<span style="font-family:Palanquin">It was hard not to grimace when Sly implied that he’d been a “lap dog” for the men in suits who were pursuing them. However, as she thought about it more and more, Jinora realized that it really was an appropriate description for what she had been to them. She’d done what they told her to do, she’d let them examine her eyes as much as they could while they were still attached to her body. <br/>
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In one way or another, though, Jinora was starting to settle into Sly’s nickname for her. She was glad that it stuck around rather than vanishing the moment he’d learned her real name. She hadn’t been quite sure before. Now, though, it was different. <br/>
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“No one has enough power to stop them from taking me back,” Jinora objected, although it was soft. “Even before they got to me, they put in so much effort to get me. I’m more important to them than anyone else they’ve ever had their hands on and I’m not even capable of telling you why because I haven’t the first clue. Something about my eyes… my father… he… he put them in my head and then I woke up and he was dead!” By the time she had finished the statement, Jinora had actually been speaking rather loudly and it drew some eyes there way. There were no shortage of eyes on the bus, after all. <br/>
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Slapping her hand over her mouth rather quickly, Jinora realized that there had to be better places for them to have this conversation than on a city bus. Yet, she was having it on a city bus. <br/>
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Looking straight up into Sly’s eyes, though, Jinora added more softly. “And then I ran from them for at least three years after that before they caught me. I’m pretty sure if they put three years into catching me, you helping me isn’t going to just get rid of them this time around.” Sighing, she remembered that she had wanted to keep him out of this whole situation and she realized that it really wasn’t going to work. “But, if I can’t get rid of you, then I suppose we’re both going to deal with it for however long this freedom can last.” <br/>
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Reaching out, she took his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. <br/>
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“Do you have any idea where we’re heading?” Jinora really didn’t know.</span>