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The three of the with their bellies pressed to the upward slope of the culvert, Greer scanning the scene with the binoculars The late afternoon sun was lighting fires in the clouds
"You’re sure this is the place," Amy said
Alicia nodded They had lain there for nearly three hours Their attentions were focused on a wide- fro was crisscrossed with tire tracks
The un to doubt herself when Greer raised his hand "Here we go"
A figure had e a dark jacket Man or woman, Alicia couldn’t tell A scarf covered the lower half of the person’s face; a wool cap was pulled down to the tops of the eyes The figure paused, looking south with a hand to its brow
"Looks like he’s waiting for someone," Greer said
"How do you know it’s a man?" Alicia asked
"I don’t" Greer handed the binoculars to Amy, who pushed a strand of hair aside and pressed the lenses to her eyes It was aht; in every aspect, even the sirl she’d always been and soone into the belly of the ship, the Chevron Mariner, as one thing and had come out another Even Amy couldn’t provide an explanation To Alicia, the oddest thing about it was the fact that it didn’t seem odd at all
"I can’t tell either But whoever’s supposed tolate" Amy dren the binoculars Beneath her oversized wool coat, she still wore the shapeless tunic of the Order Her legs were covered in thick woven leggings, her feet shod in laced boots of crinkled leather "If we’re going to find Sergio, I don’t think we’re going to get a better chance"
Alicia nodded "Agreed Major?"
"No objection here"
The only cover to conceal their approach was a line of brush on the east side of the pipe and a stand of bare trees on the hillside above it Amy and Alicia left Greer to stand lookout andthe culvert in opposite directions Around level; Alicia would drop down from above Once they were in position, Greer would whistle, diverting the man’s attention, and they wouldto plan Alicia scuttled on her belly to the top of the pipe The crown of the le, she wouldn’t be able to see Anal, then:
Where did he go?
Rising to her knees, Alicia rotated in tiht Hers In an airborne e down upon her as Alicia landed on her back in the snow
"Who the hell are you?" The woman had pinned Alicia’s ar a knife to her throat, the blade just nicking her skin Alicia had no doubt that she would use it
"Steady there I’m a friend"
"Answer the question"
"Amy? A little help here?"
Amy had moved in from behind Her approach had been absolutely soundless Before the wo her sideways; as the woed forith the knife, Amy slapped it away, darted behind her, and locked her in a half nelson, the other arht was: I’ll be goddamned
"Stop it," Amy said "We want to talk, that’s all"
The woritted teeth "Go to hell"
"Don’t you think I could break your neck if I wanted to?"
"Be lanced at Alicia, who had collected the wo snow fro toward the to you?" Amy asked
Alicia shook her head
"Who’s Guilder?" she asked the woman
"What do you mean, who’s Guilder?"
"What’s your naht as well tell me"
A moment’s hesitation, then: "Nina, okay? It’s Nina"
"I’o now, Nina," Amy said "Promise me you’ll listen to e have to say That’s all I’rip to le; then the woman relented "Okay, okay I promise"
Amy released her The wo face, not much older than twenty, but her eyes told a different tale-hard, almost ferocious
"Who are you people?"
"That was a nice move," Alicia said to Aer and passed it to her "Where’d you learn that?"
"Where do you think? By watching you" She pointed her eyes at Greer His long beard was clotted with snow, like the ain? Let us knohen the vehicle approaches"
"That’s all? Just let you know?"
"It would be good if you coulddelay theed up the ridge Aesture with the knife "Take a seat"
Nina glared with defiance "Why would I do that?"
"Because you’ll beto take some time" Amy slid the knife into her belt I’m done with this, if you behave "We’re not at all who you think we are Now sit"
Reluctantly, Nina lowered herself to the snow "I’"
"I very much doubt that," said A I need to know, once I explain what’s about to happen here"
"I want to play with Dani!"
"Eva, sweetheart-"
The little girl’s face was flushed with anger She snatched one of the leather cups off the floor and hurled it at Lila, o to bed this instant!"
The girl was i "You can’t make me!"
"I’m your mother! You do as I say!"
"I want Dani!"
She had filled a hand with dry beans Before Lila could react, the little girl reared back and launched the, hate-fueled force into Lila’s face More beans spattered on the floor behind her, a clattering rain She leapt to her feet and began to tear through the aparts off tables, hurling pillows into the air