Page 24 (1/2)

“Better not be drinkingbeer,” Amos said in that same nonchalant voice

“Anyway,” Holden cut in, “we still have a situation You’re not going to be able to take the ship, and I’d really like to start using it again Hoe coreement?”

Bobbie heard the first hiss of the atmosphere system outside her suit The pressurization was alripped the door with her left The second it showed green, she’d be in the room with that asshole

The asshole said, “I don’t know that we do You’re right I can’t get past that diagnostic lockdown That was set the reactor back online froure I can collapse the bottle if I just find the right wires to pull You figure the same way?”

“Well,” Holden started, but the light on the inner hatch clicked green and Bobbie yanked it open

The main console for the reactor would be to her left as she entered the co that workstation, so that was her first target If she pushed off hard, she’d come out of the small hatch like a missile, do a quick flip to land feetfirst on the opposite bulkhead Fro deck Nowhere for Houston to hide

Bobbie gripped the edge of the hatch and pulled with all her strength to launch herself into the room She had to—

So crashed into the side of her helh the air She tried to get her hands up to keep fro facefirst into the bulkhead, and only half succeeded Her left ar tear with a wet heat in her shoulder She bounced off the wall and saw Houston standing on the bulkhead above the access hatch, uisher with a dent in the bottom

Miraculously, the gun was still in her hand Blackness creeping in at the edge of her vision, Bobbie tried to line up a shot Houston launched hiuisher down on her hand in a baseball-bat-style swing She felt two of her fingers break, and the gun and extinguisher flew off in opposite directions across the room

The deck seelied to turn on the et her boots locked onto the deck plating If this was going hand-to-hand, she’d want leverage, and that s almost up to full, and watched Houston catch hi

She spread her ar sensation in her left shoulder, she didn’t think that one was going to be rappling or throwing a punch problematic

“You’re lucky you’re wearing that suit,” Houston said, gulping to catch his breath “I put a dent in that helmet woulda knocked your brains out without it”

“And you,” Bobbie said, “are very lucky it’s this suit I’ve got another one”

“Well We gonna talk or are we gonna dance?”

“They’re playing my—” Bobbie started, then Houston launched hi it Getting someone else to talk while you threw a