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"U the silence "It is kind of funny when you put it like that"
My dad clears his throat, his voice soft "I can assure you ht was put into your selection than just a rando look I used to get when I’d co bullied "And your escape from Lorien was certainly , I’d say"
"Uh, right," says Five, still staring at the floor as he addresses uess the old hu a s him eird looks "Sorry," he adds quickly, "I’ about either"
"I don’t consider myself an expert," my dad says diplomatically "I’m sorry if I offended you But I believe in the work of your Elders If I didn’t" He trails off, probably thinking about the tiadorian captive
Five looks sheepish now "Four--uh, John--I’m pretty tired Is there a place where I can lay down for awhile?"
"Sure,Five on the back "Why don’t I show all you guys where the rooo, I empathized with Five for what an aard situation thisabout the way he talked toway There was almost a note of disdain in his voice, like my father couldn’t possibly have any useful inforroup--minus Nine--lead us down a hallway covered in works of art that would probably fetch a small fortune at a museum auction I still can’t believe a dude like Nine lives here I feel like I should be wearing a tuxedo just walking around As alk through the penthouse, Sarah and Six break off to get cleaned up froo help Nine put away the gear Eventually, John stops in the middle of the hallway
"This one’s free," John says, opening a door for Five "There are some extra clothes in the drawers too, in case you feel like a change"
"Thanks," Five says, trudging into the rooering outside, kinda staring at hiuess," he ht says dryly Marina elbows hilance towards the closed door where I bet Five is still standing, listening I feel a little sorry for hi an outsider
John turns to rand tour?"
"Nah," I say "Lead on This is my first penthouse"
"Mine too,"
"Aweso as antisocial as Five "I think you guys are really going to like the next stop"
My dad trails a few feet behind the group, ad the artwork Once we’ve continued down the hallway and put Five’s rooht asks the question that I think uy?" He glances over at me "Not you, Sam You seem perfectly normal"
"Thanks"
John shakes his head, looking a little bewildered "I don’t know, honestly He’s a little strange, right? Not exactly what I was expecting"
"He’s probably just nervous," Marina adds "He’ll settle in"
"Where’s his Cêpan?" I ask "What has he been doing all these years?"
"He was pretty closed off the whole car ride back," John answers "Even Sarah couldn’t get much out of him, and you kno she is"
"Yeah She’s social enough to get you secretive Loric talking about prettyshe could convince an on-the-run alien to get his picture taken for the school paper"
"So charht even throw rocks at herin theout her house"
Eight and Marina exchange a look of confusion as John and I start laughing
"You threw rocks at Sarah’s ?" Marina asks John, her eyebrow cocked in aedly, according to the FBI--oh, check it out, we’re here," John says, anxious to change the subject I smirk at Marina and nod
At the end of the hall, John shows us into a roo for a base of operations There are huge coram similar towith the tablet we recovered from my dad’s laboratory The rest of the room is absolutely cluttered with various pieces of tech; so like they were recovered froets and spare parts are piled as high as the ceiling My dad’s face ihts up
"This is quite the collection," he exclai
"Nine’s Cêpan, Sandor, this was his workshop," explains John "We’ve put soical whizzes" John turns touseful, Mr Goode Er, Malcolether "With pleasure, John It’s been too long since I had a place like this atup to do"