Hermann's shoulders hunched, cane gripped tighter to his body as Newton's emotions rolled through him. Fury, aggression, frustration, uncertainty.. For a moment, he was braced for the very real possibility of retaliation. It would be cruel, merciless, and nothing he hadn't heard before, but coming from Newton, the words would flay him to the core. It was truly a terrible power they held over each other.

This conversation was far too charged to be held in a taxi, and Hermann prayed the city would be in sight soon. Dread pitted his stomach like a hollow void, hands trembling in the wake of the desperation in Newton's voice.

"I.. I don't. ..Newton." He stopped, swallowing. What could he say? What was the source of all this? How could it be fixed? "I don't want this to end in a nuclear assault." The sentiment both felt and sounded like it had been dragged from his throat.

He winced and forced himself to continue, albeit haltingly. "..This morning.. I'd realized our boundaries had shifted. I suppose I believed I could.. force them back into place."

Only he'd set them at each other's throats instead. His eyes dropped to his lap. "I don't exactly know.. what else to do."