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"Copy, Jane Bruiser is on the way over He can hardly stand, but he says he’s co forthe babies"

"Yeah, okay That means no rolls in the hay Eyes and attention on the job at hand"

The Kid laughed evilly, and I rolled"Rescuing your brother," I enunciated

"I know I’ to the house specs, online with the builder, the ground floor is an open plan, with the exception of a kitchen and a safe rooame room at the top of the stairs, four bedroo one Jack-and-Jill-style Master bedrooht, at the end of the wide hallway There’s a spiral staircase from the master bedroom down to the safe room on the first floor near the kitchen The stairs can be wheeled away, sealing the upstairs opening The first-floor entrance to it is fro the shed in the backyard, through a narrow hallway along the garage, where another safe rooe where a vaet away in a va as he had a driver"

A car moved silently down the street and into a driveway, seven lots down My gut did a little solided out of the car Bruiser, who had been riding shotgun, also got out,wounded The driver was Derek Lee, earing black caer side of the back, Gee DiMercy eht A sense of relief washed throughthis alone

"Surprise," the Kid said "Backup They all knohat you know"

I chuckled softly "Thanks"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah Remember this at bonus time"

"Pony ride on your birthday?"

I heard Tia giggle in the background

"Sorry," I said I hadn’t been aware that she could hear I was pretty sure I’d eave a long-suffering sigh

The h the dark like wraiths and up tosun rose inI sood smile, because Bruiser and Leo both hesitatedeapons Leo wore a long sword at his side and two short swords And several knives strapped to his thighs Derek looked the way he always did--one of Uncle Sam’s finest--but I was still surprised to see him here

I flipped a hand at hier"

"Ah So you could rub his nose in it"

"Forever Ooh-rah"

"Just so long as your priorities are straight," I agreed, grinning To the group, I said, "The downstairs shutters are closed We have olf course Don’t shoot the to see if she can pinpoint Shoffru She sent a search and locate spell inside a bit ago Since it’s dead ainst him You know--undead flesh and all that No offense," I said to Leo

"None taken, riffes"

I had learned what the phrase meant "I’m not your kitten"

"Perhaps But you hold my soul in your claws, mon coeur"

Which could notNo way Could not Oh, crap Did he know? So else to deal with later Much later "Yeah Okay Whatever" Gee DiMercy slid up to me in the dark I said, "There’s a back entrance Make sure Shoffru doesn’t e And maybe you could also puncture his tires?"

"I would be ned such mundane tasks," Gee said "I will simply kill anyone who tries to escape Except your hu with supes eird "Leo, can you get Shoffru’s attention and hold it for a while?"

"Of course Contrary to his vow to me as his hts to de into the ht until Eli is safe I’d rather you trash-talk hie industry with him?" Leo was confused and I wanted to chortle but had to settle on a h I needed hiot myself back under control, I said, "U a hand on his master’s arm His former master Weird Weird-er Maybe not weird-est

"Bruiser," I said, "once you explain, can you hang with me?"