Marjorie pressed a large button on top of her desk, which caused bright lights to flicker and a loud siren to sound. "Security! There's been a break-in and something incredibly valuable was stolen! Scour the premises and find the thief at all costs!" She shouted her orders into a microphone hidden in the succulent on her desk.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoMpNcLlcO
I grabbed Atlas's arm and tugged him towards the open window. "Come on! We have to go while Marjorie is distracted!" I said through our cerebral link.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCrzinoX4l
"I'll go get Marisa. You guys run," Katrina said. She dashed out of the room before Marjorie could stop her.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7tb7azeO8
Atlas didn't move, he stood there frozen with a haunted expression on his face.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn66AXy6FqM
Tugged on his arm again, this time with much more force, but he still didn't budge. "Come on, pal. We need to leave! Now!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxTSnPJpie
"I'm sorry I let him get away with the map," Atlas replied through the link. He sounded so broken.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3h0qmoQJ9
"I don't care about that; I care about you."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MxbfMqf4g
He met my gaze for the first time.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOCv31vrFi
"Listen, security will be here any minute. We're in big trouble if they catch us. Do you want to get arrested?
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He shook his head.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfVTi56q6Z
"Then we have to go."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jtUxdArQ7
He gave a firm nod, then followed me out the window.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg2bJ3Fzn6
Thank God! I was worried I was going to have to throw him over my shoulder and carry him out.
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"Come back here, or I'll make your lives hell!" Aunt Marjorie shouted.
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We didn't stop running.
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"She's already made my life hell," Atlas said through our cerebral link.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0DUP0SfrZ
"Then I guess it can't get any worse," I replied.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaAz7E8HoU
"Unfortunately, there's always more to lose."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRytMmuvFl
We scaled the fence once more. This time, the climb wasn't nearly so perilous. I was running on pure adrenaline. I escorted Atlas to a darkened alleyway near Sydney Harbor. "I sent a message to Katrina, the girls will meet us here soon," I said.
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Atlas didn't respond; he just stared out at the sea with a solemn expression.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpCPbSUfa9
I tried to lighten the mood. "Do you wanna hear a joke?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡub6YXg6Q4I
"Absolutely not."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx4tSDVEJL
Okay, then.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0pkdvO3OS
We stood in awkward silence for several minutes. Eventually, Atlas signed. "I'm so sorry about the map. I should've fought back harder."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquGo3OOy2h
I rolled my eyes. "I already told you, I don't care about that."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8MTOGBH5U
"I did! Now I've ruined any chance of finding the Annihilation Code."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSku9YJRHl
"That was never your burden to bear. You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhJMP4IvRP
"You sound just like Patch."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGviCZR7De3
I didn't know what to say, so I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8oN6svRGr
He pulled away from me. "They're going to kill him, and it's my fault."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcudkMhW9w4
"It's not all your fault. It's not your fault Patch was kidnapped and held hostage. They forced you to make an impossible choice."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIoKsba2M9
"It was all for nothing, we lost the map and Patch is going to die!" Atlas kicked over a trash can in anger, disturbing a family of cockatoos feasting on the refuse.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYLtswNpz3
A local cleaning bot whirred by. It paused when it caught sight of the mess. We covered our faces, so the bot couldn't identify us and report us to Bionic Corp. The cleaning bot quickly swept up the fallen garbage and reoriented the bin to an upright position. "All better." The tiny robot said in its adorable voice.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XPlqKRsHo
Atlas stared down at the trashcan. "I feel like nothing I do has an impact."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6STbPLxFr
"You totally make an impact. You somehow made me into a slightly less awful human being. That's no small feat. You should be proud."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qTravKETa
"I didn't change you, you changed all by yourself."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMSzzxRzql
"Yeah, but I would probably still be an asshole if we never crossed paths. Going on this crazy mission changed me for the better."
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The faintest of smiles tugged at his lips before his face fell back into its previous distraught emotion.
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We dove into the shadows when we heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
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"You're going to need a better hiding place than that. Bionic Corp's soldiers have night vision, you know," Katrina remarked.
