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With every inch the rew He could hear the cracking of bone, the ripping of tendons, the cry of the creature as it lost the struggle The pressure of its body on his weakened, then fell away altogether Michael braced himself for one final burst of effort, readied to tear thesound A sweeping rush of noise and a blur of strea colors The world tilted, bent, spun Darkness swept it all away And then Michael was blinking, gasping for air, staring up at the lid of Agent Weber’s Coffin

She’d Lifted them out of the Sleep Across his body the NerveWires prickled as they receded fro into their hidey-holes

He was back

Chapter 18: The Lance Code

Michael was soaking wet--partly fro his every inch of skin His chest heaved as he gasped for air, feeling like he could never get enough to satisfy his lungs Soh to find the release, and he sprang it, then waited, i open on its hinges Warent Weber herself standing there, looking down at him, her face blurry His vision hadn’t quite adjusted yet

On the edges of his consciousness, he had the thought that he was glad he’d worn shorts for the trip, at least Usually he went stark naked to experience the full effects of the sensory ele down in his birthday suit had seeht

"Are you okay?" Agent Weber asked

Michael blinked a few times and she caenuine enough And she’d fulfilled her pro hoildly his head spun from the movement

"Sarah!" he shouted "Bryson!"

"They’re fine," Weber said, kneeling down next to the Coffin "I was able to get them out a little early--I’m not sure why it was so hard to Lift you There was … so, as if the systenal I’otten bad in there"

Michael waved his hand, as if swatting away her concern He knew very hat had happened, and why it had been such a struggle to Lift him That creature--that twisted version of the KillSiital essence He felt such a rush realizing how close he’d coe that he found it hard to breathe Fu, he scrambled out of the Coffin, stood up, swayed, sat down, breathed in deep pulls of air What if he hadn’t yanked the thing’s jaws apart, gotten it off his head? How close had he co?