Page 136 (1/2)

The facsimile froze in an aard position and toppled forward Kurt held the ed it in once more just to be sure

By now, police and para into the roo the machine over, they froze at the odd discovery Their collective gaze going from the attacker to the Good Saain

Kurt didn’t have time to explain He used the sharpened spike to cut into the skin on the replica’s neck Peeling it back, he revealed the automated mask of the machine’s face

The hydraulics twitched as spare signals calass eyes stared blankly into the distance

It was the last Kurt saw of the ed him away

“Leave him,” a voice ordered

Kurt looked up To his surprise, he saw Nagano li into the room The superintendent looked like death warmed over, but he wore an official police jacket

“If you didn’t look so beaten up, I ht think you were a machine,” Kurt said

“I’d be in a lot less pain if I was,” Nagano said

Kurt laughed “When did you get here?”

“A moment too late, it seems”

Nagano helped Kurt up and they cli ushered out of the room while paramedics tended to his security team and the civilian who’d intervened on his behalf

“Akiko,” Kurt said, crouching beside her She’d taken a bullet in the back, diving in front of the Prime Minister

“I told you I’ht,” she whispered

“She has a punctured lung,” the paraet her to the hospital”