Dr. Kang sure does get a lot of visitors, Aiko thought idly as she buzzed in the latest one.

Dr. Dresden, wearing a pretty new face, walked into the sterile white room and took a seat at the table across from Dr. Kang. She always enjoyed speaking to people wearing prison uniforms from the freedom-side of a force field.

"Hello Heliodore," she said, really sinking her teeth into the greeting.

"I have to admit," said Dr. Kang "As mad as I am at you right now, framing me for killing Dr. Po was a nice touch. I always did admire your poet's soul."

"Well I try," said Dr. Dresden, blushing and genuinely flattered in spite of herself "I'm so glad we can still be amicable about all this. Just because we're trying to destroy one another doesn't mean we can't still be friends."

"I'm not trying to destroy you, Dr. Dresden," said Kang "I'm just trying to survive and continue my work."

"More fool you then," said Dresden "We're admitted the other you to the council, by the way."

She smiled and batted her eyelashes.

"I had deduced that already," said Kang.

Dresden snorted with derision.

"You and your wild ass guesses. You're wrong as often as you're right."

"Everyone remembers the hits and forgets the misses," said Kang.

Dr. Dresden laughed at the line. She really did miss all this.

"It's unfortunate it's come to this," said Dresden "You always were my favorite toy."

"You could still call it all off," said Kang.

They both shared a laugh.

"By the way," said Dresden, sweetly "I'm going to see to it that your whore dies in prison. At first I was going to just kill her and tell you about it but then I decided no. She should live a long, long life. In prison."

"You'll never pin her down long enough," said Kang "Do you know why? Because you underestimate her. You think I'm just a perverted old man but I see the same thing in her that you saw in me."

"Who says I ever saw you as anything more than eye candy?" asked Dresden, cocking her head.

"An objective assessment of my appearance," said Kang.

"Well," laughed Dresden "You've aged terribly."

"So have you gotten any further with Project Apotheosis without half the greatest minds of our age?" asked Dr. Kang.

Dresden's look darkened.

"You're on thin Ice, Heliodore," she said.

"What are you going to do? Frame me for a second murder? You can't threaten me anymore. We're both all in at this point," said Kang.

"There's a lot you still have to lose-" began Dresden.

Kang ignored her.

"Do you think there's even a chance now that you'll finish the project in your lifetime? Just think, after all this time your work will just be for the benefit of others."

"I'm going to live forever, Heliodore," sneered Dresden.

"You won't die of old age, but someone or something will kill you," said Kang, matter-of-factly "And let's face it, it'll be someone."

Dr. Dresden stood from the table.

"Have a nice life, Heliodore. What remains of it," she said, disdainfully.

She began to walk away.

"Remember that, Dresden," Kang yelled after her "I'm the one in prison but I still won. I don't care if you rule the whole galaxy from the shadows, nobody can best Dr. Heliodore Kang!"

He would have yelled more but the door shut behind her.

"I'm finished," he said, standing, then added "Take me back to my cell," as though he had a choice.