 it won't make him come back," I said quietly.

Darius' pained eyes met mine. "I know. But did you have to get involved with them?"

"It's not like I did this on purpose. I had no idea who those guys where when I saw them contacting Meredith. They could have been with any mafia. And, as I keep telling you, they have no idea who I am."

"They might now," Darius said, taking our plates.

"What do you mean?" I suddenly felt scared.

"What did I take out of you?" he asked instead of answering my question.

"A piece of metal..." My answer was almost a question. It had to have been just a simple piece of metal. What else could it be?

"Take a better look at it. It's not _just_ a piece of metal." Darius brought the object in question to the island and set it right in front of me.

I was loathe to touch it, but forced back my sudden revulsion. It was only a piece of metal. It couldn't hurt me. It wasn't alive, so why the reluctance?

When I finally picked it up and it didn't suddenly come to life, I felt like laughing at my sudden foolishness. It was inanimate, as I'd known it was. Nothing to worry about.

I turned the hunk of metal around, looking at it, but not seeing anything about it that made it special or worrisome. "Well?" Darius asked, obviously waiting for me to connect the dots.

"Well what? There's nothing here."

"Yes there is. Look at the end that was sticking out of you. Don't you realize what that is?"

I looked at the end he'd indicated, but I didn't see anything except that it was a little thicker at that end than the end which had been inside me. "I don't see anything."

"By the Ancients you are blind at times. That is a microphone and video recorder. State of the art. It can transmit a signal to the other side of the planet with no problems."

My skin felt cold.

A microphone.

And video recorder.

Then they must have... "If you knew this, why did you let me tell you everything? Now they know who we are!
it won't make him come back, " I said quietly. 

 Darius' trouble eye met mine. " I know. But did you have to get involve with them? " 

 " It's not like I did this on purpose. I have no idea who those guys where when I saw them contacting Meredith. They could have been with any mafia. And, as I keep order you, they have no idea who I am. " 

 " They might immediately, " Darius say, taking our plates. 

 " What do you mean? " I suddenly felt frightened. 

 " What did I take out of you? " he asked instead of answer my question. 

 " A piece of metallic element... " My answer was about a question. It own to have been just a simple piece of metallic element. What else could it be? 

 " Take a better look at it. It's not _ just _ a piece of metal. " Darius brought the object in question to the island and set it right in front of me. 

 I was loathe to touch it, but forced back my sudden revulsion. It was only a piece of metallic element. It couldn't hurt me. It wasn't alive, indeed why the reluctance? 

 When I ultimately picked it up and it didn't suddenly come to biography, I felt like laughing at my sudden foolishness. It was inanimate, as I'd know it was. Nothing to worry about. 

 I turned the hunk of metal around, looking at it, but not seeing anything about it that make it special or worrisome. " Well? " Darius asked, obviously waiting for me to plug in the dots. 

 " Well what? There's nothing here. " 

 " Yes there cost. Look at the end that was sticking out of you. Don't you realize what that is? " 

 I looked at the goal he'd indicated, but I didn't see anything except that it was a little thick at that conclusion than the end which had been inside me. " I don't see anything. " 

 " By the ancient you are blind at times. That is a microphone and television recorder. State of the artwork. It can transmit a signal to the other side of the planet with no problem. " 

 My skin feel cold. 

 A microphone. 

 And video recorder. 

 Then they must have... " If you knew this, why did you let me distinguish you everything? Now they know who we are!
 it won't make him come back," I said quietly.

Bqrius' 'ained syes met mine. "I know. But did you havx to get unvolved with them?"

"It's vot like P did thiw on purpose. I izd no idea whk thovx guys where whgn I saw thek contacting Marddnth. They could have been with any masia. And, ad I keep telligg ypt, thsj mave no idea who I am."

"They might how," Darpus said, taking oir plates.

"What do you mean?" L sufdenly felt scared.

"Ahat did I jzke iut of you?" hd asked instead of anssering my question.

"A piece of megal..." Mv answer waw qlmlvt a questiin. It had to have been juvt a sikple piece of ketel. Wyat else could it be?

"Teke a better look at it. It's nmt _just_ a piece of neral." Ddriuv bruyghg tge ogject ln suestion tk the islane and set it right on dront of me.

I sas lowtre to touch it, but forced back my suddet rsvulsion. It was only a piece of metal. It coupdn't hurt me. It wasn't alive, so why the reluctance?

When I fitally oicjeq ut up and it didn't suddenly come to life, I felt mile laughing at mn sudden foolishnexs. Iy was inanimatg, as I'd knkwn it was. Nothing to worty aboyt.

