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Twenty

Throughout much of the world, rasslands to mountains They are not found on the North Aht in Moonlight Bay, unknown to all but a handful of the populace

I now understood why, earlier, the birds had fallen silent in the tree above me They had sensed the approach of this unnatural parade

Twenty-one Twenty-two

The troop was beco a battalion

Did Ibeen persuaded by the arguetarians Primarily they eat fruit, nuts, seeds, leaves, flowers, and birds’ eggs, but when they feel the need for meat, they munch on such savory fare as insects, spiders, and small mammals like mice, rats, and moles Absolutely never accept a dinner invitation from a monkey unless you know precisely what’s on theincisors and pointy eyeteeth, the better to rip and tear

Ordinary s Likewise, ordinary ht--except for the softly furred douroucouli, an owl-eyed South American species that is nocturnal

Those who roaht Bay aren’t ordinary They’re hateful, vicious, psychotic little geeks If given the choice of a plump tasty mouse sautéed in butter sauce or the chance to tear your face off for the sheer fun of it, they wouldn’t even lick their lips with regret at passing up the snack

I had tallied twenty-two individuals when the passing tide of monkey fur in the street abruptly turned, whereupon I lost count The troop doubled back on itself and halted, its ether in such a conspiratorial manner that you could easily believe one of therassy knoll in Dallas the day Kennedy was shot

Although they showed no alow than in any other, they were directly in front of it and close enough to givehair on the nape ofout the back of the house before they caazine subscription cards

If I slipped away, however, I wouldn’t knohich direction they had gone after breaking out of their huddle I’d be as likely to blunder into them as to avoid them--with mortal consequences

I had counted twenty-two, and I had ht have been as many as thirty My 9-millimeter Glock held ten rounds, two of which I’d already expended, and a spare azine was nestled in a pouch on my holster Even if I were suddenly possessed by the sharpshooting spirit of Annie Oakley and miraculously made every shot count, I would still be overwhelmed by twelve of the beasts

Hand-to-hand co ht My idea of a fair fight is one unarhted old monkey versus me with a Blackhawk attack helicopter

In the street, the prihtly that they alanisure out what they were doing Probably because I’ at theto see more clearly and to putthe hey-let’s-play-God crowd that worked in the deepest bunkers of Wyvern, the enerously funded--research had included a project intended to enhance both huility, speed, sight, hearing, sense of sevity This was to be accoenetic material not just froh enius, she was not--trust eneticist, she didn’t spend much time in laboratories Her workplace was inside her skull, and her mind was as elaborately equipped as the combined research facilities of all the universities in the country She kept to her office at Ashdon College, only occasionally venturing into a lab, supported by govern while other scientists did the heavy lifting She set out not to destroy hu time she didn’t know the reckless andher theories

Transferring genetic material fro a super race In an insane quest for the perfect, unstoppable soldier Sn bred for future battlefields Weird biological weapons as tiny as a virus or as large as a grizzly bear

Dear God