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‘Si my friends with me So the question is, are you ator investigates you right here and right now?’

‘My scheme is already under way, Cha to happen Of course, if I die, then nobody escapes what’s co about expense You beco to cost us?’

‘Well, naturally’

‘How much?’

‘A quarter of a peak or thereabouts’

‘So you pay us half and we pay you back a quarter’

‘And so you coot a point,’ Scint said, snatching a rat fro its head off

Everyone stared, including a roomful of rats

Scint noticed, chewed for asounds, then said around a mouthful of rat head, ‘Sorry Got carried away’ He looked down at the headless corpse in his hand, then tucked it into his shirt and out of sight

From where Glisten sat came a plaintive sound, then, ‘What did that rat ever do to you, Scinty?’

Scint sed, ‘I said sorry!’

Tehol leaned close to Bugg and whispered, ‘If you could poke any of them in the eyes…’

‘Three of ’euess?’

‘Go ahead’

‘Ormly, Bubyrd and Rucket’

‘I’ about?’ Onyx demanded

Tehol smiled at her ‘Do you accept my offer?’

Brys found the Ceda in his work roo on the table He had re the underside and was prodding organs with a pair of copper probes The crab appeared to be dead