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"This isn’t hoanted to do this, babe," Jack said as he shifted to stand between her and Frank

"Not my first choice either," she said, then started when the sound of keys drew her attention to Sandy returning from the back door It was padlocked, the excess chain still swinging Frank pulled a handgun from the small of his back and tossed it to her

"You know the old saying, too sood?" Sandy said as she checked the clip, and Peri griht Sandy was her friend Lies, it was all lies

The front door opened, and Peri looked at the thirtyish ht snow off his shoes His long face was red froray scarf was around his neck, and Peri stiffened when his brown eyes found hers and his thick fingers unwound the gray wool Though his black slacks and shirt were casual, she could tell he was Opti It was his grace, the way his eyes traveled the roouilt as he flicked his curly black hair fro on one of her epiphanies," Sandy said as the new ht the keys that Frank tossed hi a chair from a table to sit in it, his feet spread wide and his confidence absolute "That intuition of yours is both your saving grace and your Achilles’ heel, Peri," Sandy continued "I blame Bill He’d rather believe Jack’s fairy tales than split you two up You’re his best operatives Three years I don’t know if I should congratulate you or decide that you’re especially stupid"

Peri tried to get in front of Jack so he could draw his gun, but he wouldn’t let her

Still holding that infuriating, sweet smile, Sandy eyed Jack with appreciation "But if I had a ht be keen on a little self-blinding, too"

Heart pounding, Peri thought of her knife, peeved at bringing it to a gunfight She suddenly realized how fit Sandy and Frank were Overdraft was a trap

"We’re going to have to get that furry orangecoyly, as she sashayed closer "We could have lost you on your ‘evaluation lance at the estions here"

"Play it out," he said grily look on her face "Shoot her"

"Not nantly "I want her to like ht Can you shoot Jack?"

"Oh, hell yes," the big ing forward The rifle fired, stunning her ears Jack fell into her arether they hit the yellow parquet floor, both staring at his ut wound It would kill hi hiht not save hih "Frank, I can’t believe you shot ed, Jack’s head in her lap as she held hiht

"Because you’re valuable, honey, and he’s just firmware," Sandy said sweetly, and Peri hated her all the more "Now Either draft to save his life and become e need you to be, or let Jack die Your choice Tick-tock"