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When they’d been relieved of all the tools and weapons, they were lifted to their feet and held in place as another figure entered the room: Jinn al-Khalif, with a rifle in his hand

He strode up to Kurt “We’ve been waiting for you,” he said

“No doubt your spy told you ere co”

Jinn smiled like a jackal “Yes, as a matter of fact, she did”

With that, he sla the wind out of hi him back to the floor

“Her naards”

CHAPTER 24

BACK ON BOARD THE FLOATING ISLAND OF AQUA-TERRA, Paul and Ga the sample of “wild” microbots they’d captured

A makeshift lab had been set up to replace the flooded forward compartment Marchetti’s computers, a small radio transmitter, and other equipment now lay scattered about the room

Without the electron microscope, they couldn’t see the individual rade optical scopes Paul and Gaether in little clusters alae or bacteria

Marchetti sat at his co nervously After spending the un testing and attenal the bots with the standard corammed into the prototypes years before

“They’re not doing anything,” Paul said for the tenth time

“Are you sure?” Marchetti said, still trans command protocols “I ”

“We’re looking at theh thethere Like lazy relatives after a Thanksgiving feast”

Ga about my relatives, are you?”