"Yes," Rufus agrees, "As for Kuvaq, we should fortify it. The fact he isn't is beginning to be a clue in itself. Maybe he begins to see why Gizmo is so concerned even without Rufus telling him. This is not the man who left Kuvaq a couple of weeks ago. He halfway expects Rufus to protest that it's way too boring, but he doesn't and something in Wenzel begins to grow worried. "We could smoke them out," he suggests, "That would cause the least structural damage." Does he want them exterminated or just gone? "They don't like fire," Rufus says, "I also suggested flushing them out. "Those things in the tunnel won't go away by themselves." They still got a pack of these creatures stuck in the trash mines, and Wenzel knows if they want to get rid of them, Rufus's prior knowledge is Kuvaq's best bet. "No," Rufus grinds his teeth and Wenzel takes a note to treat carefully. "Sorry," Wenzel says for extra measure, just to deescalate, "I don't imagine that being fun." Rufus never used to catch these kinds of hints. Rufus shoots Wenzel a glare and he puts up his hands in a placating manner to show that he'll back off. I don't know why they'd still focus on me specifically even after that." "There's more of them," Rufus says and almost immediately wilts in his seat, his gaze avoiding, "I fought some off where they first showed up, but so did the rest of you. No more nightly surprise attacks."įeels good somehow, Wenzel's stinging face can't deny that. "If there are more of them, I want to be ready when they come. The fact that Rufus is talking at all is a success in Wenzel's book, but the answer is cause for concern. "I didn't think they'd be able to track me down." "What do you know about them? Are there more?" "The monsters," Wenzel brings up, and Rufus tenses. "That ship has sailed," Rufus says and to Wenzel's surprise pulls the chair to take a seat. "No more Elysium?" Wenzel tries, tentatively this time, and his nose thanks him for it. Rufus's eyebrows twitch but he doesn't seem to be lashing out again. "Yes," Wenzel says, "But you’ve been saying that for years." He really tries hard to sound more placid this time. Duuuh," Rufus replies almost immediately. "Okay," Wenzel takes a step back, there's a reason Rufus came here after all. "So what… did happen?" Wenzel tries again, humbler this time. Rufus wavers slightly when he falls back into place and tenses his shoulders. Wenzel can't help but take note of the wet quality of his voice. "I don't buy it," Rufus says, but backs off. "I… may have touched a nerve there," he says, ever the diplomat, "I apologize." Wenzel shifts in his seat, trying to make himself look less of a threat. "That does it," he snarls but finds his anger fading, not because Rufus still towers over him, a bloody fist ready to strike again, but because there are tears bubbling in his old friend's eyes. Rufus flies at him and the next thing Wenzel knows is he's wiping blood off his nose. So tell me, how'd that Elysium thing work out for you?" "Which is why I'm sitting here, and you wind up on my doorstep time and time again. Rufus's frown turns into a full-blown glare. Just because I'm smart enough to let others work for me." "It's cute," he says, "How you of all people try to claim I've got an ego. "Yes," Wenzel presses when Rufus cuts himself off suddenly, bites his tongue. You didn't even do anything for that water, the only reason you found it-" "Me, too," Rufus says, "You've let this bubble up to your head. "We have known each other for a long time," he says, "I want to be frank with you." His oculars adjust a bit but his gaze never leaves Rufus. Wenzel stipples his fingers and leans back. "Maybe that falls under doctor-patient confidentiality." "The only reason you're even allowed in here is because Gizmo of all people is vouching for you. The smile falls from his face just like that. He pulls his feet from the desk and pins Rufus with his binoculars. Rufus can feel his face twitch and shambles towards the desk, pointedly ignoring the empty seat in lieu of standing - it makes him taller. "You think so?" Wenzel chirps and puts his feet on the table from the 20 something pillows he needs to reach it, "I think it's rather adequate." Wenzel," Rufus parrots as the door falls shut behind him, "hardly anything sounds so wrong." The next thing she says eventually makes him sneer. "You have large shoes to fill," Rufus comments off-handedly. Some young thing that Rufus has never seen before either because it only moved here recently (why would anybody?) or because she'd been told all her life to stay away from him.Įven Lotti was better at conversation than this one. The new lady at the counter makes it look impossibly empty. Rufus is not happy with the situation as a whole.īut what does he have to lose by taking Gizmo's advice?
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