After dinner, The Pest sends Aaron to his room. Pest and the girl sit at the table. She looks at the Pest, anticipating his question. A sigh. Fear. How could she reject his advances? Should he request her flesh, what would see say?

Pest:I want you to go and speak to the boy in a few hours. But, I do not wish you to go in there wearing that.

Angela:What do you want me to wear?

Pest:I want you to go to him in fleece pajama pants, and a tank top. I want it to appear natural, and familiar. Not forced. I want you to go to him as if you were about to head to bed. I also do not wish for you to touch the boy in anyway. No hugging him. Nothing.

Angela:You're not going to rape me are you?

Pest:No. Is that a fear of yours?

Angela:Yes.

Pest;Silence it. You are not here for my amusement. You are here for Aaron's education, and development. You shall speak to me on the matter in private. I do not want Aaron to even begin to suspect that something is amiss. Do you understand me?

Angela:Yeah, I guess.

Pest:Good. Now, clean the kitchen, then go get ready for bed.

Angela:Wait. Can I ask you one more question?

Pest:Yes.

Angela:Why me?

Pest:Because you fit the bill.

Angela:What bill?

Pest:That was your one question. I will be in the basement. Come speak to me before you go speak to Aaron.

The girl gets up to go shower. She searches through her drawers and comes across a very nondescript pair of pajama pants, and a plain Tank top. She goes and showers, letting the water wash over her body. Dripping. Her hair. Wet. Hands tremble as she lathers her body in soap. Rinsing. A Prayer. She prays to her lord in heaven. Begs him to come and save her and the Child. She tells him her story, and the danger she is in. He does not respond. The water runs cold. A jolt. She turns with a jolt. There, standing in the bathroom is Pest. Anger in his eyes. Hands, shake with fury. The grab her throat. She doesn't fight it. Her feet leave the ground.

Pest:You want freedom? You want salvation? You want to leave my home?

She tries to nod, but his hand around her neck doesn't allow her the freedom.

Pest:Use what little oxygen I allow you and answer the question.

Angela:I'm sorry.

Pest:That is not an answer. I asked if you want to leave.

Angela:Yes. I don't want to die here.

Pest:Then do as I ask, and you shall live. You shall flourish under me, should you do as I ask. In return I shall give you anything you wish. Anything, except the right to see your sister. The price for her life is that you cannot see her anymore.

He releases her.

Pest:I will be in the basement. Get dressed and come find me. We shall speak.

He throws a towel on her, and turns to leave the bathroom. She lays there, cold, and wet. Alone, and afraid. Slowly she gets to her feet, and dries off. One leg in the pants first. Then the other. Up. She pulls them up. Then her shirt. Down. Over the neck. Arms in. Down to her stomach. Flat. She goes to her room where she finds a pair of pink slippers. They are placed upon her feet, and she moves to the basement. Slowly. Fearful. Talking to himself. She hears him, speaking to himself. He speaks to himself when he believes he is alone. Someone called Barbie. Who is Barbie. He keeps apologizing. Did he hurt her? What did he do to her? Slowly, she descends the steps. Her movements mirroring those of Aaron earlier in the day. The same, but slightly different. In the basement she finds Pest sitting there, staring at the Dildo Crown. The crown he no longer wears. He holds it in his hands. Cold. Plastic. Empty. Like his soul. His eyes do not flicker, they do not blink, almost as if they were dead.

Her movements, planned, careful. She finds herself at his feet. Kneeling. Hands. Touch. Tiny. They wrap around his. Holding. Skin cold. Dry. Her hands, once moist from the shower, now they feel as if they are entirely dried. Her eyes look up. Green. Green eyes meet the grey hazed over eyes of the Pest. No feeling in his. Just a thought. A deep thought. Hurt. Pleasure. Repeat. Words come from her, and shatter his thought.

Angela:I'm here.

Pest:Yes, Angela, you are. Good. We must speak on your happiness.

Angela:Ok.

She gets to her feet, and his eyes travel upwards. He drops the crowns, and gestures. She sits on his lap as if he was her father, offering some advice. Arms reach up and stroke her hair.

Pest:I want to make you happy, Angela. My Angel. How can I bring you happiness? How can I make sure you enjoy your time here?

Angela:I just don't want to be hurt. I want Aaron to be safe as well.

