The sheer force of Xander''s presence sent a shiver down Shawn''s spine. His hand trembled, and his phone ttered to the floor.


    "Bro, listen to me, I—"


    This was a nightmare. He was going to lose his mind.


    "Yvonne! Yvonne, help me!"


    Seeing the look in Xander''s eyes, Shawn was sure his brother was about to murder him. He cast a desperate, pleading look at Yvonne.


    Yvonne, however, just crossed her arms and watched the drama unfold. She was still furious, so there was no way she was going to stick up for Shawn.


    Shawn was thrown out the door and got a couple of solid punches for his trouble. The pain made his face twist. "Ah... this is so unfair."


    "Don''t... don''t hit me again!"


    Just as Xander was about tond another blow, Shawn threw himself forward and wrapped his arms around Xander''s long leg.


    "Bro, I swear I didn''t know! I''m really losing it! I need a doctor more than Yvonne does right now!"


    What aplete disaster. Xander had told him to find a psychiatrist, and he''d brought back one of the doctor''s patients. He remembered the long conversation he''d had with the guy in the car... Shawn wanted to curl up and die. How could he have talked to him for that long and not noticed a single thing was wrong? He hadn''t seen any sign that the man was a patient.


    Xander picked up the scalpel the patient had left behind and held it near Shawn''s face.


    "Tell me, what exactly are you good for, huh?"


    "This is so unfair," Shawn whimpered.


    "*You* think this is unfair?"


    Xander let out a cold, humorlessugh at Shawn''s im.


    That was thest straw for Shawn. He broke downpletely, sobbing. "It is unfair!


    I didn''t see anything wrong with him the whole way here! Just kill me now and get it over with!"


    "Your intelligence level is..."


    "I have no intelligence! You''ve been saying it for years!" Shawn finished the sentence for him.


    Xander scoffed. "At least you''re self-aware, huh?"


    Shawn was a blubbering mess, crying his eyes out. He''d never felt so monumentally stupid in his entire life. What did this make him? Aplete moron? Yes. Today, his actions had been certifiably idiotic. Getting beaten up by his brother was one thing, but he was more furious with himself for being so blind.


    ...


    Xander finally let up after giving Shawn a decent thrashing. He stood up. "Go find Finley."


    "No, bro, please!"


    Shawntched onto Xander''s leg again. "Bro, I''m innocent!"


    "Innocent? Is that because you''re not smart enough to be guilty?"


    "Yeah, that''s it," Shawn nodded eagerly.


    "Then go train your brain in the Muliba Desert."


    "How is a desert supposed to train my brain? don''t want to go!" That godforsaken ce. Just hearing that it never rained there was enough to know it was wastnd. He''d have to be out of his mind to go there


    Xander''s voice was ice. "That''s where Mr. Quinn trains his people. Are you questioning his methods?"


    "I wouldn''t dare!" Who would ever dare to question a decision made by Mr. Quinn?


    "Then..."


    "I''m not going!"


    Shawn shook his head frantically. No matter what, he wasn''t going to that hellhole.


    ...


    In the end, Shawn''s pathetic sobbing managed to get him off the hook.


    Xander returned to the presidential


    Le


    suite one was still standing by the doonin the same position, her arms crossed.


    Xander sighed and shrugged. "Can you believe that kid? What a mess he made."


    He moved to put his arm around her shoulders, but Yvonne sidestepped him, avoiding his embrace.


    Xander paused. "Hey..."


    Yvonne just stared at him, her displeasure clear without a single word.


    Xander felt a pang of regret. Maybe he shouldn''t have let Shawn off so easily. He should have just twisted his head off.


    He gently pulled Yvonne into a hug. "Come on, babe, don''t be mad, okay?"


    Yvonne snorted. "That''s the same thing you said to coax me into seeing that ''doctor.""


    Xander froze.