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52da48a
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You're right. I chase hard, but once I get to know a girl, I realize she's not right for me." He met my gaze, his eyes earnest and soulful. "I guess I haven't found the one I'm looking for." I sputtered a laugh. "And you think I might be it. The girl you've been yearning for. Dreaming of. Your soul mate." I laughed even harder and shook my head. "Please tell me that line doesn't actually work on--" "Rafael..." said a voice from the door. "I..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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0b92d61
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You're right. I chase hard, but once I get to know a girl, I realize she's not right for me." He met my gaze, his eyes earnest and soulful. "I guess I haven't found the one I'm looking for." I sputtered a laugh. "And you think I might be it. The girl you've been yearning for. Dreaming of. Your soul mate." I laughed even harder and shook my head. "Please tell me that line doesn't actually work on--" "Rafael..." said a voice from the door. "I..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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01e74c6
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I'm talking to Maya," he said, his voice so low it was almost a growl. "Um, no, you're stalking her." His whole body went rigid at that. His gaze flitted my way. "We were just talking," I said. I didn't mean to defend him, but there was something about the way Sam lobbed her insults that got my back up. "Well, I need to talk to you now, so..." She flicked her fingers at Rafe. "Shoo. I saw a bunch of eighth graders outside. They're probably ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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84303df
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If we want clues, we need to look at the extracurricular activities they pushed at us. Clearly, with Daniel and me, they were trying to boost our natural talents: fighting for him and running for me. Serena, Hayley, and Nicole were all in the choir and on the swim team. Plus they're all blonde and pretty." "Um, thanks," Hayley said as she came over. "But what..." Her brow furrowed. "You think we're mermaids?" "Isn't that sirens?" Corey said..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1d74add
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What about me?" Corey said. "What's my superpower?" Silence fell. "Oh, come on. I'm good at a lot of stuff. Right?" More silence."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4758c47
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Maya's point is that Hayley, Nicole, and Serena shared common characteristics, which probably means they're the same type, and it has something to do with singing and swimming." "And being pretty," Hayley said. "That's not a superpower," Sam muttered. Hayley turned to her. "No? How many times have you gotten into movies for free because you're a tough warrior chick?" "What about me?" Corey said. "What's my superpower?" Silence fell. "Oh, co..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4795acd
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What about me?" Corey said. "What's my superpower?" Silence fell. "Oh, come on. I'm good at a lot of stuff. Right?" More silence. "You're cute," Hayley said. "Well, cute enough." "Fun to be around," I offered. "So I'm...a clown?"
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1533259
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I'm good at a lot of stuff. Right?" More silence. "You're cute," Hayley said. "Well, cute enough." "Fun to be around," I offered. "So I'm...a clown?" "At least you're a cute clown," Hayley said. "Not a scary one."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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95967f1
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Now I stood at the base of a tree and thought, "I can't do this." I remembered last night's climb, the grief and the loneliness. Here on the ground, I could keep that at bay. But up there... Rafe was up there. Maybe he always would be." --
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4d7afed
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I saw a road," I blurted as Daniel rounded a bend in the path, Sam right behind him. "There's a road down there. I think there's a cabin, too." "What?" Corey brushed past Daniel and Sam. "A house? You saw a house?" Hayley barreled forward. "There's a house? Where?" I took a deep breath. "I I saw a Whether there's anyone in it or not--" "Who cares?" Corey said. "It's civilization. Let's go." He broke into a jog, and his knee gave way. I ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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8af9e1b
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I I saw a Whether there's anyone in it or not--" "Who cares?" Corey said. "It's civilization. Let's go." He broke into a jog, and his knee gave way. I managed to catch him before he fell. "The only place you're going is flat on your ass," Daniel said. "Slow down. Even if it is a cabin, it's not going anywhere." He turned to me and I could tell he was struggling to play it cool. "You said there's a road?" "I did. That part I'm sure of. A..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e3d67e9
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You said there's a road?" "I did. That part I'm sure of. And where there's a road, there are people. In theory." The grin burst through. "In theory."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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bb180cf
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You said there's a road?" "I did. That part I'm sure of. And where there's a road, there are people. In theory." The grin burst through. "In theory." He threw an arm around me, a half-embrace, whispering, "Good work," and I started to shake a little. It was over. Our ordeal was almost over. Except it wasn't. Our real problems--being subjects in a supernatural experiment--had only begun."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1f1efa7