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"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," I said.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHEWDccBK3
Marisa ran up to Atlas and threw her arms around him. "Oh my God, are you okay?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4jdE0MmYj
He shook his head.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85OHx5xFAS
"It's been a rough night for all of us," I said.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJMPtdKnUN
"What took you guys so long?" Atlas asked.
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"The whole party erupted into chaos after you guys left. It took ages to push through the crowd and find Marisa," Katrina said.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDla6AbrOJ
"And you changed shoes, apparently. You weren't wearing those boots earlier," I said, gesturing to her sleek leather boots.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkZJdOkN3e
"Duh, it's impossible to run in heels. Everyone knows that, Chase."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllZAb62gIi
Clouds rolled in over the horizon and thunder crackled in the distance.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPM6VninKz3
"Looks like a nasty storm is on its way. We should probably head... Wait, where are we going from here?" I asked.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGKCHo6PNV
"Back to Ikigai II, Patch has a safe house on the north side of the island. We'll regroup there." Atlas signed.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7qQzFnvAl
Marisa raised an eyebrow. "Patch got another safe house? Why didn't he tell me?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHz9S5SXP3
Atlas gave an apathetic shrug. "There are a lot of things he doesn't tell you."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLwS7vMNVX
Marisa shot him a piercing stare. "I guess I have two family members that lie to me."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvxFWcHuET
Atlas showed no reaction to her comment. His face remained stiff and emotionless. "I don't have time for this," He signed and stomped towards Ikigai II.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptpMNHQCx7
"Atlas, wait up!" I jogged after him. I'm so glad I'm an only child. I'm not cut out for dealing with sibling drama, and I love being the center of attention.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvat6rDGsI
Lightning flashed in the distance as we trudged back to Ikigai II. Big drops of rain pounded the surrounding ground. Within seconds, we were soaked to the bone.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtikatSIWfy
Lucky for us, the Ikigai II customs agents were slacking tonight. They seemed as perturbed to be stuck in the rain as we were, so they didn't ask too many questions. We made it safely onto the island without much of a hassle. It's about damn time something went right for us tonight.
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Marisa hugged herself tightly and shivered.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomBr0Fo4qU
Atlas slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. It probably didn't help, considering it was completely soaked. It's the thought that counts.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4LbmTqD87
On our walk to the safe house, we passed by the boardwalk.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyDiydYaAC
"Atlas, look! Your Hovercycle is still here!" I exclaimed. It was parked exactly where we left it. It hadn't moved an inch.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjPWzw7BSb
Atlas knelt beside the Hovercycle and examined it. "Someone stole the brake pads."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAYPl62kOo
"What? Why?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZAyoD1kL4
"People will steal and sell anything they can find around here. I'm surprised they didn't steal more."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3vhffZmA7
"At least it's still here, right?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7teT29Qq5S
Atlas wasn't listening. "I got a parking ticket, too." He gestured to a soggy piece of paper taped to the handlebars.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwjE5QQCjB
"That sucks," I said honestly.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xViTaQFae
Atlas frowned. "It's just the terrible cherry on the crappy sundae that is my life."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WfbiZHaym
I grabbed the Hovercycle by the handle and pushed it toward the safe house. It was the least I could do to help him.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGH2kDPwVD
"Thank you," he signed. A soft smile spread across his lips, as he grabbed the other handle and helped me push.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mKlTQ4rST
Together, we wheeled the Hovercycle to the safe house. Atlas stashed it in the alley beside the building. Then he led us up a secret flight of stairs to the upstairs apartment.
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The safe house reeked of musk and decomposing sewage. I pinched my nose and coughed.
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Katrina stifled a gag.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyVts2BYXc
This safe house is even more dilapidated than the previous one. The ugliest wallpaper I'd ever seen lined the walls. The color was somewhere between chartreuse and mustard yellow. Rats, cockroaches, and fungus seemed to have formed their own ecosystem within the walls. The old, worn couch in the center of the room had large holes with springs and stuffing sticking out. The light fixtures were missing, and the windows were boarded up. The only light came from a small lamp on an end table that looked like it had been knocked over one too many times. Something sticky had melted into the carpet, and my shoe was now stuck to it. Gross!
