Owl Man sticks me in one of the complex’s many free apartments. Before he goes, he tells me that I don’t have to stay close to him anymore–I’d automatically follow him otherwise–not to leave the flat until summoned, not to harm myself or anybody else, and not to say anything about what I’ve learned over the last twenty-four hours to anyone who might pay me a visit. Then he clicks his tongue at Sakarias and off they trot.
I should probably prowl the confines of the rooms like a caged tiger, plotting and scheming, but I’m too tired for anything like that. So I lie on the bed and stare at the ceiling, letting my weary limbs relax, while trying not to think at all.
After a few hours, there’s a knock on the door. I think about not replying or shouting at whoever it is to get lost, but I want to know who’s there, so I call out gruffly, “You don’t need to knock. I’m a prisoner here. Just come in if you’re bloody coming.”
The door opens and Ashtat, Shane and Carl slink into my bedroom. The three stand at the bottom of my bed and take their time studying me.
“You have been in the wars,” Ashtat finally notes.
“There’s an understatement,” I grunt, and she smiles, relieved to see that I’m still as grumpy as I was before.
“Who did this to you?” Carl asks, nodding at my injuries. “Mr. Dowling?”
“No. Most of it was the work of Dan-Dan, but the babies tore me up too, when I got on the wrong side of them for a while.”
“You poor thing,” Ashtat says.
“Shut it,” I snap. “I’m not looking for sympathy.”
“Just as well,” Shane snickers. “We never liked you much anyway.”
I flip him the finger and we grin at each other. I start to relax, remembering what life was like when these guys were my roommates and friends.
“Want to tell us about it?” Carl asks, sitting on the bed.
“Not really,” I sniff. Of course that’s a lie. I’d love to tell them everything that has happened, but since I’m under a restraining order, I figure it’s easier to ignore the recent past completely, rather than clam up every time I come close to a taboo revelation, like a malfunctioning ventriloquist’s dummy.