"I was too. But it's ... hard to describe. The kids are safe there. I've never seen anything bad happen to any of them while they're there. Once, one of them got onto the roof. I didn't see what happened, but the next thing I knew, they were safe back on the ground again. You blinked, and they were running around the courtyard like nothing happened."

His jaw works, briefly, at the mention of Keith. Pace quickening. It's getting later, the low grey sky darkening to a winter evening overhead. He'll pretend that's the reason he avoids the comment.

"The locals here are something else," he says instead. "They want to help. They like us, even. I can't believe it, most of the time."