Slate stands outside leaning against the railing in the dark with a cup of coffee in hand, the world only just glowing around him by the building behind him, the snow gently falling around him.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIY8dqlnio
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They found a place to stop and rest for the night, but the bad news is they're out for fuel now for the helicopter so they'll have to go on foot from now on when they eventually leave this place.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4Baud8tLD
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpB0jGElMAT
The place they have sought refuge is some base in the mountains, it had a landing pad on the roof and luckily was stocked with some supplies, but not enough to last them for more than a few days so they will have to leave to find food and perhaps find other shelter plus in the current climate, it's very cold. They're not all rugged up warmly and are doing what they can to stay warm as when they escaped, they didn't think about the weather.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf05njBGtrX
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"Hi. Want some company?" A small voice whispers, a person come outside to join Slate on the balcony. He looks behind him to see Beth. "It's cold, you'll get cold out here. Go back inside to the fireplace." He tells her.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgLaytIVEA
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"My head hurts, everyone else is inside trying to do maths to work out how old we are, but it's hard when we don't have all the figures we need. We we're downstairs for three years and we seem to be in our 20's somewhere, but what else in time are we missing? So, can I please stand out here with you?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NgS9nFmLk
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUwMLKDCTY
"Sure, come here." He says, removing his insulated fighter coat. He has a really thick shirt on underneath anyway so he'll be fine, but Beth? She's in just a singlet, pink shorts with black leggings. He helps her put it on. "Thank you, Slate."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHeZKx4kgg
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay5cTgZCK8
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XsrbJNMeE
He takes a sip of his coffee and looks out at the dead world covered in a blanket of snow as she does the same. "Beth..."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkcsvPlLuC
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"Yeah?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChNEuGHqc9
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"I just wanted to say-"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRwMZBox0c
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtITcOoCgiN
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjrkFklYmv
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjH4r6lC2wN
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudkmcbyCE4
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbX9dhJuRfs
During escaping with Beth, he can't tell them. But he killed someone, he remembered. Murphy raped her and killed Hazel and Elijah on a mission. He wasn't punished by Solayo for the second one, the leaders covered it up.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ190ucXZqx7
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKYVB4DfvI
Murphy got in his way, he was drunk and trying to pick a fight with him... He doesn't want to remember. He... He handcuffed Murphy to a railing with his own handcuffs. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLu0i2Hmt1P
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jtXzihrbj
Then he looks down and for a second sees Murphy handcuffed to the railing. He jumps back, letting out a scream. He drops his coffee cup, but Beth only just catches it, burning herself. She cries, snapping him out of it. He takes the cup, sitting it on the railing and dumps out the remaining water in his flask, dumping it on her hands, taking them quickly in his. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ndw4PiGB5
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxoIIyG6Mo
"But the water! We need that!"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQbGYrHRj7
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5cJD15Z8d
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAeqouZklm
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCIO3Xm3VD
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYLJCI6qba
"Uh, I don't know." 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaQ0C5e1Ci
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It's not a total lie. Now the memories of before what Ester and Mikey did are patchy, but he can't remember anything before living at The Compound. He just remembers living and training there. His been downstairs before, he was in solitary for a long time before he worked with Solayo rather than against him. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttSc2lCRvu
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQ6CNye9nu
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeCJoWzDWy
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"Beth."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamtTI7gWCm
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"Yes?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbIBOhXcln
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWMJw1BPTF
"I just want to tell you I'm sorry there is no tablets to give you, I must have lost them somewhere. The others all have some of their memories and attributes back, but you-"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqZYHNBRw9
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4f3mpZZLdv
"It's okay, I don't need them." She tells him, turning back towards the railing, down. She touches her neck feeling the bandage around her neck and wrists.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvi6IGTPc0
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbslxwdtwWJ
"This was stupid, I don't even know why I did it... I'm sure remembering would only reveal the real reason and then... who knows what I'd do? Off myself?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtczdBDtRWx
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbOOsUzCu5
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0C2xKL8jO
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbPFeHGGqj
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8QaPScFLu
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJCBeRqjMI
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHp9owhvdue
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi63hCbj6Ro
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqpODlGx5X
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKekXSsofA1
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AIS95pKKC
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTUFJxyITA
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRqc6gcKCh
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbm9SLZCC3
But she doesn't get to finish, Slate telling her to duck and he yells out to the others to cut the lights off inside. The lights go off a moment later and in the distance below the hill is a figure slowly walking along, it's leg half hanging off. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTdbiupsVZ
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZT6AJmIdT
"What is that?" Beth whispers, gulping. "That is what I'm afraid of. I tried to get some sleep earlier inside, but I kept seeing something like that in my sleep.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlp50WneCz0
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRtZEllENn
The others talking woke me up."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZJwc71lPE
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPwgM2EmKw
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvrE3UAeIC
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDct13v6FXI
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeuaRUt2SV
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxhuyMn1BB
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2qWsQ6YcH
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOAy7QjFxH
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VBAOISwWj
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv1WU0gBfm
"It looks like one of us, but it's movements are weird and janky. And it's leg's hanging off, but it's walking mostly without it." Beth speaks up. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsetgoSQ4v
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXouaUy3xA
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rjQbMD1iO
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAVUTu2maE
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotfZG62inQ
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq2O9lwsBl
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXu4CYM9PK
"Well, duh!"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzjKyiqFVR
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"Whatever, Gid. We need the bandages. I need to change mine and hers." Slate gestures to Beth. "Sure." Gideon says quickly, handing them over to her.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19UrjoUt7Z
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm72os00BSS
Slate takes them, pulling her after him into the bedroom so they can have some privacy from the others. This building is only two rooms and cramped. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVgYBC0d67
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodGTHCiIpb
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8KsCXSTGU
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRkujWJX2K
