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Rule 39	By : grimreaperchibi Category: +G through L > Jak & Daxter Views: 3979 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Jak & Daxter, nor the places, people, or objects within. I make no money writing this.

Chapter List
- 9
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- 11
A/N: Shameless plug time! grimreaperchibi.tumblr.com/post/42139399107/rule39-playlist
Dove_the_Unoriginal: Actually, Neko Case has never done anything for me, but thank you for the suggestions. Please see the above for what I've been listening too consistenly while working on this project. And yes, Razer having a pet name for Phoenix was actually one onf my requirements for taking on this part of the story. It's kind of an in-joke that made me happy to include.
Xionamine: All things considered, Razer should probably be the last person anyone goes to for advice about much of anything. His method of dealing with stuff tends to be either ignore it or run it over, which I wholy recommend as not an appropriate way of dealing with the world.
Donalgraeme: Don't worry. Happy endings are something of a requirement of mine. There will be hell between here and there, because I tend to abuse the characters I love, but there will be a happy ending. That I can promise.
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Rule #14: If someone has the upper hand, break it.
“Fight in the parking lot!”
Phoenix wasn’t even half dressed when the cry rang through the locker rooms. His head jerked up just like nearly everyone else’s. A couple people managed to get questions out, mostly “Who?” or “What?” They were ignored as the mostly unspoken rule of camaraderie kicked in hard, fueled by the excitement for the coming game, driving those still left behind to storm out. Phoenix got his pants on just in time to catch up with Jak and Sig as some of the last ones out. The coach jumped a railing and the two of them followed, taking a short cut that would end closer to the parking lot that the main entrance. They popped out of a side door just as the bulk of their team was immerging from the front.
The first thing he saw was Razer’s car and a group of cheerleaders huddled near it, which was weird enough to make him stop and stare. And then he saw Razer stumble as he took a blow to the back of the head by the heaviest guy on the team. The stumble became a controlled lunge, and then a swift series of kicks against the tight end throwing punches in front of him. Another flurry of punches and the hard crack of wood dropped the second opportunistic assailant. He watched his roommate twirl and flex around further aggression from other teammates in ways he’d never seen before, dealing retribution with his own hands and feet and that ever-moving baton in his grasp. But it wasn’t until Jak’s half mumbled, “Isn’t that…?” that it finally clicked. The fight in the parking lot was his team versus his roommate. And Razer, while giving them a run for their money, was still losing.
Sig roared for a stop. The bellow brought quite a few people to instant attention, but there were still more who never slowed down. A glance at Jak was all that was needed. Completely heedless of the fact that he was barefoot, shirtless and his hair was streaming free, Phoenix dodged around his teammates, his legs taking him further and faster than it felt like they had ever before. Jak yelped something, but he couldn’t hear it, just like he couldn’t feel the cold because the whole of his attention was focused on Razer. He could only see half of the other’s face as he turned through another set of swings and kicks. Belatedly, Phoenix realized it was because there was blood streaking down, starting to soak the front of his jacket and shirt, lending a wild, nearly feral look to him. Between that, his bared teeth, and the weapon in his hand, Razer was a dark force of nature, every inch the powerful baron he had been raised as. He was stunning in total spite of the circumstances…or precisely because of them. It was hard to tell.
The thought process was fleeting, however. Phoenix slammed through the rough circle surrounding his roommate, Jak on his heels. Razer pulled up short on one of his advances, the beautifully cold brutality on his face replaced by confusion and wariness. He wasn’t the only one who looked confused as to why the lead quarterback and running back were standing across from them. There was a second, much closer thundering shout from Sig just as the screech of sirens pierced the cold afternoon air. Seeing the two of them standing in defense caused some of their teammates to switch sides, turning to stall out some of the others who were still too bullheaded to stand down. The all-out fight turned into a wrestling match, though no one was sure who they were supposed to be supporting or stopping anymore. The coach broke it up from there, directing some to help those on the ground back up, others to detain the girls, and almost everyone else to clear the hell off and out of the way.
