Page 4 of Psychopath

“You heard me. You’ll see my brain scan and think, whoa, that’s a sexy brain. Sexiest one I’ve seen.”

“I don’t know about that…”

“Well, that’s my prediction. What’s yours?”

“Everything you need to know is in the consent form.”

“Hmm.” Zane narrowed his eyes. “What are you searching for in our brains? A reason? An excuse for what we’ve done?”

“Not a reason, or an excuse, but potentially, an…indicator.”

Zane nodded slowly, then laid the paper flat on the table. “Where do I sign?”

Quinn reached into his top pocket, then held the pencil out hesitantly for Zane to take. He took it briskly and smiled. “Thank you, Doctor Quinn.”

“Please, just Quinn. I will debrief you when the study is concluded.”

Zane signed, and dated, then stared at the pencil in his grip. “It’s funny; you could do the same amount of damage with a pencil as a knife.”

He placed the pencil on the opposite edge of the table and leaned back in his chair. “Do you think you could grab the pencil before me?”

“What?”

“We’re about an equal distance from the pencil. Do you think you can get it before me?”

Quinn darted a look at the corridor and prayed for footsteps but heard none. “I don’t know. I don’t need to know; that’s not something—”

“Just indulge me.”

“I don’t want to—”

“You’ve already lost the game with that attitude.”

Quinn shook his head. “I don’t want to play a game.”

Zane snorted and folded his arms. “Life is one big game. I’ll count down from three.”

“I’m not going to take it.”

“Three…”

“Just leave it on the table.”

Zane’s eyes sparkled, and Quinn’s nerves returned in full force. He didn’t understand that look and glanced at the big red button.

“Two.”

“Zane…”

“One.”

Quinn flared his nostrils, then snatched for the pencil.

Zane moved lightning-fast and grabbed it first.

Quinn jerked to a halt. His breath caught.

Not only had Zane got hold of the potential weapon before him, but Quinn had moved away from the safety of the door.

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