“Interesting question, Finch. When will Heretic get here? He’s already been here. With his fucking skery. I killed them both.”

“What?” At sea. In a new country. One where he didn’t know the rules.

“You may be stupid, Finch, but you’re not deaf.”

“I don’t believe you.” And he didn’t.

The Partial put the gun down. Picked up the hammer. Leaned forward. Brought it down on Finch’s left knee. Fracturing pain. Finch screamed. Cursed. Jerked up and down in the chair.

“Fuck! All right! I believe you. I believe you.” Rode through the aftershocks.

The Partial said, “It’s easy enough to kill a gray cap. If you can just find a way to push them off a five-story balcony. It’s all about breaking down what’s inside them. Just pretend they’re a sack full of meat and wineglasses. Then imagine that crashing down five stories. Banging into fire stairs. Smacking hard against the pavement. There’s a good chance they won’t get up again. It’s the damn skery that was the hard part.”

Pointed to the corner nearest the kitchen. Finch saw something long and black. Half-hidden by the drawn-back window curtain. Still twitching. Relief that the skery was dead. Followed again by panic. No time. There wasn’t time.

“Imagine this, Finch,” the Partial said. “Those things were going to replace us.”

“Untie me. Untie me and I’ll leave. Like I was never here.”

The Partial slapped Finch across the face. It stung, but nothing like the pain in his knee.

“Bad idea, Finch,” the Partial said. Went over to the kitchen. Took the pot of water off the burner. “I think that’s hot enough.”

“Why are you doing this? Why kill Heretic?”

“You know, Finch, we’re almost on the same side,” the Partial said, cheerily. Pulled up the side table. Set the pot on it. A hissing sound.

“I don’t understand,” Finch said. Still in shock.

“Heretic’s a disappointment. All of his kind are. Traitors to our cause. Not committed to it, Finch.” He went back for the knives. “They can travel by uncanny means. But won’t tell us how. They can make spores do whatever they want. But won’t tell us how. We only get to be walking, talking cameras. That wasn’t the deal. Now they plan to abandon us. Having first made us. Heretic said as much. And I am not interested in letting it happen.”

“I still don’t get it.”

The Partial looked for a second like he would slap Finch again. Instead, he placed the knives on the table. Next to the pot of water.