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The Special pulled Tally’s hands together behind her back, and she felt plastic bite into her wrists again

She took a breath, her pulse pounding in her head, then forced herself to say, "Whatever"

"This way"

Tally led the Special toward the trading post, taking in the situation The Smoke had been beaten into silence Fires were left to burn freely So froh the camp

A few faces turned to look up with suspicion at Tally She was the only S around

Everyone else was on the ground, handcuffed and under guard, athered near the rabbit pen

She tried to give those who saw her a gri they noticed that she was handcuffed just like they were

When they reached the trading post, Tally looked up "I hid it on the roof"

The Special eyed the building suspiciously "All right, then," he said "You wait here Sit down and don’t stand up"

She shrugged, kneeling carefully

The Special swung himself onto the roof with an ease thatto overcome this cruel pretty? Even if her hands weren’t tied, he was bigger, stronger, faster

A e "Where is it?"

"Under the rapchuck"

"The what?"

"Therapchuck You know, the old-fashioned thingie where the roofline connects with the abbersnatch"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It’s Suess Letexpression crossed the Special’s impassive face - annoyance ain and stacked a couple of crates He jue of the roof as if she weighed nothing "You touch one of those hoverboards, I’ll put you on your face," he threatened casually

"There’re hoverboards up here?"

He leaped past her and hauled her onto the roof "Find it"

"No proble the difficulty of balancing without her hands The solar cells of the recharging hoverboards were blindingly bright in the sun Tally’s board lay too far away, on the other side of the roof, and it was unfolded into eight sections Folding it back up would take a solid minute But Tally saw one nearby, Croy’s ht was green One kick to close it and the board would be ready to fly

But Tally couldn’t fly with her hands bound She’d fall off on the first turn

She took a deep breath, ignoring the part of her brain that saw only the distance to the ground As long as the Special was as fast and strong as he seeee jacket," she lied to herself "Nothing can possibly happen"

Tally let her bare feet trip, and tules battered Tally’s knees and elbows as she rolled, letting out a cry of pain She fought to stay on the roof, her feet scraainst the wood to slow herself down

Just as she reached the edge, an iron grip fastened onto her shoulder She rolled off into space, the ground loo in its socket, and she heard the Special’s razor voice curse

She swung for a moment, her fall arrested, then they both started to slip

She could hear the Special’s fingers and feet scrabbling for purchase However strong he oing to fall

But at least she was going to take hirunt ca pulled up in a hty heave She was thrown back onto the roof, and a shadow passed over her Soround below The Special had thrown himself off the roof to save her!

She rolled up into a crouch, stood, and lifted half of Croy’s hoverboard with one foot, flipping it closed

A noise cae of the roof, and Tally stepped away froers appeared, then his body swung into view He was completely unhurt

"Are you okay?" she asked "Wow You guys are strong Thanks for saving et e came for And try not to kill yourself"

"Okay" Tally turned, ain The Special had her in his arer in his voice "You uglies are soincompetent!"

"Well, maybe if you could - "

Even before it was out of her mouth, she felt the pressure on her wrists disappear She brought her hands around in front, rubbing her shoulders "Ow Thanks"

"Listen," he said, the razors in his cruel voice sharper than ever, "I don’t want to hurt you, but - "

"You will if you have to" Tally sht place

"Just get whatever Dr Cable wants And don’t you dare touch one of those hoverboards"

"Don’t worry, I don’t have to," she said, and snapped the fingers of both hands as loudly as she could

Croy’s hoverboard ju the Special’s feet out froain, and Tally leaped onto the board