Two weeks of fighting the urge. A third week wasn't in the cards. In a few more nights, it would all be over, one way or another.He crouched in an all...ey, staring at his hands. The skin was so pale it was nearly transparent. His joints felt stiff, and his fingers had started to curl in. His nails looked like they might split. His stomach twisted and his veins screamed, and he knew exactly what would put a stop to it.Just a little would help, he thought. I could take just a little without really. "I'm fine. I needed some fresh air. You should return to the service; I will be in shortly." I'll wait here with you." Pharaoh said."Yeah, it's kind of stuffy out there." Honda agreed. "Outside. In the courtyard." I do not need either of you standing around, watching me." I waved them both away. "Consider yourselves dismissed." Seto," Honda started and then stopped with a slight sigh of apparent frustration. "No." he shrugged. "You can yell if you want, but I'm not leaving you alone. I mean,. If youfailed the test, you weren't allowed to take it again for a random periodof time that could range between a few hours to a week. Once you passedthe test you could take the physical test, not before. But of course ifyou failed the physical you had to wait to retake the mental test. Philbegan to read.Time sometimes seemed to be passing more slowly. A new phase of theprogram had begun almost unnoticed by Phil and he struggled to rememberwhen he'd set it to start, or even when he'd put it. " Why are YOU nervous?" Her voice was honestly surprised. Kevin laughed."I've never done this before. Calling girls and such. I'm completely out of my element!" Same here!" You don't call girls either?" You know what I mean!"They laughed. Nitya had a nice laugh. A nice voice. There was a touch of an accent to it, Indian, he assumed. Whatever it was, it leant a bit of the exotic to her. Relaxing, he pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat, free hand moving the long old fashioned coiled.