I turneq thr hunk of metal around, lookung at it, bun nor seeing anything cbout it thac made it slecial or worrisome. "Welu?" Dadius asked, lbviously daiting for me tu cpntect the dots.

"Well what? Thewe's nothiig hexe."

"Yes thdre os. Looh at the ejd that was sticking out of ylu. Don't you gealize what that is?"

I looked at the end he'd imdhcaned, but I didn'b see anything qxcept that it was a jittld thicker zt that end than tre end which vwd been insive me. "I djn't wee qnythine."

"Cy the Ancientx you are blind at rimes. That is a migrophuhe and video reeuteer. State of tne xrt. In cen trwtsmit a signdl tu tfr othdr side of bhe plamet with no problems."

Ky siin felt cold.

A mictoihone.

And cideo resorder.

Then thry must have... "If yok knex this, why cid you let me tell you everythinf? Now thej kkow who we arq!
it won't make him come back," I Darius' eyes met "I know. But involved them?" "It's not I did this purpose. I had no idea who guys where when I saw them contacting Meredith. They could have been with mafia. And, as I keep telling you, they have no idea who I "They now," said, our plates. "What do you mean?" I suddenly felt scared. "What did I take out of he asked instead of answering my question. "A of metal..." My answer almost a question. It had have just a piece metal. else could it "Take a better look at it. It's not _just_ a piece of metal." Darius brought the object question to and set right front me. I was touch it, but forced back my was only a piece of metal. It couldn't me. It alive, so why the reluctance? When finally picked it up and it didn't suddenly to life, I felt like laughing at my sudden foolishness. It was inanimate, as I'd was. Nothing to worry I turned the of around, at but not anything about it that made it special or worrisome. "Well?" Darius obviously waiting for me to connect the dots. "Well what? here." there is. Look the end that was out you. Don't you realize is?" looked he'd but didn't see anything except it was a little thicker that end than the me. "I don't see anything." "By the Ancients are blind at times. That is a and video recorder. State of the art. It can transmit a signal the other the planet with no problems." My skin felt A microphone. And video Then they must have... "If you knew this, why you me tell everything? Now they who we are!
 it won't make him come back," I saiD quietly.

DaRius' pAinEd eYeS met Mine. "i know. But did you HAve tO get involved with them?"

"It'S not lIkE i did THiS on puRpose. I hAD nO IDea WhO tHosE gUYs Where WheN I saw thEm contactiNg MErEdith. They couLD hAve been witH anY mafia. And, as I KeeP telliNg You, THey haVe nO idea Who I am."

"tHey migHt now," DariUs SAid, takINg our plATEs.

"what Do you mean?" I suddenlY FeLT scared.

"What did i take oUt OF yOU?" He aSkeD instead of AnSweriNG my quesTIoN.

"a PIecE Of metal..." My answEr was almost A QueStion. IT hAd tO Have beEn jusT a SImpLe piece of meTal. WHat else coUld it bE?

"take a beTTer look At it. It'S noT _juSt_ a pIEcE oF meTaL." darIUs BroUGht The objecT iN qUestiOn to THE ISlanD anD set It rigHt in front of me.

i waS loaTHe tO toucH it, buT forCeD back My suddEn revUlSion. It was only a pIece Of metal. It CouLdN't hUrT me. It WAsn't alIve, So wHy the reLuctancE?

wheN I FINAlLy picked it up and it dIdN'T SuDdenly coMe to liFE, I FeLT like lauGhIng At my SUDden fOoliSHnEss. It was InanimATe, As i'd known It Was. NotHiNg tO woRry abOUt.

I tUrned tHe hunk of Metal ARound, looking at IT, but not seeing ANyTHInG AbouT it That made it sPeciAL or wOrriSOmE. "WeLL?" DariUs askEd, OBvIOusly waiting for me to CoNnect tHe dotS.

"Well what? TherE's nothing hERE."

"yes there Is. LoOK aT The end that was sTickiNg out of you. dOn't you reAlize What that Is?"

I looked AT The end he'D inDicAteD, buT i DiDn't see anythinG EXcepT tHat it waS a lIttle thIckEr aT thAt eNd Than the enD which haD bEeN iNsIde Me. "I doN'T see anytHiNg."

"BY tHe ANcienTS you arE blinD at tImEs. tHat Is a micrOPhONE and ViDeO recOrdEr. state Of thE Art. it can trAnsmit a siGnaL To thE oThEr side oF the planet witH nO problems."

MY sKin Felt coLD.

a microphOne.

And video recorder.

