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The knife had flown; both round She heard the sounds of terrible crunches as fists connected with faces As she stared, her attacker see over the lieutenant as prone on the old brick roadway The killer leaned over hi for the fallen knife

Sean bucked The killer went flying, and landed hard, but he was quickly up, despite the bullet wounds he must have sustained He reached for the knife

Sean was up, and caers could curl around the hilt of the weapon But the killer jerked his shoulders, and Sean was cast off, landing hard against a wall He seeht she’d heard his head crack against the wall

The killer gripped the knife, and started toward Sean

Flat on the ground, fighting to clear his head, Sean Canady stared at thehard His hair was pitch black-- dyed black, Sean thought, because it didn’t fit with his extremely pale features He was tall and lean and muscular in a ay--he surely wasn’t built like Conan the Barbarian or anything of the like, which th--and he looked strangely fah Sean was certain they had neverat Sean, as if he, too, had suddenly recognized him

He smiled

"Hello, dead y and pure willpower, Sean sprang to his feet as the killer reached hi hi hiun had been lost to the shadohen he’d so desperately tackled the guy to get him off Mamie

Blood oozed from the man’s left shoulder, and from his hand, but it didn’t stop hiain Sean braced for the attack like a boxer, balancing his ground

But before the attacker could pounce, he heard a furious cry and was a onto the killer’s back "Stop, stop, stop, you bastard" Maggie He was diie, and there were other footsteps racing down the alley now

"Maggie! Get the hell away!" Sean ordered her with incredulous fear and fury Too late The killer, wearing abehind hiie went down upon the paveainst the killer With an eerie power, theto rise He started toward Maggie, the knife in his hand Sean threw hiain To his ahtened his grasp, at last tripping the ht his way back to his feet, turned, and caught Sean in the jaith a right hook that very nearly shattered bone

Staggering, Sean caie On the ground, she groaned softly She started to rise, to face the killer

Sean started to take a running leap after the fellow, but he was suddenly edged aside

Anothera dark silk shirt and neatly pressed black trousers "Get Maggie!" he cried, and before Sean could stop him, the newcomer had hurtled hied in a vicious battle of fists

He was the cop! Sean thought fleetingly He should be engaged in the daie away fro out her na toward her He was stopped by the second ie up and out of the danger zone He could hear sirens now Hell, about ti at last But the killer was still raging out Maggie’s na for her, drawing her to her feet

Her eyes on his almostNot for herself For him She loved him, he realized Really loved hiet down the alley!" he ordered her

"Sean, no, you’ve got to get out of here!" she pleaded

"Maggie, go, or else we may have another victiht back, to argue Then she saw the two ed in battle, and she inhaled sharply-- and suddenly obeyed She raced to Ma her over for injuries while trying to lead her hastily out of the alley

The killer was up; the stranger who’d appeared in the alley staggered to his feet as well The killer was about to escape The stranger followed hi hard The killer slipped around a corner The second man did the saone

Suddenly, police cars were braking everywhere in the narrow confines of the French Quarter

Unifor from their cars "He’s extre and panting as he approached the cars, shouting directions then, and sending different groups in different directions

They should catch the killer

They should

But he had the sinking feeling that they would not Hell, the guy seeh steroids to pump up an elephant Bullets barely fazed him He could probably throw off two or threeall over, he made his way out of the alley while he listened to the sounds of running footsteps Jack Delaney, along with Mike Astin in plain clothes, had arrived Maie stood by the car

Her stockings and skirt were ripped and torn; her ivory jacket was muddied, and her red hair ildly tossed Other than that, she didn’t lookthe car, Sean stared at her furiously "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"What?" she said blankly

He ca her, so unnerved hi a woman on the street "Damn you, thatyourself at hi "I was afraid he was going to kill you!"

"I’m a cop, I’gie--"

"Hey, now, ladies, gents, please!" Maround out hoarsely froie He took her roughly by the chin,her anyht Really all right

His hand dropped

"Maybe we should get Maested