"...Don't use seven words when three will do. Don't shift your eyes, look always at your mark, but don't stare. Be specific, but not memorable. Funny, but don't make him laugh. He's gotta like you then forget you the moment you've left his sight. And for God's sake, whatever you do, don't, under any circumstances..."

Linus sighed as Rusty walked off. Why had he ever agreed to do this? He sat down on a chair and tossed the briefcase onto the bed. His stomach was already churning and he still had an hour to wait. He was not looking forward to putting on an act for Benedict. He rubbed his face and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

Half an hour later, Rusty wandered into the room and stopped in the doorway, watching Linus. He was sitting on the edge of his chair with his head on his hands, bouncing his knee incessantly. Rusty glanced behind him to see if anyone was listening, then looked back at the kid. Linus still hadn't noticed him standing there. He sighed, then walked over and sat on the bed next to him.

"You're gonna hafta stop that sometime kid," he said softly. Linus looked up quickly, then back at the floor.

"Stop what?"

Rusty reached out and put a hand on Linus's knee to stop its shaking. "That."

Linus bit his lip, shook his head, then looked at Rusty. "I can't do this."

"You'll do fine," said Rusty. "You're the best there is."

Linus looked at him incredulously. "Not at this. Grabbing the codes isn't going to be a problem. The problem is you're expecting me to pretend I'm someone else in front of Benedict, of all people, and do it flawlessly!"

"Grabbing the codes is the hard part. You know everything you could ever need to know about the NGC. You just have to go out there and forget that you are Linus Caldwell. Forget that you are trying to pretend to be someone else. You just have to become someone else. You're going to be nervous the first few times...all of us were. But you'll get used to it. You'll be fine. Just stop thinking about it for now."

Linus sighed and nodded.

Rusty glanced at his watch, then stood up. "You better get going kid," he told him.

Linus grabbed his briefcase and headed for the door. He stopped just outside the door and looked back at Rusty curiously. Rusty stared at him. Linus grinned at Rusy, then left. Rusty stood there staring for a bit, wondering what planet that kid came from. Just then, Ruben came in with a perplexed look on his face.

"Isn't this your wallet?" he asked. Rusty looked at it, quickly felt for it in his pockets, then nodded. "You drop it when you came in or what?" Rusty's brow crinkled as he tried to figure out how he could have dropped it. Then it came to him. He smiled and shook his head. He grabbed the wallet and walked out, leaving Ruben staring after him.

"Damn, that kid is good," Rusty thought.