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The two re Pinkwater soldiers eren’t Wendell scuttled forward, pressing their backs to the wall on either side of the freight gateway Prax started toward the hand on his shoulder The man on the left side of the door ducked his head into the doorway and then out again A bullet gouged a streak in the here it ive ht he was talking to them Holden’s eyes were hard, and the scowl see to ht We’ve got a partial floor plan Through there, we’ve got an open room It drops down about two meters, with exits to our ten o’clock and one o’clock It’s built like a pit, so if they’re setting up defense here, we’ve got the high ground”

“Makes it a damned stupid place to set up a defense, then,” Wendell said

Gunfire chattered, three sateway The people on the other side were nervous

“And yet the evidence suggests …” Holden said

“You want to talk to ’eht for the obvious thing?”

The questionmore than Prax understood; he could tell that , hesitated, and then nodded toward the doorway

“Let’s get this done,” he said

Holden and Aateway, Prax and Wendell close behind So orders in the room beyond Prax ht Evac They couldn’t let anyone leave until they found Mei

“I counted seven,” one of the Pinkwater soldiers said “Could be more”

“Any kids?” Aain,” Aht his breath, expecting to see the man’s head dissolve in a rain of bullets, but A back when the first shots started

“What are orking with?” Holden asked

“More’n seven,” A this as a choke point, but the fella’s right Either they don’t knohat they’re doing, or there’s so in there they can’t pull back fro critical to defend,” Holden said

A ateway, clanking Ah the doorway The detonation lit the roo Prax had ever heard before The ringing in his ears redoubled