Phoenix turned to look at Razer as campus security screeched onto the scene barely half a second later. He started to protest when guns were pulled before he realized his roommate was the only one wielding a weapon of his own. Razer straightened up, raising his hands in surrender and letting the tree branch tumble from his grasp before the order to comply was even shouted. He didn’t fight the handcuffs that came next. Their eyes caught briefly; was that regret in those suddenly dull green eyes, or just weariness? Sig pushed him out of the way with a quiet order to get back into the locker rooms and finish getting dressed. Then Jak was pulling at his arm, leading him one way while Razer went in the other.
“Do you have any idea what the hell that was about?” Jak asked once they were beyond the crowd.
“Not a bloody clue,” he said, finally starting to rush back toward the building. “But I intend to find out.”
His hurry was for naught. Even by leaving most of his stuff behind, by the time Phoenix made it back outside, campus security was collecting the last of the witness statements and Razer was nowhere to be seen, already moved to the security station with everyone else directly involved. The remaining officers took some interest when told he was a roommate, but after some mundane questioning, he was no closer to understanding what had happened than he had been. Frustration warred with blatant anger as he was once more pushed aside and held back. How was he supposed to help if no one would tell him what the hell was wrong?
“Cool it, chili pepper,” Sig said, a heavy hand landing none too gently on his shoulder. “I don’t need two more men involved in this mess.”
“We’re already involved,” Jak countered, which was kind of surprising given how everyone was still coolly civil to each other since the whole cleaning closet incident. The support was much appreciated at the moment, though. “Razer’s our friend and that was our team trying to flatten him. You don’t get much more involved than we are.”
“We’re not having this conversation out in the open,” their coach eventually rumbled back, apparently at a lost on how to say no to them. He glanced around to note who might be paying attention. “My office. Ten minutes. And don’t you dare bring anyone else who’s ‘involved.’”
Ten minutes was going to be hell to wait through, but it was a place to start. It gave Phoenix something to focus on, which in turn helped focus everything else. When the internal squabble finally broke down into what could and could not happen yet, he went to work on the things he could do something about. Namely, saving Razer’s car from being towed since the insanely protective idiot had parked his pride in a fire lane—which meant he’d been waiting, not expecting to stay long. But why had he been there in the first place? Another question that wouldn’t be answered any time soon.
He filed it away so that he could focus on charming his way past the officer guarding said car. It really wasn’t a lie to say that the owner of the vehicle had been detained longer than initially planned and that Phoenix was doing him a favor by moving it. It just wasn’t the whole truth, either. The gamble that the keys were still in the ignition, thus proving intent not to park, worked. The public safety officer let him slide behind the wheel and move the car to a proper parking spot. He made sure the student parking sticker was visible, took care in locking everything up, and smiled at the officer who was still watching him like a hawk. All in all, it was a small thing that took up a good chunk of time. He still ended up pacing in the coach’s office for what felt like hours.
“Sit,” the large man ordered as he walked in, “or I tell you nothing.” Phoenix sat just enough for the act to be considered sitting, earning a disapproving stare until he finally leaned back in the chair. At last pleased with the level of compliance, Sig started talking.
“They accused him of what?!” Phoenix exploded, on his feet against in an instant. “That’s fucking ridiculous!!”
“I see your butt outta that chair again before I kick it outta here and you’re gonna be on permanent suspension, you hear me?” Sig snarled back, also drawing up to his full height. “Now sit your skinny ass down and pay attention.”
Jak yanked him back into his seat. “All due respect, sir, but Phoenix is right. Accusing Razer of attempted rape is ridiculous.”
“Look, you two, I know he’s your friend. But even the best of friends can hide things from each other. You’ve only known each other for a couple months now. Can you really say that with absolute certainty? That it’s totally beyond the realm of possibility?”
“Yes,” Phoenix snapped instantly. “He wouldn’t do it.”
He was given a skeptical look. “And why is that, exactly?”
“Because he hates women,” was out of his mouth before the often ignored voice of discretion could stop it. However, he had shock value and truth on his side, so he continued. “He’d rather violently eviscerate himself in public with a butter knife than take one, even in a rage.”
