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“I don’t like this, Georgia,” said Mahir, worry and exhaustion blurring his northat for hours, and it was sticking up in all directions “The situation is starting to sound like it isn’t exactly safe”

“You’re on the other side of the planet, Mahir I don’t think you’re going to get hurt”

“It’s not my safety I’m concerned with here Are you sure ant to continue to pursue the situation? I’d rather not be reporting your obituary” He sounded so anxious that I couldn’t be angry with hienerally inclined to avoid taking risks, but a good guy and a fabulous Newsie If he couldn’t understand ere pursuing things, I just needed to make them clearer

“Everyone who died at the ranch was e winced “The people who died in Eakly were murdered, too, and that set of casualties nearly includedconnected to this candidate and this can that so a little collateral da the situation I want to knohat makes you think we can afford not to”

Mahir s you’d say so those lines, but I wanted to be certain of it Rest assured that you have the full support of everyone here If there’s anything I can do, all you have to do is say so”

“You know, Mahir, your support is so for you very soon,” I said “Although if you play ‘test the boss’ again, I , and the senator’s going to want to talk before er I hereby declare this discussion over Rick, Mahir, thanks for sticking it out”

“Any ti as the relay raced to keep up with hied off I closed the conference, standing I was so stiff that it felt like my spine had been replaced with carved teak, and lasses and rubbedto relieve so

“Bed?” asked Rick

I nodded “Don’t take this the wrong way, but—”

“Get out I know Wake ia Sleep well” Rick opened the adjoining door with a faint creak I openedto wave as he slipped out

“You too, Rick,” I said Then the door was closed, and I staggered to the bed, shedding clothes as I went When I was down to T-shirt and panties, I abandoned the notion of looking for nightclothes and crawled under the covers, closing ia”