"I wasn't involved with bringing new people in," he says. "But they're doing good work. I'm glad he's here."

He doesn't dare say it, doesn't want to get Soldat's hopes up (and doesn't want to wish ill fortune on anyone they know, for dying and ending up in Beacon is nobody's idea of a good time), but maybe eventually one of their friends will turn up here too. Maybe it would help them out, having someone familiar to talk to. Who knows.

One flight of stairs down, one more to go. He takes an unsteady step onto that first stair up from the landing, though, and it's going to be some miracle if the food he's carrying survives as he reels backward.