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"Bartender," she said, sliding off the stool "Do you have orders to go? So?"
The bartender jerked his thumb at the screens inset into the bar "Menus"
Scarlet frowned "Neverback at the roo heard her
"It was nice tohis stool toward her "Perhaps our paths will cross again In Paris"
Hair prickled on her neck as he settled his chin onto his palernails had been filed into a sharp, perfect point
"Perhaps," she said, her tone suffused with politeness
The instinctual alar with her for thole cars as shein the air She tried to shake it off This was her own nerves playing tricks on her, paranoia finally catching up to her after what had happened to her grand she could carry on a conversation at all with all the panic that was residing just beneath the surface of her skin
He’d been polite He’d been a gentle trend in the city
Just as she’d deter of the sudden, ardent distrust, she remembered
She had seen hi off the escalator in his ratty jeans and no luggage, when Wolf had beco, or recognized someone
A coincidence?
The speaker overhead crackled Scarlet barely heard it over the noise of the corridor, until the repeated words gradually silenced the chatter around her "--experiencing a teers are to return to their private quarters immediately and stay clear of the corridors until further notice is given This is not a test We are experiencing a tehteen
Scarlet shut the door behind her, relieved that Wolf was still there Pacing He swiveled toward her
"I just heard the announce on?"
"No I wondered if you ers around the portscreen in her pocket "Soh"
He didn’t respond His scowl becary "You sh erupted out of her "I s across his creased brow "Not like that Who did you talk to out there?"
Frowning, she fell back against the door If Ran had been wearing cologne, it had been too faint for her to pick up
"Why?" she snapped, annoyed as uilt it caused "Is it any of your business?"
His jaw tensed "No, that’s not what I--" He paused, eyes flickering past her
A knock startled Scarlet away from the wall She turned and yanked open the door
An android rolled into the roo an identity check for the safety of all passengers Please show your ID for scanning"
Scarlet raised her hand on instinct She didn’t think to question the order until a red light passed over her skin, beeped, and the android turned to Wolf
"What’s going on?" she said "We scanned our tickets e boarded"
Another beep "You are not to leave this rooiven"
"That wasn’t an answer," said Scarlet
A panel opened in the android’s torso and a third lireet thee "I must now conduct a ht ar needle "You’re running blood tests? That’s ridiculous We’re just going to Paris"
"Please extend your right arm," the android repeated, "or I will be forced to report you for failure to coulations Your tickets will be considered invalid and you will be escorted off the train at the next station"
Scarlet bristled and glanced at Wolf, but he had eyes only for the syringe For ato smash in the robot’s sensor, before he reluctantly stretched out his arm Wolf’s expression became distant while the needle punctured his skin
The moment the android had withdrawn a blood sample and retracted the skeletal liainst his chest
A fear of needles? Scarlet squinted at hi out her own elbow as the android produced another syringe She couldn’t i, she watched as the syringe filled with her own blood "What exactly are you looking for?" she said as the android finished and both syringes disappeared into its body
"Initiating blood scan," said the android, followed by a clatter of huainst his side when the android pronounced, "Scan complete Please shut the door and reiven"
"You already said that," Scarlet said to the android’s back as it retreated into the hall
Pressing a thuainst the small puncture wound, Scarlet slammed the door shut with her foot "What was that all about? I have half a lev custo, she found Wolf already at the --his steps had been soundless "We’re slowing down"
It was a silent, agonizing h the , she could see a thick canopy of forest choking off the s They weren’t stopping at a station