"Neil," he calls again. He's letting his attention get too focused, too narrow a band, and he knows he shouldn't do that but somewhere in the darkness is one of the few people in his life that he'd give anything for, anything at all. "If you can hear me, say something. Say something so we know you're okay."

He's edging down further, slowly, gun raised, but he forgot about the kid on the floor forever ago, and there doesn't seem to be any reason to pay him any more mind.