“Well, that’s a horrifyingly graphic image.” Sig shook his head and relaxing a bit. “For your sake, I hope you’re right. With any luck, we’ll know sooner than later.” He rubbed a tired hand over his face. “Never thought I’d say it, but it makes me glad we had those vandals a few years back. Got the school to put up cameras all across the lot. I’m sure they got the whole thing from six different angles. The ones closest to the building even have sound.” He shot them a sharp look. “Nobody knows that except us three, got it?” There were assenting nods. “Good. Now go back to your dorm rooms and stay there.”
“You can’t be serious!”
“You want us to do nothing?”
“I can appreciate your conviction, but I am serious and nothing’s exactly what you need to do. Rape is a serious charge and I do not need the two of you caught up in the middle of that. Not with half my team already strung up by their good intentions. Since you are friends, it’ll come back to bite you harder than anyone else if this all goes south. Do yourselves a favor by not meddling further.”
They were kicked out of the office shortly thereafter. Begrudgingly, they picked up their stuff and started the trek across campus. Mindful of the cameras, they were well away before Phoenix spoke up. “Like hell I’m not going to do something,” he growled.
“But what exactly are we going to do?”
“Not sit around with my thumbs up my arse, for starters—”
Jak finally got in his way, forcing him to stop. “Phoenix, I know you’re upset, but we can’t just go running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We need to think about this.”
“That’s the thing; I have.” He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “This isn’t just about him being accused of something he’d never do. This is about protecting everything that’s going to be destroyed because of that accusation. Things like that don’t just go away or disappear even if someone’s innocent. He damn near kills himself to stay in the school’s good graces as it is. This is going to murder him.”
“Hey, I come from a tiny community,” Jak replied. “Believe me, I know how badly false rumors can screw someone’s life up. But you haven’t told me what we’re doing yet to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
He didn’t know. That was most of the problem and the dread that had turned into a solid lump in his stomach. He didn’t know what could be done, if anything at all. But he’d never been the type to just sit around waiting, either. There had to be someone— “What time is it?” he asked suddenly.
Jak frowned and pulled out his phone. “A little after four.”
It was a shot in the dark, but, “I need to call my dad.” Phoenix turned abruptly and started for the dorms, Jak two steps behind him.
“Can’t that wait?”
“He’s a barrister…a lawyer,” he explained before the inevitable question was asked. “I know the details will be different, but it’s a place to start.” He glanced over. “You don’t have to do any of this, you know. He’s my roommate. No need to risk both our necks for a long shot.”
A large grin was the response. “Are you kidding? Long shots are what we’re good at. And I’ve always wanted to be one of ‘those meddling kids.’”
“Says the one who helped put boosters on a tractor.”
“No, that’s a ‘damn crazy kids’ thing. Totally different.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh. “If you say so, mate. If you say so.”
In the first stroke of luck all evening, Phoenix’s father was both home and free to talk. After many reassurances that no, he was not the one in trouble, options were laid out for what could be done next. Until actual charges were filed, there was very little to do except inform and prepare. That didn’t stop either of them. The next several hours were spent running between administration offices, making phone calls and filling out paperwork. They split up numerous times, waiting and backtracking, trying to catch people who were getting ready to end their day. Time crawled and flew by at random increments until suddenly, it was nine at night and there was nothing left to do except wait. Jak hung on for another hour before finally calling it quits. He had enough problems with his earliest class without adding sleep deprivation to the list. After promising an update as soon as something changed, Phoenix was left to pace alone.
It was just before midnight when his fidgets got the better of him again. The need for movement had him physically calling on the campus security station once more to see how long they were going to hold Razer, only to be informed that he’d been taken to the hospital for treatment. That was terribly irritating, since he’d been to the station no less than four times already, made dozens of phone calls, and yet no one had thought to inform him about the imminent release. At least the trip wasn’t a total waste; it did get the final bit of paperwork submitted and Razer’s all clear settled. He shot a quick text to Jak as he took off towards the hospital across from campus. The hundredth run across the grounds was done on a bad combination of elation and desperation.
Heart beating a little too fast for the effort put into his run, the good fortune stalled out at the emergency room check-in desk. He was sent about six different places before finally ending up where he needed to be…a minute too late. Razer had already been discharged and was gone. To make matters more miserable, the weather had finally turned and started to dump snow, rapidly covering the world in blinding white. It was enough to make even his raw determination flag, but Phoenix refused to just stop. His roommate couldn’t have gotten that far yet. He might not have a clue which direction Razer had taken, but a glance in any one would prove right or wrong at this point.
