"Yeah, this doesn't sound like a cry for help, this sounds like giving up," Sam cuts in, glaring at Rich. The slime all over him is momentarily forgotten. It hasn't started eating through his skin yet or anything, so it'll keep for a few minutes.

He's got a mentor to yell at.

"We're in here with a guy who has a brain the size of a galaxy -" A vague wave in Brainy's direction. "- and you're just gonna throw your hands in the air and say, that's it, this is the only way to do this?"

His voice is getting louder as he continues. "We don't get to quit. You're the one who told me that. Do you think we don't -" (And then his voice cracks, but for once he's too preoccupied to even feel embarrassed about it.) "Do you think we don't need you to help us finish this?"

The next part, though, is quiet. "Come on, Dick." And still quieter. "Please."