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"Alpha strain You can’t be more than thirty That would ainst the doorway "Well, how about that We achieved viable offspring after all Co to fear from me"
Chapter Fifteen
The inside of the shop was neat, its wares arranged under glass, along the counter, and on the walls with military precision Knives in wooden display stands, curved crescent weapons, metal canisters of unknown purpose, leather harnesses and belts, boots, jewelry, boxes filled with dark orange powder, vials with turquoise liquid Stepping into this place was like walking into another world
"Gorvar!" the older olf growled
An enorh the other door The creature’s head, even with massive ears and a thick darkbody said wolf, but the difference between an Earth wolf and this creature was like the difference between a puppy and the leader of a pack On our world, it would be the king of all wolves
"Go watch the cart," the olf said
The wolf padded out the door
The older olf took a glass cup filled with small round spheres, each about the size of a walnut, from the counter, plucked one out, and held it between his index finger and thumb "Knohat these are?" he said to Sean
"No"
"Cluster bolass, looked at the cup, and hurled the contents at Sean
Tis sucked in air in panic
The shiny glass spheres flew through the air
Sean h the roo pressed Play on the remote I exhaled and blinked Sean’s left hand held the spheres His right pressed a knife to the older olf’s throat
The older man raised his hand slowly and checked his wrist Blue sylowed under his skin
"Point six seconds You are the real thing" He grinned, baring white teeth "The real thing"
"I think youit is that you’re alive Sorry about the scare They’re not armed No detonators I just had to know" The olf took a sphere froround It rolled harmlessly on the floorboards "I sell them as souvenirs Own a piece of tech from the dead planet The tools of our own destruction available for twenty credits each to the discerning shopper"
He so and dropped the knife back onto the counter I hadn’t even seen him pick it up
The older olf crossed the shop, slid open a panel in the wall, and took out a glass pitcher filled with dark purple liquid
"Go ahead, look around This is as close as you’ll come to Auul Like it or not, this was the planet that breathed life into your parents Your heritage"
Sean slid the spheres back into the cup and turned, scanning the surroundings He looked like a man who’d just found out hisin his tomb, unsure how he felt about it
"Na three ornate glasses to the pitcher "Seventh Pack, Seventh Wolf, Twelfth Fang Gerwar stands for Medic"
"No last name?" I asked