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That’s all, Ian said That’s e know

Soht; the crowd could feel it too Never had anybody witnessed an attack like this, its tactical quality The closest analogue was Dark Night itself, but even then, the virals had given no evidence of presenting an organized assault When the lights had gone out, Peter had run with Alicia froht with everyone else, but Ian had ordered them both to the Sanctuary, which in the confusion had been left undefended So what they’d seen and heard had been both softened by distance and made worse because of it He should have been there, he knew He should have been on the Wall

A voice cut through theof the crowd: "What about the power station?"

The speaker was Milo Darrell He was holding his wife, Penny, to his side

"As far as we know, it’s still secure, Milo," Ian said "Michael says there’s current still flowing"

"But you said there was a power surge! So down there to check it out And where the hell is Sanjay?"

Ian hesitated "I was co to that, Milo Sanjay has taken sick For now, Walter here is serving as Head"

"Walter? You can’t be serious"

Walter see in his seat to lift his bleary face toward the assembly "Wait just a damn minute-"

But Milo cut back in "Walter’s a drunk," he said, his voice rising, beco bolder "A drunk and a cheat Everybody knows it Who’s really in charge here, Ian? Is it you? Because as far as I can tell, nobody is I say open the Armory, let everybody stand the Wall ants to And let’s get so to do? Peter thought Start a riot? He glanced at Alicia; she was staring intently at Milo, her body in a posture of alert, arms held from her sides All eyes

"I’m sorry about your boy," Ian said, "but this isn’t the tio off half-cocked Let the Watch handle this"

But Milo paid hiaze over the asseanized Well, anized, too If the Watch won’t do anything, I say we should"

"Flyers, Milo Cal"

It was Sa forward, who spoke next: "They should be scared Caleb let that girl in here, and nohat, eleven people are dead? She’s the reason they’re here!"

"We don’t know that, Sairl, that’s where this all started I say let it end with the here and there: the girl, the girl, people were saying He’s right It was the girl

"Just what do you want us to do about it?"

"What do I want you to do?" Sam said "What you should have done already They should be put out" He swiveled to face the crowd "Everyone, listen to me! The Watch won’t say it, but I will Crosses can’t protect us, not against this I say we put the voice rose fro into a chorus:

Put theht, as if a lifetime of worry had co his are of violence, so to stop it; the pretense of order had been stripped away

He knew it then: he had to get the girl out of here Caleb too, whose fate was now bound up with hers But where could they go? What place would be safe?

He turned to Alicia, but she was gone

Then Peter saw her She had barged her way through the roiling ile hop she mounted the table and spun to face the assembly

"Everybody!" she cried "Listen to me!"

Peter felt the crowd tense around hiht, what are you doing?

"She’s not the reason they’re here," Alicia said "I am"