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Michael pointed the shotgun over the dash and fired

The glass exploded Greer swerved to the left; Peter was thrown against the door, Ah a bean field, ate Greer swerved the opposite way; the chassis tipped to the left, threatened to roll; then the wheels slammed down Greer crested a rise and the truck went briefly airborne before spinning back onto the road An oan to decelerate

Peter yelled to Greer, "What’s wrong?"

Sine roared pointlessly "We ht!"

Peter turned, took the viral in his sights, and squeezed the trigger, ain he fired He had no idea if he was hitting anything The slide locked back; the hted perimeter was still a hundred yards away

"I’m out!" Michael yelled

As the truck floated to a halt, flares arced froht and smoke above their heads Peter turned to Aainst the door, the pistol, unfired, dangling in her hand

"Greer," Peter said, "help me"

He pulled her from the cab Her motions were as heavy and loose as a sleepwalker’s The flares began their lazy, flickering descents As As unfolded from the truck, Greer stepped around the front of the vehicle, shoving fresh shells into the shotgun’s un into Peter’s hand and slid his right shoulder under Aht

"Cover us," he said

--

Caleb helplessly watched the truck’s approach The virals were still well out of reach for even the luckiest shot Up and down the wall, voices were yelling to hold fire, to wait until they were in range