“Don’t do it, Kyle.”

The words bounced off the concrete walls, lingering in the air for a time. As they faded into silence, all was still for a moment.

“That… that thing just had me tortured for four days,” a chilly voice replied. “The first time around, she murdered a dozen people and was responsible for ruining who knows how many lives. And what did the courts do? Slapped her on the wrist, gave her housing on the public dime for a year, and then let her go. Now that she’s up to the same things as before and then some, all she has to do is hide behind a half-dozen people and she gets off scot free?”

“She won’t,” said the first voice, its owner stepping into the circle of light, hands in the pockets of his long black coat. “She’s not getting away that easy, Kyle. We’re just biding our time until we can bring her in clean.”

“Bring her in?” Kyle roared, whirling to face the newcomer. “I just got out of the hospital yesterday after what she did to me! And I’m hardly the worst off! Now you come here to tell me that you’re just going to put her into the care of the same system that gave her a pat on the head the first time?”

“It’s not going to turn out the same.”

“Oh really?” Kyle’s voice sank to a low snarl. “Same system. Same subject. And you’re telling me it’ll all turn out different somehow? What are you on, Jess?” Kyle turned away somewhat, lifting a pistol in one hand and pulling back the slide with the other.

“But things aren’t the same going in,” Jesse Corman insisted.

“They’re close enough,” growled Kyle, slipping the gun into a shoulder holster and tugging his jacket over it.

Previously standing neutrally, Jess shifted a step over, square in front of the door. “I can’t let you do this, Kyle.”

Kyle’s hand clenched at his side, lifting slightly toward his shoulder. His eyes narrowed in the gloom. “You want her to get away with it? Again?”

“She won’t.” Jess shook his head. “You’re the only one in question, Kyle.”

“All the criminals in this city, from petty pickpockets to racketeers to gang hitmen, and you’re putting yourself in my way?”

“You haven’t thrown your life away,” Jess replied. “Yet. Come on, Kyle. Now you’re willing to throw away eight lives. What next? A dozen? Twenty? Fifty? And when the law’s against you, what then? Don’t go down that road, Kyle. I don’t want to stand against you.”

Slowly, deliberately, Kyle reached for his gun. He held Jess’s gaze, angry grey eyes meeting calm, steady brown. Moments slipped by.

Kyle licked his lips. “I don’t want her to slip away again,” he breathed.

“She won’t.” Jess shook his head. “She’s had her chance to rise above her past. She blew it. Once she thinks she’s safe… I’ll prove her wrong. You have my word on that.”

Kyle lowered his eyes, letting his breath out in a long sigh. Who was he kidding? If he drew on a psi-cop, he’d lose before he could even reach the safety. And it was Jess, who’d saved his life… how many times now?

He turned his gun around, holding it out by the barrel. “All right. You win.”

Jess took a step forward, taking the gun from Kyle’s hand, and squeezed his shoulder. “I’ve got this, Kyle. I promise.”