He had been wondering the antiques district when he spotted the tiny shop tucked into a corner between two chain stores. The shop was an unassuming li...tle affair with random curios and items in the windows. The area immediately behind the windows was hidden by a curtain. John thought about why he wanted to enter the little store, but couldn't really justify it. He entered anyway. The doorbell jingled as the door shut behind him. Looking toward the cash register near the front of the store, John. ” Her added ‘death-glare’ let Paul know he had better heed her words if he wanted to live and play another video game.I was silently glad for that brief interlude and interruption by my best friend because it gave me another couple of seconds to allow my brain to actually lead my mouth into this heated situation. I was originally going to start by putting Lynette on the spot; for telling Cathy some or all of the things we’ve done the past couple of days. Luckily, Paul’s words provided a few. "We swapped. Can you keep a secret? Witness ProtectionProgram." Don?t bullshit me." I?m running your mom?s ID for a while. Establishing credit. Workhistory. That sort of thing. Your mom?s completely off social media,right?"Preston called Tesla?s phone.Tesla nodded. "Yes," she said. "I am the person who answers your mom?sphone." She didn?t accept the call."If you?re not my mom, who are you?" I can?t say." A mindwipe? They promised me they wouldn?t wipe you."Tesla sighed. "She wasn?t wiped.. She does not add, “If you do not, we will both be punished.” She does not have to. I thank her and as she departs, she glances again at my nudity. There is softness in her eyes. Perhaps I remind her of her own youth and of her beauty in former times. As she departs I close the door and look at the platter. There is enough food to feed four slaves but if I was to share it, I would certainly incur the mistress’s displeasure. The Darrakhai are not a particularly altruistic people and find it.