To say that Wrench is surprised might be an understatement. Since his arrival, he’s met more people than he ever could have expected with knowledge of ASL. Yet any time someone raises their hands to respond to him, he finds himself almost knocked off guard by the action. It’s a hard thing to realize that he’s had more conversations since being summoned here than he has in the sum total of the rest of his life. He never could have inspired this kind of effort from the people around him back in Minnesota. Not his family, nor the syndicate.

It’s no problem. The absent reply is so casual it’s almost thoughtless, but there’s an ease that comes with signing back to Claire that might not be quite as evident in the brain texting. He looks more himself when he signs, though when they switch over his eyebrows raise with curiosity.

No, I’m impressed. You learned that yourself?

What does that mean? What did they do for you?