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Pain blindedwhite beneath my eyelids But I was down, not out When thea leg around and caught hiun clattering against a nearby patch of rocks I kicked until I h

I tried pushingwild and loose underhot and wet poured down over ht eye--blood I could taste it then, just as plainly as I felt the air round with a wave of his hand He threw hies of the picnic tables, knocking the skip tracer out in a single blow

Zu, Chubs, Zu, Chubs, ainst un had burst the skin in a jagged line

I don’t knohat happened next It felt likeseconds as we moved At one point, I think Liam must have tried to help me up, but I pushed him aith clumsy, slow hands

Run! I tried to say Get out of here!

"Ruby--Ruby" Liaet my attention, because he hadn’t seen as up ahead

Zu and Chubs were sitting on the ground, outside of Betty Their hands were handcuffed behind their backs, and their feet tied straight out in front of the over them was none other than Lady Jane

This was the first tih, at least, that I could make out the beauty mark on her cheek and the sunken quality to her eyes behind the black fralasses Her dark hair was down around her shoulders and curling with the huh it had been pulled taut over the sharp angles of her face Her black shirt was tucked neatly into her jeans, and a black utility belt was there to keep the froe identifier, a Taser, handcuffs…

"Hello, Liam Stewart," the woman said, her accent cold and silky

Next to me, Liam braced his feet and threw his arms up--to knock her back, I think The wo a head toward her outstretched left arun pointed at Zu’s head

"Lee--" Chubs’s voice was unnaturally high, but it was the look in Zu’s eyes that planted me in place

"Come here," the woman said "Sloith your hands on top of your head--now, Liaer won’t slip" She cocked her head to the side

Panic, I thought The panic button--where? My backpack was soet to it, if I could reach the door--

"Yeah?" Lia rate for et cut back when it took you three weeks to finally catch up to us?"