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Neither of the the slight physical contact between them

“You don’t want to hear this,” Astrid said, “but they couldn’t find you, so they found me And now I’ve found you”

“I really don’t care,” Sam warned

But Astrid would not stop “Bug has come over to our side He was on a mission for Caine They have a freak who can see dreaet her, take her to some mine in the hills Some monster”

“Yeah?” Sa polite

“And Cookie showed up He had to walk all the way back to town He walked through the night He had a note from Lana”

Nothing Sa to say to that

Astrid sat quiet for a second then added, “Bug says they call it the gaiaphage Lana calls it the Darkness”

Sam covered his face with his hands “I don’t care, Astrid Handle it yourself Pray to Jesus and maybe He’ll handle it”

“You know, Saht you were perfect I know you have a temper But I’ve never known you to be mean”

“I’hed bitterly

“Mean Yes, that was mean”

Their voices were rising swiftly “I’m mean? That’s the worst you can throw at me?”

“Mean and self-pitying Does that make it better?”

“And what are you, Astrid?” he shouted “A ser at me and say, ‘Hey, Sam, you make the decisions, and you take all the heat’”