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The old banter, the jokey tone: was it a trick? "I said, take them off"

In a manner that struck him as leisurely, Alicia unbuckled the straps and tossed her bandoliers to the ground

"Now the sword," Peter said

"I’m here to talk, that’s all"

Peter lifted his voice toward the top of the wall "Snipers! Target the horse!" Then, to Alicia: "Soldier, isn’t it?"

If he’d rattled her, she didn’t show it Nevertheless, she drew the scabbard over her head and lobbed it forward

"Now the goggles," Peter said

"I’er"

He waited

"As you like"

Off they caer, ed a day Yet so was different, a quality not soof a storaze did not wander but held hih now that her face was unconcealed, there was so naked about her, als of uncertainty lay beneath

"Hit the lights"

Three portable banks of sodium vapor laun, blasting Alicia in the face As her hands fleard, half a dozen soldiers charged forward and shoved her face-first to the ground With a loud whinny, Soldier reared up on his hind legs and pawed violently at the air One of the soldiers jaainst the base of Alicia’s skull while the others covered her body

"Somebody control that animal," Peter barked "If it makes any trouble, shoot it"

"Leave him alone!"

"Colonel Henneman, shackle the prisoner"

As two soldiers led the horse away, Henneman holstered his pistol, stepped forward, and chained Alicia’s wrists and ankles A third chain connected the shackles behind her back