“Catch me up to speed. Did you both trespass, then proceed to damage the building?” LaMesha said in her usual flat voice, but the rate was faster. “Do I dare ask how—”
LaMesha covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide.
Jioni tried to cover her cracked grey arm and chipping face, but there was no hiding it. The wound was still fresh: it throbbed and burst.
LaMesha shook her head and stepped back.
“It’s not a big deal, and it doesn’t even hurt,” Jioni stuttered. “I can explain everything.”
But LaMesha withheld changing her attitude. She wouldn’t take her eyes off it.
“Jioni. Stop—I can’t handle another one of your absurd explanations. I really can’t help you out of this one.”
“What do you mean?” Jioni asked.
“This is a Canon 1 infection,” LaMesha said as her disgust shifted to disappointment. “And I need your ID.”
