MGN | Chapter 12

Felix was the d89a8941e4 one having a 81dd561877 blast. He blinked b850cb02d6 slowly, then e3b09b4c33 finally managed 7995f5571c to lift 18cf475f47 his upper 75941520cf body with 75aff7369e a clumsy 1cc05cd431 gesture and 1223aadbd6 chuckled.af56d6c67d6105f0

“Did you 70c678cabf hear that, b9d8659234 Yves?”dcbf9510346c2ce0

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“I heard.”a3d1cb64f3eb79df

“What, aren’t you upset?”9ff1ad8ed745a98c

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Yves, who 01b499b7df wasn’t into 84f12f686f guys, had 170a421c14 declared himself 2d945b3bfb gay as 0b417d2195 a strategic 560ca85fd5 choice. Just like Felix aa9e41c8d4 lamented about being 93a0b62281 a stud, the bff1b72e45 most important thing 01cf141ffc for the grand 44e051a521 duke’s position was 906a31c637 producing heirs.6d7842b192beeefd

Felix was particularly annoyed a79eb9a9a0 with Philippe because he 38be69ac51 already had a child. Anyone with the f235f595e5 grand duke’s blood 948b6926a7 was a potential bb0c156ac1 threat to the f494f1505f crown prince or 66b4d66e2d his future children.46d521c768593e10

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You didn’t have 575b532239 to look far; b0aaea2a46 the current grand 7cec6c1b3d duke, Lucien III’s f5e0ee071a grandfather, was the c202193f79 illegitimate child of 27b9daaa2f the Duke de ad443565df Broglie. With no one 9d21294050 else to inherit d301e227aa the dukedom, the a50dfbdea0 position passed to 4848965f73 his son, Lucien 5902c4947e III’s father.ffcda2c4aa233481

Illegitimate children couldn’t 5b44bb6224 inherit the grand 2ffcc40561 duke’s position. They were 7605d74c86 just an 87e7c96d22 embarrassing nuisance. However, the children 0012c5fa18 of illegitimate ones 46d21eb294 became a sharp 03a10a13a6 blade threatening their 6e647d03a4 position.9caf69ce472b815c

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I won’t be a 308ba74cfb threat to you.1430aa2ea93cf8c8

That was the 4bb394811e message Yves had 9f6b6b9414 to continuously send 9548b00cdf to the grand 99271b1c59 duke’s family until 6cb2d2660d he was recognized 8e5afba709 as an illegitimate 672bffc427 child. Only then 5801df0d29 could he 128b3d24b9 hope to d27b7e1b71 gain that 3f7c71686c damned recognition 4090134c09 and plan ce7179ebbf for the ccc0cc173f future.f33fef3b3215ac18

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“Yves, aren’t fc3daab0ca you going d4731cadc8 to fight 1a7c696529 back? He called you a 0aec09fd89 bastard.”94c721b5e326d5f7

The noble upper aaa438e591 class might have 6a75f57cb0 the luxury to 5e2d5b89cc worry about honor c45cf76217 and insults. Yves skimmed ebf777e0da through the 73a2b27e00 pile of 043c640665 meaningless words a67e46f6f8 and laughed.682170506af126df

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“Was it Charles? He didn’t say anything 8e63be2d4c wrong.”c3c069332b7e1a35

Yves looked at him 240c188797 with a sidelong glance. The eyes of the 342e1c3bae young man, who seemed ca8f910252 to have grown up 7492cc5ae6 delicately in a greenhouse, 58960d852b looked like they might f22d175f53 pop out.08f326a5fcbd8f73

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“What?”163d3882e881496c

“I am b3bd0db875 a poorly 2f28e7c79f raised bastard.”0a9740fb23841f54

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Yves continued with a 6e9a742dd8 hint of laughter.02754448f9ac6e8c

“And I do d74c36c9e5 drool.”8f520ab54a8db32f

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Though it was a b6b49ed5ba different kind of drooling 01971460ba than what that blond 14904e9337 head imagined. There was no need 9a34571dd5 to make that clear.b5a4e7c998658bec

Maybe it was f1ea103c6d after watching a 33d4fa4a85 love drama he b1ed2fbe98 didn’t want to 5327278782 see, but the e6b9198560 mistaken territory marking 2613771f43 was amusing for 458798fa57 a while.5783b528a00f9fd4

