Brad sighed in defeat as he glared at Nero. “Yes. Actually, I brought Gloria with me this time. She’s in my room. I’d introduce you two, but something’s wrong with her throat. She can’t talk right now. Maybe later, Dude.” “Fine. If you two last, we’ll get to introductions eventually. Go enjoy her company, Brad. I need time alone to think anyway. We’ll talk again tomorrow,” Nero ordered. Brad shrugged. “You don’t have to tell me twice, Bro. Hasta la vista.” Once the observation room was completely silent, Nero drummed his fingers on the monitoring console as he brooded. Something wasn’t right. Every instinct inside him was screaming, and the insistent demand for knowledge was never, ever wrong. But he and Brad both had run every check on Peyton they could. Nothing alarming had shown up.

