Athos backed away from the door when it sealed itself. He settled on the cot and waited. The book seemed to belong to the floating face of his captor.

He took the key from the final page and tossed the book aside. He cautiously inspected the collar around his neck with one hand while he set the key to balance on his knee.

He doubted the collar that would explode on him needed a metal key to unlock, but it never hurt to check now that he had some time to not posture or run for his life.