"I can't do that." And he wanted to, so desperately, but he couldn't - right? Could he do that? He didn't want anyone to know and he would end up bent if he didn't let Barty help but by letting him help, it also compromised him. "And I can't do what Cheon wants, can I? Fuck."

He slowly pushed himself up on his bed and got out his phone, texting Gene swiftly just to say he was sick and couldn't come in. He hoped he believed it.

"I can pretend I didn't hear you say that." Seemed safer. "And if I did... I would have said that you should destroy the footage. I don't want it near me. If you said it, of course."