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She glanced at the time and finished her drink As ed for soive you a drama report the next time I see you--unless you see us on TV first"

"Where’re you off to?" asked Val "Hot date? Wouldn’t hurt you to get laid either, you know" If only Val knew the truth "You’re cycling back to that castal stiffness of yours"

"That never goes away," Dag said "But you do need to relax, Finn"

Dag had started calling her that back when they’d first been assigned to their cohort and begun prætorian training He’d never been able to remember her last name, but he could remember that she was Nordic, hence the nickna Everyone could tell she was castal, which hadhad bonded with her ily, htup and swiping her ego to pay for the drink "I’m not the one on vacation I mean, monument duty"

"Ha ha," said Val She rolled her eyes but was obviously relieved at the turn of events, and Mae felt a s in touch with them sooner They’d had no idea what had happened to her after the funeral and had probably assuical family

"Hey…" Mae hesitated and rested her hands on the back of her chair "Do you guys kno Kavi’s doing?"

"Still hospitalized," said Dag, sobering "Well, that’s what the ru to us"

That queasy feeling Mae got whenever she thought about Kavi returned "I guess that’s nor;torians were hard to hurt, but for most injuries, they healed like ordinary people There were alhispers of stehs to facilitate prætorian recovery, but the RUNA’s policies against biological and genetic manipulation were still too harsh, even for its prize soldiers Medical research was one thing, but no one wanted to risk abuse that could lead to another virus-caused Decline

Val stood up and hugged her "It’s not your fault"

"I broke her leg," Mae pointed out "If it’s notloyally He rose too and gave Mae a crushing hug of his own

"She was just upset about Porfirio" Saying his naht about that familiar pain in Mae’s chest "We all were"

"Holy shit," said Val "Did you hear that, Dag? I think she acknowledged having soe to ask theered in her mind: Why was Kavi so slow? But she knew they’d have no answers They’d reiterate what Gan had said about her si better than Kavi, except they’d useShe finished her drink in a gulp "That A you could count on with prætorians in the city: There was always a party going on so invited her to join thelum She wasn’t active in co;torians It felt weird to go out with them, and she didn’t want to be rened with other Scarlets

Val and Dag’s party was on the way to the subway station, and the three of them set off into the crowded streets In the short time since Mae had been out earlier, the partiers and pleasure seekers had nearly doubled So their adventures, while others had just left the theaters and restaurants and were calling it a night The three eventually parted ways, and Mae had the good fortune of having her train pull up right when she reached the platform

When she reached the stop a few blocks froed and found a h it was still very urban, there were no flashing screens in this residential neighborhood Live oaks had been strategically planted to co the street, interspersed with ornate streetlaht and created new shadows When she was nearly to her door, she sensed a presence near a tree and spun around, gun in hand

"Damn, you really are fast" Ahis hands up in a placating gesture "Easy"

Mae didn’t lower the gun as she took him in He was no one she’d seen before Blond-haired and blue-eyed, he appeared close to her age and to also belong to soht very well have been Nordic, but it was difficult toDespite his ostensibly nonthreatening attitude, there was soe

"Who are you?" she demanded

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and s;torian"

Mae didn’t blink or ask how he kneho she was "And? What do you want?"

"You," he said bluntly "You had to have knoe’d send someone eventually"

"Oh, yeah? Are you so me home?"

"Somehow, I don’t think that would be too easy a task" He chuckled "But it’s funny you ht be of interest to you--sooodwill and desire to welcome you"