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“What are you doing here?” Rio asks She’s holding hi the feel of him He’s a solid reminder of a different life, and a different Rio And she quite likes the feel of his lean muscles

“I volunteered to fly a bird colonel over here He and his staff were in soassed up ineer, and here I am, at least unt

il tole a twenty-four-hour pass?”

Jenou laughs, and Rio shoots her a warning look, but of course Jenou ignores that and says, “Well, we had some passes last week, and you see the results” She aier at Rio’s bruise Mock-serious she says, “I’m afraid Rio can’t handle her drink”

“Knock it off, Jen,” Rio says, not quite playfully

“Why, Rio told me she ran into a pole,” Strand says with a wink “And I am honor-bound to believe her”

“You should have been there when that big old Texan boy, the one with the bandaged ear, ca she was easy prey, and she pulls out that big knife of hers—”

“Jen!”

“Knife?”

“It’s a keepsake,” Rio says quickly “You know, a souvenir I think it’s so the A-rabs carry just for show”

“‘I will stick this in your guts and push it till the point comes out of your mouth’ That’s what you said, wasn’t it, Rio?”

Jenou bats her eyes at Rio, who is not interested in being teased, not right then, not when she’s hoping Strand doesn’t notice that she stinks of solvent and oil, not tofro a truck

“Let’s get out of here,” Rio says “Let me just reassemble my rifle”

She sits back down and looks at the pieces laid out It’s a co Strand watch with a show of interest makes her self-conscious Her best time is four minutes and six seconds If she does it that fast won’t she look likewell, like a soldier? But if she slon the others will spot it immediately and the reaction will not be kind

“Who’s got a watch with a second hand?” Cat asks, batting her eyes at Rio, obviously perfectly aware of Rio’s dilemma And that settles it Rio can only do her best