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The only sound was the off-key,debris

Caine stared, blank Blank

It went on for too long But no one dared speak Then, as if someone had thrown a switch, Caine’s expression became human once more He smiled a shaky smile

“We can use this girl, Drake,” Caine said calmly Then, to Orsay directly, “We can, can’t we? We can use you? You’ll do whatever I tell you to do? And you will obey only me?”

Orsay tried to find her voice but couldn’t even orously

“Good Because if I ever doubt you, Orsay, I’ll give you to Drake You don’t want that”

Caine slumped, used up Without another word he weaved his way to the door

Lana patted her dog, Patrick, on his thick ruff “Ready?”

Patricksound, the one that ”

Lana stood up and checked the Velcro strap that held her iPod in place on her arht yellow headphones were in place—her ears were too small for the standard earbuds

She dialed up her “running” play list But, of course, she didn’t really run now Running er unbearable Now she just walked And not as far as she had run

Back in the old days, before the FAYZ, she’d done neither But that, like so h the desert without water or a clue, and then beingcoyote pack, to et in shape

She liked to begin in silence She liked to hear the sound of her sneaker treads, ally loud on the blacktop

Her route began at the front door of Clifftop It was an automatic door, and it still worked It eird, still weird after all this ti the signal to open wide the doors to the outside world

From Clifftop she would walk doard Town Beach Then she would cut through town, but away frohway, and complete the circle back to Clifftop Unless she was too weak froer Then she would cut that short