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Fran glanced at her security Peri stiffened as adrenaline poured through the cracks of her conviction "Watch the race," Fran said tightly "We’re just going into the kitchen"

Peri eyed the swinging door the servers had been going in and out Soed "Go ahead, Howard I’ll be okay," she said, not liking the deterhtly, actually taking Peri’s elbow and turning her away "Everything is fine"

But it wasn’t fine, and the only reason Peri had agreed to leave the room was so that Howard and Taf would be out of the line of fire "What do you have for me?" she asked as she followed Fran into the kitchen

It was full ofdohen Peri swiftly broke his wrist Head swiveling, she fell into a ready stance, but it was too late as safeties clicked off She could draft, but she ht lose the last half hour--forever

"Mother!" Taf exclaimed as she burst in behind theround, her air huffing out as her hands were painfully yanked behind her and secured with the smooth feel of plastic Damn it all to hell

"Where’s the audio binder?" Fran said tersely "Well, get it on her And the blindfold"

Peri struggled as so to help you!" she shouted, closing her eyes to block the grayish-purple color of the bag iave up when a heavy hand pinned her face to the floor and a soft foam insert was jammed inexpertly into her ear Her pulse ha It was over She could close her eyes to block the color, but the precise hum of 741 MHz of sound could not be surmounted--and it worked instantaneously

"Mo?" Taf said loudly

"You don’t think her request was the only one on the table, do you?" Fran said, and Peri went cold, sitting up when the twoher to the tile floor shoved off her "Why should we risk anything when Opti will give us Silas in exchange for her?"

Excuseto scrubover her head "I’norance, and I’ll never find out what happened!"

"Get her out of here"

Peri heard the door open as the exciterew loud She was yanked to her feet, and the entire rooht of Hoith the black feeling of betrayal, but he hadn’t known If he had, her intuition would have pinged on him and she never would have come in They’d used him

"She came to us for help," Taf said bitterly "I can’t believe you’re doing this"