the car around. "Alright. Meet us out front."

"Thank you. Oh, and Alice?"

"Mmm?"

"You're not off the hook for this."

Alice groans, sinking into her seat as the phone beeps. Mirana's hung up. "What about the research? What about keeping it a secret?"

Nivens chews his lip. "Mirana is right. This is her name on the case. She, of all people, should have the right to know."

They continue the drive in silence, Thackery snoring softly. When they pull up to the academy, Mirana is waiting for them, wearing a considerable amount of colour. She has on a pale pink and red striped sweater, a baby blue skirt, and brown suede flats. Though her snowy hair and dark lips remain the same, it's clear that this is a leap from where she's been before. She joins Alice in the backseat, but sits considerably close to the door.

"We're stopping at Caffè Nero on the way." Nivens informs Mirana. "Order whatever you want, I'm paying."

"Thank you, Nivens." Mirana says curtly. "I'll return the favour another time." She shifts slightly to face Alice. "We need to talk."

Recognizing it as a somewhat private conversation, Nivens switches on the radio and fiddles with the dial until he finds a classical music station. The voices of piano, violin, and cello fill the car, a mellow backdrop for a potentially heavy exchange.

Mirana settles into her seat once the car begins to move again. "Why do you keep hiding things from me, Alice?"

Alice has trouble meeting her eyes, but makes an effort anyway, to try and show Mirana she's being sincere. "It seemed like the right thing to do, the only way to keep you safe."

"I could understand that with you breaking into the asylum, — which was a stupid thing to do, by the way, even if it was on my behalf — but you could have at least said something. Don't you realize what this looks like to me, you constantly sneaking around me?"

"I didn't —"

"It makes me feel like you don't trust me." Mirana says. "It makes me feel like you don't think I can handle myself, that you don't think I'm capable of —"

"That's not —"

Mirana cups her hand over Alice's mouth. "Alice, for once, shut up." She lowers her hand. "I know you think you're doing what's best for me, but you have to stop acting like you're my servant. You're my girlfriend, not my subject."

Despite herself, Alice's lips quirk up into a smile. "Girlfriend?"

"Um…" Mirana withdraws her hand, suddenly embarrassed. "Yes, I do believe that's the proper term for you."

The rest of the drive continues in silence, though Alice is smiling a little to herself as she watches the world go by.