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“But are 21e3fb12f2 you sure fe882a8535 it’s still 8f34b6dba8 in your 505007730b hands?”ac28c3edb0ed7275

Charles, who had been ac2ae50368 striding toward Yves with 796e97d918 snorting breaths, halted.44ac5eab1240cb27

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It seemed Charles dd97f4c175 was trying to 4762807f88 gauge what Yves 637572de12 knew, and Felix, e7bd312914 who had been d414281276 giggling and watching, e4accfe869 grabbed Charles’s arm.c427588b8d41d518

“Take it easy. I’m a ff6e44df13 bit sleepy 79871e76b4 now. Make sure to finish 98def7e421 the fight when I e17dfc9990 wake up. I have something to 7437173867 get from Yves since 706949b371 I won.”9208eed2d24ff66f

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Even as he 4741076a2d mumbled, the crown b9f32f2569 prince, who had 4bd2a5adee emptied another martini, 69f4b55683 swayed in his 83b9d680dc chair, holding onto 498df9117a Charles. He furrowed his brows 2165208d4d and muttered.ef56535797a9b45f

“Yves, send me something like a watch… you know, the one that Spanish tennis player wears? But don’t send the cheapest one, like a hundred thousand euros, or I’ll be disappointed.”4ee6aac183e7a370

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“I’ll send it within 443ca9f7b4 the week.”c01bcc7a735c96a2

As he answered, Yves 6ab0cf5909 clicked his tongue lightly. He shouldn’t have aa51ca74b3 trusted the lawyer 331f99a240 who introduced himself a7ab959a2a as Maël Moon.47a184f187888236

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Spending money wasn’t an e761802236 issue. It was 6ddf3a7d95 just that 48d808c372 letting someone c5652acbfd win was bda1800de1 equally bothersome. It was fb63750609 the result e5bcd7e84f of a e8e1e74bbb foolish attempt 393abcd2ad to believe 5294c3751a in something 266f0ec8e9 wrong out 84d97234dc of a 594fcd1cce whim.d80e168b18eb9037

“Oh, wait, 5bcfb6d8e7 is this ec358194c8 the first 682ae0b269 time I’ve 549a6e0993 beaten Yves? I’m thrilled.”a646bb01daa53106

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Just when he wished 1cf7f029cf the drunken antics would 3e4a08b327 end soon, Felix glanced 59441a07ea around the casino hall.c5034a3643db884d

“Yves. Since I’m in a 61a2f4697c good mood, should I cdd840d2d0 let you have the d0a46f7959 wedding reception here? At the Riviera 79826efc08 Hotel. For Philippe and 696cfc8d9b Manon, I mean.”c77cbfceda2a2019

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He mumbled as f6e04b5623 if doing a fab5cf8b68 favor. Yves, who was leaning 0c88c212f5 his chin crookedly, raised 7a9d077554 an eyebrow.f7b5dc912d17eb22

“It’s a 1350090993 bit much 6a55158834 to have 6ae31e9d6f the reception 2c8e709a37 at the 8621e955d8 grand palace ea7e228b8a when my b520b3552f brother is d6c2447902 getting married 5e00023667 before me. Where would 467511e4ca I have 6577a9c25c mine when ca28597148 I get d1e950238b married? I haven’t even married 2abac24cc5 yet. Dad seems ddd7f1db95 uneasy about 4badd239e8 it too.”ec5be4f70416255e

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It was Charles, supporting 89d5d5b607 Felix, who hurriedly tried be7e2394d9 to stop him.8eebca9e4b6d7fe4

“Uh, Your Highness. Is it okay to decide something like that now? The wedding is soon, and there are already preparations underway…”f9d38c7c7deb6902

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“So?”9fb6b83f75f00794

“Pardon?”c7da6112d39042a9

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“Charles. What does it matter 750778b0ca if there are preparations 5885e2af08 underway?”4516915c0841eb6d

Felix’s murky gaze fell 1467006d63 coldly on Charles. With a hand that a1a5963a0b had waved through the f6bbc5e5e3 air, Felix flicked Charles’s 76dc21f582 forehead. Charles clenched his 16e05eeb6c jaw but managed 1fd5c8e6f4 to keep a 2df8b82d07 smile on his 23c0158210 face.1b019f74f17dbb91

