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Nick had not planned to reveal Zin right away He knew the Atlanta Afterlights needed to be prepared But Zin--to whoht-- made herself known even before the train rolled to a stop She took one look at the Atlanta kids, then poked her head out of a , and shouted at them, "If you throw them bricks at me, I swear I'll rip out parts a' ya y'didn't even know ya had! See if I don't!" And then to prove it, she reached over to Johnnie-O and ripped hisit out the

"Don't you drop that, ya stupid inbred freak!" yelled Johnnie-O

Since Johnnie-O had no idea what a spleen looked like, his e than anything else Even so, it inspired terror in the crowd They all dropped their weapons, scattering in abject fear, and yelling, "It's Zach the Ripper! It's Zach the Ripper!"

Johnnie-O pulled her away fro his Polish spleen, but it was too late to stop panic froroaned "Why don't you rip out your own brain and give yourself one that works?"

Zin was unfazed "Yer just mad cuz your chocolate don't scare 'em asto er in her face, and, of course, she bit it

"Sorry, sir," she said, all nasty grin, "but I thought yer hand was one a' theuffaw, and Nick glared at him "Sorry," Johnnie-O said "It does kinda look like that sometimes"

Nick decided to use a different tack "Soldier! Your behavior is disgraceful for a sergeant of the Chocolate Brigade"

"Sergeant?" said Zin "I thought you said I was a private"

"Not anymore" He reached over and painted a chocolate chevron on her sleeve "You're a sergeant now, and I expect you to act like one"

Zin was overjoyed "Yes, sir!"

"And if you follow orders and do your job to the best of your ability, you ht even make lieutenant"

"Yes, sir! What are ht be more motivated by responsibility than by threats "Your orders are not to do anything unless I tell you to," he said

"Good luck," grunted Johnnie-O Then he asked what rank he got to be Nick told him he was special ops, which suited Johnnie-O just fine Five minutes later, Isaiah, the kid who ran Atlanta, showed up, just as Nick kneould He barged right onto the train

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" he de tone of voice set Kudzu barking, and hiding behind Zin Nick thought about sending Zin away, but decided it was best if she stayed in his sight Instead he told Johnnie-O to check on Charlie "He ht about now"

Johnnie-O left, but not before er three against one, but the tension didn't drop in the slightest

Isaiah looked at Zin, then back to Nick again Nick could tell he was afraid, but he hid his fear behind anger "You take that thing and you get it out of Atlanta Now"

"Who's he calling a thing?" growled Zin

Nick firmly clasped Zin's shoulder with his chocolate-free hand "Remember your orders," he said under his breath Zin bit her lip--literally--as if the only way for her to shut her mouth was to clamp her bottom lip between her teeth

It was then that Nick realized that Zin was a double whaht "Zach the Ripper," but he had brought a Confederate soldier into a city run by a kid who may very well have suffered the life of a slave when he was alive

"Her name is Zinnia," Nick told him, "and she means you no harirl?"

Zinnia bristled, but kept her mouth shut "She's a ripper and she's here to help all of us"

"I don't care what she can do--I don't need help froray"

Then Zinnia took a few steps forward Nick tried to stop her, but she shrugged hi orders

"I don't recollect all that much 'bout my life," she said, "but I do know I didn't join the war to protect slavery I did it to protect my family--and I'd take off this here uniform if I could, but I can't any more than you can take off those torn pants and rope belt We's all stuck e wore, but not e were"

Isaiah still looked angry, but he didn't respond He just waited to see if there was any more to her defense To Nick's surprise, there was

"The way I sees it," said Zin, "there ought not to be probleot no skin, technically speakin', right?"

Isaiah nodded "I'll do you one better than that," he said "Hold out your arm"

Zinnia held her arht beside hers "See that?" he said "Our glow is exactly the same"

"Yeah, how 'bout that!"

"You remember that," said Isaiah, "and maybe I won't have to run you out of town"

"Fair enough," said Zin

Now that their peace had been h again, or is there so you want froan

Chapter 21 Let 'Er Rip