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We'd reached the bottom of the mountain when Kenjii stopped. Her ears swiveled forward and she glanced up into the trees. "Cat," I said to the others. Corey looked at Kenjii, who was silently scanning the treetops. "Yeah, you can tell by the way she's going crazy, barking and racing around to drive off the despicable feline. Your dog is weird, Maya."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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ea0c38a
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I think we should try to find Rafe," she said. I took a deep breath. "I know he didn't make it." "But you'll feel better if we look. We might as well go in the direction the helicopter came from. Just in case." She had a point. We had to walk. Why not walk that way? I shook my head. "If we're going back for anyone, it should be Nicole. If there's a chance she's alive--" "There isn't. Not from what I saw. And if she did survive, that means ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e976e9d
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And unless I'm remembering it wrong, mermaids don't sing and sirens don't swim." "Ariel sang in ," Corey said. Sam came over to join us. "Do I even want to know why you remember her name?" "Mermaids and sirens weren't on the list," Daniel said. "Maya's point is that Hayley, Nicole, and Serena shared common characteristics, which probably means they're the same type, and it has something to do with singing and swimming." "And being pretty,"..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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9bfad72
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I think we should try to find Rafe," she said. I took a deep breath. "I know he didn't make it." "But you'll feel better if we look. We might as well go in the direction the helicopter came from. Just in case." She had a point. We had to walk. Why not walk that way? I shook my head. "If we're going back for anyone, it should be Nicole. If there's a chance she's alive--" "There isn't. Not from what I saw. And if she did survive, that means ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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327c720
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Maya's point is that Hayley, Nicole, and Serena shared common characteristics, which probably means they're the same type, and it has something to do with singing and swimming." "And being pretty," Hayley said. "That's not a superpower," Sam muttered. Hayley turned to her. "No? How many times have you gotten into movies for free because you're a tough warrior chick?" "What about me?" Corey said. "What's my superpower?" Silence fell. "Oh, co..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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1d71ff0
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Maya's point is that Hayley, Nicole, and Serena shared common characteristics, which probably means they're the same type, and it has something to do with singing and swimming." "And being pretty," Hayley said. "That's not a superpower," Sam muttered."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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60a0e3f
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Maya's point is that Hayley, Nicole, and Serena shared common characteristics, which probably means they're the same type, and it has something to do with singing and swimming." "And being pretty," Hayley said. "That's not a superpower," Sam muttered. Hayley turned to her. "No? How many times have you gotten into movies for free because you're a tough warrior chick?" "What about me?" Corey said. "What's my superpower?" Silence fell. "Oh, co..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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c108e6d
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So Maya will grow up to be an amazing healer who can change into a killer cat. Daniel and Sam will roam the country hunting criminals and demons. Hayley and Nicole will divide their time between recording platinum albums and winning gold medals in swimming. And me? I'll be the cute, funny guy sitting at the bar, hoping for a good brawl to break out." "In other words, exactly where you were already headed," Hayley said. We all laughed at tha..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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382b950
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A progress memo had said things like "Working on getting the Enwrights flown up. Their unique skills could be helpful in this search" and "A scent tracker would be a huge benefit. Would love to hire a ww on contract but company policy forbids. Meeting with Josef Nast today to discuss." Call me crazy, but I was going to bet the Enwrights' unique skills weren't an astounding ability to read wilderness signs."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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392ac4e
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The memo said they were leaving cleanup on Project Genesis to the St. Clouds, and they'd get involved later if it looked 'profitable.'" "Cleanup?" Daniel swore. "Not liking the sound of that." "Apparently the St. Clouds 'lost control' of some 'assets' and were searching for them." "In other words, the subjects took off."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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623a41f
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It was far from an ideal hiding spot. The crawl space wasn't even three feet deep. Dirt floor. I didn't want to think about what else was alive--or dead--down here.
