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"Was there a question there?"

His grin turns into a s ht," he says "Where’s your father, John?"

"Dead"

"How convenient"

"Actually, it’s probably thethat’s ever happened toon the notepad "Where are you originally from?"

"The planet Lorien, three hundredtrip, John S a book"

He drops his pencil on the table, interlocks his fingers behind his head, and leans back Then he pushes forward again and holds up the tablet "You want to tellyou could tell me We found it in the woods"

He holds it by its edge and whistles "You found this in the woods? Where at in the woods?"

"Near a tree"

"Are you going to be a wiseass with every question?"

"That depends, detective Are you working for them?"

He sets the tablet back on the desktop "A for who?"

"The Morlocks," I say, the first thing I relish class

Detective Murphy smiles

"You can smile, but they’ll probably be here soon," I say

"The Morlocks?"

"Yes, sir"

"Like from The Time Machine?"

"That’s the one That’s like our Bible"

"And let uess; you and your friend, Samuel Goode, you’re members of the Eloi?"

"The Loric, actually But for our purposes today, the Eloi will be fine"

The detective reaches into his pocket and slaer on the table I stare at its four-inch diamond blade as if I’ve never seen it before I could easily kill thismy eyes from the blade to his neck, but I need to free Sam first "What’s this for, John? Why would you need a knife like this?"

"I don’t knohat knives like that are for, sir Whittling?"

He picks up his notepad and pencil "Why don’t you tell me what happened in Tennessee"

"Never been," I say "I hear it’s a nice place, though Maybe I’ll visit when I’estions?"

He nods, tosses the notepad onto the table, and then launches the pencil atagainst the wall; but the detective doesn’t notice, and leaves through the steel door with the tablet and er

Soon I’et out of here

"Sa outside htstick at o of the bars just before they’re crushed

"Shut up!" he orders, pointing his nightstick athiood option

"I could give a daret it real fast"

"You couldn’t hit me if you tried; I’uard chuckles "Why don’t you just sit back on your bed and shut your mouth, huh?"

"You know I can kill you any tier"

"Oh yeah?" he replies The guard steps forward His breath s you then?"

"Apathy and a broken heart," I say "Both of those will go away eventually, though, and that’s when I’ll just get up and leave"

"I can hardly wait, Houdini," he says

I’ him inside, and as soon as he unlocks the door, Saood as free

"You knoho you look like?" I ask

"Tell me," he says

I turn around and bend over