Hakuba's voice was calm, "I wasn't aware about all the capacity of the ZERO system, when I discovered it I decided to stop it." Hakuba paused, thinking of the 27 bones that composed the hand, the carpals, metacarpal,the phalanges. His hand was swell and bruised, but not bleeding...much. The skin was scratched and Hakuba wondered about if he was going to need a tetanus shot. To reduce swelling, he moved the injured hand above the level of his heart. The tense silence held until the boy continued.

"I don't work for you, I'm not from your world, and I don't live here. I don't need to justify my acts or decisions." He looked at Zechs for a moment. Now the other man was thinking that Hakuba did all this only because Tyki told him to watch over him, and that annoyed the detective. He looked back at Rufus.

"Not to no one except myself."Hakuba said very quietly. "How long you been there anyway?"