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No, she wouldn’t She was far too worried about what they’d do to her parents Just thinking about that play ain “When this is done, Striker, you and I have a few things to settle”

“Bring it on, mon ami,” his team leader drawled

“Look lively” Hunter wasthe feed from Mace’s cameras They were props to help hi to a news station, his feed only went as far as his team’s van “It’s showtime”

There was a stirring at the front of the crowd, and hushed chatter quieted to ed toward the platfor in 3-D aniraphic projections appeared around the platforures told their stories about how Coed their lives for the better

Mace wasn’t interested in the presentations—all he cared about hen Keiko would step onto the stage—but the next hologra his attention Mainly because it was a live feed showing CommTECH’s CEO, Miriam Shepherd Her white-blond hair was fashioned into a sleek bob that stopped at her jaw She wore a white pantsuit, but not the boxy kind that used to be Hillary Clinton’s trade around her body to fasten at the shoulder, and even though the croas seeing her as a holographic projection, it was still easy to tell the n of status, power, and wealth She was larger than life, a beacon of glohite light in the e She was their leader Their messiah Their hope

“Welcome to the product launch of our raph lifted her hands, and the applause grew louder The roar only subsided once she lowered her arain

“Well-trained dogs,” Mace murmured “What happened to an unbiased press?”

“That idea died decades ago,” Friday said helpfully

“Thank you for co frohout the terrace “I apologize for being unable to attend this launch in person, but when you run the most successful company in the world, there are many demands on your time”

“Her hu me tear up,” Macecult-leader vibes from this performance?”

“Nope,” Striker said in his ear “Any onna ask you to bow before her”

“Good luck with that” Mace had his share of bowing down to people when he was a kid Now if people wanted his respect, they had to earn it

“Today’s launch is the first of several this season,” Miria out a series of new products that will set market standards for years to coned in this very facility, under the guidance of our head of research, Rueben Granger Our team of scientists, the best in the world, has pushed the boundaries on every aspect of integrated living that the , ser product life—across the board”

“Notice she said longer product life, not longer customer life,” Striker said in Mace’s ear

There was naled for it The sheep were eager to eat the feed she was shoveling