Glancing at Alkor, Tom wondered what was going through the good samaritan’s mind, or any of the other bystanders who might be witnessing this. Glancing around, his attention was drawn to a man standing nearby, still dripping from the pool. He was staring at Bithia in horror and bewilderment… and obvious guilt.
The man started to back away when he saw Tom get to his feet and stalk towards him. “H-hey, I didn’t mean to—” He was cut off as Tom grabbed him, keeping him from making a hasty retreat.
“You’re the one who pushed her in?” Tom demanded, shouting over the pulsing music. “Why did you do that?”
There was a glazed, faraway look in the man’s eyes. He was clearly under the influence of something. In his drug-induced high, had he simply acted on an impulse, giddy and careless?
“Did someone tell you to push her in?” Tom persisted.
“N-No,” the man finally stammered out an answer. “I just… I saw her stand up, and she was mad about the water splashing her, so I dunked her.”
Tom released the man, who stumbled backwards—right into the arms of a very irritated bouncer. Paranoid as it might seem, he wasn’t completely satisfied that they were safe. Returning to Bithia’s side, he helped her to her feet. Even in the dim lighting, her molten flesh still looked like porridge boiling in the pan. They had already drawn far too much attention to themselves, and there was no real reason to stay in this place.
“I think we better leave,” he said. Giving
Alkor Centaris
a nod, he handed him back his duster, then added, “Thanks. I’ll, uh, handle this from here.”
He then speedwalked out of the club, a slightly bewildered but accepting Bithia in tow.
The man started to back away when he saw Tom get to his feet and stalk towards him. “H-hey, I didn’t mean to—” He was cut off as Tom grabbed him, keeping him from making a hasty retreat.
“You’re the one who pushed her in?” Tom demanded, shouting over the pulsing music. “Why did you do that?”
There was a glazed, faraway look in the man’s eyes. He was clearly under the influence of something. In his drug-induced high, had he simply acted on an impulse, giddy and careless?
“Did someone tell you to push her in?” Tom persisted.
“N-No,” the man finally stammered out an answer. “I just… I saw her stand up, and she was mad about the water splashing her, so I dunked her.”
Tom released the man, who stumbled backwards—right into the arms of a very irritated bouncer. Paranoid as it might seem, he wasn’t completely satisfied that they were safe. Returning to Bithia’s side, he helped her to her feet. Even in the dim lighting, her molten flesh still looked like porridge boiling in the pan. They had already drawn far too much attention to themselves, and there was no real reason to stay in this place.
“I think we better leave,” he said. Giving
Alkor Centaris
a nod, he handed him back his duster, then added, “Thanks. I’ll, uh, handle this from here.”He then speedwalked out of the club, a slightly bewildered but accepting Bithia in tow.