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“Well, that’s good news”

He turned to her “How’s the neck?”

“If you’re asking whether I can e a dive or three, the answer’s yes”

He inspected her cheek, which still had a trace of discoloration fro, and smiled “You ready for breakfast?”

“With Comrade Chuckles as usual?” she smirked

“It wouldn’t be the start of a new day on the islands without Leonid’s sunny disposition and sense of childlike wonder, would it?”

“He’s certainly got the et the sense that he was enjoying his dive experience, for all his gru”

“Me too But don’t let on that you noticed or it’ll ruin his whole ”

“My lips are sealed”

Sam escorted her to the hotel restaurant, where Leonid was sitting at their usual table, his face sunburned, sipping coffee with an expression like the dark breas laced with rat poison He looked up as they approached and offered a humorless smile

“Goodhihtly”

“I’ll take whatever you’ve been drinking,” Leonid said sarcastically

“I think the island pace agrees with you, Leonid You’re positively glowing,” Remi beamed as she took a seat across from him

“Make it a double,” Leonid ht a barely controlled flash of a smile

“We coood news,” Sam announced