Finally, another break. The first choice was also the right one. He nearly tackled the other, partly because of the slippery sidewalk and partly because he was just that damn happy to see the man. A part of him even wanted to twirl Razer around, something that just wasn’t possible at the moment without threatening to put them both back into the emergency room. He settled for hauling his roommate into a kiss instead, which was exceptionally short lived. Razer jerked away with a hiss, glaring balefully.
“For the love of God, what is wrong with you?” he snapped, a bandaged hand coming up to delicately press to his lip.
Phoenix blinked—that was not the reaction he had been expecting. Though now that he considered it, he wasn’t sure what would have been an appropriate answer. “I was worried about you,” he responded a bit helplessly.
“And that gives you the right to maul me?” was the acidic retort. “I assure you that was not the first fight I’ve taken part in, nor will it be my last. I was fine then and am perfectly fine now.”
Razer was far from fine; the sudden sptting aggression was only proof of that. Not that it was all that surprising when Phoenix thought about it. He took a second to actually look at the other. The blood that had covered his face had been washed away, revealing the dark bruising underneath, swollen and angry and clearly defining exactly what had caused it. His eye was particularly unhappy looking, black and nearly swollen shut. There were stitches in his lip as well as a couple butterfly closures across his nose and temple. As angry as he appeared, there was also something tired and downtrodden about the careful way he held himself, making Phoenix wonder: How many other bruises were hidden under his clothes? What kinds of injuries were concealed by the bandages that could be seen? What kinds of injuries had been left untreated because they weren’t physical?
“I know you can take care of yourself,” he said gently, trying to edge around the defensiveness rather than incite it. “You did a bloody good job of it this afternoon.” That earned a snort. “Hey, not many have the guts to stand up against one man, let alone forty-six.”
“Yes, for all that fool-hardy bravery has done for me.” Razer looked away, choosing instead to stare at his bandaged hands. “Though I don’t know which of us is the bigger fool for trying to indulge it.”
Okay, that meant something, but a quick review of everything he knew didn’t yield an answer. Phoenix frowned, unsure of what it was exactly that he was looking for. “…What?”
He was glared at out of the corner of the good eye. “In all the questions that you have asked yourself tonight, did it ever occur to you to ask why? Why me? Why then? Why there?” The look turned assessing. “Crossed your mind and then out the window, too busy running around to take a moment and actually think the whole thing through. Allow me to save you the trouble—I am the obstruction that stood between someone and the thing they wanted. When she couldn’t break me, she tried to provoke me, to tear us both down. And when that didn’t work, she screamed the only word no do-gooder jock would ever turn away from.” Razer’s lips twisted into a sneer. “I accepted the end that would come from my actions, but you couldn’t leave it alone. Instead, everything I risked to keep you out and away from this mess was rendered pointless because you went and made yourself my loudest defender.”
It took a couple minutes for all that to sink in, the order of events gradually working themselves into a meaningful pattern. And then the horrible conclusion hit him. “Wait…this happened because of me?”
“You sound so surprised, but the responsibility hardly rests upon your shoulders.” Razer daubed at his lip again, which was apparently still oozing slightly. “I was a convenient target. In the wrong place at the wrong time, so to speak. If it hadn’t been me, then it probably would have been the girlfriend of the next man in line. Her guess was nothing more; simply a guess that happened to be true.” A small, self-depreciating smile appeared as he took in Phoenix’s evident confusion. “You still don’t understand, do you? She couldn’t have you, so she was going to slander your name to the whole school. Me as well, I suppose, since I wouldn’t give her what she wanted. By dawn, it would have been all over campus that one of the rising stars of the best team this school has seen in years was in an illicit relationship with his roommate. It just never got that far.”
Now Phoenix really did frowned. “But we are in a relationship.”
Razer’s ears slicked back in annoyance. “A triviality that has no bearing on the kind of damage such information would cause. You’re a hero to these people, thanks in no small part to Torn’s insufferable need to prove he’s better than his female counterpart. And people around here do not take kindly to the defamation of heroes, the truth be damned. Do you really think your team would just shrug and move on with life when confronted by something like that?”
