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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwJOeqU8eB
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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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv9EtVZhtR
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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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkxRmxsrko
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7p1XBGqT6
"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XF4ha0vSh
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"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?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLb4GItadF
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbbjJjSZL2
"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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4ahmlZYj5
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdXdgu6gkG
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMEZI0aOW1
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..."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARdy47gfda
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"Yeah?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NQlF1cvkv
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaroMBLnIl
"I just wanted to say-"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4cZdEforZ
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6kSyZji7o
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfjMp4zg3B
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheQi1Nmcoq
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKV2SbXnaAK
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlcUYXkP4I
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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTlJD5Q6On
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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. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6atlVroTi
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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. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHlQYgQeIM
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"But the water! We need that!"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHOfgbjw5u
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQ72fhwdvi
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRFCD1TEll
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRuJ94SqrK
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"Uh, I don't know." 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6setwT4Id
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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. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhQirfmdzo
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyp33PnUAJ
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqqSQ8mn6J
"Beth."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ANQNIMdYt
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJcterpvSH
"Yes?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6mGfNyFe9
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjUkqrvbYU
"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-"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrW75eHdm4
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYka2nvLT8
"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZg3lqVhuz
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"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?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hpeGbpnMb
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPCbtFjsVB
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSZtQwAJOh
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CckvxmAgD
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtQgOz0dJ7
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE0LAsWBrE
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLcoyW4r9X
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCdmUyVnje
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGxAj4M2On
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTyeYwezAx
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhepOHaevC
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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. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpt8K7YHTn
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1r4eerEN7
"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNlN9178qH
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The others talking woke me up."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JIi2bg92u
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr59Ga04e6U
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFC8jxJJ16
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltkzbqCRdH
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8th5rZIXU0
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0iPPYFefJ
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUsA7Al1oq
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlIJFvKh7H
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApi3uU3s7t
"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. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqFSwKfqjy
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd7xx9ryjj
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTPuxm8T79
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1MVnlO2sU
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiu677dd46f
"Well, duh!"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZK13gTevt
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"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECogusbeyU
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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. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZtS4NXBhz
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOfNAuKTsu
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzeRpMPWDa
"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16xi1flqvW
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhWK4NoWft
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hfSnTI4Nw
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqg2RBAsn6
"I'm glad your alive though..."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSsTYbO9sD
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzJkipWSZ2
"...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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACSiulBiO5
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VdOhoTENs
"Did someone stop her?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8t6WCXUvP
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGw2SFbxqq
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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?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFxxWLOc1J
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWMYQIZpky
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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrg1hTF9hk
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKN5i2DhWs
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP4D1fsvkV
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY2otdD2mm
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"Sorry."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6NsDqod8T
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"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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29qki5nd9P
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XWoDXaAxP
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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN776Y6e7VQ
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj9HDNhPCt
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"Anywhere we want."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjV5VT9nWr
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"But where is that?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGDtOsD0J4
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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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OVPB7WqEO
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmZwFNGWrG
"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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozwGpMd8ta
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"That was hell."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKa5ADJMM1i
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"It was..."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn9VV0z10U
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"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQ0K8ZN9K2
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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?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfh0OJbCmT
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"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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrfkwoITu4
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluVtC6Ja1E
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Rwvgrms30
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKTcnsbwRz
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh8YrhDVj4
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGGHyanktV
"I want to grow it out."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqz5fGfZrk
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qRdg74uoy
"Then you can grow it out."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDaiwvwbKK
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"....."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3q7MvTWeLq
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"....."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWlvpnY25J
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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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtvJ2cjAV0
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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.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkHbRwwIEv
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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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69NW4bTXHP
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMBtnEM26g
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fqxLxWeeh
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNo8AEX90eC
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOiIssXt3N
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsDEdB22tt
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRnGIJt9Jh
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfGyBXVYsV
"It's not that."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUxsgmf1RZ
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"I don't understand-"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYpzwIDmx3
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"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."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuJlY7lL0d
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCBEnleL6c
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNJMbAQ7pd
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR58hLS8JMO
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznJfQXXTyX
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQenquEvRGD
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDXnkrwlQK
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTQ3gQLhof
124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSSuVxU1EJ
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOjpiAd8cU
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhio6vWeFn2
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuf7qE4847
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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?124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOy83AYM92
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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...124Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXr09c50vs
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