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Directly behind me I take a deep breath, reload, and then deliberately turn and pump soet it, du you to use up your aun up, scanning right and left, and I can hear his voice ininstruction back at the faret Like it’s connected to you Like you’re connected to it…

It happens in the space of time between one second and the next His arm drops around my chest, he rips the rifle froer After another half second, he’s lockedround as I kick furiously withat his forearm withthe delicate skin of o"

"That’s been the whole problem I can’t"

71

EVAN LETS ME KICK and squirainst a tree and steps back

"You knohat happens if you run," he warnshis breath When he turns to retrieverenade forhis denim shirt, and the pants he took fro places It looks like he’s wearing a pair of capris

"You’ll shoot me in the back of the head," I say

He tucks s the M16 over one shoulder

"I could have done that a long ti about the first ti in ain Of course, running fro him is pointless So I have to outsmart him It’s like I’ fro fro his rifle across his thighs He’s shivering

"If your job is to kill us, why didn’t you kill , as if he’s decided long before I asked the question what his ansould be

"Because I’ainst the rough bark of the tree The bare branches overhead are hard-edged against the bright blue sky "Well, this is a tragic love story, isn’t it? Alien invader falls for huirl The hunter for his prey"

"I am human"

"‘I am human…but’ Finish it, Evan" Because I’m finished now, Evan You were the last one, one I one

"Not but, Cassie And I am human and I’m not I’m neither and I’m both I am Other and I am you"

I look into his eyes, deep-set and very dark in the shadowy air, and say, "You make me want to puke"

"How could I tell you the truth when the truthme meant you would die?"

"Don’t preach to er at his face "I watched my mother die I watched one of you kill my father I’ve seen more death in six months than anyone else in human history"

He pushes ritted teeth, "And if there had been so you could have done to protect your father, to save your mother, wouldn’t you have done it? If you knew a lie would save Sammy, wouldn’t you lie?"

You bet I would I would even pretend to trust the ene to wrapto come up with some other reason he betrayed his species

Doesn’tot on that bus, a door with a thousand locks, and I realize sitting in front of uy with the keys

"You knohat’s at Wright-Patterson, don’t you?" I say "You know exactly what happened to Sam"

He doesn’t answer Doesn’t nod yes Doesn’t shake his head no What’s he thinking? That it’s one thing to spare a single ive away the master plan? Is this Evan Walker’s under-the-Buick moment, when you can’t run, can’t hide, and your only option is to turn and face?

"Is he alive?" I ask I lean forward; the rough tree bark is cutting into my spine

He hesitates for a half breath, then: "He probably is"

"Why did they…why did you bring him there?"

"To prepare him"

"To prepare him for what?"

Waits a full breath this time Then: "The 5th Wave"

I closeat that beautiful face is tootired, I could sleep for a thousand years If I slept for a thousand years, one and there’d be happy children frolicking in these woods I am Other and I am you What the hell does that ht

I open et us in"

He’s shaking his head

"Why not?" I ask "You’re one of theht-Patterson isn’t a prison camp, Cassie"

"Then what is it?"