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Angelina stayed close, as always, and Sydney was practically on top of ht behind "Don’t worry, you’re safe here" Then he smiled kindly at Sydney when he said, "We’ll take you back ho, my heart stock-still within my chest "How do you know it’s not an attack on the city? How do you know that the sirens will juststop?"

Xander’s grin had the same predatory quality I’d seen at the club "Because ere responsible for the attack on the city WeIt didn’t make any sense Almost less sense than a subterranean city "Why? Why would you do that?"

He sighed "Come with me, Charlaina We need to talk"

It wasn’t hard to convince Angelina to stay with Sydney in the room that had been prepared for us From what I could tell, there were very few individual accorateful that one had been set aside for us It was dank and smelled of cellar dirt, but at least there were suitable sleeping pallets

I was still worried about Sydney’s injuries She looked ht need ht do her good

Before I left theelina’s cheek It was a chance to speak to her with no one overhearing "Don’t do anything to help her, Angelina I need you to keep your hands to yourself" But when I pulled back, I could see worry in her eyes, and I knew she didn’t want ," I promised

Angelina knew I spoke the truth I could never lie to her, and she quieted down at last, silently agreeing to reirl

As I passed, I studied the aruard outside the s than any soldier I’d ever seen Yet another extravagance afforded us by our host

"Who are you? Who are all these people down here?" I asked, now that Angelina was no longer around "I et that they’re Outcasts, but how did you all end up together?"

Xander settled down behind awooden table with pock varnish On it, an odd assortment of colorful maps and charts were strewn haphazardly We were in an office of sorts, another charound around us "They’re not all Outcasts, Charlie Many of them have chosen to be here Yes, so they’d rather live freely a the Outcasts than adhere to the strict rules of society, but otherswell, let’s just say that others are leading double lives"

"What do you mean? Why would they want to live in two places at once?"