Page 38 of Rat

“What?”

“You’re good at chess.”

“Oh.” He blinked. “Yeah, and believe it or not, I’m not an idiot.”

Sebastian smirked. “I didn’t say you were. Who taught you to play?”

Rory bit his lip, then mumbled, “My grandad at first, then my dad.”

“I hate to admit it, but you’re good. Really good.”

“I beat your sorry arse.”

Sebastian’s eyebrows shot up, and Rory thought he’d crossed a line, but then an amused rumble escaped Sebastian’s lips. “You did this time, but next time…”

“I’ll beat you again.”

“I like your confidence.”

Rory listened to the shouts and clunks of gates. “What are they doing with Teddy?”

“They’ll take him to the segregation unit. I swear he’s spent more time there over the years than in the wing.”

“What did you say to calm him down?”

Sebastian hummed, then looked up. “I told him he was terrifying Ollie.”

“And that stopped him?”

“Sure did. Teddy, he’s complicated. I don’t know what happened to set him off, but he soon stopped when I told him Ollie was scared.”

Rory swallowed uncomfortably and averted his gaze.

“You have an idea what might have upset him, don’t you?”

“I think it had something to do with maggots.”

“What?”

“He had maggots in the cell, was keeping them in a pot on the windowsill, and they freaked Ollie out. He was going to ask the officers to get rid of them.”

“Maggots?” Sebastian mumbled, shaking his head. “Well, I guess Teddy’s even more complicated than I thought.”

“He’s not going to, you know…hurt Ollie if he finds out he was involved?”

“I told you before, I doubt it.”

“Good.”

“I take it Captain’s made an appointment with the shrink?”

“He’s not very enthusiastic about it, but yeah.”

“Jarvis is good; he’ll help.”

“Have you ever gone to see him?”

Sebastian snorted. “No, but I haven’t gone through hell and back. My mind isn’t fractured; it’s focused, fully intact.”

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