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Her as too weak Her only hope was delay The uranium, surely it would kill her Surely it would destroy her if she did nothing to heal herself

But would it happen quickly enough?

And would the gaiaphage knoas happening to her and force her to save herself? Did the creature understand that its food was her death?

Duck stood on the hillside He was a hundred feet or so above thethat this would position him above what Caine said was a wide subterranean chamber

All guesswork, of course If Duck didn’t eventually fall into an open chaain

Quinn was all but carrying Sa him up with his arms as Sam endured wave after wave of pain

“Theoff,” Sam said “Hurry”

Caine stood ready Brianna had run off to fetch rope But when she returned she had fallen to her knees and vo

“Have to do this now,” Saernails

“Do it, Duck,” Quinn urged

They were all waiting for hi to hi to hi

“Oh, ood fish,” Duck said

And then he was falling through the ground Falling and falling, and waving his arh rock as if it were no thicker than pudding

Falling and flailing, falling and flailing Knowing he would be able to float back up and out into the air, but not 100 percent sure Mostly Not totally sure Maybe this time—

Duck slipped suddenly as he fell through the ceiling of thetwo feet into the mine shaft’s floor