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"Holy godda down a hole in tih and wide above his head "Everyone stand down!"

Her back erect, the woled her face toward the top of the wall "I am Alicia Donadio, captain of the Expeditionary! Where is Peter Jaxon?"

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Thirtyback from the portal, Peter nodded at Henneman

"Open it, Colonel"

Henneman turned the wheel and backed away From inside the tunnel cah the line of soldiers facing the portal; all guns were raised, all eyes arrowed over the barrels A shadow elongated across the wall of the tunnel; then Alicia eed One hand held a short rope attached to the horse’s bridle; the second lay easily at her side Her hair, that distinctive red croas pulled tight to her scalp, its length corralled into a densely woven braid that fell midway down her back On her upper body she wore a T-shirt without sleeves, revealing the muscularity of her arms and shoulders; below, loose trousers, cinched at the waist, and a pair of leather boots A quick scan of the crowd, the lights of the staging area rebounding off the lenses of her goggles like search bea instructions

"Move forward," Peter said "Slowly"

She advanced another twenty feet; Peter ordered her to stop

"Blades first Toss them forward"

"That’s all you have to say?"

He had a sudden feeling of unreality; it was as if he were talking to a ghost "The blades, Lish"

She glanced to Peter’s right "Michael I didn’t notice you standing there"

"Hello, Lish"

"And Colonel Apgar" Alicia gave a quick nod from the chin "It’s nice to see you, sir"

"It’s ‘General’ to you, Donadio" The man’s arms were folded over his chest; his face was a hard scowl "Mr President, say the word and this is done"

" ‘Mr President’?" From Alicia, a wry frown "You’ve come up in the world, Peter"