Page 103 (1/2)

“About threewith his thumb “I can have it here in an hour, easy”

“That’s okay,” theon Aet it myself”

Before he could pull the trigger, soust of wind Only this wind had teeth The ered back, then yawped in confusion and pain With her che faded in the days since they left the Pit, Peaches moved too quickly for Abird The one and one of his fingers broken and bleeding As he curled to grasp his broken hand, the gun stuttered, opening thethe side

And then Peaches went still, her prison gown flapping around her in the breeze, blood spattered down the length of her body, the assault rifle held in one hand Slowly, she sank to the ground By the tiot over to her, her eyes had rolled back and she was vo He put his shirt over her and waited until the fit passed It wasn’t more than about five minutes, and since no one else had coe, A pretty confident the dead man had been a bachelor

She shuddered once, went still, and then the blankness left her eyes

“Hey,” she said “Did in?”

“First round,” A to her “It like that every time?”

“Yup,” she said “It’s really not a great design”

“Useful when it’s useful, though”

“Is that Are you okay?”

“Little chilly,” Aonna go see e’re looking at inside”

“I’ll co to sit up He put a hand on her shoulder He didn’t have to push to keep her down

“I’ll go first I’d be surprised if it wasn’t booby-trapped”

“Okay,” she breathed “I’ll just wait here, then”

“Good plan”