"Anna?"

I turn around slowly, not too willing to let Kea out of my sight. Enthusiasm soon rules out over that paranoia, and about halfway through the rotation, I whip around the rest of the way, to see her walking through the open door. I can't see her face too well over the lights flowing in behind her, but I recognize the parts I can make out. Under the mask, the tears give way to a smile, though the slimy trail still against my cheeks soon feels like it's frozen over. I don't even care.

"You look, different."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Pleasure to speak to you too, Kea."

"Pleasure's all mine."

"Right."

"Sorry 'bout that," I say, reaching out and grabbing her hand. Her eyes widen for a second before settling. She returns the grip and smiles slightly. "Yeah, this whole thing is a really long story."

"I have all the time in the world."

"Is that so?"

She nods.

"Then I guess we have that in common." My voice is still gravelly, and laden with cracks as if I were fighting off a severe throat infection while swallowing shrimp tails. "Though, I can't help but think that here isn't the best place."

"Yeah... let's go."

Just like that, she spins around and starts for the doorway. Her hand still tightly wrapped around mine, she practically pulls me out the door and into the hall where, just when I thought things were starting to get easier, we're stopped dead in our tracks by none other than Wilson.

"My my, never thought I'd see you two again." His voice was as smug and cocky as always, though for some reason it especially bothered me right now. I make a fist with my free hand and start to raise it to him, before he laughs and motions for me to stand down. I don't.

"Nice mask, freak. What's the occasion."

"Knocking your crooked teeth down your fucking throat."

"Precious. Absolutely precious. Now, where do you think you're going?"

"As far from here as humanly possible."

"No... I don't think so," he says before breaking into a too casual to be good whistle. Said whistle fades seamlessly into a chuckle and smirk as he shakes head, looking down at the floor. "If that were the case, why would you two be in here in the first place? It isn't like you live here anymore."

"We needed to get something."

"What's the matter? Motormouth over there can't speak suddenly?"

"My voice is about as repressed as your sexuality."

"Ouch, getting called a by a ."

"Takes one to know one."

"This isn't accomplishing anything," Anna says, trying to get the conversation back on track. Sheepishly, Wilson nods his head in agreeance.

"On that we can agree, Nyman. What's important here is the burglary charge you just admitted to."

"I didn't say we found it."

"Fine. Then trespassing."

"Abusing prescription drugs."

"What?"

"You heard me. You try to get us on that, we'll provide all the evidence in the world of your pill problem."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

He stands in the hallway, blocking our path for a few moments, thinking his options over. At last, he sighs, and steps out of the way whispering in utter defeat: "Just don't say anything."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

And with that, we walk down the hall and out of the building, towards her car; practically assured that he wouldn't try to get the cops after the fact. How could he? It isn't like they would track us down for something as utterly insignificant as that, right?

I swear if Murphy's Law invokes itself during this situation, I probably won't be able to do anything about it.

***

"So, what happened?" she asks, settling into the driver's seat and powering the engine. I lean back in my seat, looking down at my lap as I drag the seatbelt over my body and latch it in place.

"Long story," I repeating, mimicking my response from the first time I was asked. She rolls her eyes and pulls out of the parking lot in the back of building, merging onto the main street.

"We've been over this."

"Yeah, well, maybe I want to know how you've been. Ever think about that?"

"Hey, I asked you first."

"And I asked you second."

"You are such a pain sometimes."

And maybe I am. We go on down the roads, heading somewhere new and exciting, at least for me. I don't respond, instead focusing on the road ahead with more concentration than I would while actually driving. The way the streetlights shine off the ground is kind of astonishing if you really pay attention to it. My head falls back against the back of the seat, and I reach towards the mask once again, ready to take it off. Maybe that would explain my plight a little better. After all: a picture is worth 1000 words, right?

I slowly pull it off, smile on my face. I don't hesitate to take a deep breath once my mouth's free.

Here, we go.

Moment of truth.