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As the silence stretched, I knew I should say so If he’d toldhim with questions, and when I didn’t now,different than us, so… worse

"So what… happened back there? You were, uh…"

"Changing" He stepped to the right, leaning out for a better listen, then pulled back "It’s not supposed to start until I’ht, the itching, the fever, theI should have figured it out"

His head tilted as a breeze fluttered past He took a deep breath, then shook his head "No one I recognize" He pointed to the back of the yard "We’ll clih that way, and loop around Hopefully, they’ll have driven off by then"

We dashed over the rear fence, and through the next yard to the drive Derek scanned the street, looking and listening and, I guess, sniffing, then waved me across the street We slipped into the first yard and continued heading east, cutting through yards

When we reached the road, I saw the car he’d been talking about It was a silver SUV, a block down The headlights were off, but so in, as if talking

"We’ll have to make a run for it," Derek said "Hope they don’t notice us"

"You think they’re looking for us?"

"No, but--"

"Then if we run, it’ll look suspicious"

"It’s three-​thirty in theto look suspicious anyway" He looked at the car for a n of trouble? Follow my lead"

"Yes, sir"

Forty-two

WE CLIMBED THE FENCE under a weeping , letting its branches and shadows hide us Then Derek positioned me on his left, away from the car Frorownto walk and talk, okay? Nor"

I nodded, and his hand closed around mine We moved quickly to the sidewalk, then slowed as we cut to the curb

"Okay, talk," he h, this obviously not being what he’d had in, they wouldn’t hear e into " I struggled to think of the right word for the ie that came to mind--a Hollyolf, half human, half beast

"A wolf" He steered us to the left, away froe wild canine Coe into… ? But that’s not--" I stopped h "Yeah,No idea hoorks I guess I’ll find out later Much later, if I’ for the street to the left The factory is just up--"

He stopped short, turning sharply at the sa car flicked on His hand tightened around

"They spotted us," he said

"But they aren’t looking for us"

"Yes, they are"

He yankedrabbed round on all fours, leaped up, and ran for the nearest cover--a metal shed

Derek dove in behindcheek against the cool htened

"How--?"

"I heard them say ’It’s them’ and ’Call Marcel’ "

"Marcel? Isn’t that Dr Davidoffs nah to be a coincidence"

"But how--"

He clamped his hand over my mouth and I tasted dirt He leaned down tothe block I hear voices Theyfor us"

But ere they? Where had they coone otten here so fast?

"Tori," I whispered

"What?"

"Tori found out about our escape That’s why she was so quiet She didn’t give up; she was--"

"Doesn’tdown that road," Derek said, pointing "Come on"

He prodded me in the opposite direction

"The factory is at the end We just need to rass--it’s quieter"

We raced along the strip between the sidewalk and the road, our shoes slapping the driveway paverass between We were three houses fro, when Derek let out a curse Within three strides, I knehy: there was an eight-​foot-​high chain-​link fence around the factory parking lot, and the gate was padlocked

"Up," he said

I grabbed the links and started to cliet that and folloas almost to the top when the side of the factory lit up in two circles of light I glanced over ine roared as it accelerated

"Go, go, go!" Derek whispered

The car sla I flipped over the top and started scra down Beside me, Derek crouched on the fence top, then jumped He landed square on his feet and wheeled as the car door was flung open

"Juot you"

I was already halfway down, but I let go He caught me and spun me around onto my feet with a push toward the factory

"Derek! Chloe!"

It was a wolance back, hearing ripped the links A stranger

A , dark object, and as he lifted it,

Derek glanced over at me, eyes wide

"They have a--"

He tackledwhooshed past We slid into a pile of wooden pallets They clattered down around us, bouncing hard off my back and shoulders I scrambled up and dove behind the next stack, then ran, hunched over, until we reached the factory wall

We raced along the north side and ducked into a delivery dock bay Derek pulled me behind a rusted metal bin