Edited: 13 March 2013.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Further Plotting

He was in the woods near the lake, deep enough in that none of those highly active Mortals could see or hear him as he muttered to himself. "Who does she think she is to speak to me in such a tone?"

A question which, ultimately, lay at the root of his dilemma. While he had some information that would undoubtedly prove useful, he knew it would not satisfy the one who sent him here. Of course this meant he would need to venture forth once more.

"Ugh."

The very thought left him unsettled, a condition with which he was not at all familiar. But she got to him somehow, got the better of him. Left him speechless and sputtering and questioning the wisdom of this mission. A voice at the back of his mind whispered that if word got out about it he would be the ridicule of those among his circle.

Urgency pressed him. He knew there was limited time to accomplish his goal, yet he continued to come up with excuses to delay further action. They were paltry excuses, though. Ones that would never stand up to questioning. But he was reluctant to move, to risk another potentially disastrous encounter.

When her friends had asked after the purpose of her taking the picture, Sarah told them she wanted to ask Jareth if he knew him. She could not explain why, beyond a gut feeling, but she knew he was looking at her because of him. This led into a complicated conversation including a great deal of creative evasion on her part. She would ever profess to not knowing how she had managed it, but somehow they bought her explanation.

That evening, Jareth also wondered after her purposes in regards to the picture. She had given him such a clear image through her thoughts, a concept that fairly boggled her mind, he did not need another rendition. She shrugged. "I had a hunch it would be useful," she told him. "Not really sure how, but I had a hunch."

He confirmed for her that he was, indeed, a Fae lord of minor rank. Not a member of the High Court or he would have been easily recognized, and not powerful enough to break through any of the protections he had placed. Jareth assured her that he held no immediate danger to her or to anyone else on campus, doubting he would be foolish enough to directly confront her again. While Sarah believed that Jareth genuinely believed the Fae lord would not act foolishly, Sarah had spent far too much time playing guardian to Freshmen to let that be a sufficient explanation to rest her mind.

The next day, she sat in the Caff with Agnes and Edmund. Agnes had her phone and was looking at the picture again. "Did Jareth have any insight?"

"Yeah, he recognized him as someone who works for a member of the board or something." It was an explanation she had decided on late into the night as she pondered it in a bout of sleeplessness.

"Dude," Edmund said, "that's pretty intense. Are you sure he works for a bank?"

Sarah exchanged glances with Agnes. "Yeah, why?"

"I dunno. Herb and I were talking and we think he might actually," Edmund leaned in and whispered, "be part of the mafia."

"Oh, please." Rolling her eyes, Agnes went back to the phone.

"No really. He's so aloof, total air of danger about him. And what's with him wearing gloves if not to keep his fingerprints off of anything he touches?"

"You clearly are studying too hard if you are buying into Herb's theories so readily." Sarah eyed him for signs of exhaustion.

"You can't blame Herb's ideas on studying," muttered Agnes.

"No, come on. What bank has board members that send people to check out who their CEO is dating?"

Sarah stared at him, before sighing and shaking her head. "Okay, you have me there. It is weird. But Jareth tells me they have an insatiable curiosity and since he hasn't brought me to any, um, events-"

"Events? Like what?"

She scrambled for ideas. "You know. Formal parties, charity balls, other things rich people do..."

"Now that's reasonable," Agnes said. "I mean, why hasn't he brought you to any of those?"

"Partly because he doesn't want to distract from my studies, or what's left of them anyway. But mostly because there haven't been any to take me to." Not for their lack of trying, she thought. From what I hear there is something big in the works for as soon as I am available. Time to meet the Court. Yikes.

"Oh. Well I guess that is acceptable. But I get to go dress shopping with you when it is time."

"Hang on, I think you are being distracted from the real issue," Edmund sounded insistent. "How can you be sure that-"

Agnes interrupted him. "Never mind, Eddie. Godfather or not, what are we doing about this guy?" She waved the phone at the other two.

Sarah shrugged. "Jareth said not to worry, that he probably won't show his face after being confronted directly the way I did. And even if he did, I don't think he'd try anything weird."

"But?"

"But," she shrugged again, "I also don't think that was the end of it."

"Well, you have his mugshot," Edmund reminded her. "Why don't you start by posting his picture on all the dorm boards as a character of suspicion to be watched for?"

Agnes stared at him for a long moment then a slow grin spread across her face. She reached out and grabbed his head in both hands. She hauled him over and planted a huge kiss on his mouth. "Eddie, baby, you are a clever monkey."

He blinked. "Thanks."

Sarah giggled. "Ok, time to clue me in."

"Simple. We leave his fate to the dogs. Or, as they are more commonly referred to, the student residents on campus."

"Oh, dear."

Agnes' giggle was borderline wicked. "Precisely."

"I think I need a few more details, if for no other purpose than to ease my mind."

"All we have to do is circulate this picture around some very specific students who live on campus, namely our dorm."

"Okay..."

"The freshmen adore you, Wills. And even if they didn't, they are all particularly fascinated by this romance of yours. I think it is a good thing they don't have all the details because the stories they are making up about it are even better." She looked sideways at Edmund, who was still slightly dazed. "Mobster concept by Mr. Coppola over here not withstanding."

"Uh huh." Sarah's nod was slow. "So we make sure this guy's face is known. Then what?"

"Then we let slip to other particular residents that maybe this guy is a creep, that maybe this guy isn't bad per se but perhaps needs to be given a lesson on boundaries. Should he show up again, of course."

Sarah nodded slowly again, this time accompanied with an equally slow grin. "Of course. And somehow it gets implied that planning such an event this would be a much better use of one's pent-up finals anxiety than loud obnoxious floor parties that disturb those who still have work to do?"

"A happy side effect, of course."

"I don't want anything to do with it. Plausible deniability or... something."

"Hey, whatever they come up with wouldn't be our idea. We are just spreading around news that there is a face to be aware of. Besides, it was Eddie who thought of it. Right?" She looked at him, expectantly.

He looked at her, then at Sarah, then back at Agnes, trying to get caught up. Finally he shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. So you are sure Jareth isn't in the mafia."

Sarah laughed. "Quite." At least, not of the Italian variety I suppose.

"Cool. Then who wants pie?"