"...Interesting."
He looked away.
Thinking.
"...I don't believe dreams."
"...But I do believe results."
"You know things."
"Far too many things."
Kai nodded.
"...That's why I'm here."
The doctor walked toward the operating table.
Ran a finger across the polished steel.
Then quietly spoke.
"If we proceed..."
He looked back at Kai.
"...You will most likely die."
Kai didn't answer.
Dr. Z continued.
"I prepared this room because I assumed you'd lose your nerve."
"Most people do."
"They see the tools."
"The restraints."
"The blood."
"...Then they run."
He smiled faintly.
"You..."
"...don't seem interested in running."
Kai reached into his coat.
"I found something."
He produced several folded documents.
Old.
Weathered.
Recovered from the Oheyo laboratory.
Subject 46.
Dr. Z accepted them.
He silently read every page.
Then every note.
Then every diagram.
Several minutes passed.
Finally—
He lowered the papers.
"...These are old."
"But useful."
He tapped the documents.
"The information you've brought..."
"...I've already reproduced roughly ninety percent of this through my own research."
Kai's eyes widened slightly.
"Ninety?"
Dr. Z nodded.
"The remaining ten percent..."
He tossed the papers onto the table.