In Shadow - Ch 3 - Update

To: GenieBerry, FabulousAadi 

From: ProsperosDaughter

Subject: Update

Hey guys, 

We're OK. You know how those reporters exaggerate things. Except you, Genie. I know you're going to be a great reporter. Anyway, I'm going to be fine. It's just a bad situation with M's uncle and his Family. So, we're going to get some distance from them. We'll probably be out of touch for a little while but we're OK. Don't worry. Don't look for us.

M says hi.

All our love, M&M 

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"What does it mean, Aadi?" Genie Elderberry cried into her phone.

It had been a week since the story of the attack on Miranda Goth hit the news. A week Genie had spent worrying about her friends and former college roommates, Miranda and Mariah. Aadi Bheeda, the fourth of the Darkwing House roommates, had been the only person she could really talk to, the only one who really understood. 

"I think it means they're OK," Aadi's voice replied soothingly. "That's the important part."

"'... a bad situation with M's uncle and his Family'," Genie read out. "You know what that means, right? Mariah's uncle? Uncle Nick!  As in Nick Alto and the Alto crime family!"

"To be fair, he isn't really her uncle," Aadi put in. "I think he's actually like some kind of a cousin."

"Aadi, they're on the run!" Genie burst out. "From gangsters!"

"Girlfriend, breathe," Aadi said. "They're OK. You've heard Miranda's stories. This isn't even the first time she's been on the run. And Mariah is one tough bee'yotch. They can take care of themselves. She just wanted us to know... so we didn't get into trouble looking for her." 

Like other people did last time, Aadi thought. She still blames herself for people getting killed looking for her after the Mill Lane thing. Which is Not something that's gonna make Genie feel better about this  sitch. 

"But they're in trouble," Genie said. "Shouldn't we do something?"

"Girl, I am a dazzling non-binary urbanite with flawless fashion sense," Aadi said with a grin, "but I am also currently up to my well-toned ass in chicken shit. Actual chicken shit. Country living is an ad-just-ment, let me tell you. My point, my little Blackberry, is that while I am many amazing things, I am not a superhero like our M&Ms."

"Come on... you're Secret Agent Double-O Aadi," Genie laughed, recalling an old joke and another time when the drama of their friend's lives had almost overwhelmed them all. 

"I do look fabulous in a tux," Aadi chuckled.

"Shouldn't we do... something?" Genie sighed, sobering. 

"Yeah," Aadi admitted. "I just don't know what. Yet. Until we do, we just need to do what we do."

"That sentence got away from you, didn't it?" Genie chuckled.

"You know what I mean," Aadi smiled. "When they need us, we'll be there... whether they like it or not... but rushing in blind is a Bad Idea. Right now, we just have to trust that they really are OK."

"OK, OK," Genie agreed. "I'll leave you to deal with that chicken shit situation."

"Thanks," Aadi groaned, rolling their eyes.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Aadi asked after a quiet moment.

"No, I'm not," Genie said. "But I promise I'll call you before I do anything really stupid."

"Good, because why should you have all the fun," Aadi chuckled.

"Now, go deal with your chickens," Genie said, "and say hi to Jordan for me."

 "Be safe, Genie," Aadi said.

"You too," Genie replied earnestly.

---------------------------

"They're OK!" Genie announced brightly, emerging from her closet-like bedroom.

"Who's OK?" Gabbie said with a puzzled blink. "Oh, Miranda and Mariah."

After college, Genie had been determined to make it on her own in the City, but making it on her own wasn't all that easy. Luckily, Gabbie Moretti, another fellow UBrite student, had been looking for someone to share rent.

"Yeah, I got an email from Miranda," Genie said. "She says they're OK and..."

"That's great," Gabbie said. "Hey, is it true what the news is saying? That Mariah's, like, a gangster? I always thought she was kinda sketchy back in college... and I heard Miranda's family is mixed up with organized crime too. I mean why else would these things keep happening to her?"

"What? No... I mean..." Genie said, flustered and a little angry. "Mariah's OK, really. She just got into trouble but she's really OK. Miranda too!"

"OK, OK, chill," Gabbie said soothingly. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just asking. You're the one who hung around with them."

That was the heart of it, Genie thought. They're my best friends and they're in trouble.