Page 33 (2/2)

“Did you alert their security?” she asked

“Check with you first But soot to”

I have to kill hi in her ear She sa to do it Get hih to bare the back of his neck Then she would press her tongue against the roof of herher palate a little, and the strength would come She’d break him here and then… take him back to her quarters She could clear out her locker, fit hi sealant that would keep the s out She’d file a report, say he wasShe could act as confused as anyone By the tiave up the rooone Even if they worked out that she’d also planted the boents

Ren was looking at her, his brown eyes e hair back in a wiry ponytail that left the skin of his neck exposed She thought of hientleness in his expression The kindness

I’ht This isn’t ain,” she said, angling her body toward the monitor “Shohere the ano on the Cerisier, the controls were built for someone a little shorter than Ren He had to bend a little to reach them A thickness rose up at the back of her neck, filled her throat Dread felt like drowning Ren’s ponytail shifted, pulled to the side There was a mole, brown and ovoid, just where his spineon this report here,” he said, tapping the screen

Melba pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth What about Soledad? She’d been there when Ren called her She knew Melba had gone to see hiht have to kill her too Where would she put that body? There would have to be an accident So plausible She couldn’t let theh,” he said “Steady levels”

She circled her tongue counterclockwise once, then paused She felt light-headed Short of breath One of the artificial glands leaking out, , but she couldn’t hear him The sounds of her own breath and the blood in her ears was too loud

I have to kill hi Her heart raced He turned to her, blew a breath out his nostrils He wasn’t a person He was just a sack of meat with a little electricity She could do this For her father For her family It needed to be done

When Ren spoke, his voice seemed to come from a distance

“Was denkt tu? You want to make the call, you want me to?”

Herif they should alert the Seung Un about the bomb That hat he meant

“Ren?” she said Her voice sounded ser than she was Sohtened, or very sad Concern blooether

“Hey? You all right, boss?”