Thomas Edison felt his age as he sprinted to his apartment. His knees began shooting pain throughout his legs as he bounded up the stairs. Sirens screamed nearby as he unlocked his door and stumbled in. He didn’t even pause to breathe as he ran into his office, gathered up his blueprints, and headed for the oven. Papers tumbled into the oven, and Tom made sure every last piece was in before he poured gasoline on them. With shaking hands, he lit the match and threw it inside. The fire devoured the paper, and for the first time in weeks, Tom allowed himself to relax. Among the blueprints of his inventions were his predictions of where his old roommate was hiding, and he did not want that falling into the wrong hands.

His pursuers rammed against the door over and over, and Tom straightened, a smile crossing his face. As the last of the papers crumbled to ash, he realized it no longer mattered what happened to him now.

The door broke down and he heard shouting. Two Singing Enforcement Agency agents stormed in and grabbed him, pulling him away from the oven. An S.E.A. official grabbed a fire extinguisher and killed the fire. He grumbled as he began his search of Tom’s apartment. Tom felt a peace. The worst of it was destroyed forever. Musical Land would be safe for a little longer.

They forced his hands behind him and he felt them place handcuffs around his wrists.

“No sudden moves, old man,” the agent said.

Tom smiled, feeling strangely jovial at this serious moment. “That’s an oxymoron.”

“Shut up!”

Tom watched as Ben Arnold walked into the apartment. It had been years since he’d seen his old roommate. Ben looked grumpy, and when he saw the black ash coming out of the oven, he got even angrier.

“Would you look at that! President Arnold doesn’t often grace this part of town. To what do I owe this honor?” Tom asked.

Ben glared at him, and Tom glared right back. The S.E.A. official came to Ben’s side, looking nervous.

“He’s burned everything, sir. Not one trace left.”

Ben’s glare darkened. “Where is Nikola Tesla?”

Tom said nothing, his peaceful smile widening. Ben snapped his fingers. One of the agents holding Tom let go and moved in front of Tom. He hit him hard across the face. Tom’s vision turned white before it slowly returned. He reached with his tongue and felt the damage it did to his lip. He was sure a tooth was knocked loose.

“I am putting you under arrest. I’m going to stick you in my cell, and you’re not coming out until you do exactly what I say. Understand?”

Tom began to laugh. “What kind of sorry life do you live, Ben? You’re so paranoid. I was wrong to misjudge Marie. It’s been two months, and that girl’s disappearance caused more chaos than I could ever imagine.”

The agent punched him again. Tom cried out in pain.

“Has it been that long that you’ve forgotten what the old world was like? Do you really want to return to that kind of life?” Ben asked.

Tom shook his head, mainly to get his vision back. “Do whatever you want to me, Ben. My kids and grandkids are long gone now. You can’t threaten me with them anymore.”

“You think that silly underground is going to hide them?” Ben asked. “I will find them, and I will use them against you. Every person has a weakness, Tom.”

Tom couldn’t help but smile. “They’ve gone over the wall.”

Ben kept his stare even, but it was enough for Tom to know his kids would stay safe. He gave Marie specific instructions to find the underground if she were ever in trouble, but hearing she disappeared over the wall made Tom wonder why. She must have discovered something in the S.E.A. that forced her hand. Not only that, Tom couldn’t help but notice no one in the S.E.A. was going over the wall to find her. He told his kids to take their families and go, that whatever was on the other side of the wall would be much safer than living under constant threat here. And it would get worse, he was sure of it. He would have joined them and was planning to as soon as he knew his papers were burned, but he was too late.

“You may have burned your invention blueprints, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still in your memory. You’re going to give them to me, even if it means we force them out of you. And you will tell me everything you know about Nik’s whereabouts.”

Tom gave a pitiful laugh. “You honestly think I’m going to help you find that mad scientist? The world is better off with him not in it.”

Ben glared at Tom one more time.

“Take him to the cells,” Ben said to the guard. “I’m anxious to begin his sessions.”

The guards dragged him outside to the dying light. Tom couldn’t help but memorize every moment of the weak winter sun on his face. He had a feeling he wouldn’t feel it for a long time.