Slate stands outside leaning against the railing in the dark with a cup of coffee in hand, the world only just glowing around him by the building behind him, the snow gently falling around him.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXvh0o9275
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They found a place to stop and rest for the night, but the bad news is they're out for fuel now for the helicopter so they'll have to go on foot from now on when they eventually leave this place.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5gLalsuvh
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSS5hPtmIa
The place they have sought refuge is some base in the mountains, it had a landing pad on the roof and luckily was stocked with some supplies, but not enough to last them for more than a few days so they will have to leave to find food and perhaps find other shelter plus in the current climate, it's very cold. They're not all rugged up warmly and are doing what they can to stay warm as when they escaped, they didn't think about the weather.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRpa1rJKH4
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfImCpNpsiw
"Hi. Want some company?" A small voice whispers, a person come outside to join Slate on the balcony. He looks behind him to see Beth. "It's cold, you'll get cold out here. Go back inside to the fireplace." He tells her.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdg2Uc7lpW4
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvH6V2XKSs
"My head hurts, everyone else is inside trying to do maths to work out how old we are, but it's hard when we don't have all the figures we need. We we're downstairs for three years and we seem to be in our 20's somewhere, but what else in time are we missing? So, can I please stand out here with you?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLJbZVcviL
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21wXcBLlBg
"Sure, come here." He says, removing his insulated fighter coat. He has a really thick shirt on underneath anyway so he'll be fine, but Beth? She's in just a singlet, pink shorts with black leggings. He helps her put it on. "Thank you, Slate."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr6q8Y2FjG
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1e3nYDsDY
"It's okay, you need it more than me."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQGHRfOmKI
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6EWqbFVpz
He takes a sip of his coffee and looks out at the dead world covered in a blanket of snow as she does the same. "Beth..."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJms0gvlM2F
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOEiY6LgDU
"Yeah?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqx5gpyv9K
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCJDXRiKbn
"I just wanted to say-"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgwTwOENiP
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXxPnLgWXM
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SfM7beAcW
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUisnB3ZOL
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4TmJ6jwM3
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnYSgXYFwy
During escaping with Beth, he can't tell them. But he killed someone, he remembered. Murphy raped her and killed Hazel and Elijah on a mission. He wasn't punished by Solayo for the second one, the leaders covered it up.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneFyjitbJA
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbliuKO6Yg
Murphy got in his way, he was drunk and trying to pick a fight with him... He doesn't want to remember. He... He handcuffed Murphy to a railing with his own handcuffs. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSum1gNBl1
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY76Z8mIgGr
Then he looks down and for a second sees Murphy handcuffed to the railing. He jumps back, letting out a scream. He drops his coffee cup, but Beth only just catches it, burning herself. She cries, snapping him out of it. He takes the cup, sitting it on the railing and dumps out the remaining water in his flask, dumping it on her hands, taking them quickly in his. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6uDWrcWxC
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"But the water! We need that!"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4UJK2VXad
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQNwKGdQUP
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Va1rgWDJs
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3im8eqJQ1
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"Uh, I don't know." 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKu3BUSzI3w
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It's not a total lie. Now the memories of before what Ester and Mikey did are patchy, but he can't remember anything before living at The Compound. He just remembers living and training there. His been downstairs before, he was in solitary for a long time before he worked with Solayo rather than against him. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHpiQpkzvD
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kZiRO3ycD
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0YxHVI6Aw
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDThmQjiiJ
"Beth."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfl5ef7SIf2
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88zfVeQOOq
"Yes?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXlMKJFyDT
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLWID921xe
"I just want to tell you I'm sorry there is no tablets to give you, I must have lost them somewhere. The others all have some of their memories and attributes back, but you-"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbC67aZqhZ
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHFLzyw8re
"It's okay, I don't need them." She tells him, turning back towards the railing, down. She touches her neck feeling the bandage around her neck and wrists.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLW2Bgkm80
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBgthKB490
"This was stupid, I don't even know why I did it... I'm sure remembering would only reveal the real reason and then... who knows what I'd do? Off myself?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16VAvIcM68
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXVPJKdeCe
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHNZr3yv6b
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2f0PUy6tko
