Effie paused to take a sip of water. Damn those rogue scientists. They'd cost her, she was certain; the Malnosso hadn't swooped in to fish her out of their laboratory. That was surely a sign of hesitation.

"Just a bit of a cold, my dear. I'm really tops right now. How are you feeling, hmm?"

Ready to drop dead yet and free up a position? Hmmm?