14-Authority

"And if you look in this direction you can see the documents salvaged from the Keyes Family Library after the fire of 1787."
There was murmurs of interest and grunts of boredom. The woman guiding us thrived off the attention she was getting, her smile showing her government funded, whitened teeth.
A field trip to the Sentorium had been suggested by the Classics department months before and I had even been on the council to organise it. In these past few weeks it had slipped from my mind,unbelievably. Arin, part of the reason I had forgotten this trip, was walking slightly behind me, looking rather dashing in his uniform, although I wouldn't tell him I thought that. My conversation with Diana yesterday had not been dismissed as easily as I would have liked. Even so, it was hard to see what was so dangerous about him now, hands in his pockets, almost smiling with a slight swagger in his step. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this, a chance for him to finally blend in and learn a little about history.
He stepped away for a bit when our tour group stop, looking into a glass cabinet filled with old bullets fired in the last great war. I had been here before, on a trip a few years ago. The Sentorium was not only a museum, but doubled as the Mayor's office. The guide started up again, this time about a painting behind her and how important it was to our heritage.
"It's a bit tedious, isn't it..." Said the man next to me.
He was leaning against one of the large white stone pillars, his arms folded. He had a salt and pepper beard that matched his short hair and glasses stuck out of his breast pocket. He had an easy, sleepy smile, that of a man who had heard it all before and decided he didn't really care. He looked down at me with blue eyes.
"A bit."
He nodded. "I always get a bit bored of her speeches, especially after you've heard them over and over."
"You come here a lot then."
"I guess you could say that." He laughed, "What's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Isabel Warder, Sir. I'm here with the School Tour." I said, offering my hand.
He shook, his hand large and dry, showing the strength he had. "I'm Richard, but my friends call me Rick."
"Well, nice to meet you, Rick." I smiled, slightly amused by how long it was taking for the handshake to finish.
Eventually, he stopped. "I think your boyfriend is jealous of the attention your getting." He said.
"My what?" I asked at the same time as he nodded in the direction of Arin. "He's not my-"
"Don't worry sweetheart, I have to go anyway." He waved and then walked through the crowd, both Arin and I staring after him. The guide continued.
"And here is Mayor Keyes himself! Would you care to say a few words?"
"Sure Stacy." Rick said with that sleepy smile. "I'm glad to be here."
He began telling us how he was so happy to see young people interested in their history, but I was too busy trying to match the man I was seeing to the man I had met seconds ago. I was still trying to work through my incredulous thoughts when I felt Arin step behind me. He put a hand on my shoulder and whispered so no one would be able to hear.
"Did he say his name was Keyes?"
I nodded, turning towards him slightly.
He narrowed his eyes as Rick finished talking and the crowd applauded. "Keep an eye on him. Something's not right."
It wasn't the first time I had wondered if the people in my life had been this dangerous before he had arrived.