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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRPVehFqvk
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNAOUeKSEk
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWkf1ZkrWB
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"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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX73wuHYz0i
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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?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLRl9LXDgm
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79aeX73QAY
"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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36sw9kN9bG
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSknEG9dsho
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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..."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcqhaewa6b
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"Yeah?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TFhPfxhJx
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"I just wanted to say-"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoL3WP7d1qc
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJ7GYj1m0n
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"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWIkiLqn13
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVr5BwnAN5P
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevRFNK0yCV
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. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Jy68Cimy0
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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. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlVLeH3qjP
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"But the water! We need that!"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxufzkTqAMM
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNBAJeUH7N
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHQZiHdKAG
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYMy50wGvk
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"Uh, I don't know." 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuUw7ypsyd
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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. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhEgCdQMDZ
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItmF7so9Hg
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"Beth."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTU22Bp8AT
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"Yes?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpYQed0to6
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"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-"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekQkB9Obal
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUMToKdLXW
"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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREMdLK24di
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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?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMRyGwLoKk
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmpD7QIImZ
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWEjQPYzyv
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"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhanEXNnNI
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8qoX2Bxtp
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27i96mtfzw
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8McXBkk80
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbxGhgsnSV
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8Kqq1Jq4B
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKI8iYhvYfo
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCQAoHvn4S
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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. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFXFdHXcP4
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1To8peiL8
"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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFvi5eSLo3
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The others talking woke me up."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojuuJPYL7D
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm47N28pHpF
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzs7KFjrSR
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfAJbSvd4d
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LCm5fLc9A
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4sPmMovzn
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwa2W5bSoER
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4JonagTQP
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"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. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTIek4fn4D
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NSIxnuYCX
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcf0h4T276e
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3VcaTmQau
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CUnb9N9QF
"Well, duh!"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwjtpMNcLL
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYH7q3HoNp
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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. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBizst2IVK
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSQUK5cNMS
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIB6W6QCD7
"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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkisEfnwHFy
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfqjioNrxK
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CLc6prYtD
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr6sWFgE3w
"I'm glad your alive though..."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZNKICNAii
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SNCpJ4X4k
"...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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHoXZ5sdOZ
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"Did someone stop her?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqszBfaqJS
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDccpXNm6D
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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?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi8QqQwT3t
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBcWZhAuEz
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eCGiWlenl
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ku2Vxdydj
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokJ8b2aSdQ
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoLENYlasF
"Sorry."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOtIhvNZMy
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfy8TnqUEL5
"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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpRgqVSLQw
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrgCp7FAiQ
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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6DbvyOWMR
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41HtmyDKkO
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"Anywhere we want."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlrHwkHelB
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"But where is that?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC29400394m
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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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WlF9GPFjv
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQ8klOaTqK
"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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69tOvAeQ93
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"That was hell."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKFcmWP1vS
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"It was..."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokDAsWzamn
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKgfKe9v97
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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?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7x9Wsd69O
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDcLumkWpG
"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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvFMO49E9Z
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAzG5CjOYN
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4A2N3DqTeR
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqLKUXCwFW
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkR9MCDUcx
"You can do anything you want, Beth."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGaJiTLuFg
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvwHifGwHr
"I want to grow it out."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I4aNuKia6
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ptaQcPQSV
"Then you can grow it out."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVvszpkUZ9
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"....."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGD5aOq9gyc
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"....."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtk7BRUJNLf
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LpnvcV5qn
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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.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzEkxSb3Fr
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW65JOEFER
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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWVsYPIWqC
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNS49tebXs
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2duXJfiixS
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1htgn3SQa
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyxJz016V4
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ezc8BJWBq
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPwcdLvbLw
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVrC4WUPg9
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEanM9eZ4ud
"It's not that."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYqctwFiBH
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"I don't understand-"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡov2P43IJcB
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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."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMpeEMOqGs
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTvC3E8V9S
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ElMf7jfRm
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RquVUMyov
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcYo5kaXRX
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd96YZgDcjx
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfGk7Z1B8h
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTrkxRyvCs
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC8bf07Qaa
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiNlJVMcxX
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CTAgzXnJb
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5UfF0fIC3
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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?125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXVPDJQvLS
125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuGSlkSXrN
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...125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpZlW50yEW
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