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Post by Icestar on Jun 26, 2017 17:26:14 GMT -5
One of the machines hooked up to him reading his vitals and taking measurements began to beep like crazy, and inside a couple of seconds a handful of nurses appeared to usher the girls out. Kurt tried to protest, but his throat was too dry for him to swallow, let alone speak.
The girls were picked up and brought out to the hall, where one of them said, eyebrows raised, "Sabel? What are you doing here? Let me get Maria," naming the woman who'd been Sabel's nurse ever since her arrival at the RK. He quickly vanished.
Most of the rest of the nurses returned to Kurt, but one stayed long enough to tell the girls, "He's only just woken up and it will take him time to adjust to this. Come back tomorrow." With that, he withdrew and drew the curtains shut with a snap, leaving the girls alone in the hallway once again.
((Well, it's more of an idea of how things end up rather than an actual plan. But ideally, Daniel would show up and be forced to shift in order to save Anja from whatever danger, putting the three of them probably on the run and resulting in Daniel spilling his guts to Nichole but being really angry about it. Lots of excitement and opportunity for emotional trauma and outpour. I just am not sure how to make that happen...))
Nate listened with interest, trying his best not to interrupt, though sometimes a comment just slipped out while Faith was still talking. He always apologized when this happened, and indeed he was improving. It was just that Faith wouldn't really be able to tell.
"Definitely different from where I'm from," he commented at one point.
After locking the basement door behind Lillian, Schwarz began emptying her pockets to do inventory of their contents, all the while headed to the kitchen where her favorite gun was stashed behind the cheese grater in the cupboard. "Thank you for delivering my access card, but I imagine you have things you must be doing," she said at length to Valentine, assuming she'd want to get out of here as soon as possible.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 26, 2017 17:51:49 GMT -5
The beeping scared her. Destiny never spent much time in the WK's infirmary, but she knew that beeping was never good. er fears only grew as the nurses rushed in, carrying them away. The little girl tried to squirm away in attempts to stay with Kurt, but since she was only a child, her efforts were in vain. They were taken to the hallway where she couldn't see her friend anymore. Although she heard the nurse as he told them Kurt would need time to get use to things, but that didn't put her at ease. Tears sprung to her eyes.
(I like that end result. Now for the plan. Maybe they could all be out together in town or out in some field because Daniel had a rare day off of work. Nichole could be there simply because Anja asked her to join them. Maybe someone could come over, looking to stir up trouble for no reason, or someone who has been keeping an eye on the family for a while now decided to see if they were right to suspect them being shifters. Possibly someone who supports the RK but isn't a member per say. Sorry if that sounded confusing.)
"Where are you from?" Faith asked, turning her head to look at him. "You've listened to me drone on about this town enough for one evening. What is you home town like? If you don't mind my asking, of course."
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 26, 2017 18:50:45 GMT -5
Jennette snorted. "I won't be telling you anything."
--
"Actually, I don't," said Lillian. "I could help, if you want."
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Post by Icestar on Jun 27, 2017 5:58:49 GMT -5
Destiny was looking like she needed another hug, but Sabel wasn't sure she had one in her right now.
Shortly an African European woman appeared by the girls. Her shoulder-length hair was braided and her large brown eyes were filled with concern. "Sabel?" she said in disbelief, holding her arms out. Sabel immediately rushed into them. The woman stroked her hair, but eyed Destiny over the top of her head. "Who's this, Sabel?" she whispered to the girl, but she offered Destiny a smile.
((Hmm. I think I follow, and I like it except Daniel really has been extremely careful not to do anything to draw attention to them, so maybe instead of them it could be Nichole they're tailing? I think that would make much more sense. That way they could shoot her with anti-shifting serum so she couldn't help Anja but Daniel could.))
"Of course not," he said, not too quickly but without a noticeable pause. "Originally I'm from a small German city near the border with both Poland and the Czech Republic, called Teukrau." Teukrau had indeed been a real town, a small one, but it was long destroyed by the war. "I was six when the war started and it just... it tore everything apart. I've lived in a lot of different places since then, and, well, now I'm here." It was a story that explained his accent and if she wanted to ask more questions, he'd have answers, but to start it was best to keep things simple.
