I've Got the Strangest Feeling This Isn't Our First Time Around

48

"Oh man do I wish I had a camera." Pauline laughs. "The look on Luigi's face when Snoozemore forced him to wear a wire? Priceless."

"And Snoozemore's just making sure he's safe!" Mario agrees. "So by listening from inside this nondescript van, we can hear everything they say in there, and step in if anything happens."

"The Lab has outdone themselves." Pauline gushes. "Infrared sensors, x-rays. Even this!" She kicks a button by her feet. "We could locate anyone within a 10-mile radius that has a phone."

"Would you knock it off already?" Mario says.

"Whatsamatter? Mad we didn't have the kidnapper's van when we were spying on Toadette?" Spike teases, and at Mario's glare, backpedals, "What, too soon?"

" Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. "

"And we're live!" Pauline exclaims, so everyone gathers to listen in.

"You'd better be listening right now." Luigi mutters into the wire. "Cause the second we're done here, it's coming off."

Right then, Nastasia comes in, taking a small bow. "Forgive me for the wait, Mr. Luigi. You've met my assistant, Georgia." As Georgia comes into the room as well.

"I have." Luigi nods.

"I'll be taking notes for Nastasia while she evaluates you." Georgia explains.

"Evaluates me?" Luigi asks.

"Just a precaution to see if you qualify for the program." Georgia assures him.

Luigi points to the chair again. "Did Danny build it himself?"

"Yes." Nastasia confirms. "So. Tell me. What do you remember about the night your parents left you with your foster mom?"

"Nothing. Or anything before it." Luigi says.

"What's the earliest thing you can remember?" Nastasia pushes.

"Wait, Luigi doesn't remember anything from before going to live with his foster mom?" Pauline asks.

"Shush." Spike shushes, focused on listening.

" Being handed over to Molly and told I'm going to live with her..."

"...And crying because I was somewhere new and didn't know where my parents were." Luigi adds.

" You don't remember your parents at all? " The gang hears Nastasia ask. " Not even a goodbye?"

"All I remember is a social worker placing me with Molly, and never seeing anyone so much as claiming to be my parents again after that." Luigi tells her. "How long were you and Danny working together?"

"Why are you so invested in Danny's work?" Nastasia asks instead.

"Because it's a special interest of mine." Luigi says.

"Or you're deflecting because you remember more than you're letting on." Nastasia theorizes.

"No, I don't think so." Luigi waves it off.

"No?" Nastasia seems surprised. "That couldn't have been easy to live with."

"Never said it was." Luigi says. "And not knowing if I'm making the right face..."

"Feeling like some part of me was missing..." As Mario listens, he feels an ache in his chest.