Iman follows them with growing concern. He's really not acting normal, he's acting - well, human, more than when he just pulls from someone, he's responding to her with a bit more depth than she's seen before. His chameleon, meanwhile, is just as insufferably emotionless as he is in his baseline state.

"You don't know that," she insists. "You never tried, did you? Never considered talking to anyone, being honest with anyone. Humans have empathy, Rashad, it's one of our big important defining traits. More of us know the truth about you, and it's gonna spread and you'll be shit outta luck then, won't you? Unless you shape the fuck up."

Aqil takes flight again, landing on a nearby branch to study Rashad and his companion.

"Did something happen to you?" he asks.