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"It may not be pretty, but it's safe for now," Atlas signed.
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Katrina somersaulted onto the broken couch. "So, now what."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8AVCAU36bK
We all stared down at the ground. No one answered. What could we do? Maybe I can take Atlas back to New Sacramento with me. He can forge a new life there, he's already changed his identity once, what's one more time?
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfhgODeWXA
I shifted my gaze to Atlas. He wrapped his arms around himself and watched the raindrops trickle down the windowsill. The lost and broken look in his eyes broke my heart. There had to be something I could do to help him. But what?
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"What happened at the party? You guys have been acting differently ever since. I want to know what happened," Marisa said.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbTmuFRCMD
Atlas sighed. "Everything was going according to plan until Marjorie returned to her office earlier than expected. He tried to hide, but she found us. She started to interrogate us."
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"That's when I got dragged in," Katrina said. "Those security guys are faster than I thought they'd be."
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"What happened next?"
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No one answered. Atlas refused to make eye contact.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxO338omvdy
Eventually, I spoke up. "We saw Patch."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuRRUbaFi1
Marisa gasped. "What? Where was he? Is he okay?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY93QBL1zMZ
I don't know where he was. She showed us live video footage of him in some kind of interrogation room. He's in rough shape. It looks like he took a beating."
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Marisa buried her face in her hands. "Do you know how he got captured?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUCYuNwUub
"Um..." I twiddled my thumbs as I debated how much I wanted to tell her.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjo6NwhlFc
"Please don't tell her. It'll break her heart," Atlas said through our cerebral link.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PxRJgeFKz
"She deserves to know the truth," I responded.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDScOqCzu58
I let out a long, deep breath. "Patch was kidnapped by Bionic Corp while he was trying to flee the island."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0pJnfXjKc
"No. That can't be right. Patch would never leave without telling us!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwXRpAuH7b
"I'm sorry," I said.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3sKQ2eGNU
Marisa turned to Atlas. "Tell him he's wrong! Patch would never do such a thing!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZzbBEPNik
Atlas stared at her long and hard before finally giving in. "Marisa. He's telling the truth. Patch heard that Bionic Corp was coming after him, he got scared and made a run for it."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwC2uMexnx
"There must be some sort of misunderstanding!" She protested.
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"There's not. He left us to save himself."
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"Why would Bionic Corp let you call Patch?" Marisa asked.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1t3hRHRhu
"They gave me an ultimatum, hand over the map, or they'd kill Patch in twenty-four hours," Atlas signed.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs4REWvamd
"And then Vindicator swooped in and stole the map," Marisa finished.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9V4GtfCH6
Atlas froze. "Wait, how did you know Vindicator stole the map?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0rQIst1T6
She looked like a deer in headlights. "Oh, Katrina told me."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1zwuxhxjM
Katrina shot her a puzzled look. "No, I didn't."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2QeBRe2hi
Atlas slammed his fists on the counter. "Marisa, what did you do?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqa57AR3K5
"I was the one who turned off the lights, and I was the one who messed with everyone's Holowatches! Is that what you wanted to hear?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YUcJ87rYs
My jaw fell open. "Why would you do that?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyHdIlQPiA
"Because Vindicator promised me, he'd rescue Patch if I did one simple favor for him."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMMlk9EAmk
"Did you forget the part where he wants me dead!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHFqrSIB1V
"Of course not, but I did what I had to protect Patch! I thought you'd understand that. Besides, finding the Annihilation Code was never your responsibility in the first place!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36xCZpIDnQ
"Well, thanks to you, we lost the map, and Bionic Corp is going to kill Patch tomorrow!" Atlas stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4LNJToo7E
"I'm going to go talk to him," I said.
