Jedao had a reputation for, as one of his former aides had put it, being expendable enough to send into no-win situations but too stubborn to die.

Teshet then produced a set of restraints from his pockets and gestured at Meng. Meng sighed deeply and submitted to being trussed up. “Don’t look so disappointed,” Teshet said into Jedao’s ear. “I’ve another set just for you.”

He did consider that he could make his mother happy by stealing some pretty little microbes for her, but with his luck they’d turn his testicles inside out.