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He’d just overtaken a sedan going at exactly the speed liht of him He had his stunner out and pointed to the head of the Psy who’d teleported into the passenger seat before the thought cleared his mind

"That won’t be necessary, Detective" A voice so cold, it was beyond ice, beyond eo?"

Making a split-second decision, Max lowered the stunner and crossed lanes to the blaring of warning signals, coe "To Sophia Russo," he said to the er seat

Councilor Kaleb Krychek wore a razor-perfect charcoal gray suit and had eyes of pure black filled hite stars But unlike Faith’s or Sascha’s, his eyes were remote in a way Max simply couldn’t explain It was as if Kaleb had never felt, as if not even an echo of the boy he must’ve once been lived in his eyes

"I need a lock," the Councilor said, and they could’ve been discussing the weather, not the life of a woht to live every second of every day "I can only teleport to locations I’ve either seen or have a recent visual of"

"Can you go to people?"

"Yes, with certain qualifications"

Max held out his hand "Take her ie from my head"

Kaleb didn’t touch him "You have a natural shield" His tone said that thatin to frustration, Max quickly routed to the Internet using his phone "There," he said, bringing up an iet ht out a slianizer and pulled up several more detailed pictures of the place "Yes"

There was no touch, no warning

Max only just kept his balance as they appeared in front of the lass lobby that fronted the resort, the air heavy but clear of rain The gaping doored to croak out "I wasn’t aware you had a reservation, sir" Max went through the door before Kaleb, heading to the desk

Slaht up Bonner’s photo--from a newspaper story--on his cell phone and showed it to the blond male on duty "Which rooht "I have to ask --"

"If she dies," Max said with absolute intent, "you die next"

Going sheet white, the receptionist shook his head "I haven’t seen--"

"Single male, probably checked in within the past twelve hours, isolated bungalow"

The blond began working his computer "We’ve only had one arrival in the past twenty-four hours But Mr White’s--"

The ice in Max’s bloodstream turned to liquid fire at the sound of that naalow Ten, right at the end of the Eastern Route" The receptionist brought up a holographic ialow Ten is here" He pointed out the locations "About a twenty minute walk"

Max saw Kaleb walk in, turned to hie is representational--a 3D map," the other "

"I’m sorry" The receptionist spread his hands "I don’t have anything like that on hand I could try our PR depart--"

But Max was already running through the doors

Sophia rolled off the bed and began to stagger to the door He hadn’t tied her up when he went to have his shower, and that was hissteps, her knee hitting the floor hard enough to send pain shooting up her leg Biting off her cry, she gripped the edge of the bed and pulled herself up again It took too long She could hear hilass enclosure a bare few feet away, obscenely cheerful, a man without a care in the world

The bedroorip the end of the bed for balance Forcing herself to let go of the anchor, she lurched forward, desperate to get through that twisting, stretched door She could alhter turned into chuckles "And where do you think you’re going?" Damp around her waist, skin so close to her cheek She flinched, trying to hide her bare hands under her aro"