Someone was freeing Verity’s left wrist, someone else the other. They then moved in unison to the strap around her waist, then to her ankles. All in utter silence, but then she remembered the noise-protection muffs. Virgil, appearing above her, was still wearing his own, though not the balaclava. He bent to help her remove both, sound instantly returning. "You couldn’t pay me enough to do that again," he said, "but I’ll bet there are plenty of people who’d pay to do it."