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The word had spread that Sa to throith the zekes So other kids had piled into cars and vans and now a couple of dozen watched fro like tourists or sports fans, had brought cameras

Howard and Orc arrived as well Saht need Orc’s help

“T’sup, Sammie?” Howard asked

“More wor to see if we can do some pest control”

Howard nodded “All right And what do you ithback against a car hood, his weight al the sheet metal

“We can’t kill all the zekes,” Sam said “But Astrid thinks they e e: don’t mess with us”

“Still not seeing what Orc is here for”

“He’s our canary,” Sam said

“Our what?”

“Coal miners in the old days would carry a canary doith theas, the canary would die first If the canary was okay, the miners kneas safe”

Howard took a hed sardonically “I used to think you were soft, Sa to send Orc in there to get chewed up”

“It took theet to his face last tiht out”

“Cold and hard,” Howard said with a smirk “I’ll talk to my boy But he doesn’t work for free You know that Four cases of beer”

“Two”

“Three”