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“They’ve got to be here so Keiko hold her breath

“They’ve got to be hiding,” another voice said “You, guard the stairwell The rest of you, spread out, check everywhere—including the elevator shaft”

Heavy footsteps ran off, but still they didn’t dare move, unsure who re pipes see became more focused The air was thick and musty, filled with the dust whipped up by their presence

“You think they’ve found the panic room?” a voice said

Mace tensed and shot Keiko a look She arched her eyebrows It was the first she’d heard of it, too

“I doubt it,” sos to herself I’d be surprised if they even knew there was one”

“Where do you think it is?”

“My guess? The office, probably”

Keiko’s mind raced Panic room A safe place to hide Somewhere to ride this wholeabout that The office was the place Miriam would have felt most secure and was also the room that had the most security attached to it No, a panic room would make the most sense in a place where Miriam felt vulnerable Her eyes snapped to Mace The bedroom! It had to be

He pursed his lips and lare back Of course she wasn’t going to make a noise She didn’t want to die They lay there for what see into their bodies as they listened to the Freedorew thicker, as though attracted to them, and the air became dense

Keiko’s nose twitched, and she slowly reached up to rub it Mace’s eyes snapped to her, and he frowned She was about to s was fine But it wasn’t Her nose began to tingle, and she kneas co it He opened his mouth, probably to warn her to be silent But it was too late She rammed her face into the crook of her arm

And sneezed

…

Mace saw the sneeze co and sent out sound waves to counteract the noise, but he was still new to this noise-daht Although the sneeze wasn’t as loud as it would have been, it could still be heard

“What was that?” a voice barked