“I'd rather lie in a hammock with you -- with nothing but happiness surrounding us -- and be ambushed than run away.”

“There was no point in lying. "Yes. I am following you."Her carefully controlled exterior faltered. "Why?""Because I like you. I'm sorry if that makes you nervous."All the color drained from her face. "I thought you thought I was crazy.""I like crazy.""You're unbelievable," she grumbled."So I've been told.”

“You can't find happiness outside yourself, Calder."I shook my head. "You sound like a fortune cookie.""It's still true. Everyone's always trying to do it, y'know. They try to get with the right people, hook up with the right guy, join the right club - without ever asking what 'right' is.""And this is somehow supposed to apply to me? I'm not some identity-confused sophomore, Lily. If you haven't been listening, I turn into a thieving, murdering fish.”

“See the stars, Lily?"She sighed, surrendering. "Of course.""Do you think they can see the sun coming up?""I don't know. Probably?""Do you think they're scared?""They're burning balls of gas, Calder.""Oh, c'mon. Where's the poet in you?"She exhaled, and I sensed her smile. "I see. Well, in that case, yes. They've finally come home. They are triumphant in their midnight kingdom. But the enemy approaches. They have the numbers on their side, but the enemy is bigger, stronger, with a history of winning that goes back to the dawn of time. They're definitvely terrified."I nodded. She understood my analogy."But they don't run, Calder.”

“I squirmed in my hiding spot. Do something, people,” I urged. Say something. The silence dragged on. I imagined my first report to Maris. “We have underestimated our enemy. They are lethal. We are in serious danger of the Hancocks boring us to death. Abort, abort, abort.”

“What are you doing out there?" Lily hissed. "Would you believe me if I said I was just passing by?"She groaned. "You are a terrible liar, Calder White.”

“She rolled her eyes. " I was talking about your temperature, jerk. But just to be clear, I never said you weren't good-looking. If you remember, I said you made me nervous.""Right. So, you think I'm good-looking?"She swatted me over the head with her fedora, then went back to the cash register, saying, "You're really annoying. If you're sisters are pains in the ass, I'm thinking they learned it from you.”