Her mind was racing. A computer analyst might not be a bad thing to have on hand. In fact, backup might not be a bad thing to have on hand. But the question Don't you not care for me, if not outright despise me? hovered in the back of her mind. Of course, it was far too sentimental to voice. She turned without answering immediately and stumbled dangerously on nothing, landing on her hands and knees on the carpet, though one hand immediately went up to hold her head.
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Post by Icestar on Jun 27, 2017 9:54:19 GMT -5
Sabel whispered an answer into the woman's ears. She listened with a neutral face, nodding, and when Sabel was finished she pulled away and turned back to Destiny, though she said nothing.
"My name is Mariama," said the woman softly to Destiny, switching to English, though her Senegalese accent was apparent. "But most folks around here call me Maria. I'm Sabel's nurse." She stood up slowly, and extended a hand to Destiny even as Sabel wrapped her own hand, the incomplete one, around the other. "Would you like to walk with us?"
Sabel watched Destiny, doing her best to indicate with her eyes that this woman could be trusted.
((Coolness. Should they be at a park? Beach? Elsewhere?))
Family. Yeah. "It was," Nate said. "But the war's been hard on a lot of families. It's just the world we're living in now." As far as he was able to tell, Faith seemed untouched by the war, but if there was one thing he'd learned it was that people were rarely what they appeared to be. He couldn't exactly ask, though. "You got family?" he inquired instead.
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Post by Icestar on Jun 27, 2017 10:51:00 GMT -5
"We can come back at the end of your free time," said Maria gently, "but he is very hurt and very tired. I promise you he'll be fine in time, but for now, that's what he needs. Time."
Sabel stared at her own hand, soaking in the truth of these words.
((Mm, I think she loves both. I'm gonna vote beach though. We've never been to a beach but we've gone to plenty of parks. On a related note, wow, Dublin has some beautiful beaches.))
It was the middle of July, about two months after Anja had found out her babysitter was a shapeshifter, and her dad had finally agreed not only to go on a trip to Velvet Strand Beach, but to let Nichole come with them.
As far as Daniel was able to tell, the young woman was very responsible and trustworthy, and Anja definitely liked her a lot, always getting very excited to see her before she came to babysit. And he couldn't deny that it put less strain on his heart to have somebody else around to watch her. It was times like this, when Anja wanted to go out somewhere fun but very public and potentially very dangerous, that he most missed Isold. And having Nichole here didn't by any stretch mean that he would pay any less attention to his daughter's whereabouts, but it at least helped him to relax a little more.
((Sure thing. I love thorough character bios.))
He nodded. "That's great. I'm glad. No siblings then?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 27, 2017 11:28:49 GMT -5
Destiny nodded her head slowly, even if she didn't want to. She shuffled over to Maria and took her hand. There was nothing else she could do.
(Beach it is, then! Really? I'll have to look up the pictures.)
Nichole had been more than a little surprised by the offer to join the father-daughter pair to the beach. Sure, she had spent the past three months looking after Ava, but she didn't think she had become close enough to the family to be included on field trips. When Donald had approached her, asking if he could speak with her, she was afraid that he had found out about her being a shifter. But instead, he was just inviting her along on the outing. The young woman had asked several times if Donald was sure he wanted her to accompany them before finally agreeing. It was nice to be with them. Since her own family was still in the States, she didn't have many chances to spend time with or do things with her own parents. So it was as if this was a small sign that she had found a sort of adoptive family. Maybe that was only her way of looking at things, but she was thankful for it all the same.
(Alright then, I'll try to think up something good.)
"I had a brother," Sophia said, a small sad smile forming on her face.
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Post by Icestar on Jun 27, 2017 14:30:42 GMT -5
Maria began to lead them down the hall, soon exiting the medical ward. "He's a friend of yours, is he?" she asked Destiny quietly, the same gentleness still in her tone.
((Do you want to play the antagonistic party, or shall I?))
Anja stripped down to her fuchsia one-piece and got into the water as soon as she could, beckoning Nichole to join her. Her dad was wearing his swimming trunks but his white T-shirt and flip flops stayed on, confirming her suspicion that he didn't have much interest in getting into the water himself. She could remember exactly one time she'd seen him swim since they left Germany [and even then he'd left his shirt on]. He spread a towel out as close to the water as he could get and settled down on top of it. He had brought a book but Anja knew he'd barely get through a page of it if he was lucky. No, he'd be spending this whole time just watching her.
