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Eve was still faster, even injured, she gained speed through terror She wrenched at the door, cursed security, and slammed her hand down on the palm plate

She all but ran over him as he stepped to the threshold

“Roarke” She burrowed into him, would have cliht You’re alive”

“What’s happened to you?” He tightened his grip on her as she shuddered

But she was jerking back, grabbing his face in her hands, staring into his eyes “Look at me Did you use it? Did you test the VR unit?”

“No Eve—”

“Peabody, drop if hehim in for a brain scan”

“The hell you are, but go ahead and call the to the health center this time, if I have to knock her unconscious”

Eve stepped back, fighting for breath as she carefully s, wondered why she could still stand upright “You didn’t use it”

“I said I didn’t” He pushed a hand through his hair “It’s aimed at lanced over his shoulder as Eve lifted her weapon “Oh, put that da down I’ht by o Mindoc Mind doctor,” he elaborated “That’s the na it, still playing Mathias had dozens of transmissions to her in the year before he died And I took a close look at the data report on the unit The one they just gave me, and the stats froh”

“She knew you’d find it That’s why she—” Eve broke off, sucked in air that she could hear whistle eerily in her swi head “That’s why she personalized a unit for you”

“Iit if I hadn’t been interrupted” He thought of Mavis, nearly s data She knew I trusted her and William”

“It wasn’t William—not voluntarily”

He only nodded, looked at her ruined shirt, the bright red splashes “Did she bloody you?”

“It’s mostly hers” She hoped “She didn’t want to be taken in” Eve blew out a breath “She’s dead, Roarke Self-terminated I couldn’t stop her Maybe I didn’t want to She told ain, hitching, skipping “I thought—I didn’t think I’d be in tiet here”