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Alec twitched and his arht theht off another attack illpower alone Clarity filled his eyes and he looked at Mark for a long moment It was as if all of the past year--the hs--passed quickly between therounded again Madness waited in the wings

The soldier gave a quick nod, and the two of them headed for the door

They reached the cockpit without seeing any sign of Trina or Deedee Mark had hoped they’d be awake--, reot to work on the controls, Mark looked outside A trace of dawn had brightened the eastern sky, the darkness fading into light purple over the houses and trees in the distance Most of the stars had winked out; the sun would rand entrance within the hour He had a heavy feeling that the day would end with everything changed forever

"I’ back to scan the instruo check on the girls We’ll be off the ground in a jiffy We’ll do some flyovers and see e see"

Mark nodded and patted hiesture but all he could think of to do He orried about his friend He turned on his flashlight and left the cockpit, entering the short passage that led to the barracks roo peacefully in a bunk with Deedee

Mark was ale scratching noise above hi Then there was the distinct sound of a , only feet over his head A shudder of horror passed through hi his back against the wall He looked up at the ceiling, shining the flashlight over the panels, but saw nothing out of the ordinary

He held his breath and listened

So back and forth, almost rhythmically

"Hey!" Mark shouted "Who …" His question died when he realized he hadn’t checked on Trina yet If so …

He ran to the barracks door and flung it open, frantically shining his light on the bunk where he’d last seen Trina sleeping For one split second his heart stalled--the bunk was empty It was just rumpled sheets and a blanket Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Trina on the floor, Deedee sitting right next to her They were holding hands, and both of them had sheer terror on their faces

"What?" Mark asked "What happened?"

Deedee pointed a shaking finger toward the ceiling "The boogie ht that tore at Mark’s heart "And he brought his friends"

CHAPTER 64

She’d barely said the last hen the Berg burst into life and launched off the ground The floor tilted and Mark stumbled and fell onto the cot, then pushed hiht back"

He wasn’t going to hesitate this ti the darkness with his flashlight as he headed straight for the cockpit He thought he heard another giggle co in the sahts popped into histhrough the panels once he disappeared, attacking the girls he’d left behind But he had no choice, and he’d be quick Besides, if there were people up there, they’d waited this long without doing anything Chances were he had so the controls He eaty and flushed, and concentrating hard on what he was doing

"Where’s the Transvice?" Mark shouted

Alec spun around, fear crossing his face But Mark didn’t waste tiainst the wall next to hirabbed it and threw the strap around his shoulder, then made sure it was powered up and started back toward the barracks Toward Trina and Deedee

"Turn sohts on out here!" he yelled back to Alec as he slipped out of the cockpit--he’d dropped the flashlight at so power and fuel no longer one a few feet down the corridor before the dih shadows clung to the walls

Sweat dripped into his eyes as he pounded down the corridor It felt as if the heat inside the Berg had skyrocketed to a thousand degrees The sweltering air coe of madness that cut into his psyche--put hi it He just had to hold on for a little while longer With every bit of effort he could muster, he focused only on the next seconds of his life

He crossed under the place he’d heard the giggling Even as he did, a cackle ca as he could ih the door of the barracks and saith relief that Trina and Deedee were still huddled together on the floor

He was justsuddenly collapsed, breaking apart in a crunch of plaster andon top of the two girls Deedee screa to shoot but ready to fight

Three people were scra Deedee and Trina as if they were sihing hysterically, leaping fro their ar the butt of his Transvice into the side of his head The man cried out and crumpled to the floor Mark used his momentum to turn his body and kick one of the women away from his friends She shrieked and toppled onto the nearest cot and he aier A bolt of white heat hit her and she grayed, then dissipated into the air

She’d barely disappeared when the other woman tackled him from the side--they both landed on the floor, and for what felt like the hundredth tis He twisted onto his back, pulling her on top of hiled to rip the Transvice out of his hands

He saw Trina and Deedee standing up, pressed against the wall, watching helplessly Mark knew the old Trina would’ve joined in and helped somehow She would have attacked the woman and probably beaten her senseless But this new Trina, this sick Trina, just stood there like a frightened little girl Clutching Deedee in her arroan, looked over to see the uy’s eyes were glued on Mark, full of hatred and rowled

The man came at him on all fours, as if he had transforround and leaped into the struggle between Mark and the wo its prey He crashed into the woman and the tere suddenly locked in an e across the floor as if playing so for breath but he turned onto his side, then his stomach Got his knees under hiainst a cot and finally was able to stand