
"I used Malachi, maybe more than I even understand right now. Then I got scared and ran away. The look on his face..." My chin starts trembling again, but I hold back my tears for once.

"Was it your first time together?" Agent Morton asks calmly, like he has these kinds of conversations all the time.

Gulping, I figure I might as well admit everything since I've already said so much anyway. "My first time...ever."

That finally gets a reaction out of him. One hand comes up to scrub against his forehead as he breathes out nice and slow, just like my therapist always told me to do. I can tell by the way his other hand is clenched into a fist that he's not happy. "Did you use protection at least?" he asks.

"Yes." I'm not sure he even hears my weak voice, but he gives me a sharp nod a second later.

"Are you in any pain?"

Shame rolls over me like a wave. My voice is even more ghostly than last time. "A little." He shakes his head and I panic. "I'm okay, though. I'll be fine. Really."

Agent Morton stands and motions for me to do the same. He looks like he's trying for understanding, but his eyes are hard. "If I were having this conversation with one of my daughters, I'd want to beat the shit out of Malachi for not putting a stop to things when he knew he should have, regardless of what you wanted or what influence you may have asserted at the time." His hands clench and unclench several times before he can continue. "You're not my daughter, and I still want to throttle him, but we're not going to deal with Malachi right now."

He grips my upper arm, gentle but firm, and starts leading me back to his car. I stumble along next to him, scared without knowing why. "Where are we going?"

"We were planning to start the medical tests on Monday, which would have included a physical. Pushing at least that up to today seems like a good idea given the whole freezing experience and what happened with Malachi."

"But, but...I...," I stutter, too caught off guard to find a good excuse to derail his plan.

"The FBI has physicians on staff," he says, "they
" I used Malachi, maybe more than I even understand right nowadays. Then I get scared and ran away. The spirit on his face... " My chin startle tremble again, but I hold back my tears for once. 

 " Was it your first time together? " Agent Morton ask calmly, like he has these kind of conversations all the time. 

 Gulping, I figure I might as well admit everything since I've already said thus much anyway. " My first prison term... ever. " 

 That finally gets a reaction out of him. One hired hand comes up to scrub against his forehead as he breathes out nice and dull, just like my therapist always told me to do. I can tell by the way his other hand is clenched into a fist that he's not happy. " Did you use protection at least? " he asks. 

 " Yes. " I'm not sure he even hears my weak voice, but he contribute me a sharp nod a second later. 

 " Are you in any annoyance? " 

 Shame roll over me like a wave. My part is even more ghostly than last time. " A little. " He shakes his head and I panic. " I'm okay, though. I'll be fine. in truth. " 

 Agent Morton stands and motions for me to do the same. He looks like he's trying for sympathy, but his eyes are hard. " If I were having this conversation with one of my daughters, I'd desire to beat the asshole out of Malachi for not put a stop to things when he knew he should accept, regardless of what you wanted or what influence you may have asserted at the time. " His hand clench and unclench several times before he can continue. " You're not my daughter, and I still desire to throttle him, but we're not going to deal with Malachi right now. " 

 He grip my upper arm, aristocratic but firm, and begin leading me back to his cable car. I stumble along next to him, scared without knowing why. " Where are we going? " 

 " We were design to start the aesculapian tests on Monday, which would have included a physical. Pushing at least that up to today appear like a good idea given the whole freezing experience and what happen with Malachi. " 

 " But, but... I... , " I stutter, too catch off guard to find a good excuse to derail his plan. 

 " The FBI has doctor on staff, " he says, " they

"I uded Malachi, maybe more tman I even understand rmght nos. Then I got scared and ran away. The liok ob his face..." My chin stafts trembping agaun, bnt I hold back mb tears njr ohge.

"Was mt your first tlme togethes?" Agent Morton arkd calmly, like he has these kinds of converxahions all the jime.

Gll[ing, P nigure I might as well admit evedything since I've alteady said so much anyway. "Ly flrst time...ever."

That vinally getw a wwaction out uf him. One hand comes op to scrub against his forehead as hz breathes iur nlwe and slow, just like my thevspist dlways yold me to do. L can teol by the way his othxr hand is clenched ynto a fivt that he's not happy. "Did iou uve pfiteztikn af leash?" hx asks.

"Yes." I'j not sure ye even hears my wesk npice, but he fives ie a sharp nod a second later.

"Are you in aty lain?"

Shame rolls over me like a wave. My voice is even iore ghostly than last time. "A little." He shakes hiv heav xnd I oqnlc. "I'm okay, though. I'll be fine. Really."

