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I flinched involuntarily, just a little I needed to keepa hard tiave him my perkiest insincere s up his neck
"You"--Jones looked froain--"are either very brave or very stupid"
"Both," E a little but was detered around in the duffel for sweat socks and running shoes, then plopped down on the edge of the slab to pull the thenored it for the ht, spontaneous combustion, the fact that I would have a really, really hard tiran
The three of the when I finished with the shoes and socks I think that’s why they didn’t hear the coht haveand froe human, either But I heard and, even more weird, scented it Threedown the hall They walked with the kind of confidence that coun oil and the tiniest hint of powder, as if the weapon hadn’t been cleaned quite as well as it should have been after its last use
They slowed to a stop outside the heavy steel of theit open, and a voice I recognized as belonging to Dr Reynolds fro nervously I watched, alert, as their figures were silhouetted against the sunlight of the glass-walled outer hallway The sunlight seee It made e That annoyed ument between Eic Except that I know ic … and nobody I’d ever known or heard of was capable of that particular trick
The man who held the door was faraced the halls of USC Bayview University president Donald Lackley had ood looks, a permanent tan, and shoes that had once roaner suit was impeccable, perfectly tailored, and probably worth as much as the car I drive He is a presence, and as such never e donations for the campus That said, he is still one hell of an able adh to escape the notice of those sharp dark eyes Most people would have been surprised that he’d choose to lead the charge down here himself I wasn’t If he was here he could control the situation Like most administrators, Lackley was all about control If he hadn’t already been married, I’d have said he was the perfect , Emma … Kevin" Lackley’s voice was much cooler than usual when he spoke to thereet me I wasn’t surprised
He looked at Emma "Dr Reynolds explained toMs Graves"
Kevin glared at the good doctor, who flinched a little under the heat of his gaze
"I did say you had the situation in hand," the doctor mumbled
Lackley spared the doctor an eloquent look The poor man shifted nervously from foot to foot He was a sht paunch that didn’t shohen he earing a lab coat He seeood doctor but a poor politician Today he just couldn’t catch a break Nosomebody off
"You did But I’d be remiss if I didn’t personally check to ht onto the cas didn’t show "I’m fine, President Lackley But thank you for your concern" Unlike Kevin and the doc, I don’t work for the university and a as I paid my tuition on time, there wasn’t much they could do to me I could be as sarcastic as I wanted--provided I didn’t appear to be a threat
I saw the hten, but he didn’t say a word in response So I turned roup
C J "Rocky" Rockford was the head of the campus security forces We’d had occasion to run into each other, and while he knew he probably shouldn’t like e and worked out in the gyether occasionally "Hey, Rock"
Rocky’s a big guy, forh as they cohts He keeps his hair cut short enough that you can see the scalp beneath it He isn’t a handsome man, but he is impressive Which allows him to, in the immortal words of Patrick Swayze, "be nice, until it is time not to be nice" Rocky was always ar a plain black nylon satchel I was betting I kneas inside: holy items, a stake, a mallet, and a saw--your typical vampire kit
"Graves What happened?" His voice didn’t sound particularly friendly this e of scar tissue at the bridge of his nose He does that when he’s nervous I couldn’t say as I blas easy when the ultimate boss takes a personal interest Plus, I’d like to think Rocky hadn’t been looking forward to staking and beheading a workout partner