"Simon," he said finally, exhaling.
"Simon?" I let out a short laugh, unable to help it. "That's the name you're giving me?"
He gave me a sharp look. "Yes."
I folded my arms, my voice openly skeptical. "You don't look like a Simon."
He gave another of those shrugs, swiveling his gaze towards me.
"Deal with it," he said. He smiled wanly, but it didn't touch his eyes.
"Okay." I leaned deeper into the couch cushions, folding my arms. "So, I guess I should also tell you that I'm really exhausted...Simon. What do you want to talk about that can't wait for a shower, some aspirin, a few hours of sleep and about a gallon of coffee? Or do you figure I'm going to skip town before you can corner me again?"
His smile faded. I saw the tenseness there again, just before he gestured again vaguely with the same hand.
"All right," he said. "I have a problem."
"Really," I said. "Worse than being tied to a log and nearly burned to death?"
"Different," he said, giving me another sideways look.
When he didn't say anything more, I sighed again, pointedly that time. "Care to elaborate on how this problem relates to me? I'm seriously about to drop."
The man calling himself Simon folded his arms, facing me. His eyes were serious now. I noticed his accent was a bit stronger again, too.
"This was a big mistake for me," he said. "The whole thing." As if seeing the puzzlement in my eyes, he added, by way of clarification, "...An accident, Allie. One I'd prefer my handlers didn't know about. At least not in full."
"My not burning to death was your 'mistake'?" I repeated slowly. "Which part?"
"All of it."
"And this was somehow your fault? Not the fault of the whackos who did it?"
He smiled faintly. "I'm fairly sure they intended to tie you to that log."
When I frowned, opening my mouth to speak, he waved away my words, his smile fading once more.
"...I meant that it was a mistake I didn't realize how dangerous they were," he said. "It was a mistake that I failed to recognize their intent sooner...or the extent of their resources. It was an even bigger mistake that I didn't see you leave the club, and that I let them get their hands on you." He gave me an apologetic look. "...And it was a mistake that I let you ID me, Allie."
Seemingly oblivious to my stare, he blew out his cheeks a little, making that soft clicking noise again as his eyes returned to the fire.