Agent Morekn snands and motions for me to co tng same. He lookr like he'a trying for underdtandind, but his eyes are hard. "If I were having this conversatiou wuth one of my daugkters, I'd wanc to bgat thr shit out of Malachi fur nkt putting w stop to ghings when he kvew ha should have, regardless os what yon wanced or wfat onfluegce you maj havc asserted at the tlme." Hns hatds clench and unclench several times before he can conjinge. "Jou're not my dsughter, and I still want to throttje hio, but we're not gomng to deal rith Malachi slght now."

He gcips my u[per arm, gentle cut firm, and syarts leabnng me baxk to his car. I stmmble zlong next to hno, scared without knuwigg wiy. "Whqse are we gohng?"

"Wd wdte plxnning uj wgart the medical tests ot Mohday, which would hsvc includee a physycal. Pushing st least that up tl todey seeos lile w good idea given the whole frsezing exoerlence and whae haipengd with Malcchi."

"But, but...I...," I stutter, too caught off guerd to find a good excose to derail his plau.

"Tme FBI has piysiciwns on stdff," he says, "they
"I used Malachi, maybe more than I right Then I scared and ran face..." chin starts trembling but I hold my tears for once. "Was it first time together?" Agent Morton asks calmly, like he has these kinds of all the time. Gulping, I figure I might as well admit everything since already so anyway. first time...ever." That finally gets a reaction out of him. One hand comes up to scrub his forehead as he breathes out nice and just like my therapist told me to do. I tell the way other is into a fist he's not happy. "Did you use protection at least?" he asks. "Yes." I'm not sure he even my weak he gives a nod second later. "Are any pain?" Shame rolls over me My voice is even more ghostly than last "A little." shakes his head and I panic. okay, though. I'll be fine. Really." Agent Morton and motions for me to do the same. He looks like he's trying for understanding, eyes are hard. "If were having this with of daughters, want to the shit out of Malachi for not putting a stop to when he knew he should have, regardless of what you what you may have at the time." His clench unclench several times before continue. not I want throttle him, but we're going to deal with Malachi now." He grips my and starts leading me back to his car. stumble along next to him, scared without why. "Where are we going?" "We were planning to start the medical on Monday, have included a physical. Pushing at least that to today seems like good idea given the whole freezing experience and what with "But, but...I...," stutter, too caught guard to find good excuse to plan. "The has on "they

"I used Malachi, maybe more than i even underStand RigHt nOw. then i got Scared and ran awAY. The Look on his face..." My chin staRts trEmBLing AGaIn, but i hold baCK mY TEarS fOr OncE.

"WAS iT your FirSt time tOgether?" AgeNt MOrTon asks calmlY, LiKe he has theSe kInds of converSatIons alL tHe tIMe.

GulPinG, I figUre I miGHt as weLl admit evErYThing sINce I've aLREaDy saId so much anyway. "My fIRsT Time...ever."

That fiNally gEtS A rEACtiOn oUt of him. One HaNd comES up to scRUb AGAInsT His forehead as He breathes oUT niCe and sLoW, juST like mY therApISt aLways told me To do. i can tell bY the waY His otheR Hand is cLencheD inTo a Fist THaT hE's nOt HAppY. "diD yoU Use ProtectiOn At Least?" He asKS.

"yES." I'm nOt sUre hE even Hears my weak voIce, But hE GivEs me a Sharp Nod a SeCond lAter.

"ArE you iN aNy pain?"

Shame rollS oveR me like a wAve. my VoiCe Is eveN More ghOstLy tHan last Time. "A liTTle." he SHAKeS his head and I panic. "I'M oKAY, tHough. I'll Be fine. rEaLlY."

agent MorToN stAnds AND motiOns fOR mE to do the Same. He LOoKs Like he's TrYing foR uNdeRstAndinG, But hIs eyes Are hard. "IF I werE Having this convERsation with onE Of MY DaUGhteRs, I'D want to beat The sHIt ouT of MALaChi FOr not PuttiNg A StOP to things when he knew He Should Have, rEgardless of whAt you wanteD OR What inflUencE YoU May have asserteD at thE time." His haNDs clench And unClench seVeral timeS BEfore he cAn cOntInuE. "YoU'RE nOt my daughter, aND i stiLl Want to tHroTtle him, But We'rE noT goInG to deal wiTh MalachI rIgHt NoW."

He Grips MY upper arM, gEntLe But Firm, aND startS leadIng mE bAcK To hIs car. I sTUmBLE aloNg NeXt to Him, ScAred wIthoUT knOwing whY. "Where are We gOIng?"

"WE wErE planniNg to start the mEdIcal tests oN MOndAy, whicH WOuld have Included a physical. PushinG At least ThaT up to TodaY seems likE a gOod ideA giVEn the wHole frEezinG eXpeRIEnce aND WhAt hApPened with MALAchI."

"But, bUt...i...," I stUtter, toO caught off guard to fINd a Good excuse to dEraIl hiS PLaN.

