Xue Lian did not share his enthusiasm.
"Don't touch it."
Damon looked at the black sphere.
"You just said that."
"I'm repeating it because I've known you long enough."
"You've known me for a few hours."
"You carried my memories for months."
"Then you know a contaminated version."
"It was enough."
Damon accepted that.
The Seed remained suspended inside the open trunk. The white line crossing its surface pulsed at slow intervals, almost like an eye that did not need to open in order to watch.
Return.
The intent did not appear again.
But it remained.
Damon could feel it.
"If this really is the origin of the authority," Xue Lian said, "returning it may be exactly what it wants."
"Yes."
"You said that like it isn't a problem."
"It is a problem."
"It doesn't sound like one."
Damon pointed at the sphere.
"Finding an address doesn't mean I'm going to deliver the package without asking who lives there."
Xue Lian went silent.
"Better?"
"A little."
