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"Access? Control? What are you talking about?"

"H-hi, Peter pressed the heel of a hand to either te him lets him in"

"Who? How?"

"F-Finnoh God, that hurts" Arching against a fresh tide of pain, Peter hissed, "Using a d-drug, not the saave you but cl-close"

"On whoasp "And Ch-Changed Too uessed partaahh!"

"Peter!" It took all Chris’s willpower not to touch his friend "Peter, tellyou can do" Another wave of pain shuddered through Peter and shook loose a listened on Peter’s forehead and neck but in the light of a fire not as bright as before Chris tossed a glance at the diain No ti pulled away, or ed a nod "He’s got eapons Men and Changed"

"What--" A powerful talon of pain raked his chest Chris couldn’t hold back the groan That fa, but he had to know this, he had to hang on! Don’t call me back, just a few more seconds! "Wh-what does he want?"

"K-kids M- to his knees, Peter clapped his hands to his head "Get out, Chris Pl-please Before he s-sees, before he really nuh-knows you Let th-them take you b-backs-save yourself, save"

"No" Maybe it was because of his pain, or Peter’s terror and his certainty that when and if they s would be very different--or perhaps it was because Jess had sent him from Rule to find his way--that now Chris chose a different path Clasping the back of Peter’s neck, he pulled his friend close and held him fast "No, Peter, I won’t"

"Ch-Chris, don’t!" Peter’s eyes bri to bleed Peter’s hands clung to Chris’s forearms "Don’t touch me You have to--"

"Don’t tell me what to do" Chris heard his voice break, felt the tears on his cheeks "I’ to save us both"

Then the black tide swept through and carried him away

104

"Listen to me I’ve seen this ed? The ones he’s altered I knohat they have and what they can do" Tom pointed to the Uzi as well as the contents of the pack he’d spilled onto the table of the hospice conference rooot troops you don’t I guarantee you won’t last an hour, much less a day He’ll wipe you out, then take the kids and call it even"

"So you’re saying we just give up, let hi, Jarvis tossed a dark look at the two men--equally old and just as skeptical--who sat to either side of him "What the hell kind of soldier are you?"

"Hey, hey," Kincaid rapped from his place to Chris’s left "Are you deaf, Jarvis? This boy’s trying to help us save e can"

"It’s okay," Tory red seep over Tos have fallen apart here I get that You don’t know me and you certainly don’t trust me, especially when I shoith your Public Eneet that, too But you won’t win this fight"

"We have the right to defend ourselves," Jarvis said

"No one’s questioning that But you have to decide what you’re truly defending"

"Hell’s thatfor Rule," Chris rasped, and winced After four hours, all he could h a throat that felt as if he’d sed razor blades What freaked hilanced in a mirror A blood-encrusted, blue-black bruise circled his throat like a dog collar The whites of his eyes were awash in red hee from broken capillaries, and nearly as bloodred as what he’d seen in his drea with every inhale, and two cracked ribs coh Kincaid said busted ribs would’ve hurt ten times worse: You’re just damned lucky that boy knows battlefield , too After Chris’s heart started up and he was breathing again, Tom had siuards, and proh Jayden said there’d been a irl with the corn knife when Tom hadhesitated: When I said your name, you could see it in Tom’s face, how surprised he was to find out who you were, andit was so weird To about you, and hated your guts If Ellie hadn’t asked hi

Jayden hadn’t said the rest, but hiswas clear Which made Chris wonder just what the hell Weller had said to Tom He hadn’t had the time to find out For the e at Chris in favor of working together and getting these old le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>