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDsVbkKtPk
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIfitsIAt3
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7mRHoqHWm
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjoaY2R7cP
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp6eQDzrE3
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJepdlPL663
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfnHRv6i51
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fMineXzXq
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlN5VlZ4abi
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYi3hxgZaWN
But she doesn't get to finish, Slate telling her to duck and he yells out to the others to cut the lights off inside. The lights go off a moment later and in the distance below the hill is a figure slowly walking along, it's leg half hanging off. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kb30mgRrE
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpK9P2P0BI
"What is that?" Beth whispers, gulping. "That is what I'm afraid of. I tried to get some sleep earlier inside, but I kept seeing something like that in my sleep.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡve0uQE6ttT
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzElgVjNDUj
The others talking woke me up."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgakrKit5y2
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusq1V95EDc
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIC0a4BHhqU
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPChN58CSL5
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ0Nn5ckdG
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tVn4sJZqm
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbQWisub7o
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThnwTXov3S
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7PgrwdS3j
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Fb5RqWKOr
"It looks like one of us, but it's movements are weird and janky. And it's leg's hanging off, but it's walking mostly without it." Beth speaks up. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFFJHR36Co
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvfUCaHEmN
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEorONnPCUY
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyXPRs7f86
"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2hQ3ENWL9
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OIkqYbegt
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9E0mpCqIH
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzck62utINt
"Well, duh!"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9wGoeaD0Q
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQBDIzv1fY
"Whatever, Gid. We need the bandages. I need to change mine and hers." Slate gestures to Beth. "Sure." Gideon says quickly, handing them over to her.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYXWij7zoo
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyBcLOlMwM
Slate takes them, pulling her after him into the bedroom so they can have some privacy from the others. This building is only two rooms and cramped. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsJs733Pzg
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7am3oj7RL
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOWT35ZI43
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEWuOQqhYi
"So, what do you think this place is?" She whispers trying to make small talk as Slate gently unwraps the bandage around her neck. "Ah." She whinces lately, the bandage slightly sticking. He whinces when he sees the cut. Thank god it wasn't deep so it was never life threatening, but seeing there was an attempt, it's scary.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZev73XMu0
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkER1ih2sK
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM2TlLZ07B
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Hok7mGMJf
"I'm glad your alive though..."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid8FZLe2Xq
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6MlVK9CD9
"...Thank you. My arm... can you look at it. The guard who was on me, she was mean and pulled my arm behind my back saying she'd break it after last time so I could never do anything again. I don't know what she meant."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci2s26RWbo
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QpGcCZhxV
"Did someone stop her?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyxva9MpjI
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbW9T27BIv
"Yeah, a colleague of hers."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1BgR0WVSA
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1Y4i2jkqh
When Slate finishes wrapping fresh bandage around her neck and wrists, her burnt hand as well. He slips her sleeve up to inspect her upper left arm. "It's quite bruised. Does it overly hurt to move it?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAoBXYSGlH
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4PSCmMmR2
He gently moves it. "N-no." She breathes, removing his hand. "Turn around, I'll do your head." She tells him, removing the old bandage and wrapping a fresh one. It's hard to see the wounds beneath his hair.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3lMJNFmlQ
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYfGVbV8rv
"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRi1bHo1ZW
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E9RGSi5xc
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3TRNJLYrZ
"Sorry."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75GA7veR5s
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtRILhS3x5
"It's okay. Just know it's the reason we're all here now. You all deserved better than the shit life we we're living there. It wasn't even really living."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKj7xL8tQx
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSDO5Uw5JU
The mood is really down now between them and slowly she leans against his shoulder, head resting and he wraps an arm around her shoulder not making any other movements.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05si2RWliT
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTN6MRzgmZ
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdnBW993zT
"Anywhere we want."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb1F5yIvei
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"But where is that?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsxzypMu1F
