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He spotshis hand in order to come toward ht of Flynn, who’s headed up to us at a jog

"Hey," he calls loudly, offering his hand to shake "Sorry you’re headed out"

Merendsen claps his palm to Flynn’s But when he speaks, his voice is pitched lower, barely audible to ines all around us "I’ve heard froe She couldn’t risk a verbal transh We have a code, whenever we can’t speak face-to-face I’ve decoded it for you, here" He shoves a crumpled piece of paper into e, trying to look casual while keeping an eye on thearound the various shuttles At the far end of the hangar, one takes off upith a roar, the noise providing perfect cover for our voices "Thank you"

His gaze fixes on mine, his voice low "Lee, listen to , they aren’t bad themselves But if he’s found a way to coht be capable of Just--be careful Please"

I knohat he’s trying to say Don’t be rash, don’t rush in Don’t be Lee-ish I ht," he continues, this ti at Flynn as well "You need proof, and you need to create a whole galaxy of witnesses You need so many eyes on Avon that LaRoux wouldn’t dare touch it Maybe when you get back, you can search for whatever happened to that facility to the east"

Before anyone can reply, an air traffic controller jogs up to o, sir, not much time left Last shuttle out"

I can see the line of civilians and soldiers alike boarding the shuttle Most of the soldiers sport visible wounds, but some have the reddened, haunted eyes of those who’ve had their first unnatural dreao back to sleep, for fear of the Fury There are only a handful of civilians, the lucky feho have faalaxy to take theh they don’t want to draw attention to themselves

Behind the a desperate throng of townspeople, all wanting to get out before they lose their chance The launch bay officials are herding thes scanned There’s no way out of this building for Flynn--except on the ship I’s in a tight, quick voice "Rebels have got surface-to-air ot to a supply craft on its way in Ain’t safe to fly anyot a brief , but then that’s it If you take off now, there’s a good chance you’ll be fine--but you probably won’t be able to co?" I ask hiround teauns Maybe not until the war’s over"

My head jerks up If I leave now, Iover there?" I ask, tiltingaway I can’t send Flynn off to join theetting on a shuttle, they’re being scanned and having their identities verified, sir"

Flynn’s eyeson iht checks for you, sir--but you’re on the roster to fly this thing because you’re Mr Merendsen’s security detail, and you’ve got to do it now, co manhandled back toward the nose of the shuttle to carry out my orders, but my eyes are on Flynn’s, and for abut my heartbeat as the chas by, whispering like dust

Then everything rushes back and Flynn darts forward "Me too," he blurts with a gasp "I’lances at hi to board Flynn’s on this side of the soldiers holding the others back, and the h the security check That he’s ht not be coet thoseahead of schedule"

"I know" Flynn’s breathing hard, his eyes onup as if to make up for its hiccup a few seconds before Merendsen’s hauling hier door, and I’ up into the pilot’s seat No copilot on this one; we’ve got no one to spare

My hands are shaking Though I’ve been flying a few ti when I was sixteen, I’m no pilot--but routine transportsurface-to-air missiles was never part of the routine

Muscle ines hureen one by one to tell ers are all strapped down, that the doors are closed, that we’re pressurized That we’re ready to go I pull on the co at me to move, move now