Denton watched with interest as the operative instructed Sophia to kneel at the entrance of the debris-strewn laboratory.
‘I like what you’ve done with your face,’ Denton said. ‘It’s very … grim.’
Sophia had almost forgotten the half sugar skull the Mexican demon lady had painted on her face. Despite her unceremonious fall through the chasm, the face paint hadn’t rubbed off.
‘What took you so long?’ Denton said.
‘I stopped for a hot dog,’ Sophia said.
‘I wore my favorite suit,’ he said.
He seemed pleased to see her, and that bothered her. Perhaps he was just happy to be wearing a suit. Behind him, his small team of scientists stood by their equipment, waiting for orders.
‘You’re really running low on friends these days,’ he said. ‘Would you like to borrow some of mine? Czarina perha