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"I... I don't know, I'm sorry. I didn't really have this all planned out, it was spur of the moment."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB190wFB6N
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilQoGoUKkz
"It's okay. Better freezing in this mountain shack than tied to the bed for eight hours a day and injected for three years underground on floor 13."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc01KknqnUE
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKEJrawBIh
"That was hell."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKV1Y1aaEak
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeedFPlJ4Ic
"It was..."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zbSbFps7B
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqfSaX0OKO
"I fought so many times, told them they we're horrible people and even tried to escape a few times. It never worked, even single time he'd have them drag me to my bed and they'd secure me again, having her prep a needle.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCz0DjokGf
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDWLnq3Gfy
That didn't help or cure me. But at-least I didn't end up like Paisley out there. The first and only time she yelled at them, they took her away and cut her head open. After that, she rarely talks now and barely interacts with anyone. What's going on inside her head?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiLHdtCWYg
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNSV5Mm2jv
"I don't know. And I think it was less about helping you than it was keeping you safe. It stopped you in the moment, but it was never actually help. I... I don't think they we're ever set up to actually help someone like you. I'm sorry, you deserved better treatment and actually some damn compansion and understanding than what you got." He whispers back, gently playing with her hair.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeJ5eqefft
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkspXSIuUz4
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eyWefqDfM
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwKiu2lHnV
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlBAW5tuBg
"You can do anything you want, Beth."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhPsVJq2Yd
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m0iP6L7jL
"I want to grow it out."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTW7JMucflL
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6rBb9vK4Z
"Then you can grow it out."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXyareg86v
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"....."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8TbLKxIwP
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"....."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwHQKpvZDe
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Slowly they turn their heads towards eachother, lips touching for just a moment when she pulls away and starts slamming her arm on the bedside table, crying.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMTnnSo3hv
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He grabs her, pulling her back, wrapping his arms and legs around her, cupping his hand over his mouth so Lyla, Gideon and Paisley don't come in here.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg08kuDwOmC
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTO3vmdwp5n
She stops straining and calms down slightly, albeit still crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeats all over and over. "Everything okay in there?" Lyla calls out from the other side of the door. "I heard a thump."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnDls9nvQr
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJIGmChoY6
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvR55VzLHA5
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T4CrCyES8
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORb0HZuUsr
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbptB8ersJ
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6poqQrj5DU
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHM9cVKjBM
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamvo0VNBh8
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZqRqKevk5
"It's not that."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZRQsdDJvc
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"I don't understand-"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wg6Oe2Lpg
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F88PkAJHG
"Can you please let me go, Slate? I'll promise not to break my arm, okay. If I do then you have any every right to touch me, any of you. But that's it. You don't do it just because I'm maybe being difficult and a pain in the ass."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsFOIcpw2J
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx65e3zL3TM
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzqDnW5IeW
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodFrIIg9oZ
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcdGNDPw1Y
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZnGwgoKua
"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunhLzuDLmB
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaWqjZI65a
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZonU1QO6Lp
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7jYAjV3Ka
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHsSBFelh1
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5JeGF0s84
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsMjxkFvwz
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgl5CO4d9M8
His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7v4ghfZrec
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He backs off. "I'm sorry, I won't." And he leaves the room, switching the light off to go talk to the others and subject himself to a long lecture on equations and how they got to their age. Could they really be 28-29 years old?211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3dasFdLOn
211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroHZ6xUcg7
They look barely over 21. It's proably the lack of food so their growth is stunted and everything, but... 28-29 is such a long time and they'd been with Solayo since... he doesn't know. He can't quite put his finger on it. But 28-29 years old? No way. Just not possible...211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtv6NuhQ1BE
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