Z 2134

was either deceptively quick or Jonah’s senses were already dulled by whatever they’d given him while he was passed out.
    “You fucker,” Jonah said, glaring at the man for violating him in such a way.
    “Ah, there’s the Watcher charm I remember so well,” Father said sarcastically as he grabbed a chair and sat in front of Jonah.
    “It shan’t be long now,” Father said, twiddling his fingers and whistling.
    And it wasn’t.
    It was only minutes before Jonah felt instantly better. For the first time since the unthinkable became normal, he was almost happy.
    “Wow, this stuff is good,” Jonah said, smiling, despite his efforts not to.
    Father wasted no time.
    “Why were you set up?”
    Jonah longed to say nothing, and tried keeping his lips pressed together to keep his words inside. However, they fell out anyway, slightly out of order, and slurred.
    “I knew they think,” Jonah said, giggling as he heard his words come out wrong.
    “Knew what?”
    Jonah shook his head, almost violently, wanting to say nothing, though the pleasant tickle inside him swore everything was OK, and that there was no reason to keep things inside any longer. An intoxicating happiness glowed in him, warming him up, making him feel as if Father were his most oldest and trusted friend.
    “Wow, so this good,” Jonah said, looking at Father and feeling tears of joy well up in his eyes.
    Whatever the drug was, he wanted more.
    Father leaned in again, whispering in Jonah’s ear.
    “All you have to do is tell the truth. Tell me.”
    Jonah growled, “People who are you?”
    “Who do you think we are?” Father asked, sitting back in his chair and folding his hands.
    “Underground?” Jonah slurred. “Agents Watcher trying to get me to speak? I dunno,” he shook his head, confused.
    Jonah settled into a long silence as Father Truth sat, rocking back and forth, arms across his chest.
    The dwarf looked like a petulant child, and the image sent Jonah into a sudden fit of hysterics. He tried to stop, worried that Father would think he was laughing because of his physical stature, like many City 6 citizens did when passing the broken rabble hunched in the gnarled shadows of The Dark Quarters.
    Then, as suddenly as the laughter had started, Jonah collapsed into an even deeper fit, laughing so hard that he started to choke before sucking a gallon of air into his lungs and slowly returning his breath to its regular rhythm.
    Jonah was desperate to apologize but failed when he tried. “You’re funny!” was all he managed, lifting his arm and wagging his index finger in the man’s face.
    Father Truth smiled, obviously not taking the insult personally. He cleared his throat and said, “Until later then.”
    Father stood, spun on the balls of his feet, and headed toward the door.
    “Don’t leave me alone,” Jonah screamed, suddenly insecure and afraid, surprised by the flurry of emotions ripping through his brain. He yelled louder as Father Truth’s right hand grabbed the doorknob. “Please, come back,” he cried. “I’m sorry!”
    Father Truth turned around, lightly nodded, then came back and stood in front of Jonah, arms folded across his chest again, still no taller than a hunched and sitting Jonah.
    “Tell me,” Father asked, “Were you a good Watcher?”
    “What do you mean?” Jonah said, confused, happy that he able to string coherent words together, though still feeling the effects of the drug.
    “Watchmen come in all sorts, as you must well know. So, what sort of officer were you? Good? Great? Corrupt? Depraved? Tell me, Jonah.”
    “Good,” he said.
    “Do good cops kill their wives?”
    Jonah scowled, then tried not to yell. “I didn’t kill her.”
    “Of course you didn’t,” Father said, placing a small but patronizing hand on the back of Jonah’s head before patting Jonah like a dog.
    He broke down into the first of several heaving sobs, confused by Father’s kind smile and comforting hand at his back. Then he thought about the man’s tiny hands and couldn’t suppress the fresh giggles following thought.
    Father Truth withdrew his hand.
    “What did you give me?” Jonah asked, furious that he had been drugged and suddenly reminded of the night Keller had picked him up with a six-Watcher unit for backup.
    Father ignored his question, so Jonah repeated it with a scream, anger replacing the euphoria he’d been feeling.
    The dwarf remained calm and said, “I already told you, Jonah, I’ve given