"Well, obviously, you'll go to Paris, then," said Charlie irritably when they told him what happened. "Both of you," he added with a significant look at his son. Abe opened his mouth to object, but Charlie wouldn't hear it. "I'll be fine without you, doctor. Her on the other hand--she needs to stay alive."

Ava rolled her eyes. "You might be able to send him on assignments," she snapped, "but I don't work for you, okay? I want the watch. You know it's mine. The bottles are gone; the plans are screwed. So hand it over."

Charlie chuckled. "Fine," he said, annoyingly amused. "Have it." He tossed the golden pocket watch across the room, and it landed on the cushion beside her with a soft thud. He stared at her expectantly, tapping his foot and enjoying her hesitation. "Got big plans for it, do you?" he sneered. "Going to wind it up some more and get my dead plants to flicker on the walls?"