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"Sorry to take you away fro romance," Austin said

"Don't be Petrov failed to tell me that Veronika and Di?"

Austin explained Petrov's plans, and they went out on the dock to wait The seaplane was fifteen minutes early It taxied up to the fuel pu of his luggage while the plane was being refueled, then he and Zavala boarded the plane Within minutes, it skimle over the jagged peaks of the gray mountains that flanked the bay, then headed north into the unknown

25

Karla's eyelids fluttered open She saw only blackness, but senses that had been temporarily put on hold stirred to life She had a coppery taste of old blood in heron a bed of nails Then she heard a rustling noise close by She remembered the yellow-toothed attacker Still only half conscious, she put her arainst an unseen assailant

"No!" she called out in fear and defiance

Her thrashing arers like steel claht flashed on Its bea in the darkness

She stopped fighting The long-jawed face had aged dramatically since the last tieneral droopiness to skin that was once as taut as a drumhead The watchful eyes were framed by crow's-feet, pouches and white brows, but the irises were the sa blue she remembered He removed his hand from her mouth

She smiled "Uncle Karl"

The ends of the thin lips curved up slightly "Technically speaking, I aodfather But, yes, it is me Your uncle Karl How do you feel?"

"I'll be all right" She forced herself to sit up, even though the effort ue across her swollen lips, theback

"There were four other scientists They took them away, and then I heard shots"

A pained look came to the pale eyes "I'm afraid they were all killed"

"Killed But why?"

"The men who killed them didn't itnesses"