Jesse gives the kid a sideways glance, taking in the odd clothes. He figures he'll never tire of people-watching in this Nexus place. "Yeah, it takes a hell of a lot of time to undo that damage."

His chair creaks in protest as he leans back. Metal clinks against metal with the shift in his movement. "I was away from my family for five? Six years? Not much time at all when you're grown, but for kids, that's an eternity . . .

"It's hard to earn back someone's trust when you've left 'em in the lurch. Especially when they've been told again and again that you're bad news."