((Something tells me you have another character named Sophia who is similar to Faith. XD))
Nate's insides twisted, and he gave it an appropriate couple of seconds before saying softly, "Had? Did something happen?"
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 27, 2017 16:13:41 GMT -5
((So are we done with the Archer/Jennette thing for now?))
Lillian was startled when Schwarz stumbled forward. She reached out and gently put her hands on Schwarz's shoulders to help steady her. "Yeah, looks like you need help. You know what? I am coming."
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Post by Icestar on Jun 27, 2017 16:32:20 GMT -5
((I'm here! Briefly, but still.))
Schwarz wasn't necessarily dismissing the idea of Valentine helping, but this was not the reason she would cite. "Nonsense," she said in response to Valentine's observation, "at worst, I may be mildly concussed." She shook her head vigorously and lurched to her feet.
The day Archer first went to talk to the girl, Schreod had his pitiful excuse for a blood relative moved to a new room. This one was a small cell with four solid walls, containing a small bed on one side and and a toilet on the other. There was a slot in the door for meals that could be opened only from the outside. But most significantly, one of the walls was a two-way mirror. A few years before, such a mirror that was really not a mirror at all and instead looked like an ordinary wall had been patented, and the RedKingdom made good use of the product. Schreod planned to do so as well.
Felix was told nothing of why he was being moved, and though Erich didn't do any observation that first day, he could not imagine the man was doing well.
((Feel free to ignore that second part or not, there's just an update for all involved.))
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 27, 2017 17:12:12 GMT -5
"Mild or not, you could still use the help," Lillian pointed out. "Look, you'll be no use to Christoph if you end up passing out again. Just let me come along."
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Post by Icestar on Jun 27, 2017 17:27:59 GMT -5
She was right, of course, but Schwarz's features morphed into a scowl at the thought. Just as quickly, the expression dropped as she realized she couldn't prioritize her own pride above Christoph's safety. "Fine," she said, voice level this time. "You better not slow me down."
((Aaand that's a wrap for now. Bye.))
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 27, 2017 17:48:35 GMT -5
"I don't think that'll be an issue," said Lillian. "So where are we going?"
((Bye!))
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 27, 2017 20:13:35 GMT -5
The little girl sniffled as she walked with Maria out of the medical ward. "H-he one of the people who looks after us," she said, talking about the other children at the WK. "He's always been around." Since she was only two when her mother gave her to the WK, she didn't remember a lot of her parents. It was only the caretakers she had memories of. Kurt had always been her favorite. He just had a way with the kids that was more relaxed, easier to open up to.
(It doesn't matter to me. Either way is fine.)
Nichole laughed and took off her own overlarge shirt she had put on over her black one piece swimsuit. Her red hair pulled up into a pony tail. Dropping it onto her own towel she laid out beside Donald and kicking off her flip flops, she hurried after Ava into the water. The ocean was cold, but it was pleasant. She smiled as she waded out into the water, keeping close to Ave in case anything were to happen.
(Oops. xD Yeah, I do. She started out as just a generic character, a back up in case I needed her, so she has several names. I'm trying to use the wrong name, but if it happens, just ignore it.)
"Chris died in a car accident," Faith replied. "He had been seventeen and out drinking with his friends."
(Yeah. Do you want to time skip, or is there something else for Archer to do?)
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Post by Icestar on Jun 28, 2017 8:00:00 GMT -5
"Wherever he is," said Schwarz. "We're following him as fast as we can. Get ready to run." Deciding she was as ready as she'd ever be, she started for the front door.
Maria nodded. "He will pull through. He's not going anywhere."
After a few minutes of walking they came to a door on the first floor, and when Maria opened it, it revealed a beautiful little garden. It was May, so it was still light out, and Maria wanted all the prisoners and patients, but especially the children, to take advantage of that while they could. This garden was the only place they could go outside, as it was surrounded by tall hedges and a few guards were always posted outside those hedges, with one more inside, but it really was a gorgeous little place, with winding walking paths around masses of colorful flowers and a little fountain at the center of it all.
((If you don't mind then, I vote you. So it's an RK sympathizer who isn't actually RK, right? Guess they bought anti-shifting serum on the black market.))
