"What?" Gerard looked at Frank earnestly.

Frank gulped. "You can... study me?" Gerard's eyes bawled into his skull.

"It's not just that simple, Frank." When Gerard spoke to him, it made Frank feel like Gerard was his mother.

"Why not?" Frank asked.

"Because I have to be interested." That hurt. Frank sat up, and met Gerard's eye line.

"You have to be /interested/?" Frank drew out the last word, almost as a hiss.

"Yes, interested. As in, liking the subject, because it pleases you."

"Aren't you interested in me?"

"Hmm... I can't.... read you like I read other people. It's strange and very confusing... so yes." Gerard said, thinking about every word, like it was fragile ground.

"Read me? What?" Frank was getting very confused. Gerard was speaking in tongues and code and Frank was trying to make sense of the mad hatter. This was not going to be easy.

"Yes. I read people, study people. I can read them like I read a book. I can tell what they are like as soon as I meet them. I've had years of practice, so I am hardly going to be wrong," (he was modest as well), "but then... There's you." Gerard stopped, and looked at Frank. He trailed his eyes, scanning every inch of Frank with his laser eyes.

"Oh... I... See?" Frank followed. His skin was crawling under Gerard's watchful eyes.

"Yes..." Gerard said. "I'm hungry. We are losing track of time. We must get to Chicago by Saturday. My friend is there, with instructions..." he continued, mapping his thoughts in words.

"What day is it today?" Gerard looked at his watch.

"Tuesday."

"Wait... back up... Instructions?"

"Yes."

"For what?" Frank was getting worried. How complex was this situation?

"This," Gerard explained, waving his hands in the air, "the whole 'I-captured-you-now-we-are-on-the-run' situation. You think I came up with this myself?"

"Well..."

"The Headquarters are in Chicago."

"What Headquarters?" Frank tried to follow.

"The... Look. This is one of the things I cannot explain to you right now. I will explain once we have further instructions and we are far away from your home. I didn't want to do this, I thought it was wrong; apparently I'm the one that is best with people." Gerard stated, offhandedly.

"You... the best with people?" Frank scoffed.

"Yes. Now do you have anymore questions?"

"Well, yes. What made your leader think you needed to capture me and take me half way across the country?" He had been wanting to know this for ages.

"You witnessed my murder."

"Yes... And?"

"You could of turned me into the police."

"And what makes you think I would do that. I can hardly talk to my mother, let alone the police."

"You can never be too careful, Frank."