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“Hey,” Katria called down the corridor “You co?”

Amos floated back toward them as Katria slid the panel back into place and slipped her knife back into her boot They were skiether when it all fell apart

“Uot a problem here”

“What’s up, Alex?” Bobbie asked

“Well, I got ot eyes on both of these Laconian fellas, and one of the that sure looks like a dead man’s switch”

“That’s not protocol,” Bobbie said

“It ain’t Martian protocol,” Alex agreed “But I’ here If I move forith this, I won’t even have the door open before the Laconian fellas know about it You’re going to be ass deep in alligators pretty damned quick”

“We kneere going to have to move fast,” Bobbie said “This just means we move faster”

“Itthe alar out the pressure tanks was so they wouldn’t knoe’d coht before the explosion, they’ll knoe did They’ll change all the procedures The data we recover won’t be worth anything”

The silence lasted one long breath Then another Holden felt so in his chest loosen, it was almost like relief And almost like dread too

He knehat had to happen before anyone else did

“All right,” Bobbie said, and Holden could see her clenched jaw as clearly as if she were there with him “Let me think”

“You’ll be fine,” Holden said “Just wait until the … I don’t know The tenth alaroes off”

“The tenth what?” Alex said, but Holden plucked out his earpiece and the ht them in one wide hand

“You going somewh