Anja knew her dad didn't like it, but she got as far out as she felt she could, knowing Nichole would follow. She was a strong swimmer; her dad had made sure of that with plenty of lessons when she was little. When they were a reasonable distance out, further than most people who were swimming and out of earshot of any of them, she asked Nichole excitedly, "Can you turn into a dolphin?"
Drinking before he should have been. Nate could sympathize. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Was he younger?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 28, 2017 9:06:36 GMT -5
The moment they walked outside, Destiny was distracted from the scene of the medical ward. Her eyes widened as she took in the sights of the garden. It was amazing! The fountain caught her attention first, but her eyes soon wandered over the flower beds, taking in all the colors.
(Got it on Ebay. Yep. I think I can handle that.)
Nichole was a little concerned of how far out they were for Ava's sake, so she made sure her eyes never strayed from the young girl. this far out, who knows what could happen? At the question, Nichole laughed. "I've never really tried, but I think I could. They're big enough that it shouldn't be too uncomfortable changing into one. I doubt I should try it now though," she said. "As fun as that sounds."
"Older," Faith corrected. "He was three years older than I was. Top of his class, fairly popular, but he had a way of holding grudges and a rebellious streak. Thought the world was against him, and he could do anything to get back at it. Maybe he could have if he lived long enough."
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Post by Icestar on Jun 28, 2017 11:16:21 GMT -5
Maria smiled, pleasantly surprised at the immediacy of the garden's affect on the girl. She released her hand and looked down at Sabel, but the other girl seemed to have no particular interest in walking around at the moment—she was, after all, already familiar with this place—and only stayed at Maria's side, clutching her hand, smiling softly at the flowers.
Anja pouted. "Nobody'd see you if you went under," she tried.
Despite everything, Nate had never really gotten the hang of talking about death. "Sounds like a teenager," he said quietly, offering a small smile.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 28, 2017 13:42:18 GMT -5
Destiny hesitantly walked forward, examining the flowers closes to her and the bugs flying around them. She liked the outdoors more than being inside. While there were plenty of safe places to hide indoors, she also got the sense of being trapped. Being outside was different. In the gardens back home, there had been a play area for the children. She could find several places to hide when she didn't feel like socializing, but there wasn't a sensation of being trapped. There were always more than one way out. She didn't know why she picked these things out. It was just an automatic action.
"But someone will notice if I don't come up," Nichole pointed out.
(If you want her to shift, then she'll give in to Anja.)
Faith laughed slightly and nodded. "Yeah, it does," she agreed. She had come to terms with her brothers death. While she wished it had never happened, she knew that there was no way to avoid it. "I just wished he had been able to let go of his resentment towards the past. That's what I believe killed him in the end."
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Post by Icestar on Jun 28, 2017 17:00:39 GMT -5
Maria watched the girl with a soft smile. All things considered, she seemed to be taking things very well, but suffering quietly did not mean she wasn't suffering at all, and if there was one thing Sabel was an expert on, it was that. She seemed to like her, and Maria had high hopes that they could help each other. She checked her watch subtly. They still had a good hour of free time left. She bent over and whispered to Sabel, "You want to play with her?" but the girl only clutched her hand more tightly at this. Maria strongly suspected it was because Sabel didn't really know how to play.
((It was just an opening, but also I can't think of another reason for this RK enthusiast to strike at this particular time. I'm open to suggestions though, because this would be pretty darn reckless of Nichole.))
Anja blinked, and shrugged. "That's probably true." A larger-than-usual wave carried her up higher than she anticipated then, and she laughed in surprise.
Nate personally found this cause of death to be a refreshing change of pace from The RK dropped a bomb on him, but he couldn't exactly say that, for a variety of reasons. He couldn't think of anything to say, really. There were no words that would make this okay. "I'm sorry," he said again, feeling lame.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 28, 2017 17:18:10 GMT -5
Destiny, on the other hand, was starting to move away from the two, searching to see what all the garden had to offer. She got a few feet away before stopping. "Can we explore?" she asked, turning back to look at Maria.
(Go big or go home, right? Let's just pile on the reasons for Daniel to be furious. XD)
Nichole saw her go up with the wave and held out her arms to keep Ava from floating away. Glancing back at the shore, she contemplated the idea of shifting. It had been a while since she last shifted, and she was curious to see if how easy it would be to change into a dolphin. "Alright, for a moment, I'll change. But you'll have to catch my swim suit if it decides to leave," she said to the girl, laughing slightly. Wouldn't want to be caught indecent in public.
