Jam Jars [GirlxGirl]

Chapter 10

Vera had forced herself out of bed, waking moments before her alarm sounded, her morning ritual fulfilled. She'd washed, dressed and opened her jam jar a few times before descending to the sitting room. Her sleep had been short and troubled, but she couldn't recall why. Entering the sitting room, Vera couldn't help being impressed once more by the decor. In the lush morning light that graced dark oak surfaces and cream coloured carpets, the room felt bathed in warmth. Vera noticed cereal and almond milk were laid out on the table by the bay window, Tsuru sitting on the chair furthest from the door. On the chair Vera usually sat in. She paused and looked him up and down.

"What?" Tsuru asked, finishing his cereal.

"I usually sit there." She explained matter-of-factly. Tsuru rolled his eyes,

"You're weird." He grumbled but swapped over to the seat on the other side without any more complaints. Vera sat down, stretched, and reached not for a bowl, but for some paper and a pen.

"Let's work out what we know, and where to go from there." She said. Tsuru raised an eyebrow at her, then looked pointedly at the paper. Vera glanced down and flushed in embarrassment, Tsuru had already made such a list. "Oh." She mumbled, then read through it hurriedly.

What we know:

1. The rebellion tried to kidnap, not kill, Emma

2. They attacked the Library and police base to distract the society

What we don't know:

1. Who 'the rebellion' are

2. Why they want Emma

Plan:

It was blank after 'plan'. Vera looked up at Tsuru, "I suppose we're forming a plan, then?"

"Yes." Tsuru opened his mouth to begin explaining, his condescending tone already potent even before his words had formed. Vera cut him off.

"I hope you're plan is to wait for Emma to join us before we begin?" She asked. Tsuru stalled, then rubbed the back of his neck nervously,

"Yeah, totally." He lied awkwardly. Vera arched an eyebrow at him. Luckily, Tsuru was saved by the thudding sound of Emma descending the stairs.

"Morning." She said brightly as she entered the dining room, wearing a pink night gown. The thin straps going over her shoulders had small, dainty bows on them. Vera averted her eyes.

"Good morning." Brown Eyes responded. "Take a seat when you're ready." Emma grabbed a stool and came to sit next to them. Vera handed her the list.

"What's this?" The shorter girl asked, piling a mountain of cereal into her bowl and dousing it in milk.

"A rough outline of what we know." Tsuru's eyes darkened, "And what we don't." Emma scanned it over, raising a spoonful of breakfast to her mouth and chewing it thoughtfully. She swallowed.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" She asked. Vera shrugged,

"That's what we're going to decide." She took the paper back from Emma and looked it over, "Gortald said a few things to me yesterday." Tsuru looked at her in interest, "He said to keep looking for answers, to go against John's word and... He said a lot about being unable to act himself, and needing me to act on his behalf."

"Well." Tsuru said, leaning back, "Let's start with the obvious deductions, shall we?" He asked, turning his gaze from Emma to Vera. They looked back blankly. Tsuru raised his eyebrows, "It's obvious, isn't it?" Tsuru began counting off of his fingers, "Why Gortald's preoccupation coincided with Emma's attempted kidnapping, why his car had bullet marks, why John was listed as a key player?" Emma tilted her head to the side,