Pest:Aaron will survive, and will only receive what is needed to strengthen him. You, you shall remain unharmed so long as you do not displease me. I cannot promise to never strike you, but you shall only be struck when you deserve it. Now, go and speak with Aaron. Leave me to my thoughts.

Angela:Who do you speak to down here?

Pest:No one. I do not speak to anyone.

Angela:I hear you.

Pest:Do not listen to me when I am alone. That is the last time I will warn you on it.

He raises to his feet, and she falls to the floor. An assist. She gets to her feet, and looks at him. A kiss. Her cheek. She brushes the cheek. Up the stairs, a blush. She stops. Turns to him.

Angela:What do I call you?

Pest:Call me James, if you wish.

She turns and leaves. Movements. To Aaron's room she goes. She sits on his bed, and speaks to him. For hours they speak, and her cries. She does as she is told, and does not touch the boy, not tonight. Until he falls asleep. Then she leaves his room, and goes to her room. She reads the bible, and prays to Jesus. All the while, The Pest sits in the basement, and speaks to Barbie.

Barbie:James, going all family?

Pest:You know that I am trying to make an heir.

Barbie:And hurting the boy will achieve this?

Pest:I shall kill his humanity.

Barbie:And how will you keep her from saving his soul while you face Mastermind and Hollywood?

Pest:I don't need to. She can try and save his soul, but it is already mine. As for the match, I do not plan to be in the ring long. Mastermind will pose no threat, and Hollywood will simply lay down for me.

Barbie:Are you sure?

Pest:The only way that Mastermind can defeat me is if he chooses to pay me Thirty Thousand Xbux, which is my standard fee for throwing a match. Should he pay me the funds, I shall clear Hollywood as a threat, and allow Mastermind to pin me for the win. Should he choose to not pay me, then I shall break him using his own moves. It shall be an event he will not soon forget.

Barbie:He addressed you. You saw it, didn't you?

Pest:Of course I saw it, how else would you know about it? Yes, he addressed me. As if he was a child. Allow me to pose this inquiry to you, and perhaps he shall answer me. How is it that I am like Frodo when I address you? Should I choose to ignore my opponents for the week, and pretend I do not need to concern myself with them? Shall I recite the week's cricket scores to us instead? Give a run down on the history of Marmalade? Perhaps that is more of the speed of Mastermind. Ironic title for such a fool, do you not believe?

Barbie:You crucified yourself to show superiority over him once.

Pest:I did. And it turned out to be a move most intelligent. You see, it cemented to all that I am the God of Emptiness. That, and the gift I left in Shane 's office. You see, Barbie, I am miles ahead of Mastermind in terms of mental prowess as well as physical prowess. I am his senior by nineteen years, and yet he cannot best me. Such a tragedy for him. I question if he will be wise enough to accept my offer of bribery. Perhaps not, he has some misguided notion of winning with honor. I should educate the boy on the true meaning of honor. How there was no honor when I was murdering girls in the jungle the day he was born. Tell him the stories of the horrors I have faced in the name of honor. Honor for my government. For my people. For the ideal Christian America. A capitalist Utopia. And how he should count himself lucky that his mother died long before she could rob him of what my mother robbed me of. No. When I step into the ring with Mastermind if he has not paid me the money, I will take the notion of honor and I will use to crush him. I will break him as if he were made of glass. All for foolish honor. Honor gets you nowhere.

Barbie:You hate Mastermind?

Pest:No. I do not hate the man. I pity the man. I feel nothing but sympathy for him. He is a simple fool in the world of giants. He is the man who thought that selecting Gator and Vinnie Lane would assure him a victory at War Games. The only time we had met. He choose poorly and those poor choices have given me all the knowledge I have needed to judge him properly. He is a shameful human being. One whose continued belief in himself confuses me. And yet, I still feel nothing but sympathy for him. Perhaps after I utterly destroy any chance of besting me in the ring, I shall offer my hand to him in friendship.

Barbie:You are an angry man.

Pest:I am. And I feel I am needing you less and less.

Barbie:Shall I leave you, then?

Pest:Tell me our daughter's name first.

Barbie:You know I can't. I'm not really Barbie. Just your imaginary version of her.

Pest:I know, but I enjoy your voice none the less.

There was no answer. The Pest gets to his feet and removes his mask. He leaves it in the basement. And walks up the stairs. Aaron, who is in the kitchen preparing a snack sees the Pest's face clearly for the first time.