Page 39 (1/2)

So this was their new trick, Tally thought Specials on hoverboards, perfect for tracking the New Slies or pretties?" Dr Cable called Tally looked up and saw that the doctor had rejoined her by the fire

"Just a couple of the Criot away," came the answer Tally realized that beneath its razor sharpness, she recognized the sound of the Special’s voice

"Oh, no," she said softly

"Oh, yes, Tally-wa" The figure hopped off her board and strode into the firelight "New surge!

Do you like it?"

It was Shay She was Special

"Dr C let ?"

Tally looked at her old friend, awestruck by the transfor lines of flash tattoos covered her, as if Shay’s skin rapped in a pulsing black net Her face was lean and cruel, her upper teeth filed down to sharp, triangular points She was taller, with hard new muscles in her bare arms The line of the scars where she had cut herself stood out pro tattoos

Shay’s eyes flashed in the firelight like a predator’s, shifting between red and violet as the flames danced

She was still pretty, of course, but her cruel, inhu a colorful spider traverse its web

Behind her, the other hoverboards descended Ho and Tachs, Shay’s fellow Cutters, each held a liht Fausto, who’d never been on a hoverboard in his life before a few days ago But most of the others had escaped, at leastand David had made it to safety

The New S, Tally-wa?" Shay said "Not too much for you?"

Tally shook her head tiredly "No It’s bubbly, Shay-la"

A broad, cruel smile filled Shay’s face "About a zillion milli-Helens, huh?"

"At least" Tally turned from her old friend and stared into the fire

Shay sat down beside her "Being Special is ine, Tally-wa Every second is totally spinning Like, I can hear your heartbeat, can feel the electric buzz of that jacket trying to keep you warm I can smell your fear"

"I’m not afraid of you, Shay"

"You are a little bit, Tally-wa You can’t lie to me anymore" Shay put her arm around Tally

"Hey, relies? Dr C will let e however ant Even the Pretty Committee can’t tell us e can and can’t look like"

"That reat for you, Shay-la"

"Me andin Circumstances Like special Specials Isn’t that totally happy- to see as behind the flashing violet-red eyes Despite the pretty-talk, she heard a cold, serene intelligence in Shays voice, a pitiless joy in having snared her old betrayer

Shay was a new kind of cruel pretty, Tally could see So even worse than Dr Cable