Page 29 (1/2)

Of animals Not of boys Not even bad boys like Zil

Taylor bounced

Sahttime Astrid asleep, Little Pete asleep, Mary out at the day care working the night shift, John asleep

Sam’s bedrooht with some satisfaction Sam and Astrid had not made up

She wondered if it was perood, hey, maybe there was an opportunity

She could wake Astrid That would probably be the proper thing to do But her instinct said no, especially after Astrid had chilled her earlier

Boy, was Astrid going to freak when she found out Taylor had gone to Saht away Too big for Astrid

Well, too big for anyone, really

Taylor thought of the fire station On occasion Sa Ellen, the fire chief--the fire chief with no water to spray Ellen grumbled in her sleep

Not for the first tireatest thief All she had to do was think of a place and, pop! There she was No sound--unless she happened to bang into so once she had n--and even if soht back out before they so reat thief If there had been anything to steal And only as long as it was s much more than the clothes on her back when she bounced

She bounced from the fire station to Edilio’s place Edilio now ran a sort of barracks, or whatever you called it He had occupied a big seven-bedroom house He had one bedroouys each It was his quick reaction force Half the boys and girls had automatic weapons within easy reach of their beds One boy ake He jumped when he noticed Taylor

"Go back to sleep; you’re drea," she said with a wink "And, dude: s channels on the TV It didn’t feel like she wasaround her ItAn illusion

She thought of a place and, like tapping a button on the remote control, suddenly she was there

The day care

The beach

Clifftop--but not Lana’s room The as out that the Healer was extreaiaphage And no one in her right mind wanted to piss off the Healer

Finally, it occurred to Taylor where Sa with Astrid

Quinn ake, getting dressed in the dark He see in

"He’s here," Quinn said without preamble "The bedroom at the top of the stairs"

"You’re up early," Taylor said

"Four a is a job for early risers Which I a"

"Hey, you talking to Saency? I need to know if I’et killed on my way down to the marina," Quinn said