“Honestly, I don’t give a damn what the team would think,” Phoenix said, clamping his hands down on the other’s shoulders. “It’s none of their bleeding business who I sleep with or who I don’t. And anyone who wants to make it their business can damn well sod off. I got here because of football; I’m not staying because of it. They can’t deal with my life choices, then they don’t respect or need me that much.” He leaned forward a bit with a smile. “Besides, who was the one telling me self-sacrifice was noble, but ultimately pointless?”
Razer just stared at him with that same mixture of confusion and wariness from earlier that afternoon. There was even a bit of a break behind it, something he couldn’t control because suddenly, he was looking away again. “You’re talking nonsense and I am too tired and in too much pain to deal with,” he waved a hand airily between them, “whatever this is right now. If you would please, just let me—”
“I took care of it.” He received another confused look. “Your release has been signed and sealed, an injunction has been filed with the school, motions to suppress have been delivered, your teachers have been informed of your absence for the rest of the week and your car’s parked legally for the night. Did I forget something?” Razer opened his mouth, but his eyes unfocused and he swayed dangerously on his feet instead. Phoenix made sure he was steady before gently tugging him in the direction of the dorms. “Come on. You can yell at me for whatever it is later. Let’s call it a night.”
There was no argument, a testament to how out of it the other was. Not a word was spoken for being treated like thin glass, or for the steadying arm that remained secured around the waist, or even the gentle coaxing Phoenix kept up during their long walk. Whatever the hospital had given Razer for pain had apparently started to kick in hard, leaving him leaning even more heavily upon Phoenix as they approached the dorms. By the time they reached the elevator, it seemed like standing was all his roommate could do. He took the moment to text Jak again, cringing slightly at the hour. Hopefully he wasn’t waking anyone up.
He need not have worried, apparently, as the elevator chimed for the third floor and the doors opened to, “Holy shit! You look like you got hit by a shuttle bus!”
Daxter’s little outburst made him wince in secondary embarrassment and he could feel Razer flinch as well. If his hands hadn’t already been full, Phoenix probably would have joined Jak for a facepalm times two combo.
“Way to be tactful, Dax. Nice job with that,” the blond groaned.
The little outburst did seem to have an unintended effect. Razer straightened up a bit, managing to catch at least a trace of his usual bravado as he attempted to glare in Daxter’s general direction. “I believe the saying goes, ‘you should have seen the other fellows.’ Ever charming as usual, miscreant.” Slightly slurred and lacking almost all venom, the words fell somewhat flatly. It must have been Phoenix’s own exhaustion kicking in, because it was absurdly funny that even though Razer didn’t have the strength to fight with him, he did still have enough to trade insults with the redhead. And there was something comforting in that fact as well, making him laugh.
“I’m afraid I have to back that boast, Daxter,” Phoenix interjected, before the two could really get started. “I shudder to think how many players he singlehandedly banished to the injury bench for the rest of the season.” He readjusted his grip and eased his roommate into motion again. “All right, then, mate. Back to the room with you. Almost there, now.”
The walk down the hallway seemed to take even longer than the walk to the building, but that may have just been because Jak was shadowing their steps this time, practically radiating worry like a mother hen. A part of Phoenix wanted to soothe his friend, the rest of him was too occupied with getting Razer into bed before he completely collapsed. He was only half listening as Jak and Daxter argued over something as he tried to get his keys without letting his roommate crash to the floor. Thankfully, the right key appeared with only some minor juggling needed, so his attention jump just in time to catch, “--I’ve got a bunch of ice packs in our freezer. Want them, Phoenix?”
It took a second for the query to really register. “If you won’t be needing them, I’m sure we can put them to good use.”
The door swung in with a sigh of relief. He heard Razer’s breath catch as he was helped down onto his bed and for a moment, Phoenix wondered if he was going to remain upright long enough to get ready for bed. Jak and Daxter made their goodnights with grace and good timing, leaving them alone once more. Razer growled quietly when asked if he needed help undressing, which was enough of a response that he let the other peel out of his nearly ruined clothes alone while he made his pre-sleep run through the bathroom. Desperately ready for his own bed at this point, Phoenix hurried through the motions and returned to find his roommate already curled into bed and asleep for all intents and purposes. Not that Phoenix could fault him—the day had been excessively long and both physically as well as emotionally demanding. Sleep was probably the best medicine Razer could take right then.
