The Reaches

[Jude]

Jude had never been in a car accident. More than that, he'd never been entrusted to someone so unreliable (and it was unclear if he thought this 'someone' was himself or Near.) He did not know a thing about car insurance. He did not know a thing about calling the police, other than he should not ever call the police, they attracted unnecessary attention to what was already a messy situation. Police recorded things, police were nosy. When in doubt, Jude was told to take the necessary steps to defend himself, and then call a member of the Family. They would never let anything happen to him.

Now quite a few somethings had happened to him. Now what?

"What?" he mumbled at Near reflexively, even though Jude had clearly heard him. Burn the car? Why burn the car? Because... evidence? Hazily he could guess the direction Near was going. He looked at his hands, both of them as clean and unhealed as if one of them had never been cut open with a piece of broken glass. Could he burn a car with these hands?

"Are you sure?" He defaulted to his old habit: letting someone else make the decisions for him. If Near thought they should burn the car, he would burn the car. Then, remembering the woman's question at the last minute, he raised his voice and said, "Olympia?" in the wavering tone of someone who was awful at negotiating. Just take him away from here, please.