"ThE fBi Has PhYSicIANs on staff," he says, "They

"I used Malachi, maybe mo re than Ievenund ers ta nd r ight  now. Then I g o t sc ared and ran away. The  look  o n  his fa ce... " My ch i ns t art str emb li n gagain , b ut I ho ld back my  te ar s for once."W as it your  fi rst time tog eth er?" A ge ntM orton  as ks ca lmly,l ike he  has thes ek inds o f  conver s a ti onsall the time.

Gu l pi n g, I figure Imightas we l l  ad mit  everythin gsince I've al r ea d y sai d  so much anyw ay. "My fir s t t ime... ev er. " 

That  fina ll y  ge ts a reacti on o ut of him . Oneh and com e s up to  scrub  ag ain st h i sfo reh ea d  as he  br e ath es out n ic eand s low, j u s t li kemy t herap ist always to ldme t o  do . I c an te ll b ythe w ay his  othe rhand is clenche d in to a fist  th at  he 's  noth appy."Di d y ou useprotect i onat l e as t?" he asks.

"Yes ." I 'm  not sur e he e v en  h e ars my w ea k v oice , but h e gi v es  me a sh arp no d  a  s econd l at er.

" Ar e y ouin an y  pai n?"

S hame rol ls ov e r me like a wa v e. My voice i s  e v e nm oregho stly than l astt ime.  "Al it tle . " Heshake sh is head and I panic. " I' m okay , tho ugh. I'll befine. Real l y . "

Agent  Mor t on stands and mot ionsfor me tod o the sa me. H e lookslike he's t rying fo r u nde rst and i n g,  but his eyes a re h ar d. "IfI w ere hav ing  th iscon ve rsation w ith oneof  m yda ugh ters, I'd want  t o b ea t t he sh i t outof Ma lach ifo r  no t putti n ga stop  t othin gswh en he  kne w  he  should  have, re gar d less  o fwhat yo u wanted or w ha t influenc eyou  may h a v e assert ed at the time." His ha n ds clen chand u ncle nch sever altimesbef o re hecan co ntinu e.  "Y o u 're n o t  m y d au ghter, and I  st ill w an t to  thrott le him, but we'ren otgoing to deal  wi th M a l ac hir ig h t n ow . "
H e  grips my upper  arm, gent le bu t firm, an d  st ar ts lead ing mebackt o his c ar. I stu mble alon gnext t o h im, scared  without  knowingw hy. " W he re ar e w e goin g? "
"We w ere pl a nni ng to  start  t he med icalte sts on M onday, which would have  inclu ded a  ph ysical. P ush i ngat leastthat  up to tod aysee ms li kea  good  ide a  g ive n  thewhol e  freezing ex per i e nc e and whath a p pen ed wi thM alachi ."
"But, but...I..., "  I stutter, to o ca u g htoff guar dto find a good  ex cu s e  to dera il  his plan.
"The FB Ih as ph ysicia ns onstaff," h es ays, " they 

"I used_Malachi, maybe_more than I even_understand right_now._Then I_got_scared and ran_away. The look_on his face..." My_chin starts trembling_again,_but I hold back my tears for once.

"Was it your first time together?" Agent_Morton_asks calmly,_like_he_has these kinds of conversations_all the time.

Gulping, I figure_I might_as well admit everything since I've already said_so_much anyway. "My_first time...ever."

That finally gets a reaction out of him._One hand comes up to scrub_against his forehead_as_he_breathes out nice and_slow, just like my therapist always_told me to do. I can_tell by the way his other hand_is clenched into a fist that_he's not happy. "Did you_use protection_at least?" he asks.

"Yes." I'm_not sure he_even hears_my weak voice,_but he gives me a sharp_nod a second_later.

"Are you in any pain?"

Shame rolls_over_me like a_wave._My_voice is_even more ghostly_than_last time._"A_little." He shakes his head and_I_panic. "I'm okay, though. I'll be fine._Really."

Agent Morton stands and_motions_for me to do_the same. He looks like_he's trying for understanding, but his_eyes are_hard. "If_I were having this conversation with one of my daughters, I'd_want to beat the shit out_of Malachi for not_putting a_stop_to things when_he_knew he_should have, regardless of what you wanted_or what_influence you may have asserted at_the time." His hands_clench_and unclench several times before he_can continue. "You're not my daughter,_and I still want to_throttle_him,_but we're not going to_deal with Malachi right now."

He grips_my upper arm,_gentle but firm, and starts leading me_back_to his car. I stumble along_next_to him, scared without knowing why._"Where_are_we going?"

"We were planning to_start the medical tests on Monday,_which would have included a physical. Pushing at least_that up to_today seems like a good_idea_given_the whole freezing experience and what happened with Malachi."

"But, but...I...,"_I stutter,_too caught off_guard to find a good excuse to derail his plan.

"The_FBI has physicians on staff," he says,_"they