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"Gabby?" he whispered, barely hearing it hi on?

"It’s not real!" she yelled, just as one of the cops grabbed her arm "I mean, it is real! They tricked you! I should never have helped--" The other cop slugged her in the head with his nightstick and she collapsed to the ground

Unable to for sound that pierced his own ears It came from everywhere inside him, a banshee cry born of confusion and pain He was pushed ahead, and he lost sight of Gabby

They were throwing his friends into the back of the truck Panic surged inside Michael No, no, no Everything was so wrong

"Gabby!" he yelled

He jerked his body, twisting away frorip and Michael staggered, turned, started running Toward Gabby

Wrong

Everything

Throngs of people surrounded her If he could just get that far Find her, help her, get lost in the crowd

A woear She had a nightstick, too, and she swung the long, thin club directly at Michael’s face It connected with his forehead, a crushing blow that hts and pain He fell to the ground, cru into the concrete

The sky and the tops of buildings swirled above hi hione Gone

"Gabby," he whispered "Weber Where are you?"

And then he was being lifted into the air Carried to the truck Thrown inside

They sla screech followed by a thunderous, echoing boo him and his friends in darkness

Michael closed his eyes

Chapter 21: Criminal

Michael floated in and out of consciousness He woke up when they hts and faces, the blur of movement His head hurt, a raw ache that reminded him far too much of the Decay Of all that had been Of Kaine Nausea overwhelmed him

He slept

"Hey," someone whispered "Michael You okay?"

Sarah It was Sarah He blinked a few ti down at hi very hard His head felt better, and the wooziness had subsided With a groan he et up, and she helped him His heart sank when he sahere they were