"So, what do you think this place is?" She whispers trying to make small talk as Slate gently unwraps the bandage around her neck. "Ah." She whinces lately, the bandage slightly sticking. He whinces when he sees the cut. Thank god it wasn't deep so it was never life threatening, but seeing there was an attempt, it's scary.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCHrSEzpX7
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IJHM59QM3
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9G7gtTqigX
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQB9rmC0ki
"I'm glad your alive though..."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVrmP5l50a
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykadN7WGy2
"...Thank you. My arm... can you look at it. The guard who was on me, she was mean and pulled my arm behind my back saying she'd break it after last time so I could never do anything again. I don't know what she meant."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQzqDvrczi
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKVJYYY19d
"Did someone stop her?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniX3AoevMr
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWJ8biG8FJ
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CDWW18mcm
When Slate finishes wrapping fresh bandage around her neck and wrists, her burnt hand as well. He slips her sleeve up to inspect her upper left arm. "It's quite bruised. Does it overly hurt to move it?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yrupmIsnx
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUToJZ8YMk
He gently moves it. "N-no." She breathes, removing his hand. "Turn around, I'll do your head." She tells him, removing the old bandage and wrapping a fresh one. It's hard to see the wounds beneath his hair.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkIL9pbfcr
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLI2vhe3M7
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVjnZFd7J7
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXGOeiGauC
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6STpmwRXhL
"Sorry."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF95FUNjfEg
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHnRj3odYy
"It's okay. Just know it's the reason we're all here now. You all deserved better than the shit life we we're living there. It wasn't even really living."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSibtpyQUg
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMhyUkL6X9
The mood is really down now between them and slowly she leans against his shoulder, head resting and he wraps an arm around her shoulder not making any other movements.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJ4D0oGZUT
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVknnE5W1ij
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoVVMcQ5xx
"Anywhere we want."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUy6jO0lyF
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"But where is that?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxoBI9lwr5
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"I... I don't know, I'm sorry. I didn't really have this all planned out, it was spur of the moment."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2SJdGAt4y
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmbTDRV4z8
"It's okay. Better freezing in this mountain shack than tied to the bed for eight hours a day and injected for three years underground on floor 13."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkFCoNgwJf
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKAkRBg94F
"That was hell."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vlBA28KaO
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"It was..."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXUeEGZ9bm
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"I fought so many times, told them they we're horrible people and even tried to escape a few times. It never worked, even single time he'd have them drag me to my bed and they'd secure me again, having her prep a needle.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6m496gUWe
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PoHchiItg
That didn't help or cure me. But at-least I didn't end up like Paisley out there. The first and only time she yelled at them, they took her away and cut her head open. After that, she rarely talks now and barely interacts with anyone. What's going on inside her head?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsXbLR9ya1
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAQTBto9Y0
"I don't know. And I think it was less about helping you than it was keeping you safe. It stopped you in the moment, but it was never actually help. I... I don't think they we're ever set up to actually help someone like you. I'm sorry, you deserved better treatment and actually some damn compansion and understanding than what you got." He whispers back, gently playing with her hair.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsc9aVkDxo
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgvMg0CosC
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0C90VYfBK8
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJJGJ7rSR4
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9NoPptIGw
"You can do anything you want, Beth."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdziP4bZHa7
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13KxHe8U5l
"I want to grow it out."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKjYhqYIaD
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmP0ZoxlZpW
"Then you can grow it out."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZosgVLREd
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"....."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDKCsCSrva
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"....."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJjXSK3JdS
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Slowly they turn their heads towards eachother, lips touching for just a moment when she pulls away and starts slamming her arm on the bedside table, crying.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFRxEzjTUO
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He grabs her, pulling her back, wrapping his arms and legs around her, cupping his hand over his mouth so Lyla, Gideon and Paisley don't come in here.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSWM65myS0
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWCp7OLcI7
She stops straining and calms down slightly, albeit still crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeats all over and over. "Everything okay in there?" Lyla calls out from the other side of the door. "I heard a thump."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73XyUfYzHU
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPHkNarLD0
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9f0knGtne
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuVSCZgANZ
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGBLOIb4OT
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaLrrUVARZ
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqVw13P2WG
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn6xkUf2Z0
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWDns3iUyN
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXmrHs7orH
"It's not that."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XOGEBJvuy
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7xEFAift3
"I don't understand-"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtm5xikgTC
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79NrlVoZxe
"Can you please let me go, Slate? I'll promise not to break my arm, okay. If I do then you have any every right to touch me, any of you. But that's it. You don't do it just because I'm maybe being difficult and a pain in the ass."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBGhNGlWl9
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWohO03s8i
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5krfvYmWj
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HpfervuDS
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38dojzqYIU
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeFS7IsiWq
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F42a16hmp
"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZyDgz0jjK
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKycbW3c4ZB
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGkDEPJj0f
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDHtsOUhyF
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZLjBiJYHi
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorMxBGXT2n
"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3I13khy24v
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQfedWTqwE
His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq66Lva13zW
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSRkHwal4O
He backs off. "I'm sorry, I won't." And he leaves the room, switching the light off to go talk to the others and subject himself to a long lecture on equations and how they got to their age. Could they really be 28-29 years old?130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vbK8giTnS
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aUbx3tcEo
They look barely over 21. It's proably the lack of food so their growth is stunted and everything, but... 28-29 is such a long time and they'd been with Solayo since... he doesn't know. He can't quite put his finger on it. But 28-29 years old? No way. Just not possible...130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgfplChnY1
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5clAdCwzd
130Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2oznhFngN
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