A smile crept onto his face. Even beaten to hell and back, there was something beautiful about the other when he relaxed and dropped the aloof act, a presence that only rarely showed through during the waking hours. Not that the almost demonic level of self-possession and strength of will seen during the fight hadn’t been heart-stoppingly magnificent to behold, nor the resulting punch in the gut lust something to ignore. But these quiet moments, when he slept, or honestly laughed, or was still caught in the afterglow, there was more than the fire spike of arousal warming the blood, captivating far beyond the single moment witnessed. It was too bad Razer tried so hard to stifle this side of himself. If these tiny glimpses were so alluring, what was it like when the walls fell completely down?
No regrets, regardless of how the rest of the week turned out, Phoenix decided, even if it was bit after the fact. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he barely noticed leaning down to brush a stray piece of hair from that bruised face until Razer’s hand flashed out, stopping his from pulling away. Exceptionally tired, glassy green eyes opened to look at him for a moment. The hand on his wrist tightened as they slid closed again.
“Stay,” he said softly.
Between the tremble in the hand and the almost plaintive tone of voice, Phoenix found no other answer to give. “Yeah, sure. Give me a tick.” Razer made a noise that was vaguely understanding and let go. Phoenix stripped out of his own clothes and turned out the light before carefully crawling into the lower bunk. It was a bit surreal; he’d never been invited into the space beyond the purposes of sex before. Sure, they’d lie together for a while afterwards, but they’d always slept in their own spaces at the end of the night.
Razer had already shifted to the far side, leaving as much room as possible for Phoenix to slip into. A bit of a tight fit for two guys as tall as they were, but it wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable or even all that cramped. In fact, it was almost second nature the way their legs ended up twining together, bodies settling solidly into one another. There wasn’t even that awkward moment of trying to figure out whose arms went where. Razer simply pulled the arm he wanted where he wanted it, then curled into the embrace he’d created, erasing all doubt about what exactly had been requested. It felt good to pull him close and just hold, to feel an arm wrap around his waist in return and warm breath wash across his throat.
“Thank you.” The words drifted, soft and fragile in the dark. “For everything tonight. There was no need to do any of it.”
He shrugged a bit, adjusting his hold. “No worries. It’s the least I could do.”
“No, it was much more than the least. And I am grateful to you for it.” Tender lips found his in a soft kiss. “Thank you.”
Phoenix dipped his head and caught Razer in another kiss before he could pull back too far. Gently, ever mindful of the surgical wire, it deepened, never reaching that hot, desperate edge their kisses usually strove for, yet lacking nothing for it. This time, the relief was accepted, the worry that had so dominated the evening melting under the hand slowly petting the small of his back and the warmth of their combined body heat.
It was so tempting to push just that little bit further, to follow through with the natural reaction being this close was stirring up. There was absolutely no way Razer could handle that kind of attention in any form right now. Not when he could barely press back into their kiss, the normal demanding nature diminished to a token resistance. So Phoenix let it go, letting his lips brush over a slightly warm forehead instead, before the desire for more pushed further then they could go.
Apparently equally reluctant to let it go, Razer made a disappointed sound and very purposefully moved his hand to more neutral territory. “I warn you in advance, this will probably be an uncomfortable night for you. I do not let others stay in my bed because I tend to molest them even in my sleep.”
Somehow, that wasn’t much of a surprise, given that slow slide of the once-moved hand already in progress. “I’ll take my chances,” Phoenix chuckled, “and deal with the consequences in the morning.” He pressed another kiss to his roommate’s forehead. “Go to sleep, you dummy.”
Something petulant was muttered even as Razer’s breathing slowed and deepened. Tense muscles relaxed, settled, became heavy as sleep quickly took hold. Fingers continued to move against Phoenix’s side in a slow, lightly kneading fashion that was strangely endearing. He laid there for a quite a while, just listening and more comfortable than he remembered being in a long time.
***
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To be continued.
- 9
- 10
- 11
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Rule 39