Page 28 (1/2)

The door shuddered wide The hangar beyond was unlit Black as the eed thermal vision and stepped inside, VKs ready

"Safeties off," I ordered

McNulty took point, creeping into the dark I could see welding gear and industrial cutters scattered about the inner door, scorch marks on the titanium The silence was total--it’d been days since they took AIDAN offline and cut the ines used to be a constant A thunder you could set your back against A heartbeat

Gone now And h to replace it

Yet

The bay was huge, stretching off in every direction, but I took best guess and ma to proceed I could see the abandoned Copernicus shuttles in the darkness--nine bulky scarabs, a on train froht I saw a flicker of one

We were on our way toward them e found the first bodies

I’ve seen people die Die hard Die messy Job like mine, you live with the reaper every day But if you’re unlucky, it’s not the bullets that kill you in this gig It’syou one piece at a time

There were twenty of theh to e I’m not sure where the heads were--we never found them They were stripped to the skin Twisted on the floor in some kind of pattern It wasn’t until I vaulted up onto a fuel drued to form letters Tords spelled out on the floor in cold, naked meat

HELP US

"Jesus Christ," Sykes breathed

"Not sure he’s listening, chum," McNulty said

"Stow it, McNulty," I ordered

"Knife wounds," Sykes said, kneeling by one of the bodies "Multiples"

"Well, whoever did it probably wasn’t considerate enough to cut their own throat afterwards," I said "They’re still in here Eyes open Stay chill"

I could feel McNulty’s eyes onon here, LT?"

Screah the Alexander’s guts A girl Pleading

"Move!" I hissed, and ere running Sweat on er I could see h to inspect them Broken skulls and opened wrists This was no protest This was no riot

Shapes appearing out of the darkness ahead Five of the

"There she is!"

"Hold her still!"

"Help me!"