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He pressed the nightscope to his eye "I don’t see anything"

"It was there, I know it"

Then Alobe to her chest With her other hand she gripped Peter by the aran to pull hilass behind the in a hail of glinting shards The air blew from his body as he was knocked across the room It was only later that Peter would realize that the viral had coht on top of them He heard Sara scream-not even words, just a cry of terror He hit the floor, rolling, his liled with A back out the

Sara was gone

Alicia and Hollis were in the roo and taking up his rifle, he was standing at the , ai the scene with his barrel But no shots came

"Fuck!"

Alicia pulled Peter to his feet "Are you cut? Did it scratch you?"

His insides were still churning He shook his head: no

"What happened?" Michael cried "Where’s my sister!"

Peter found his voice "It took her"

Michael had grabbed Alobe, which had somehow remained unbroken "Where is she? Where is she?"

"Stop it, Michael!" Peter yelled "You’re frightening her!"

The globe fell to the floor with a crash as Alicia yanked Michael away, sending hi onto the sofa Amy stumbled backward, her eyes ith fear

"Circuit," Alicia said, "you have to cal with furious tears "Don’t fking callvoice: "Everyone shut the hell up!"

They turned to where Hollis stood by the open , his rifle at his hip

"Just Shut Up" He looked theet your sister, Michael"

Hollis dropped to one knee and began rifling through his pack for extra clips, filling the pockets of his vest "I sahich way they took her Three of the" He o"

Michael stepped forward "I’ too," said Caleb He raised his eyes to the group, his face suddenly uncertain "I ht?"

Peter looked at A on the sofa, her knees pressed protectively to her chest He asked Alicia for her pistol

"What for?"

"If we’re going out there, Amy needs a weapon"

She drew it from her waistband Peter released the clip to check the load, then pushed the clip back into the handle and cocked the slide to put a round in the chamber He turned it around in his hand and held it out to Amy

"One shot," he said He tapped his breastbone "That’s all you get Through here You kno to do this?"

A

They were gathering their gear when Alicia pulled Peter aside "Not that I’," she said quietly, "but it could be a trap"

"I know it’s a trap" Peter took up his rifle and pack "I think I’ve known it since we got to this place All those blocked streets, they led us right here But Hollis is right I never should have left Theo behind, and I’ht sticks and stepped into the hall At the top of the stairwell, Aliciathe area with the barrel of her rifle She gave the theht, Alicia and Peter trading the point, Mausa the rear When they reached the third floor they exited the stairwell and moved down the hall, toward the elevators

Theover the edge, Peter could see the car with its roof hatch standing open below He swung out onto the cable, his rifle slung across his back, and shimmied to the roof of the car, then dropped inside The elevator opened on another lobby, two stories tall, with a glass ceiling The wall facing the open door was led view of the space beyond He inched the barrel of his rifle out, holding his breath But the h the hatch to the others

The rest of the group followed, passing their rifles through the hatch and dropping down The last was Mausa froht she’d want it"

The casino was to their left, to their right the darkened hall of empty stores Beyond that lay theSara across the street, to the tower The plan was to get across the open ground in front of the hotel using the vehicles, with their heavy guns, for cover Beyond that, Peter didn’t know

They reached the lobby, with its silent piano All was quiet, unchanged In the glow of their light sticks, the painted figures on the ceiling seemed to float freely, suspended over their heads without attachment to any physical plane When Peter had seen the, but as he looked at theone Those dewy eyes and soft, round faces-Peter realized they were Littles

They reached the entrance and crouched by the open"I’ll go first," Alicia said She took a drink froo I don’t want to hang around the base of the building more than about two seconds Michael, you take Sara’s place at the wheel of the second Humvee; Hollis and Mausami, I want you up on those fifties Caleb, just run like hell and get inside and make sure Aets aboard"

"What about you?" Peter asked

"Don’t worry, I’ you leave withoutfor the nearest vehicle Peter scrambled into position The darkness beyond was total, the moon obscured by the roof of the portico He heard a soft impact as Alicia took cover at the base of one of the Huainst his shoulder, willing Alicia to whistle the all clear