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Nicodemus walked over to me, his expression somewhat distracted I realized with a chill that he looked like ahis activities for the day To Nicodemus, I wasn&039;t a person anymore I was an item on his checklist, a note in his appointdown a check ot within aret away fro on to the desperate hope that one of theht, to run, to live The ropes didn&039;t break I didn&039;t get loose Nicodeain

Then he took a handful ofht I tried to stop him, but I was immobilized and exhausted

"Be still," he said "I&039;ll make it clean"

"Do you want the bowl, Father?" Deirdre asked

Nicodemus&039;s expression flickered with annoyance His voice caht and i it to rey- haired valet opened the door and left the roorunt, and Porter flew back through the doorway and landed on his back He let out a pained croak and curled into a fetal position

Nicode "Bother What now?" Nicodeun into him When I&039;d blasted a Nicodemus-shaped dent in the drywall of the hotel, he&039;d coh it without a ruffled hair But when he saw the valet laying on the ground before the open door, Nicodemus&039;s face went pale, his eyes widened, and he took a pair of quick steps to stand behindback away from the open door

"The Jap," Nicodemus snarled "Kill hioons went for their guns The one nearest the door didn&039;t get his weapon out of its holster Shiro, still in the outfit he&039;d worn at McAnnally&039;s, ca in a flash of black and white and red, his cane in his hand He drove the end of the cane into Goon A&039;s neck, and the thug dropped to the ground

Goon B got his gun out and pointed it at Shiro The old un went off, and sparks flew up from two of the walls as the bullet ricocheted Shiro drew Fidelacchius clear of its wooden sheath as he spun closer to the goon, the movement so fast that the sword looked like a blurred sheet of shining steel Goon B&039;s gun went flying through the air, his shooting hand still gripping it The outed fro to chin level The kick broke sooon&039;s jaw, and the man collapsed to the damp floor

Shiro had taken out threeFidelacchius flashed again, and the chair beneath Deirdre collapsed, spilling her onto the floor The old man promptly stepped on her wealth of dark hair, whirled the sword, and brought its tip down to rest against the back of Deirdre&039;s neck

The room became almost completely silent Shiro kept his blade to Deirdre&039;s neck, and Nicodemus did the same to mine The little old man didn&039;t look like the saed, so much as that the sheer presence of hi the years only to grow stronger When he had race, speed, and skill His eyes flashed with a silent strength that had been concealed before, and his hands and forearleaht

Nicodeed a bit farther back fro water was blending in with, "Speed of lightning! Roar of thunder! Fighting all who rob or plunder! Underdog!"

"Be quiet," Nicodemus said

"You sure?" I asked "&039;Cause I could do Mighty Mouse if you&039;d rather Underdog had this whole substance-use issue anyway" Nicodemus pressed the knife a bit harder, but my mouth was on autopilot "That looked fast I mean, I&039;ly quick to ht through you and you wouldn&039;t even realize it until your face fell on your feet"

I heard Nicoderind

"Harry," Shiro said quietly "Please"

I shut up, and stood there with a knife at

"The wizard is h You know that He chose to be a part of this"

"Yes," Shiro said

"You cannot take hioons lying on the floor, and then at the captive he held pinned down "Maybe yes Maybe no"

"Take your chances with it and the wizard dies You&039;ve no claim of redemption here"

Shiro was quiet for a hed "My daughter for the wizard? No I&039;ve plans for him, and his death will serve me as well now as later Hararded the Denarian steadily "I did not ot a sick feeling in my stomach

I almost heard Nicodemus&039;s smile "Very clever, old man You knew I&039;d not pass the opportunity by"

"I know you," Shiro said

"Then you should know that your offer isn&039;t enough," Nicodemus said "Not by half"

Shiro&039;s face did not show any surprise "Name it"

Nicodemus&039;s voice dropped lower "Swear to me that you will make no effort to escape That you will summon no aid That you will not release yourself quietly"