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I blink at the doctor’s face, confused

"Kiss hiain, frantic "Just do it!"

I stare at hi it

"You still carry trace aes in very s properties," Doctor Grayson calmly explains "If you can pass ht live"

I push up ontoainst his cold cheek "Dreyden?" He doesn’t htly open mouth, but his lips are cool and hard I kiss him anyway, and as my warm lips leave his, I’m certain it is the last time I will ever kiss him

Feet scuffle and the doctor curses under his breath I turn away froasp I ahost

A man crosses the pool and falls to his knees beside Bowen He presses his fingers against Bowen’s neck "What happened?" he deray eyes "Why is my brother in the pits?"

"He ca toward me, eyes steel hard

Duncan focuses on er brother The only difference is his eyes--cold, flat gray instead of warreen "You’re not dead yet? But I was told the Fec …" His eyes move to the slash on my arm, the spot where Arris’s knife wounded me Ironically, the only spot on my body that doesn’t hurt At all

I look atknife wound My skin is completely nuash, spreading upbeneath my shirtsleeve

The doctor is atat my arm "You’ve been poisoned!" he blurts And then he does three things thatFirst, he tears the tie from his neck and cinches it around my bicep so hard that I yelp Next, he takes the knife from Dreyden’s belt and slashes it over Arris’s knife wound--and I don’t feel it, even a little bit Last, he starts squeezingblood from the numb wound

"Stop," a calm, smooth voice commands Hard-soled shoes click across the pool floor, and a man stops beside Doctor Grayson Duncan Bowen juovernor doesn’t seem to notice Duncan, doesn’t take his eyes fro you can do to save her now," he says, a satisfied gleam in his eyes

"Get out of here or I will physically reently releases overnor He’s a full head taller than the governor, has broad shoulders, and looks at least a decade younger

The governor laughs and steps up to Grayson "You think you can stopas if he’s about to explode "As soon as Mickel it up, he has been rallying theover control as we speak They outnumber you five to one"

"You have no proof that there is a cure," the governor says

Grayson sovernor, nods at overnor takes a deep breath He slowly removes his suit jacket and tosses it to the side of the pool Without warning, his hand darts out and he grabs the doctor’s wrist, twisting The doctor gasps and falls to his knees, his arle "If I overnor’s e beneath his spotless white shirt, the sea to be able to hide this forever," Grayson says through gritted teeth

The governor laughs "You have no idea who you’re dealing with I can hide anything Without the girl, there’s no proof It will look like you fabricated this whole thing in an attempt to usurp et the bodies out of here, starting with the girl," the governor says, holding the panting doctor firirl is still alive," Duncan says

"Just do it," the governor orders Veins are bulging beneath his skin, and a sheen of sweat has glossed his wrinkled forehead