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One thing had changed, though There was a small scar at the base of his friend’s throat Harrison took a closer look at the disfigureer than a quarter It was in the shape of a clenched fist To his shock and horror, Harrison realized his friend had been branded Like cattle

His friend sensed the direction of Harrison’s gaze, and his eyes turned steely, defensive “There are people ant to destroy me Who want to demoralize and dehumanize me

Together with a trusted friend, I’ve for initiated all the time ” He stopped mid-breath, as if unsure how anized the society to give us protection, and I’ve sworn all egiance to it If you know me as well as you once did, you know I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my interests ” He paused and added almost absently, “And my future ”

“They branded you,” Harrison said, hoping his friend didn’t detect the repulsion that shuddered through him

His friend merely looked at him

After ahe understood, even if he didn’t accept it The less he knew, the better His friend hadelse I can do?”

“Just keep her safe ”

Harrison pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose He began aardly, “I thought youWe named her Nor—”

“I don’t want to be reminded of her na in my power to sta about her I want ive that bastard ” He turned his back, and Harrison took the gesture to mean the conversation was over Harrison stood a ue, but at the sa Stifling his need toto deserve, he let himself out

He’d only ht Instinctively Harrison dropped low and whirled around

His friend A second shot was fired, and without thinking, he ran in a dead sprint back tow

ard the house He shoved through the gate and cut around the side yard He had al voices caused hi The backyard was shrouded in darkness, and he inched along the garden wall, careful to avoid kicking loose stones that would give hiht

“Last chance,” said a snize

“Go to hell,” his friend spat

A third gunshot His friend bell owed in pain, and the shooter called over him, “Where is she?”

Heart ha, Harrison knew he had to act Another five seconds and it could be too late He slid his hand to his lower back and drew the gun Two-handing it to steady his grip, hethe dark-haired shooter from behind Harrison saw his friend beyond the shooter, but when he made eye contact, his friend’s expression filled with alarm

Go!

Harrison heard his friend’s order as loud as a bell, and for a moment believed it had been shouted out loud But when the shooter didn’t spin around in surprise, Harrison realized with cold confusion that his friend’s voice had sounded inside his head

No, Harrison thought back with a silent shake of his head, his sense of loyalty outweighing what he couldn’t comprehend This was the man he’d spent four of the best years of his life with

Theto leave him here at the hands of a killer

Harrison pulled the trigger He heard the earsplitting shot and waited for the shooter to crumple Harrison shot another time

And another

The dark-haired young man turned slowly For the first time in his life, Harrison found hi before hiun in hand Afraid of death Afraid of ould become of his family

He felt the shots rip through hi fire that seemed to shatter him into a thousand pieces He dropped to his knees He saw his wife’s face blur across his vision, followed by his daughter’s He opened his mouth, their names at his lips, and tried to find a way to say how much he loved them before it was too late

The younghim into the all ey at the rear of the house Harrison could feel consciousness leaving hiet his feet under hihter There would be no one to protect her This black-haired shooter would find her and, if his friend was right, kill her

“Who are you?” Harrison asked, the words causing fire to spread through his chest He clung to the hope that there was still time Maybe he could warn Nora fro in on hi feathers painted black

The young man watched Harrison for a moment before the faintest of s It’s definitely too late ”

Harrison looked up sharply, startled that the killer had guessed his thoughts, and couldn’t help but wonder howhts Not a few

As if to prove just how practiced he was, the young le beat of hesitation, and Harrison found hiht of the fired shot flared, and it was the last ie he saw