"Don't be. You had no control over it," Faith said, giving him a reassuring smile. Shaking her head, she decided to change the topic. "Enough of this depressing topic. Where do you want to stop and get food?"
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 28, 2017 19:48:17 GMT -5
Lillian nodded, then bolted out the door after Schwarz, determined to keep up. Running and physical strength had never much been her strong point, but she hoped she could keep pace with Schwarz, at least for a little while.
((Don't know about Archer, but I'm good with a time skip.))
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Post by Icestar on Jun 30, 2017 2:00:09 GMT -5
"Of course," Maria said, returning her attention to the other girl. Sabel already knew this garden like the back of her hand, but maybe she could re-experience that wonder vicariously through Destiny.
((Feel free to detail the garden in any way you wish.))
Anja nodded excitedly, that excitement strengthened both by her previous resignation and her being given a job to do. She attempted to get into a ready position, though she wasn't sure what such a position ought to look like for this particular scenario, especially given how there was mo ground to stand on.
He shrugged, still sightly reeling from the subject change. "Um... the only places I've been to have been really cheap and not memorable. So, local's pick. What do you recommend?"
They left the house, Schwarz beckoning Valentine to follow as quickly as possible so she could secure the house behind her. That done, she quickly shifted into a bloodhound, shaking off the discomfort, and began sniffing around for Christoph's scent. She found it rife with fear, and quickly broke into a run, following hia trail, not even looking to see if Valentine really was following.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jun 30, 2017 7:50:58 GMT -5
Destiny smiled slightly as she followed the path around the garden. Though the main walkway pretty much went in one direction around the garden, there were mini trails that snaked through the different flower beds, probably to make caring for the garden easier for those assigned to the job. She picked one of these trails now, veering off towards the right. Some places she couldn't see over the plants that grew taller than she was, while other places she had a good view of the rest of the garden around them. All the while, she made her way to the fountain she could hear close by.
Nichole laughed and made her back up a little more so she was in a little more shallow area. Then she did a quick scan around them to make sure no one was watching. From this distance, she couldn't have been sure if anyone was looking at them or not, but it was safe to assume they wouldn't care. The young woman made a show of diving under the water before attempting to change. Like with every animal, there was a moment of pain, which was made more dangerous since she was underwater. If she accidentally breathed in, she could drown. It took longer to try and figure out how to get the right form, but eventually, she did it. Poking her now dolphin head out of the water, she tried to remain hidden behind Ava's person.
"You feeling fancy dinner, or home-style meals?" Faith asked, leading Nate towards the section of town where all the good restaurants were located.
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 30, 2017 10:59:33 GMT -5
((Go ahead.))
Lillian quickly shifted into a bloodhound as well and followed. She was relieved that they had shifted; in this body, she'd certainly be able to keep up.
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Post by Icestar on Jun 30, 2017 15:12:44 GMT -5
With one final hesitant glance up at Maria, Sabel released her hand and came forward to join Destiny. She followed the taller girl as she walked around, sticking close but never initiating conversation.
Anja immediately had to suppress a squeal of shock and delight despite herself. In the next second she remembered her job and ducked underneath to check for Nichole's swimsuit, but it seemed to be staying pretty firmly on her long and graceful tail. She came back up and as soon as her head broke through the surface of the water, she threw her arms around the dolphin, crying, "This is so amazing!"
Nate was never feeling fancy dinner, and the proposition admittedly surprised him. Not to mention his lack of funds. And how he hadn't actually eaten a home-style meal in he didn't know how long. "Home-style sounds spectacular," he said.
Schwarz, knowing she had to conserve her energy, broke into a steady trot. It wasn't long before they entered the forest, and the trail began to veer east after less than two kilometers. Soon enough, after about four kilometers at this same pace, they hit the Dnieper River. Schwarz shifted back into a human standing on its banks, staring across it. "They could be anywhere," she said, numb. "He's crazy, but he's not stupid. Water is a Godsend when you're on the run. There's any number of tricks he could have used."
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Post by Dawnmist on Jun 30, 2017 16:58:33 GMT -5
"Um," said Lillian, shifting back. Nature wasn't really her area of expertise. Why couldn't this guy be as easy to track down as Schwarz had been?
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