As soon as the door swung open, there was Jerry, lounging on the couch with a contract in hand, earbuds dangling from his ears, grinning at Finnian. "Finnian, long time no see, buddy."
Finnian slammed the door shut, immediately storming into another bedroom.
Holy smokes, Larry was here! He was fiddling with a pocketknife, grinning ear to ear. "Hey Finnian, missed me?"
Finnian had caught on by now. He stood at the door, taking deep breaths before bellowing, "You bunch of troublemakers, get out here, now!"
Door after door opened, and everyone except Leopold lined up in front of Finnian.
Smiles were plastered on their faces, but their eyes were full of schemes.
Dawson burst out furiously, "Do you have any idea how much your funeral cost me? Pay up!"
Jerry looked genuinely baffled. "Finnian, what's with the fake death stunt? You're breaking our hearts."
Daniel, fists pumping in the air, yelled, "I ditched so much stuff to come back for your supposed passing, nearly got myself killed on the road!"
Eric, counting on his fingers with a sinister tone, added, "I almost blew myself up in the lab trying to figure out what killed you, and here you are, alive and kicking!"
Donald was grinding his teeth. "Fun to fake your death, huh? You know how long it took us to crawl out of the mental scar of your 'death"?"
Brian, frowning deeply, pointed outside to a husky tied up. "Finnian, you owe us an explanation."
Larry clenched his fist, threatening, "If you don't clear things up, I'm gonna let that dog tear up your vegetable patch on South Mountain."
Gary was livid at the mention of the vegetable patch, saying, "Those plants were my blood, sweat, and tears under the scorching 95-degree sun!"
The eight disciples surrounded Finnian like debt collectors from hell. Poor Finnian felt his brain swell.
around, or his wailing would have pushed Finnian over the edge! Vivienne was relishing the drama downstairs, sipping red wine with a
with her so
not keep tabs on him alone, but now, with
him try!" She
silently, sitting next to Vivienne,
they had eyes in the back of their heads, glared down at
on.
better
raised fists sank once
Vivienne's shoulder but pulled her
"Where's Leopold?" Percival inquired.
gravity, "He mentioned something about Vance
it must be that
the ancient
Vance plotting by sending Leopold into the thick
set down her wine glass, yawning. "Keep an
affectionately ruffling her
Came the chorus from
eye on Finnian. He's
the door, Finnian's escape was blown by Percival's words, and the disciples
karmic payback of
did he ever take on so
Especially Vivienne!
and now his life was
Utterly exasperated.
disciples, no matter how tempting it might
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