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"You can," he said "Look, they’re carrying grenades Did you see those on the belts of the soldiers? One will get sone Dead"

If I let them keep the camera--that kind of power, in the hands of men like this

Monica yelled

"She’s hit!" Ivy called

I scrambled out from behind the crates and ran for the fallen soldier at the center of the roorabbed the weapon and raised it My hands shook, quivering

This is never going to work I can’t do this It’s i to die

"Don’t worry, kid," JC said, taking ot this"

He pulled , then hejust briefly for er each time It was over in moments

Each of the armed men dropped The room went completely still JC released my wrist, and my arm fell leaden atat the fallenher ears "I knew there was a reason we kept you around, JC"

"Language, Ivy," he said, grinning

I dropped the pistol--probably not the sain, I wasn’t exactly in ht mind I hurried to Razon’s side He had no pulse I closed his eyes, but left the smile on his lips

This hat he’d wanted He’d wanted theive up his secrets I sighed Then, checking a theory, I shoved ers, and I brought them out bloodied "What?"

I hadn’t expected that

"Leeds?" Monica’s voice said

I looked up She was standing in the doorway to the roo her shoulder, which was bloodied "Did you do this?"

"JC did it," I said

"Your hallucination? Shot these men?"

"Yes No I" I wasn’t sure I stood up and walked over to Salic, who had been hit square in the forehead I leaned down and picked up the camera, then twisted one piece of it, my back to Monica

"UhMister Steve?" Kalyani said, pointing "I do not think that one is dead Oh uards I’d shot was turning over He held sorenade

"Out!" I yelled at Monica, grabbing her by the ared out of the room

The detonation hitwave

Exactly onea cup of le It hadn’t been that bad

Monica did not give the cast on her arm much notice She held her own cup, seated in the room where I’d first met her

Her offer today had not been unexpected

"I’ person I must refuse"

"I see," Monica said

"She’s been working on her scowl," JC said appreciatively fro better"

"If you would look at the camera" Monica said

"When I saw it last, it was in at least sixteen pieces," I said "There’s just not anything to ith"

She narrowed her eyes at me She still suspected I’d dropped it on purpose as the explosion hit It didn’t help that Razon’s body had been burned to near unrecognizability in the subsequent explosions and fire that had consu Any items he’d had on him--secrets that explained how the camera really worked--had been destroyed

"I’ll ad forward, "that I’ I’m not certain the world is prepared for the information it could provide" Or, at least, I’m not certain the world is prepared for people like you controlling that information

"But--"