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Toto groaned, lying on the botto water Dekka lay against Sam in the stern His arive up

He could feel theenthorror of insect bodieswithin Dekka’s body

"Sam, you promised me," Dekka moaned

"I will, Dekka I promise I will But not yet, not yet" To Quinn he said, "As soon as we reach the dock, go for Lana"

"Lana can’t help," Quinn grunted, never slackening his pace "She can’t kill them"

"She doesn’t have to," Sam said

"I’ll take the kid, Orc," Drake said "Where’s Astrid?"

Orc stared at Drake So many emotions in his tired, drink-addled brain

Drake was the cause of all his problems If he hadn’t escaped

But hadn’t he himself just stormed up here to take it all out on Astrid? And yet, Drake’s sadistic, cocky grinlike steam rise up inside of him

"Whaddyou ith the kid?" Orc slurred

"Drunk much?" Drake taunted "Friend of mine wants the ’tard So, where’s the sister?"

"Leave her alone"

Drake laughed "Rock boy, I’ anyone alone I have an army outside I’ll do whatever I ith Astrid the Genius"

"She didn’t hurt you"

"Don’t play the hero, Orc, it doesn’t work for you You’re a filthy, drunken degenerate Have you sht in shining arravel face?" He peered closer at Orc as if looking inside hiet Astrid is the sa, isn’t it?"

"Shut up"

Drake laughed delightedly "Oh, you sad, sick disaster I can see it in your bloodshot eyes Well, I’ll tell you what: you can have whatever’s left over after I--"

Orc swung hard, with surprising speed The rock fist caught Drake a little high, nailing the side of his head but only a glancing blow

Still, a glancing blow froehammer

Drake stumbled sideways, slammed into the wall, but kept his feet

Orc went after Drake, swung again, and this time missed completely His fist punched a hole in the here Drake’s head had been

Drake was behind hi, stupid idiot, I can’t be killed Didn’t you know that? Bring it, Orc Co pile of crap"

Drake lashed him then It didn’t hurt Orc much But he felt it