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I felt the breath cut out of me as I watched Tobias, but his eyes were fixed on Cain, who stared back at him

"You don’t coe, and so someone is even justified, but once you’ve taken a life, it changes who you are It doesn’t ain"

There was anext to him by the fireplace Betty, Stacy, and I stayed quiet, just watching

"Look, if the only way to protect Liv is to kill Davina, I’ll do it I don’t have as much to lose as you do But I’ll only do it if there’s no other way"

"Tobias," I began, but he was focused on Cain, whose eyes were in turn locked on Tobias There was so on between the else, at the eance," Tobias went on, "and you’ll stop being the guy that Holly knew"

"What the hell do you know about Holly?" Cain said through his teeth, his voice a low, angry growl

"Nothing," Tobias said "I know you loved her, that’s obvious And I know, better than you, the price you pay when you kill so, Cain You pay a price, and it’s a steep one"

Cain’s eyes narrowed and he glared at Tobias "I’ve already paid" And then he stalked out the front door We all stayed where ere, frozen in silence, and then, finally, Stacy pushed herself up from the couch

"Well, I haven’t been in a rooive my stepfather a tonsillectomy with a spork" She stretched "Time for a break" And with that, she headed into the kitchen A mo me and Tobias alone

"So," I said "Wow"

He raised his eyes to s, and I put hs to stop it

"You said" I began, then hesitated I had promised I would trust him, but even as I tried to stop o "You said you’d never killed anyone"

He lowered his head "I said the firm never asked me to"

"Ah, se heart "How ave me a dull stare "I lost count at twelve"

"Don’t joke about this," I said "Please"

He sat down on the couch, let out a long breath, and spoke

"I was thirteen My powers ca my brother to a pulp I stopped his heart I didn’t know it at the ti, and thenit had happened I haven’t usedsince" He stood up, walked toward the wall, then took a few steps toward icals, so they knew the deal They called ASF as soon as I told theod," I said "They turned you in to the feds?"

He shrugged "They thought it was the right thing to do When kids show signs of extraordinary ability, the potential to really hurt someone, it’s what people are told to do"

"Still" I reached out and touched his hand "That sucks"

He let out a saveschool until I was old enough to work for them I haven’t seen my family since"

"You can’t visit, or write at least?"

His eyes looked sad and tired as he shook his head "There was a kid in ot a letter out to his mom The entire family disappeared teeks later"

"Disappeared? Like witness protection disappeared, or Jimmy Hoffa disappeared?"

He looked at me "I don’t know But it’s not a chance I’ dizzy "God, Tobias, I’m so sorry"

He nodded "Yeah Me, too" He sat there for a while, his eyes on me, and finally said, "Do you understand now?"

"Of course," I said "But you were a kid It was an accident You can’t blame yourself for that"

"That’s not what I’ his elbows on his knees "I’oing to see you safely through to the end Then you’ll go to Europe, or stay here Whatever you want to do But when it’s done, I’h me "Why? Have they contacted you?"

"No I’ood-bye first?"

"Does that ood-bye to your fa moment, and then shook his head

"Then you should know it ood-bye first"

With that, he grabbed his duffel bag and went upstairs I watched hione, and then stared at the space where he had been for a while, s, but never able to focus entirely on one

Then, quietly and without the slightest question as to what the hell I thought I was doing, I snuck down to the basement, walked over to the cement steps that led out the exterior bulkhead doors, and walked into town

Alone