Stein flinched as light flooded the room, throwing his arms up to hide his eyes with a startled noise. He had been in the dark long enough that it took his eyes a few moments to readjust.

He looked up, squinting through his glasses at Birkin.

"Birkin...Birkin, I can see you now. I guess we'd better get started."

He got to his feet and shrugged out of his labcoat, letting it fall to the floor in a heap.