IGNOBLE

"We can dump it in the river." It. Charlie's choice of pronouns exercised a critical distinction.

"No…" I was still rushing with Adrenaline. It was hard to think straight. "They'll still be able to ID it, if they find it."

"ID?" Charlie spoke as though he hadn't previously considered this detail. "We can't possibly hide that. Even if you take the fingers." It was a terrible thought. I was honestly surprised he said it aloud. "There's still DNA. There's still dental records. A missing BODY. They're going to be looking for it!"

"Let's just get it to the car."

"Us. They're going to be looking for US, Thompson!" Charlie was starting to lose it. "And if we don't do something, they're going to find us with a dead body! We stole a DEAD BODY and they're going to find us with it and THEY'RE GOING TO ARREST US AND WE'RE…"

The sudden quiet was dotted by the arrhythmic beating of raindrops. My mouth was sour. I was beginning to come down.

"Thompson…" Charlie said, barely audible. "It's Emma."

We had been over this in painful detail. Repeatedly. Though in all fairness, never with a body present.

"It's not Emma, Charlie. You know that."

"Then what is it?"

"It's not Emma. She's…"

"It's not me." It was the first Emma had spoken since we'd exited B Level. The sound of her voice was paralyzing. "You know that's not me, Charlie."

"But it looks just like you. Emma. How can it not be you?"

"It's not me. That's all I know."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know. I'm here with you now. That thing is not me."

"How? What are we going to do?"

I answered for Emma. "Get it to the car. And we need to do it soon..."