Page 19 (1/2)

“It’s very nice,” Biryar said

“You’re young yet I’et older where you have to make a choice Everyone does You have to decide whether you careyour best self or your real one If you’re ht to be or who you really are You knohat I’ about?”

Biryar nodded He eeping

“Yeah,” the oldto tell you a secret I’ve never told anyone this, notto me?”

Biryar nodded again

“Iarm,” the old man said “I liked it better when I was me”

Biryar sobbed, and it sounded like a cough

“I don’t want anything fro at where you are now, and the choices you’ve got? Is there anything you maybe want from me?”

The wind howled, threw a handful of hail at theBiryar barely heard it

“You can’t o away,” he said “Overstreet will find it He’ll know”

“He will,” the old man said “You know If”

They were quiet Biryar felt sonize and also kneell as the sound of his own voice “Could you have done it? Could you have killed me?”

“Yeah,” the old man said “Half a dozen tiet to pick your replace about this Overstreet fella? He’s not on his hoood idea to put together some locals to take over the security jobs People who know the lay of the land How things work here”

“If so happened to him?”

“Yeah If,” the old man said And then, “Do you want it to?”