“Well, forgive me, but as of yet you haven’t done anything of particular note.”

“I was there,” said Javier, leaning in and jabbing the air, “every step of the way.”

“Except the beginning.”

“It’s my face that sonofabitch is using!”

“He probably figured you were done with it.”

Javier sat back, really pissed. “If you’re so determined to get yourself killed, why don’t you go get yourself killed? Why don’t you march in there and search the place for any abducted children?”

“Because they’re right,” Virgil said miserably. “I’m old.”

“And you don’t know what the hell you’re doing?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean you’re an actor, Virgil. You act. You pretend. You do remember that the show wasn’t real, right? You’ve never battled the forces of darkness in your life. You wouldn’t know where to start.”

“Maybe not, but back in the old days—”

“If this had happened back in the old days, you still wouldn’t have known where to start,” Javier said. “These kids are young, yeah, but this is what they do. Let them take care of it.”

“It just … it goes against the grain, you know?”

“Yeah, well, get over it. They’ve got their plans.”

“So you’re not even curious?”

“About what?”

“About why he chose your face.”

Javier hesitated, then shrugged. “He must appreciate fine faces. Probably opened a lot of doors for him.”

“Yeah,” said Virgil. “Maybe. But wouldn’t you like to find out?”

“Of course I would. But I’d like a lot of things.”

“Do you know why you weren’t a bigger star, Javier?”

Javier sighed. “If you mention goats one more time …”

“It’s because you had all these things you wanted, whether it was this relationship or that job or that role … but you were never bold enough to reach forward and take them. You’ve played it safe your entire life, and that’s what’s kept you back all this time.”

“I didn’t realise you knew me so well.”

“I’m a quick study. But it’s never too late to learn to seize the moment, Javier. Seize the moment and take the chance.”

“Cliché, cliché, cliché … This is why you’ve always needed a writer to put words in your mouth.”

“You might fail,” Virgil continued, “you might get rejected or scorned or, hell, even laughed at … but at least you took the chance.”

“I’ve lost track of what you’re trying to talk me into.”

“We have to go in there, make sure the Narrow Man hasn’t snatched another child.”

“That’s insane.”

“How will you feel if we find out there is a kid in there that we could have helped? A kid that we could have saved, if only we weren’t too cowardly?”

Javier sighed. “And will that shut you up?”

“Temporarily.”