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She opened it, and a young man, about sixteen years old, stood there

"Can I help you?"

"Is Madoc here?" he asked, looking past her almost nervously

"No He’s--" She didn’t have tirabbing her throat in one strong hand He kicked the door shut behind hi over her nose and mouth

A sharp, medicinal scent burned her nose and throat She clawed at his arone weak, boneless

The world began to fade away, and with one last panicked thought, she shouted Madoc’s name

Ricky had done it He’d knocked the crazy chick out Now all he had to do was get her outside the walls and he was free Noschool all year round No ive him more otten him an apartirl--he’d made sure of that

Ricky was no murderer

He peeked out into the hall and saw no one co suitcase, rolled it into the suite, shoved the crazy chick’s body in it, and zipped it closed

She was so skinny, she fit easily No sweat

He’d pop her in the trunk, then drive out the gates He was allowed outside the walls during daylight one day ato be the last tiain

Madoc!

Nika’s shout slammed into his brain, propelled by pure, raw panic Fear exploded inside hi trouble

He was halfway to Joseph’s office, but he spun on his heel and sprinted back the way he ca

If she was dead

His feet pounded hard He accidentally shouldered a kid out of his way as he passed, sla hiive a fuck

He ripped his cell fro’s happened to Nika Can you see her?"

"I’ now Hold on"

Madoc kept the phone pressed to his ear and fu it He didn’t stop to pick it up "Unlockit down"

He rounded the corner, saw the light on his lock turn green, and sla ram

"Nika!"

She didn’t answer A frantic, ten-second search of the place showed no sign of her

Nicholas’s voice buzzed in his ear "There was a boy at your door He pushed his way into the suite Ca suitcase"

Madoc had passed hi to die"

He charged back out into the hall, chasing down the kid As he cleared the corner, he saw the boy look over his shoulder, panic, and sprint away, leaving the suitcase behind

"I see hio Take care of Nika"

Like he had to be told that He’d find and kill the fucker later Right now he needed to get to Nika

It seemed to take forever to reach the end of the hall It stretched out into eternity, growing longer with every step he took

What if she wasn’t in the suitcase? Even worse, what if she was, but it was too late?

Ait with terror He felt streaks of wetness drying on his cheeks, but paid the and ripped the zipper open Nika lay curled inside, her head bent at an aard angle She didn’t make a sound He couldn’t see her chest move

A wounded sound poured out of him with every breath His hands shook as he reached for her

Her skin arainst the side of her neck, but he was shaking so hard, he couldn’t tell if what he felt was her pulse or his own treers brushed the luceria and the faintest hint of color danced within the band It wouldn’t do that if she was dead, would it?

Madoc lifted her out, shoved the black nylon away, and cradled her in his arms as he hurried to Tynan’s suite He was the best healer they had Even if he hated Madoc, he had to help Nika

Liaht need so against his She was alive

Relief threatened to buckle his knees, but he held it together and keptforward

"Wake up Tynan He needs to fix her"