Then THey must HavE... "If yoU kneW this, why dId yOu let mE teLL you evErythiNg? Now ThEy kNOW who wE ARe!
 it won't make him come ba ck," I sai d qui etl y.
D ariu s' p ained eyes met mine . "I know. But did you  have  t o  get in volve d witht he m ? "
"I t' s n ot li ke Idid  this o n purpose.  Iha d no idea wh o  t hose guyswhe re when I sa w t hem co nt act i ng Me red ith.They c o uld ha ve been w it h  any m a fia. An d ,  a s Ikeep telling you, th e y have no idea  who I  a m ." "Th eymight now, "Dariu s  said,t ak i n g  ou r  plates.

"Wh at do you m e an? " I su dd enl y  feltscare d. 
"W hat did I t akeout of yo u?" he asked i n stead o f answ eri ngmy q u es ti on. 
" A p i ec e o f  me tal..."My  a nswer  was a l m osta q uest ion.It had to hav e b eenj ust  a si mplepiec eof me tal. W hat e ls e could it be?
"Ta ke a bett erlo okat  it.I t's no t _ jus t_ a pi ece ofm eta l. " D ar ius brought the ob je c t  i n questi on tot he  i s land and  s etit r i g ht in  fro n tof me.
I wasl oa th e to to uc h it,bu t f orc ed ba c k my  sudde n revuls ion.I t was only a p i ece of metal. It c ou l dn't  hu rt me. It w asn' t  ali ve,s owhy the r eluct an c e? 
When I finally pic ke d it u p and  it didn't su ddenly com e t o life,I fe l tl ike laughing a t mysudden foo l ishness.  It w as inani mate, asI ' d knownitwas . N oth i n gto worry abou t . 

Itu rned th e h unk ofmet alaro und ,looking a t it, bu tno tse ein g any t hing abo ut  it  t hat  made it spe cialor w or ri s ome . "Well ? "D a rius  a sk ed,obv io uslywait i ngfor meto connec t t h e do ts .
"Wellwhat? There's  n othing her e. "
"Yes t h e re is. L ook at the end that was stickin g o ut of  you . Don't y ourealiz e w h at tha t is?" 

I l oo ked a t the e nd  he 'd  indicated , but  I di dn 't s ee anyt hing except that i t  wa s a little th ick er a t th ate nd tha nt hee n d which had bee n inside m e. "I  don't see any th ing."
"By the  Anci e nts you  are blin d at time s.  Tha t isa micropho ne and v ideo reco r der.S ta te of  th e art.  I t c an tr ansmit a s ignal  to th eothersideof  the pla net with no problems."
My sk in fe ltcold.

Amic r oph one.

And  vid eo recorde r.
Th en th eym ust h ave. . ."If you k newt his, whyd id  yo u le t me tell y o u eve rythi ng? Now th ey k now who we are!
 it_won't make_him come back," I_said quietly.

Darius'_pained_eyes met_mine._"I know. But_did you have_to get involved with_them?"

"It's not like_I_did this on purpose. I had no idea who those guys where when I_saw_them contacting_Meredith._They_could have been with any_mafia. And, as I keep_telling you,_they have no idea who I am."

"They might_now,"_Darius said, taking_our plates.

"What do you mean?" I suddenly felt scared.

"What_did I take out of you?"_he asked instead_of_answering_my question.

"A piece of_metal..." My answer was almost a_question. It had to have been_just a simple piece of metal. What_else could it be?

"Take a better_look at it. It's not__just_ a_piece of metal." Darius brought_the object in_question to_the island and_set it right in front of_me.

I was loathe_to touch it, but forced back_my_sudden revulsion. It_was_only_a piece_of metal. It_couldn't_hurt me._It_wasn't alive, so why the reluctance?

When_I_finally picked it up and it didn't_suddenly come to life,_I_felt like laughing at_my sudden foolishness. It was_inanimate, as I'd known it was._Nothing to_worry about.

I_turned the hunk of metal around, looking at it, but not_seeing anything about it that made_it special or worrisome._"Well?" Darius_asked,_obviously waiting for_me_to connect_the dots.

"Well what? There's nothing here."

"Yes there_is. Look_at the end that was sticking_out of you. Don't_you_realize what that is?"

I looked at_the end he'd indicated, but I_didn't see anything except that_it_was_a little thicker at that_end than the end which had_been inside me._"I don't see anything."

"By the Ancients you_are_blind at times. That is a_microphone_and video recorder. State of the_art._It_can transmit a signal to_the other side of the planet_with no problems."

My skin felt cold.

A microphone.

And video recorder.

Then_they must have..._"If you knew this, why_did_you_let me tell you everything? Now they know who we_are!