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"Sorry about this," Wayne whispered "When she got grabbed, I thought it was Miles And so I--"

"It’s all right," Waxillium said softly

"What do we do?" Wayne asked

"I don’t know"

"You always know"

Waxilliu!" Miles called He walked forward and tossed another torch

Just a few steps ht

Miles stopped where he was, eyeing the creeping mists hat see, the way she had back at the wedding dinner

"None of that," Tarson said, holding her carefully He fired a shot right in front of her face, then brought the gun back to her head She froze

Waxillium raised his revolver

I can’t do this I can’t watch another one die Not by ht," Miles called "Fine You want to testto three If I reach three, Tarson shoots, no other warnings One"

He’ll do it, Waxilliuuilty, overwhele If threatening her wouldn’t bring Waxillium out, then he wouldn’t bother with her

"Two"

Blood on the bricks A sent

Oh, Harmony, if I’ve ever needed you …

Mist curled around his legs

"Th--"

"Wayne!" Waxilliu

The speed bubble went up Tarson would fire in rily Torchfire frozen It was like watching an explosion in slow ain Waxillium raised his Sterrion, and found his arm incredibly still

It had been still on the day he’d shot Lessie, too

He’d shot her with this very gun

Sweating, trying to banish the ies from his head, he tried to find a clear shot at Tarson There wasn’t one Oh, he could hit Tarson, but not anywhere that would drop hiht, the man would shoot Marasi by reflex

The head was the best way to drop a Pewterarun? Marasi’s face was in the way The knees? He nore e wasn’t immediately lethal, he’d stay up, and he’d shoot

It had to be the head

Waxilliuun I’ve ever fired, he thought I can’t sit here, frozen I have to act

I have to do so

Sweat dripped off his chin He raised his hand with a quick motion in front of him, then pointed the Sterrion to the side, off center from Marasi or Tarson Wax fired

The bullet shot out of the bubble in an instant, then hit slower time It deflected, as bullets always did when fired fro its new trajectory It h the air

Wax took careful ai moments Then he readied his steel

"Drop it on my mark," he whispered

Wayne nodded

"Go"

Wax fired and Pushed

The speed bubble fell

"--ee!" Miles called