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Garcia got down on his knees, staring intently "Tellshamefaced "I don’t know a name"

Garcia exhaled in a frustrated rush

"I’

I ca to bully Jade just because she didn’t have all the answers

"I know the ily "I’ve felt it so his hands on his hips, legs spread, brows furrowed "But no name?"

"I have a face," Buddy interrupted "Obviously," he added

You fight a guy and ya tend to renizable Like Brett’s, I thought with mild satisfaction

"But you don’t knoho he is?" Gale asked, standing beside Garcia

"Nah"

Garcia flipped open the notebook, pen poised "Description?"

Buddy crossed his ared "Maybe five-nine, two hundred" he co guy," Garcia said, indicating a Santa Claus belly with his hands

Buddy shook his head "No way, this dude was solid"

"Two hundred pounds?" Garcia asked, doubting "That’s what I weigh"

Buddy looked at him "Me too What, we’re both six foot? That’s about right This guys spends tiym Real time"

Garcia made a low sound in the back of his throat, insulted Obviously he spent soym too

Buddy corrected Garcia’s assumption with, "No, like a couple hours a day He knows martial arts too, hand to hand, the works"

Garcia’s eyes narrowed on hi his naan at his feet and when he got to the top of his head he said, "How’d you e to be Johnny-on-the-spot here?"

Buddy looked at Sophie and said, "I aiting for Sophie We’re goin’ out"

Garcia looked at Jonesy and he took that as his cue to leave, having been quiet this whole tionna take off," Jonesy said, looking at Sophie one onna be okay?" he asked her

She nodded "Buddy’s here, it’s okay Jonesy"

Jonesy’s eyes tightened but he nodded, looking at uy salute then he was out the door

Buddy watched hio with knowledge in her eyes I didn’t have to be an Empath to see his frustration, his concern over her nearness to danger He wore it all the time now Buddy saw it too

Garcia watched the e Every dyna eyes

"So Buddy?" Garcia began, pen poised "You spend soed

Garcia turned to o?"

We nodded, saying nothing and he snorted out a laugh The dead techs frowned at him "What was so funny?" their expressions said

He sobered up "Not chatty about it?"

We shook our heads "Fine," he said

Sophie stood, with Jade’s help "I can help with the description"

Garcia’s face lightened "What can you add?"

"Well, he kinda looks like every dude He’s a"

John was outside in the hall and said loudly, "Nondescript"

Sophie looked at him "What he said"

Garcia went to the open door and closed it on Terran’s face Terran pressed his nose practically against the glass of the sh

"But he has a scar," she said

"Great That’s a good detail to remember Sophie"

She pointed to her teer very close to her eyebrow, "and it’s like a star"

Gale frowned, inching away fro encased in the body bag behind her "Like an injury scar?" she asked and I looked at her quickly, that was kind of a brilliant leap of logic

Sophie shook her head "No, it was perfect, like it wasFinally, he tapped his pen to his notepad and made it disappear into his pocket

"I’ve pulsed your parents, Sophie," Gale said She turned her attention to Buddy "I couldn’t reach your guardians"

We all waited for Buddy to speak

He shrugged "Been e on two years now Out on my own"

"Really? That’s a very independent situation you have there Mr Hughes"

They stared at each other I was starting to get that Buddy Hughes was a self-contained guy He didn’t rush in to fill those aard silences where the other person waited for you to talk He just didn’t

In other circuht have been friends

Garcia opened hismore but Gale interrupted, "Look Raul, let’s have the kids go honed to Sophie?" Buddy asked

Good question, I thought

Garcia nodded "Protocol Although she is no longer a minor, there was an attempt on her life"

The nurse walked up to Garcia "I need to speak to you privately for a er and said, "Just a sec, kids"

They walked over to a corner, speaking intently to each other for a fewJade and Sophie’s eyes kept turning to the shroud of black plastic zipped over Proctor Sophie’s eyes welled with tears that ran over her wounded face Buddy pulled her in against hi her hair flat, where it would bounce back as soon as his palroup, a troubled expression on his face