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"Go ahead, it seems like you're the only person he'll talk to these days." Marisa rubbed the heel of her palm against her chest.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyBb0DKXKI
I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, and let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "Um, okay. I think I'm going to go now, bye."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeAfgqLOBZ
I knew I'd find him on the roof. Every time we used our cerebral link, our connection grew stronger. I could sense his emotions, so intensely they felt like my own. Now I know why Atlas was hesitant to form a link with anyone. They are a powerful and overwhelming thing. Knowing what I know now, I can't believe he agreed to form one with me.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmhVsb9Q7h
I found Atlas curled up under an umbrella on the rooftop. He was furiously scribbling something on an ancient Holopad with one hand. With his other hand, he shoveled Flamin' Hot Cheetos into his mouth using chopsticks.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKgsL1nOSa
This was the sight of a man in desperation if I'd ever seen one. I tried to make my voice sound as gentle as possible. "Um, hey buddy, what are you doing?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kld1jUAUY
His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I'm just working on an art project."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbZljPkdFF
I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "In the pouring rain?"
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He nodded.
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"What are you sketching?"
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"It's nothing." He leaned away from me, hiding the drawing from view.
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I snatched the picture from his hands.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KuUgtLo4W
"Give it back!" He tried to yank it out of my hands, but I wrestled it away from him.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEMDJ5dNRW
I held the drawing up to the light and studied it. I recognized the shape immediately. "You're trying to recreate the map."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Do77PKVDi
He tried to pry it from me again, this time I released my grip. "I saw it! I saw the last piece of the map!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaz1p9InLw
"Yeah, for a split second."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfm6Q1qRsXT
"I remember what it looked like! I can recreate it from memory! If we hurry, we still have a chance to find the map before Vindicator does."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TI8MovuIh
I rolled my eyes and let out a long, exasperated sigh. "This is what Marisa was talking about! You need to let things go!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbRFVNxYkj
"Do you want me to let Patch die? Because that's what will happen if I do nothing!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxVz9xH6r3
"Of course not, but I don't want you to die doing something stupid!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JNZvX1pjk
"You can't stop me!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsp2OMv7Or
"I know." I massaged my aching temples. "Once you set your mind to something, no one can stop you, but I'm sure Patch wouldn't want you to die trying to save him."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBXrtQGksu
"I can't sit here and do nothing. I have to go."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLsQbebOXc
I sighed. "Then I'm going with you. I won't let you do this alone. If we go down, we go down together.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBey7RxSxsJ
He threw his arms around me in a tight hug.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml9f89AxNx
I returned his embrace, gently patting him on the back. "Now, let's go kick some ass!"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2B51gEW6T5
We heard the sound of rustling coming from behind a potted fern.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7W0gMWj3D
Atlas crept towards it with knives drawn.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapdZisHHIk
We peered through the branches to catch the sight of Katrina and Marisa eavesdropping.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwK6HX0gjG
I placed my hands on my hips. "What the hell, guys? Don't you know eavesdropping is rude? Did no one teach you manners growing up?"
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk7MCwfP6V
"We're coming with you," Marisa said.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LPnu7Sfim
Atlas shot daggers in her direction. "No."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5i0qx2SIt
"If you want to pull off this heist, you're going to need a hacker."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLYEqsJGBZ
Atlas tightened his lips into a firm line.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQ3dyW6Wj5
I folded my arms across my chest. "How do we know we can trust you? You've helped Vindicator before."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RRp1xFPE3
"I know you have no reason to trust me, but you won't find another hacker in time to save Patch."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9I1m2Qde61
Atlas and I shot each other a questioning look.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTmhkfomLx
"What do you think?" Atlas asked through our link, so only I could hear.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUfuVT6vYU
I raised my shoulders in a half shrug. "I think she has a point. Our options are limited at the moment. I believe she cares about Patch and will do what it takes to save him."
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzryrZ11vnz
Atlas nodded.
321Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7uQtZ0zts
We turned our attention back to the girls. "Okay, you're in."
ns3.14.247.147da2
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