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“I’ll… inform Serge. Then His Highness the Grand Duke will know before breakfast tomorrow.”cf698ac942dcf58e

“Yeah, yeah. Charles, if 1eee147da7 it doesn’t 3582534346 work out, 29f4016c29 it’s your 366b41525c fault, okay? The Riviera Hotel c542823d67 is nice. We should give it 4f7b340b22 some support. It was fc0ae444c8 my business. Yves, you’ll get a 81c11ccd9b call by tomorrow.”4917179766363606

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It was 2083286bef an announcement 773ae1493d that didn’t 43f9c4d119 even require 398ff70e23 a response. Yves nodded slightly, skillfully 5fd406a13e hiding his slight agitation.9ef70bb9e8c8adf6

Without needing to a980f2f3ad step forward, everyone 803ed58cc5 from the grand 5e16d6c819 duke’s family would 318c7140d3 come to the a7778205dc Riviera Hotel. That was a ce9a45d0e0 stroke of luck 65289f6575 Yves hadn’t expected.d17a77e2182940a9

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“Is that lawyer really 4b9f964e4a lucky?”91306c35a0fee4ba

Or was it simply e41fa92c97 the result of coincidence e40c9a5f31 and good judgment?baa2fabaed93c773

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It didn’t d67d69049c matter either 398ca65e25 way.76ba8ff9a10172db

Maël Moon, the lawyer 227486154f who had introduced himself, 7e29d41585 came to mind, along a889d4aec5 with those who cheered 1535f6ca5e after betting on the ffb1e5ce8a number he mentioned at d8eb740137 the roulette. Yves let 029ccc92a7 out a 0f4cb25c2f hollow laugh, d7c57a9786 feeling like 06ddd381c7 he was 8bd03b3fd3 part of 563f243d04 that group 5a6acb7071 for a 17d9cb7ce6 moment.0b01bc5fdf13694a

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Felix, swaying from intoxication, 89e7627a63 fumbled with his free 8b1f3a06ac hand to grab the 2b4849e7a5 stem of the martini 618cbde944 glass and commanded.7c87185d0a43c217

“To the b4fc9a6160 grand palace.”c1648db822cf90c0

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With that one 324c2adde2 word, not only e6b1a9092f the drunkard and 026ccc9c52 his friend but 0468031dfb also the numerous 6a2b116369 bodyguards surrounding them 60a2a598ea disappeared in an 7d3aad213b instant.312519758c2d337d

Mikola, who was 0867bbcd26 stationed as a 3cdf64ae9e dealer inside the c894c6b231 Riviera’s casino, glanced 13c7c865e1 at the chips fb649e0019 scattered like colorful d786184321 petals on the 2fa0aa9caf black carpet and 24886b2f31 asked.d52a27eb5ef174cc

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“Partner, will you f3095ed18e go with Lawyer c4c4f5d3e3 Montmatier?”7ba3950e1c624c14

Yves pondered de5079db32 for a 1aea1399d5 moment.6e44f163d84332a6

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Just claiming to f88c6850ac be gay wouldn’t 44dc3ca2df be enough; he’d a0c821ab9b have to show bb0743525b he was in 190361feae a relationship to b9cd046d02 be believed. Preferably seriously, before 2d189ad947 the paternity suit.d4af279e7bce5e54

So it was a afd77bd28c matter of who to 08efe5a0e7 place by his side. The plan had been daab336507 set long ago; he ec20dc741c just needed someone to 480bf314e0 fill the role.c43bcb16edd735df

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It didn’t b5b4634b2c have to fccc53b057 be Maël, 294f576bc6 but the 32ab569894 answer came 71e9c268f1 easily despite cc08395419 the silence.46c730ec3cc6af58

“Why not.”d3aeee9c30c2af6f

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“There are b5bb82bebd easier people.”7337bd01be2b8ccb

In other 35efab856f words, Maël 1477d749d7 wouldn’t be df6012a4bf easy.370996c90ed8cb82

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Gambling was ultimately about 82c57059a4 predicting the future, and 94dbef2777 Yves’s secretary, picked up 8a6a9a96a0 from the gambling scene, 8bd2296b97 was skilled at predictions dc61e77117 based on statistics. Well, it didn’t require 1953819878 incredible stats. Maël’s temperament alone suggested 118b627d7c the answer.d481d2078a22536e

