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Nerezza’s hand closed on the crowbar, but she couldn’t reach behind herself to get Astrid She stabbed blindly with the edged end of the tool, grazing Astrid’s forehead, but not dislodging her

Astrid wrapped her fingers around Nerezza’s throat and squeezed, now releasing the ear, spitting soth into squeezing Nerezza’s windpipe

She felt the pulse in Nerezza’s neck

And she squeezed

THIRTY-EIGHT

32 MINUTES

SANJIT AND VIRTUE carried Bowie on abut a sheet stretched between theether anxiously

"We are fleeing," Sanjit said

"What’s that?"

"Fleeing? Oh, it’s so I’ve done a few ti or fleeing You don’t want to fight, do you?"

"I’m scared," Peace led to hold the sheet ends in his fingers while walking backward toward the cliff "Look at Choo He doesn’t look scared, does he?"

Actually Virtue looked scared to death But Sanjit didn’t need Peace losing her head The scary part was still ahead Scary had only just begun

"No?" Peace said doubtfully

"Are we running away?" Pixie asked She had a plastic bag of Legos in her hand, no idea why, but she see to fly away, actually," Sanjit said brightly

"We’re going on the helichopper?" Pixie asked

Sanjit exchanged a look with Virtue, as struggling along rass

"Why are we running?" Bowie moaned

"He’s awake," Sanjit said

"You think?" Virtue snapped between gasps for air

"How do you feel, little dude?" Sanjit asked him

"My head hurts," Bowie said "And I want so," Sanjit e of the cliff The rope was still where he and Virtue had left it the other day "Okay, Choo, you go down first I’ll lower the kids down to you one by one"

"I’round and flexed his craers "Okay, listen up, all of you"

They did Somewhat to Sanjit’s surprise "Listen: we’re all scared, okay? So no one needs to keep re me You’re scared, I’m scared, we’re all scared"