[ He tips his head in acknowledgment, agreement. He can't turn anybody to shadow, but he can appreciate the style. ]

We should collaborate some time. I'd love to see how you work... and maybe Mariana won't start slinging monsters at me for stepping foot on the beach, if I come along as your backup.

[ He means it, though not as demurely as he says it. John does want to understand the shape of things, here, and it's impossible to trace specific Sleeper souls once they're too deeply swallowed in the jumble. He can't conceptualize their fate without running into the gaps in his knowledge.

But there's one soul in particular he needs to understand. And there's a lot he could do once he learns to bridge the gap. ]