Jack here.
We took up a position outside near a news stand. Miranda had got a skirt from a nearby store, and so she wasn't too worried about looking out of place.
"Do you think Carmen's okay?" I asked. "You were in a choir with her, you know her better than I do."
"Carmen has a disturbing ability to remain calm in all situations. Ivy told me that when we both got attacked, Carmen was the one who was thinking straight enough to get help. Everyone else who heard was just shocked. Still… I don't know if she can do this."
"She can just tell the truth, though she may want to lie about her family history if that comes up."
"Yeah," she agreed. "That would probably be a good plan. Not that I approve of lying or anything –"
"Miranda, I have been your friend for at least twelve years and your boyfriend for almost a year. I think I can understand what you mean."
She laughed, blushing slightly.
"Wait, where are your glasses?"
"Oh! Right. They were made of a material that looked out of place in the 40s. I decided I was better off without them – same with the earrings."
"Miranda, your TARDIS earrings? Really?"
"They're in my pocket, don't worry. But I can't really see much without my glasses. If we need to run, you'll have to hold my hand."
"Don't worry – I wouldn't want to run any other way." I reached across and squeezed her hand.
"Aw, aren't you sweet? As unoriginal as that line was."
Miranda sat down on the side of the curb, the toes of her high heeled shoes settling in the street. I'm about average height, and when she wears heels she's taller than I am.
"I can't stop worrying," said Miranda after a few minutes.
"There's nothing you can do."
"And I hate that. I feel so useless."
"Carmen will be fine."
"You don't even know her."
"It's not her first time, she was with Ivy. She would know what to do if things went wrong."
"There's something wrong with that. Why didn't Ivy tell us about Carmen, that Carmen knew? Either Carmen is lying or Ivy hid something from us. Ivy didn't hide things, she couldn't hide things. So…"
She had a point. "Why would Carmen lie?"
I admit I hadn't thought about all that. About why we were only just finding out now. Some genius I am.
That's why I need Miranda. I think of things she doesn't, she thinks of all the things I don't. She's the only reason I passed English and history in school, and she says I'm the only reason she passed science and math. She thinks carefully, I'm impulsive. We balance each other out.
I gave her hand another squeeze.
Carmen here.
After the extremely uncomfortable conversation about my family history, I was left alone for a while. Probably because I wasn't exactly going anywhere.
Eventually, Agent Thompson came and brought me to that room with Agent Carter and Mr. Jarvis.
I dropped down into a chair.
"Carmen?" said Mr. Jarvis.
"Yes."
"Your friends sent me to help you out."
"Friends? Miranda and Jack?" They'd stuck their necks out to help me? They didn't even know me. Probably because I had been Ivy's friend. Ivy was that kind of person – the people she called friends were few, but they were the best kind of people to have for friends. I had never counted myself in the circle. We knew each other fairly well from ballet and from school, but we'd never really been too close.
"Yes, I told them you had nothing to do with it."
"Who are you exactly?" asked Agent Carter.
"Carmen. I saw Dottie attack you. She threw my head against the wall. Probably lucky she didn't kill me when she had the chance. Why am I still here?"
"Because they want Howard Stark to come before they release us, in case Mr. Stark lied in his confession."
"Um… about that confession."
I couldn't hold back a groan.
"Did Howard write that confession, Mister Jarvis?
"He did not."
"Did you write that confession, Mister Jarvis?
"I did..."
She swore.
"I did call for help many times!" Jarvis defended himself. "Mister Stark never answered. I left countless messages, nothing. And then I panicked, and panicked again...and then put particular skills to use—"
She swore again.
"Like I said, panic was involved."
I put my face down on the table and groaned. Knowing someone's going to do something stupid doesn't soften the blow much. "I'm not getting out of here for a long time, am I?"
"Well, have you done anything illegal?"
"Aside from belong to a family with strong connections to the Nazi party and just happen to appear with someone thought to be guilty of treason?"
Agent Carter swore a third time. "Have you ever been hanged, Mr. Jarvis?"
"I can't say that I have, no."
"It is quite unpleasant!"
"Please tell me you're not speaking from experience," I said.
She didn't respond. "They're going to put us all away for good." She then went quiet.
I kept my face down on the table. Frankly, I was too tired to bother looking up.
What a fine mess to be in. Even if it was going to be cleared up, Dottie was there. That would be incriminating enough.
Of all the things I expected to come of my heritage, this wasn't exactly one of them.