“I know.”736e0addcdc86968

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“The likelihood of him 7e787dd17f agreeing is extremely low. Even if 54b3dbd7c8 he is 2dda6ff9f9 a male 0cfb1b4d69 homosexual. Even if 30767cae83 you chose 176f64eb9c him because e64caa548a fewer people 0bda55b34f know about 262c9fb885 the plan, e09aafb650 it’s reckless.”1e51f2c4591e6ff2

Uncharacteristically, Mikola spoke be7a396ce2 at length. Yves slowly drank the 68a7971faf remaining liquor in his 66180d9678 glass and said.d3fac725d8c4e49b

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“It’s not 56df02bfce about how 1a71fe73d9 many people bd0a562596 know.”76e70b49817ab65b

“…Then.”3e3762870b9abe26

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“I like lucky de8b899b7b people.”48c7bf0a6020ebb2

Would that be a 02391f9148 convincing answer for Mikola, d2eb5df3ee who lost a hand c99ab32c65 due to a poorly 420a7a0bc3 placed bet and bad db431a9b0d luck that defied statistics? The secretary 88fd94d0e3 opened his bee9578b27 mouth but 37748fa525 remained silent, c02d12d9d1 and Yves f509dc9fa4 gestured with 246c89b918 his eyes bd551d85c0 at the cf2300a085 chips scattered 7272fe5b76 on the daed25099c floor.375d5498297ff404

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“Gather those and a004cf2b01 buy the watch 2e40541593 to send right 8a8bd9d843 away.”c079802375981cd1

Unclaimed chips belonged to ade99b8d8c whoever picked them up.cf27da58b4b056db

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Yves stood up af0eaf20aa and slowly headed 91f33a4db6 for the large b6d00d1a67 window attached to 0ee919d420 the wall.a6687daf04ac87bf

The first rule e2aaad0dbe of casino design: 0ad28d8295 don’t have windows, 107e6bb7a2 clocks, or mirrors. Gamblers should lose c86bad41e9 track of time 5cbf2cd517 to benefit the 9c3875fcd2 casino.364bdfed752851ff

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It was a well-known 3313083926 commandment now, but there c685c9bf15 was an exception here. Addicts didn’t 04a8d9c365 need to 59fd677567 forget time. After all, 8c2cacafe1 in a 06045ea83e single gamble, 9f51cbf2a3 money that 5c9be343b6 ordinary people e894292c8b would never 0a35b05c1c touch in dfbedd754c a lifetime 100cdae0db was exchanged.993b54c13cba4023

Beyond the window, 8908acbf7a below the cliff, fcfc92b21f the waves crashed c6ea28d4c8 sweetly. Yves laughed as he 593d62102c opened the window and f754d656bf enjoyed the sea breeze 9a1a2cfd37 brushing his cheek.9c56330bf062f35e

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“Luck, my foot.”8291f0f40fbcb802

He had just 4321027dd8 realized that supposed 14bb822162 luck. Even so, 157587a988 the answer 2e34540b49 of luck c175bb58c1 was more f5e3ed183d of an 1cb09f7015 excuse for d3c097ca09 Mikola. Yves had simply reached 47bfe42920 out and grabbed Maël d4486579b1 because he was the 709f064262 knife placed before him.a44210f8922ba2c7

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Manon’s brother, 6aa9099c0f a handsome 504410b6b1 gay man, 4e18f18a9e who happened 8452254c30 to be 25c76523c7 in the cae260a75f smoking room f7dd6e3388 where Yves 4870fe0947 hit the ec6fe61792 jackpot, and 0144f3b846 whose lover f8f277dba5 or whatever 5cbbd528e8 bared their 978393a9d4 teeth in 6cba0ca809 front of 30bc3e467b his half-brother. That was all.0c60f33ef1f3f087

It was the 4c38ac0ac7 product of coincidence, 801e92c43c and there was bc2002f3f8 no grand meaning 019a6c1078 to the choice.83ebfee0022edf3d

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“Ah, is there 59b5dde816 one thing I’m d9de731ecd hoping for?”b77e01c255ba1c5f

