“Man up, Akane. World-wide destruction or talk to your mother.” When she didn’t answer right away, he shook her.“What? I’m thinking about it.”

“Right there,” he said. “That’s what I’m talking about.”Lacey shook her head. “I’m not following.”“I’ve never felt anything this powerful,” he whispered. “You make me feel things I have no right to feel.”

“Man, Wren. I’m impressed. No woman ever sent flowers to thank me. (Serre)Don’t be that impressed. I’m thinking she didn’t send flowers to thank him. One flower says thank you. This many says she thought he was dead. Or that she killed him. Hmm...I’m thinking, put a tiger in her tank and that didn’t quit rev her up. What she needs is to go hunting for bear. (Dev)”

“You will die.” “I guess. I don’t know.” She shook her head, trying to pick through her feelings. “I used to think I was alive just because I kept getting away. If someone didn’t put a bullet in my head, I was winning. I was still breathing, right?” She looked at the blackened land around her, feeling tired and sad and alone. “But now I’m thinking it ain’t like that. Now I’m thinking that once you got enough dead looking over your shoulder, you’re dead anyway. Don’t matter if you’re still walking and talking, they weigh you down.”

“You talked to your mother about Duncan's erectile dysfunction?" He glared down at her. "Has he considered taking your TV away?”

“Enough!", Henry bellowed. His mother's mouth snapped shut. " You're talking about the woman I love! I don't give a shit about what you think. Claire is an amazing mother and she loves her son. I love her son. They are everything to me and nothing you say is going to change that! You can take your high and mighty talk and shove it up your ass!", Henry snapped.”