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They turned off Highway 10 Froravel road to the city The truck shook fiercely as they pounded through the potholes Wind whipped through the open s; the sun, coht

"Michael, take the wheel and keep it steady" Greer reached below his seat "Peter, give her this"

Peter leaned forward to receive the pistol A round was already chambered

"You won’t have time to aim," he said to Aer"

She took the gun frorip seemed firm

"You have fifteen rounds You’ll have to be close--don’t try to shoot theun," Greer said

Michael freed the weapon An extended ht shells "What’s in here?" he asked Greer

"Slugs, big ones No room for slop, but it’ll put one down fast"

The shape of the city e on the hill, it looked as sht," Greer said

--

The last patients were being brought down from the main floor Jenny stood at the door of the hardbox with a clipboard, checking na the cots, doing their best to make sure everyone was conant wo, with thick, dark hair While Sara took her pulse, she looked quickly at the girl’s chart A nurse had checked her an hour ago; her cervix had been barely dilated Her name was Grace Alvado

"Grace, I’nant one other time, but it didn’t take"

"And how old are you?"

"Twenty-one"

Sara stopped; the age was right If this was the same Grace, Sara had last seen her when she was just a day old

"Are your parents Carlos and Sally Jiménez?"

"You knew ht have, on a different day "This ht surprise you, Grace, but I was there the day you were born" She looked toward the girl’s co crate on the other side of the cot He was older, h like many new fathers he seeency of events after