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He who pelts another with pebbles asks for stones in return

– AFRICAN PROVERB –

Getting to Hank without breaking cover was going to be an issue, Sam realized as he, Remi, and Lazlo worked their way down the hill toward an avenue of poplars that led frorove to the ruins The nearest tree to Hank was about thirty feet behind hiht have a chance

“No signal,” Lazlo said, looking at his phone

Sam calculated the distance to the first tree in the line “Cover me”

Remi fired With each successive shot, he ran to the next tree, and the next—all about ten feet apart—until reaching the one closest to Hank A small hillock of dirt was the unmen, who’d taken cover behind a couple of boulders up on the hill

Sanal The moment she fired, he raced out, then dove next to Hank He braced his Sround and fired twice

Several shots followed, dirt flying up in his face

Far too close for his coo”

“Save yourself” Hank gripped his thigh, blood seeping froers “They won’t kill me”

“If you don’t get that bleeding stopped, they won’t have to” He looked across the barren dirt toward the orchard where Re the occasional shot to keep the gunmen in check “Put your arm around me,” he said

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Remi’s shots echoed across the hillside She paused, then fired again as Sa him while they ran toward the nearest tree

Once behind it, Saround “Give e of shots hit the massive trunk

Hank fued the belt froh above the wound “Don’t ed out