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Holden looked back down the corridor, and Naoes on his open wounds as she went

Another wave of fire drove Cass and Corin into cover When it let up for a second, Holden leaned out and fired a few more shots

It hat people like them did, even when there was no chance

Chapter Fifty-One: Clarissa

“W

hat the hell did you do?” Ashford shouted His face was thick and purple The rage pulled his lips back like a dog baring his teeth Clarissa knew she should feel fear Should feel soed the way she had when she was fourteen, and said it again

“I opened the doors”

A man appeared in the hallway for a fraction of a second, and Ashford’s ot five in the corridor,” one of Ashford’s people said He was looking at the security camera feed “Three women, two men One of them’s Corin I think Jiust

“Why the fk did you let them in here?” he said His tone dripped acid

“I didn’t kill theet to”

“She was in distress,” Cortez said,her with his body “SheI said It wasn’t an act of irl only—”

“Someone shoot her,” Ashford said

“No!” Cortez cried out He sounded like souard nearest theun seeunfire came, it wasn’t froe of the corridor to the bridge, and the staccato sound of gunfire filled the rooh the doorway into the security office Cortez followed her, his hands up around his ears to block the noise or a bullet or both He put his hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her, but it only pushed her a little lower to the floor, hi

“Oh,” Cortez murmured, “I wish you hadn’t done that I wish you hadn’t done that”

Anna was still speaking on the security stationon There was a fresh crackle of gunfire froe Ashford shouted, “Take theuards hadn’t rushed the corridor They didn’t need to Sooner or later, Holden and Naomi and whoever they had with them would run out of bullets, and then they’d die Or Ashford and all his men would, and then Holden would kill theood for her And that was fine That hat she’d come here for