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Just inside the Shelter, Nicolas stopped long enough to hit the giant red button that closed the service hatch It trundled slowly closed behind hiinal plan, Nicolas and Elena were to hole up outside in a control booth on the far side of the Shelter The booth, which controlled the winch engines, was heavily lead-lined to protect the operator from any radiation It was also positioned on the opposite side froes, so exposure should be minimal

Nicolas needed to reach that booth, but if Elena remained pinned down between the tracks back there, he wanted to protect her froh not in a direct line of the exposure like the grandstands, her position could still be exposed to scatter radiation through the open rear hatch--h to kill her, but it could destroy her chances of having healthy children

So to protect his own future genetic heritage, Nicolas sought to shield her But more than that, he could not totally discount that he did care for the wos as weakness, but Nicolas could not deny his heart

As the door slowly lowered, Nicolas headed off

"Elena!" Gray called out from behind the jeep "You must help us!"

There was no answer

At least not fro to talk your way out of this," Kowalski said His partner crouched a few steps away His shoulder wept blood through his jacket, but it was only a graze "She’s one crazy bitch Why is it always the crazy ones who are such good shots?"

"I don’t think she’s crazy," Gray mumbled

At least he hoped not

He had seen how she had reacted to the revelation that Sasha was Nicolas’s biological daughter A mix of shocked dismay and protectiveness There was so mented sisterhood

He had to trust he was correct

"Sasha cauided us here for a reason"

Silence stretched Then a soft voice finally spoke "Ho did Sasha guide you here?"

Elena was testing him

Gray took a deep breath He lifted his rifle in the air and tossed it aside

"Pierce…," Kowalski growled "If you think I’un away, you’re as nutty as she is"

Gray stood up

Across the gap, the Russian soldier’s rifle shifted toward hi hiht Elena wanted to know more about Sasha Across the way, the Russian pair shared a fortress of concrete pylons Elena kept her pistol pointed at hiuide us? She drew pictures First she guided the Gypsies to uided us to India, where we discovered your true heritage and history You have to ask yourself why Sasha is special, is she not?"

Elena just stared at hiree her see and hear the truth in his words "Why e sent to India? Why even engage us at all? Why now? There has to be a reason I think Sasha--consciously or unconsciously--is trying to stop what you’re planning on doing"

Elena showed no flicker of acknowledgment, but Gray was still alive

"She sent us on a path to discover your roots: froh the Gypsies, to now I think there was soun Perhaps the fulfillreat prophecy that is yet to come"

"What prophecy?" Elena asked

Gray noted a flicker of both recognition and fear Was there sohtmare etched into their psyches? Gray pictured thethe lastout of smoke from the omphalos Gray took a chance and quickly described what they had found, finishing with, "The figure looked like a boy with eyes of fire"

The pistol in Elena’s arh it still didn’t waver from its aim at his chest Gray heard Elena mumble a name that sounded like Peter

"Who is Peter?" Gray asked

"Pyotr," Elena corrected "Sasha’s brother He has night his eyes are on fire But…but…"

"What?" Gray pressed, intrigued despite the time pressure

"When he wakes, we all do For just a " She shook her head "But his talent is ehtmares to some quake of his talent that radiated outward An empathic echo"

"It’s not just an echo fro back to the beginning"

But where does it end?