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The pitter-patter of bare feet on the iron floor caught his attention and he turned just in ti full on for hiht her

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him He stood there, still as stone at first, but slowly he wrapped one, then another arht, and kissed her back

Whistles and hollers erupted down the corridor

Dorian felt himself smile as he set her down He quickly let it fade as he turned and walked through the hatchway toward the waiting soldiers and helicopters

Martin opened his eyes His head was clear He could think again Kate was there He was in a lab, or a hospital A man leaned over him Martin knew him A memory came to him; he had spoken with the man over a videoconference The doctor was the researcher in China, who had conducted the trials on the Bell Dr… “Chang,” Martin said, his voice raspy

“How are you feeling?”

“Awful”

He heard Kate laughing, and she stepped closer to hi That’s an improvement”

He smiled at Kate He wondered what she had done to save him Had she risked her life? He hoped not It would be a waste He had so much to tell her, so much she needed to know “Kate—”

The ship shuddered, and Martin was thrown across the rooerator and dark spots crowded his vision

CHAPTER 53

Outside Ceuta

Northern Morocco

Dorian watched the wooded expanse fly by below hih the helicopter’s windshield, he saw flashes in the distance, like fireflies in the night Soon they would join the battle, and victory would follow soon after

He pulled his helmet on “Comm check, Strike Team Delta, this is General Sloane”

The four helicopters answered his call

Sloane relaxed against the seat cushion He watched the flashes a while longer and wondered what Johanna was doing, what she earing, what she was reading

What was happening to hiet rid of her when he returned

The first bullets sprayed theas David and Kamau reached the bottom

They for into each other just enough to knohere the other was, and opened fire The eht

I the command tower, and David and Ka If the Immari reclaimed the command center, they would likely repel David’s forces and hold Ceuta A group of Ian focusing their fire on David and Kamau

David began sidestepping to the building opposite the control tower, hoping to get to cover Kamau matched his movements

David’s earpiece came to life “Achilles, Ajax I have the Myr on your position”

“Copy, Ajax,” David said “The sooner the better” He fired another blast until his autoain

Three ht sky, then rose into a fire that burned over the water Dorian could see the outline of Ceuta base now

“What the hell was that?” Dorian asked