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Bane took it in stride and returned with a counter "The same could be said for you and your friends"

Maybe

Well, then again, whenever Bubba and Mark got together, it did tend to go nuclear Asit, Pestilence had a point

Thorn returned to wearing his posh navy suit "So Bane, why are you here?"

"Sa on you soon, and it’s not for your gory hospitality The Malachai is back in Azmodea People tend to notice"

Thorn welcoot to shield him"

Bane snorted "Good luck with that"

Thorn crossed his ar to shield him"

Bane shook his head in denial "That’s not rin, "unless you’re tired of breathing I do know a few people who’d be willing to replace you on the cosh "I don’t understand you Why are you fighting for the wor the right thing even e shouldn’t And you’re going to do the right thing where Nick is concerned because I have your nulowed a wicked, fluorescent green "I hate you, Thorn"

"Feeling’s mutual, Bane Now, , Bane stepped over the still s remains of the demon "You owe me, Leucious"

"Pestilence, Pestilence, Pestilence … I’ve already paid you back You’re walking out my door And in one piece, no less Willhim off over his shoulder, Bane left theone, and turned to face Nick "You want to knohat I am, Nick? I’m a creature like you Conceived for only one purpose--to be a tool for evil"

Yeah, okay … No news to him there Thorn didn’t exactly hide that fact Rather he e "Isn’t that what you are?"

Thorn laughed "I can see why you’d think that But no I am my own man No one tells me who I am or how to behave Who to kill and when Or how I define ht or supposed written destiny Definitely not e as it was, Nick took comfort in those words "So I don’t have to beco You are the Malachai Just as you’re part hue that But, you don’t have to let that birthright consuainst your nature Like an addiction, only this one is genetic and hardwired into your DNA That impulse to harm rides you with spurs Eats you alive But you can’t let it win You have to reood part does There’s a time for peace and a time for war, and sometimes you have to embrace them both Most of all, you have to control them"

"Can you teach me?"

Thorn shook his head "Only you can walk in your shoes, my friend And I’m certainly not the voice in your head you want to listen to I literally have destroyed everything I ever loved, either on purpose or by total accident Believe me when I say that second chances are even et one, don’t squander it, kid"

Those words haunted hilowed the sareen that Bane’s had done "Have you ever heard the terhly held belief, I really do things other than play video games and text my friends I know about alternate universes"

Thorn inclined his head to him There was a note of respect in his eyes "Then you know that simultaneously, every outcome of everyone’s life is constantly in motion One in each of the universes Nicks infinitas And yet, here we are in this life"

Yeah, but one thing he’d never been able to figure out … "Hoe know that this is the right existence? How do I know one of the other universes isn’t the one I should be living in?"

Thorn gave a low laugh "Hoe, indeed? That is the question Who’s to say if this is the right life or not? And while I have an answer, you don’t need it, other than for me to mention that this is the only version of you and Ambrose that you know In order to save you, Ambrose has bent the fabric that none of us are allowed to touch He has breached this existence and is trying to gain access to the outcome that was achieved in an alternate universe and by another Nick, and make it happen here The problem with that is--"

"You can’t have the same outcome in two different dimensions"

"Exactly Each one must play out as a different dance In quantum mechanics, it’s termed the uncertainty Principle, which says that the more you know about the position of one matter, the less you can control, determine, or know about the an interfering with the tie between the planes of existence Things are now cos he can neither control, nor see the potential proble?"

"Yeah, by trying to help ave him a sarcastic salute "That’s a little harsh, but true Now no one can predict ill happen to you How this newest till unravel But one thing you can bank on, you are the grand prize in a bloody contest Whoever can bring you in to Noir will doreatly Nick, my boy, to the preternatural creatures of this universe, you’re infa Hell, you’re lucky I’ you in"

The way Thorn said that, it e his mind and hand him over

Kody stood up as Dr Burdette ca physician to speak to hisin tears, Cherise went over to them Kody folloith Caleb until they stood behind her and Menyara The others stayed back, giving Cherise room

"Will he live?" Cherise’s voice shook

Dr Burdette pulled her into a tight hug "Sugar? Didn’t I tell you eren’t going to let that baby die? We have hi"

Cherise’s blue eyes widened "That sounds like there’s a ‘but’ in there"

It was the male doctor who answered "There is He’s in a co, Cherise reached out for the support of Menyara before turning her attention back to the doctor "I don’t understand What do you hed "He has no reason to be in a co, they are bad, but not life-threatening Not toon that we can’t explain It’s like he’s not really in a co we do can revive hied a nervous glance with Caleb "Are you thinking what I’?" she whispered

"Yeah Nick’s so, I can’t go"

Caleb growled low in his throat "Yeah, that would wreck o do" He winked at her before he headed out the door

Dr Burdette squeezed Cherise tight "I can’t iine he won’t come out of it in a day or two, honey He will be fine, Cherise You’ll see"