Seven gathered himself after being shocked by the sound of metal striking metal. He looked at the man’s face and continued his inspection for similar characteristics. Gilbert Andrews was bald; it was difficult to tell if that was by choice or nature. There were a few stubble patches on the man’s head but not enough to determine where his natural hairline would be. His face was pale and clean shaven. He was sixty-five years old, but his face registered a much longer and battered existence. There were deep crevasses extending from just below his nose to the bottom of his jawline. His face was wrinkled and weathered like an old baseball glove. The slight smile revealed his aged and yellow teeth. Beneath all the years and wrinkles Seven could see it. He was looking at his father.
“They tell me you’re my son,” he said. “They tell me a lot of things here; they feed me poison and they are actively trying to kill me. So, I don’t believe anything they tell me.”
“My name is Gilbert Andrews Jr. My mother’s name was Jennifer Denise Andrews; her maiden name was Flowers. I was born July sixth, 1989. My mother died from a brain tumor shorty after I was born. I was raised by my grandparents Patricia and Jessup Flowers. I grew up in Thomasville, Georgia, went to college in Florida, and joined the navy after I graduated. I was a helicopter pilot until an accident where I lost my right leg. I was just recently medically discharged,” Seven announced in a single breath.
The old man stared into Seven’s eyes throughout the monologue. When Seven told him of the helicopter accident, Gilbert pulled his body back away from the table and bent down to look under the table at Seven’s leg. Seven pulled up his right pants leg to expose the metal prosthetic concealed underneath.
Gilbert saw the artificial limb and returned to his seated position. He said nothing and just looked at the man across from him. He too was conducting a thorough inspection of the younger man’s features and mentally comparing them to his own. The similarities were distinct and beyond denial. He was looking at a much younger and healthier version of himself. He trusted absolutely no one but