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Fortunately, the situation was interrupted by screa noises from the street Diners dropped their knives and forks to turn towards the doorway A couple of lasses still in their hands

Kai ed an infinitesimal blink at Irene, then turned to Vale ‘Do you think we should investigate, sir?’

‘Of course!’ Vale exclai it casually in his left hand ‘Madarock, if you would accompany me – ’ He strode towards the door

‘What do I do?’ Kai hissed at Irene

‘Stay with hi on Be careful, he’s a detective’

‘I’d worked that bit out,’ Kai muttered But he displayed a wild enthusiaslanced around as the twoout of the shadows to try to abduct her while their attention was elsewhere Good She picked up her bag and walked after thelass hich provided a convenient view of the street outside The place was in total chaos A giantto stand there and count the havoc in the narrow alleyway outside She spotted a badly daed cart and several broken s There was barely rooate, let alone turn around, and it was dancing a few steps forward and then a few steps back as its front feelers see or someone Oil oozed fro She noticed that a couple of people had already been hurt and bystanders were screa, at a theoretically safe distance, to watch what it did next

Kai and Vale were standing in the doorway, assessing it At least, Vale looked as if he was assessing it Kai just looked stunned

‘How the hell did that thing get through the streets?’ Kai asked

Vale sniffed ‘It probably caraodsend to cri voice boomed down the street ‘Prepare to face your doom!’

‘Ah,’ Vale said cheerfully, ‘it’s for ot us confused,’ he said ‘Perhaps it’s for me’

‘No, no, I assure you it’s forthe rear end while I distract the front? Soh-emission scintillotherms located there’

‘Of course,’ Kai said ‘Not a probleh Perhaps Vale was an ethical person, if his ene that he hadn’t staged the entire thing of course – but it was also just one e an investigation with these constant interruptions?

The two ht, towards the creature’s head, and Kai to the left, towards its rear Irene debated which one to follow Kai was under her protection, but following Vale could be far more informative

The question was settled for her as the centipede threw itself into rapid reverse,on the pavement as it danced backwards Its head cae faceted glass eyes, large enough for abursts on either side Vale stood before it, his sword unsheathed fro with electricity Each time that the centipede lowered its head to try to bite at hiainst pave burst of speed, he darted forward between the gnashing mandibles, and leapt up onto thethere for a ht it down into one of the creature’s eyes

Electricity blazed up in a great sparking colu screa into the next, with stea out from all the apertures A hatch dropped open beneath the creature, and a hing and spitting

Vale leapt down fro in a billow of coat-tails He pointed his sword at the man ‘Talk, sir, or--’

At that point Irene’s attention was distracted by so out from under her arm She turned to see one of the waiters – no, it wasn’t one of the waiters It was adress, with a napkin hastily thrown over one ar as a waiter His watch was far too expensive to be a waiter’s, his grey ht hand, she noted in the clarity of thefro, keeping hold of the strap, letting hi on her left heel, then brought her right leg out in a straight wide pivot It caught hiround with a curse

She straightened again sainst her body, and picked up one of the flimsy restaurant chairs It was of dubious quality and, as her antagonist tried to get up, it broke very thoroughly when it slale" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">