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"None for me, that’s for sure"

"I’d rather pound you when you’re not expecting it"

"Well," Samheed said, "I can’t be sure how I’d respond to a sneak attack I ht back in this stupid mess"

"That would be aard," Alex said He relaxed his shoulders a bit

Samheed nodded He looked over to the bar, squinted, and ilowered back, his eyes like slits

"What’s with that guy, anyway?" Alex asked "He’s so … snarly"

"He’s not so bad when you get to know hi a little bit defensive

"Oh, yeah?" Alex didn’t believe it

"He’s just, I don’t know He’s acting I guess"

"Right"

"Seriously That’s what he said when I asked hi spells"

"Well, ould he want to hang around with a new kid like you? Did you know hi?"

"Yeah, I did He lived in eneral"

Alex looked shocked "You lived in the Quillitary Sector? Your parents are Wanteds? You alalked beyond that sector from school"

Samheed’s eyes flared "I went to the Quillitary to do ith my father every day after school, to train and prepare myself for … Anyway So what if my parents were Wanteds? Will’s parents were Wanteds Heck, Lani’s parents were Wanteds, and her father is the senior governor! But look where that got her And look at you--you’re Unwanted, your parents are Necessaries, and your evil twin turned out to be Wanted There’s no pattern, Stowe" Samheed nearly spit venom with the last words

"My brother is not evil!" Alex said, a little louder than he had planned He hastily settled back in the seat and took a deep breath

"Right Sure, he’s not"