Duncan slides into his seat at the posh restaurant, noting the apparent affluence of the surrounding patients. Duncan will never have the kind of money most of these people have.

He's a freelance journalist. And not even a well-paid one. He's a bottom of the rung freelance newspaper journalist. Not magazines, newspapers. The media breed that's dying faster than talk radio.

"You seem nervous," the dark-haired woman sitting before him says.

"Do I?" Duncan says.

"Is this your first time?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine. I've done this before."

"I wasn't worried about you," she says coolly. "I was worried that you might screw up this article. I am not from the school of people who believe that even bad press is good press."

Duncan nods. "No, of course not."

He digs into his knapsack and removes a notepad, ready to scribble down his subject's every word. He can tell by the daggers she's staring at him that she'll probably want to even check his notes before he writes the article's first draft.

"Let's talk about a few of the projects your publishing company has on hand?"

As the business woman drones on, Duncan scribbles notes while taking brief sips from the water in front of him. Halfway through the interview, he's suddenly unable to breathe.

He drops his pen and grasps at his neck.

"What in the hell is wrong with you? Are you even listening to me?"

"I can't..." Duncan struggles to speak. "I can't...breathe..."

He collapses and tumbles out of his seat. It takes a few moments for the businesswoman to react, but she eventually reaches for her phone in order to call 911.

As Duncan's plight draws the attention of the restaurant's patrons, a man rushes out of the crowd to appear at Duncan's side.

The man raises a hand to keep everyone at bay, "Don't worry, I'm a doctor!"

He peers into Duncan's eyes, smiling briefly. Duncan, barely conscious, catches sight of the man and realizes that he recognizes the man. And he's certainly one of the last people Duncan expected to see in King's Bay.

"Doctor...Doctor Collins?"

"It's okay, Duncan," Collins whispers. "This will all be over soon."

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