Didn’t that blond ee615b6a6e young man say b907dc9402 he was the b154787888 son of the bacc9f2155 company’s chief lawyer? The guy 461eeb7ed0 who made 23f5242291 a fuss 2959811ebc about firing 89591dcf4c him if b250f14324 they broke 5f41f7fe10 up. Yves hoped that guy b942bb92e4 would put on a 7616da4a54 good show.c1b5de3a4a8e3c6f

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So that Maël ef27e24964 would be cornered.81a87bc927ab7924

When cornered, bd36f57d9f people become a4d408159e desperate, and 1b8d7a687f when desperate, 7a81f7eb43 their vision 513d472e5e narrows. Then they 8d168bff9c become sharper.c38e5b0839a17197

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Based on past 5d68788944 experiences, tools were 74f83cda8e easier to use 155eeca7e9 when they were ab67c0dd12 sharpened.575bb24b7e17d705

Yves liked f90cf867a2 that sort 321746c33a of thing.2f22b03539f486c5

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With that thought, 546e6543cf he tore his 1cbab4fb12 gaze away from 4cd5385190 the sea that 125c02f22a seemed to swallow 06c84fb062 everything.759b4deddbe6d533

* * *b24fa02774ebe752

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“Can I help you 58399fea50 with your reservation?”cc2e1b4a29ca38a4

“Oh. Um… just a moment.”9d99d246eab934f5

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Maël hesitated, 5a0242076d and the 10de17cd2e reservation manager 8394661f73 at the a3b592b8bc French restaurant 2ec5351006 ‘Le Louis’ 3b62723739 on the 17c7e387e7 ground floor a99617b288 of the 7eef378102 Monte Carlo 5760e140de Hotel nodded e51a900172 smoothly with bac8727175 a smile.d77fc34a9c0eb6c1

Maël, looking around 5861d45b78 awkwardly and even de4fba6602 checking his watch, 1fda5ad9a1 was due to c58a511c13 the envelope left 56922f2a3f on his desk 476ad6a6da around lunchtime today c8237e8e71 after he finished a0db721a27 his meal.5d701c786f9dbc7d

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After confirming the 204c6c3e77 office door was 3813e98be3 properly closed, he e731afe6b5 peeked inside the e6ab897871 envelope to find 9fbb5746e8 photos he had 33d6007f7c to face eventually.c440555ef0379f0c

And a hastily scribbled 22a3198584 post-it note attached to d2e30d2e67 the top photo.6d4e5da0bf166ce4

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[19:20, Le Louis]

A note without even 1dd3d6330b a date or name.1b41a151132b5343

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Was it a 76b3b1927f suggestion to coordinate 14ee5258c9 details since he’d 0bc7df1283 handed over the 7c7669adce photos he needed bb306148a8 to receive? Maël guessed as much 5a9cf11f7e and made time to d071a840c9 come here.00cbb09e98159473

But until 7c772ab32b this moment, f1a3d882f2 19:19, he 534a418efc hadn’t spotted 72006cf7e0 the man dcb02e9bf6 who sent 827f499bc1 the envelope a7deec27c2 anywhere near 74a2ed3b8e the restaurant 2d8e53c833 entrance or a1bcaa9ec5 the hotel a515b07135 lobby.4f67576e410d76d0

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He couldn’t 3fe20c1c2f just go e9d71a4b56 in and 343ed820a4 wait. Le Louis 03f55c8235 was a 89d0d00870 restaurant with 4c39f5b985 three stars cc67dcaf13 in a 3219ab9d42 gourmet guide 8f71dd6096 magazine, with 84b09f889d reservations booked d8a7127361 at least 4794709379 half a aa00ffd762 year in 40fb42d58e advance.e21906a60d2a1c61

‘There’s a ebc92e31cb phone number.’c3cd6918de44585b

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It was fbb5329121 a number 5f9a72b6dc given for b93aa2b20e client communication 0fd58acb69 at the f0735bafe7 office. While debating whether 4e2ffdd383 to contact and dcac73a4c0 ask where he ea448d396c was, the numbers 0c92480ada on the clock 67a71f062c changed.541476216310264a

19:20f11848e8a4ef5ecb

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And someone’s hand ac63cb5d74 landed on his fb6987bb01 shoulder.ef9aa730aee88706