The next day was just as depressing as the night before. This time, Knell was the sad one.

He’d been cheerful and talkative after returning from his overnight hunting trip, but as the hour of the “all business” meeting drew nearer, he became more and more withdrawn.

By the 14th hour, he was completely silent. He stuck to me like glue and said nothing for the entire train ride.

“Knell,” I said when we finally arrived at the facility, “I have no idea what the outcome of this meeting is going to be. But if this is the last time we’ll see each other, is this really the way you want it to end?”

“…I don’t know,” he said quietly.

“Come on, be strong. Get down off my back and walk for yourself.”

Knell obeyed, although he still held my hand. I decided that was fine.

Peal came out to show us the way to Toll’s office. She kept smiling shyly at me, as if we had done something other than walk around in the dark last night. I expected Knell to start cackling and asking awkward questions at any minute.

But he didn’t say anything. Even my embarrassment wasn’t enough to cheer him up this time around.

As we walked through the hallways, I kept thinking about the unsettling things I’d heard about Toll so far. Knell had said that the man “really liked” him. Peal had said Knell was “very important” to him, so much so that he was ready to disown her for trying to keep him from him. All this for a little boy that he’d never even met before. It was beyond creepy.

I honestly doubted that Toll’s only motivation was “peace for the three races”. Something was very wrong with all of this.

When we got to his door, Knell was the one to knock. It was time to get it over with.

The door opened itself to reveal Toll, sitting behind a desk. He smiled and motioned towards two seats in front of him.

“I understand that you don’t like my jokes,” he said when we’d sat down. “So I won’t tell any. Today’s theme is ‘seriousness’. Now, before we begin, I think you should know that Heral…I mean, Knell’s parents declined to be here today.”

“That’s strange,” I remarked. “I thought they were desperate to have ‘their son’ back.”

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“Not anymore, apparently. It seems that certain events at the gala caused them to change their minds. I had to make some…separate arrangements with them this morning. I’m truly very sorry, Knell.”

Knell just stared straight ahead.

“However, their loss is my gain. I’m convinced that, in granting me custody of you, they’ve made the best decision possible for every-”

“What did you just say??”

I stood up. “Please tell me I did not hear you say the word ‘custody’.”

“…But I did. That’s what the ‘arrangements’ were for. By this time tomorrow, I will be the proud father of a very special boy.”

“NO WAY!” screamed Knell. It was the first time he’d spoken outside of a whisper all day.

Toll looked at him quizzically. “Well, why not?” he asked, as if he couldn’t understand.

“’Cause you’re a creepy bastard, that’s why not!”

I was at once shocked and proud that he’d used those words.

“I’m not being your son. That’s the grossest thing I ever heard of,” Knell continued, hopping down from his chair. “My parents don’t have any right to give me to anyone, and you don’t have any right to take me. I hate all three of you! And I’m going home. To my REAL home!”

He headed for the door. I was about to follow him, when Toll spoke.

“You don’t want to do that, Knell.”

“Shows how much you know.”

“I mean, it would be better for you, and for your human friend, if you didn’t do that.”

Knell slowly turned around. He looked at me with terrified eyes.

“Don’t listen to him, Knell,” I told him, trying to keep calm. “Don’t let him use me against you. If you want to walk out that door, then you walk out that door.”

“That’s so noble,” said Toll. “But my Knell would never sacrifice a friend like that. He knows that I could destroy your life with just a few quick calls. I’m sure you’ve broken several laws by keeping such a dangerous creature in your home without telling anyone…I could certainly have you imprisoned, or maybe even-”

“Don’t say it,” said Knell, his voice cracking. He came running back up to the desk with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry I called you a bastard and tried to run away. Just promise me you’ll leave him alone.”

Toll grinned. “Apology accepted. But I believe I’ll have to teach you some manners when we get to our new home.”

I couldn’t stand it. “Knell, you can’t let him do this to you!!”

“I’ll be fine…I’m always fine; you know that. If one of us has to be in danger, it should be me.”

He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my legs. “Just stay alive and wait for me to come back. Because I will. And I’ll want to see everything the way I left it. My crayons, my books, my headphones…”

I picked him up, determined not to cry. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to dust your pile of garbage every day that you’re gone,” I told him.

I succeeded in making him laugh, but his laughter quickly dissolved into heartbreaking sobs. He buried his face in my jacket.

Toll looked unmoved, for the most part. “I understand that his is a tender moment for you two, but I do have to finish preparing for our departure.” He handed me a card.

“This is the contact information for the facility where he’ll be housed on the Satellite,” he explained. “After all that’s happened, I won’t be allowed to experiment with him on Earth…anyway, we may be able to let you visit him periodically, so please keep this.”

I would have preferred to rip it up and throw it in his face, but as it was my only clue to Knell’s future whereabouts, I grudgingly accepted it.

He turned to leave. “Bring my son to the ground floor in fifteen minutes,” he said. “Don’t be late.”