But it did. I wanted to decline the invite. But I knew that when I hung up the phone I was back to being alone in that huge apartment. I was in the sa...e situation Brent was. All alone. I told him to meet me at a coffee shop down the street from me. And to give me time to throw something on.I threw on a pair of athletic shoes and started to grab sweat pants ... but changed my mind and slipped into a pair of black lace-up wedges and a floral nylon slip dress instead. I thought, “if I’m going to. After all,everything has a price...even something that is given for free. That isthe way the universe works."I stared at Mathias for a moment, still not having any clue about what hewanted. "What do you want?" It is not what I want," he told me calmly, "but what I can give. It isdifficult to explain properly and probably more difficult to believe.After all, it does deal with existence of something you might not believein." He turned and grinned with a gleaming look in his eyes. "Magic." Magic?". But they did huge amounts of damage to my makeshift claw-chompers. So, I brought out even more deadly cell configurations. Rolly balls of spikes. Tiny men with blood-chain whips. White blood cells with knives taped to their foreheads and the ferocious headbutting talents of expert mosh pit enthusiasts!The battle went on and on for what felt like at least ten forevers before I realized something.I ... couldn’t win.But I couldn’t lose.The Beast had run out of tricks. Like most collective. "Hesitation?" I sneered.She trembled slightly but lowered her head and picked it up off the floor with her lips. She chewed and swallowed quickly. She retched it up minutes later, but that didn't count as an offense. That, I expected.---Peter set up three different video cameras for the live feed.Part of the agreement with the fellows who make the Chair is that the first time it's used, it's broadcast live on their channel. It helps their sales and, they say, helps their research department.