"You're probably right. Person's gotta stand on their own feet someday." he said, agreeing with her.

His eyebrows rose as she talked about the kind of fun they could have and something, in the back of his mind, woke in alarm, but he pushed the idea down. If she'd really wanted to hurt him, she wouldn't have let him talk this whole time...would she?

"Mr. Hyde, as you call him, understands that thing about balance. We've got an arrangement, him and I. I help him out and he lets me live somethin' close to a normal life now and again." Tommy said.

"In fact, it was his idea I come here because he wants to fix this situation as much as I do. But I got goodwill stocked up." he said.

"Do your worst, Intern Strange. Make a believer out of me...if you can, that is." Tommy taunted.