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Yes, of c- [He does a double-take.]

[Connor holds his hands out an makes his eyes even wider. Jason said people like that. He'd look around for Jason, but he's not supposed to. That's the other part of this scam, where Jason pickpockets peoples wallets.]

Connor? Connor Hawke?

[Connor narrows his eyes, and Backs up looking for the best way to run.] Who the hell are you?

I'm... you from the future, I guess. Or a different universe's future, anyway.

I'm sorry, this must sound very strange.

Oh great. I'm in that stupid Hub place again.

Yes, you are. You've been here before?

A few times. Everyone here is weird.

Yeah, it is.

So why, exactly, are you begging?

[Connor rolls his eyes.] Don't tell me I grow up dumb.

[Connor's eyes narrow briefly.]

If you want me to be blunt, I can. You ran away from home, didn't you?

Duh. Like I was going to let them send me to Juvie.

Oh. Oh.

Connor... they weren't going to send you to juvie. They never actually did it for me... for any of us.

Sure. That's totally not why they had a cop standing by while mom talked to the principal.

I don't really remember what happened, but I was never arrested. My mom showed me the Ashram our father studied at for a while, and we went there.

[Eddie blinks blearily at the kid, frowning thoughtfully. There's something familiar about him, but Eddie can't... get through the haze to figure out what it is.]

Uh. Yeah, hang on.

[The chain on Eddie's wallet rattles softly as he digs it out of his pocket and unzips it. He riffles around in it for a second before coming up with a paper bill. He doesn't even look at it before handing it to Connor.]

[It happens to be a fifty.]

[Okay there is no way that the guy meant to hand him that much cash, not that that stops him from pocketing it.] Are you okay, mister?

Yeah, sure. Fine. [He does not look fine.]

You wouldn't happen to know where the St. Elizabeth Mission is, would ya?

I think so. [He does not, and he's a terrible liar, but he figures he should try and get him to the clinic around the corner.]

I figure they won't look for me among the Catholics, you know? Can't let them find me. [Eddie presses a fist to his mouth, then starts chewing lightly on his finger -- hardly aware of it, it seems -- eyes darting around with a weird, nervous energy.]

They think I can't tell, but I know the signs. One of them's been following me since Washington. Keeps changing his hair, but it's him.

[Yeah he definitely needs to drop this one off with Dr. Thompkins. She'll know what to do with him.] Uh, okay, I guess. I think it's over this way.

[Eddie will follow if Connor leads the way. He's acting pretty twitchy, constantly touching one of the pockets of his jacket, and each of his front pants pockets, in sequence. Like he was checking on the contents, and then forgot thirty seconds later that he'd already confirmed they were there.]

[Just a little too much methamphetamine in his system... luckily for Connor, the persecution delusions are mild at the moment.]

[Connor leads him around the corner to the clinic, pausing outside the door, uncertain how to talk the man inside.He looks back the way they cam half hoping to see Jason.] Uh, I gotta stop here real quick. Maybe you should come in too.

[Eddie nods rapidly and ducks inside when Connor suggests it. He immediately heads over to one of the empty waiting room chairs and starts running his hands all over it, as if searching for something. That will occupy him for a little while...]

[Connor heads straight for the desk, having to stand on his toes to really see over the tall counter, nodding at Eddie as he whispers to the man behind the counter about how out of it Eddie has been in the few minutes Connor has interacted with him.]

[Eddie has finally taken a seat, and is tapping his foot in a rapid, arrythmic fashion. No doubt the man behind the counter will noticed how big Eddie's pupils are as he studies him.]

What are we doing here, anyway? Who's this guy, kid?

Uh, I just need to pick up something. For my friend Jason. [He really is such a bad liar, but really he's trying to help. He hopes he's doing the right thing. Jason trusts Dr. Thompkins though, and Connor trusts Jason.THe man behind the counter steps back to talk to one of the nurses.]

Oh. I have a friend Jason too. [Eddie rakes his fingers up, across his lap, from his knees. His hands curl into fists that shake.] But he's better off without me.

Can run all I like but I'll never outrun the truth. Never never never never...

[He trails off a bit, voice going softer. He rocks in his seat, just a little, back and forth.] God, I'm tired.

[Hopefully the nurse and the receptionist take Connor's concerns seriously.]

I'm sure he'd disagree with you. [Connor bites his lip, and glances back to the nurse and receptionist. The nurse is coming around the counter to talk to them.] Maybe you can take a nap here. I know they have beds in the back.

Is it safe? They won't hand me over to the agency?

[Eddie doesn't really notice the nurse approaching. He uncurls his hands and wraps his arms around himself. His fingers dig in hard.] I don't like this.

Jason says it's safe here. I trust him. The people here are good people.

[Eddie nods rapidly.] Okay. Yes.