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e851402
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Why do we need water anyway? We drank before we set out." "We need to drink from every stream I can find," I said. "As I've said, dehydration is the biggest risk we face out here." "Okay," Corey said. "But could you find a path without mud and thorns?" "I'll make sure the next one's paved." Daniel leaned toward me as we walked. "I bet if we bolted, we could lose them in ten seconds." "Don't tempt me," I muttered."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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462fe9e
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The bushes were about ten meters away. As we crawled into them, we startled a couple of deer on the other side. They bolted, heading straight for the ATV. There was a thud and a shout. The ATV motor died. "Son-of-a-bitch!" A man's voice rang through the forest. A radio squawked. He answered it. "Yeah, that was me. Just hit a deer. Remind me who had the bright idea to use these damn things? Some project manager sitting in his fancy L.A. offi..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d9dae69
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The bushes were about ten meters away. As we crawled into them, we startled a couple of deer on the other side. They bolted, heading straight for the ATV. There was a thud and a shout. The ATV motor died. "Son-of-a-bitch!" A man's voice rang through the forest. A radio squawked. He answered it. "Yeah, that was me. Just hit a deer. Remind me who had the bright idea to use these damn things? Some project manager sitting in his fancy L.A. offi..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e1c3605
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The cottage was a hunting lodge--a cabin lacking a single flourish that turned it from a functional building into a vacation residence. It was off-season, but these places often did double-duty as a "getaway from the kids and the missus" refuge for men. I have to admit, I don't get that. Shouldn't you be able to take some time to yourself without lying about "going hunting" for the weekend? Maybe my expectations for honesty are too high. I'..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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c5d481e
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I started forward, but Daniel caught my arm and wordlessly pointed. I followed his finger to see the elongated shadow of an ATV that was parked on the other side of the cabin. I swore. "Ditto," he whispered."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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787daae
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They're squatting in the cabin," I said. "Using it as a base of operations. We should still get in there if we can. Not just to search for phones or radios, but to get food. Without it, we won't be in any shape to run or fight back if we're caught." Daniel looked at me. "Yes, I know, it's a ballsy move," I said. He smiled. "All right. Let's check it out."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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30bb733
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Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with you. Not your mom leaving. Not your dad being angry. She made choices she couldn't deal with, so she dumped them on him. He couldn't deal with them, so he dumped them on you. They aren't your problems. But you're handling them just fine." "Thanks." His lips curved in a faint smile. It wasn't enough. I wanted to make him really smile. Make him happy. "So now do we get to talk about your problem?" he ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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8972c67
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Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with you. Not your mom leaving. Not your dad being angry. She made choices she couldn't deal with, so she dumped them on him. He couldn't deal with them, so he dumped them on you. They aren't your problems. But you're handling them just fine." "Thanks." His lips curved in a faint smile. It wasn't enough. I wanted to make him really smile. Make him happy."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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c7fc9dc
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You've found out something else. Something about you, not me." "Does your new bag of tricks include mind reading?" He laughed. "Only when it comes to you, Maya."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e917df0
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The interior looked like I expected. Two rooms--a main one and a tiny bedroom. Dusty stuffed fish and moth-eaten elk heads on bare walls. A wood plank floor that seemed as if it hadn't been swept in years. Cobwebs decorating the ceiling. Furniture that would have been rejected by Goodwill. Mouse droppings everywhere. A few dark furry bat forms hung from the upper eaves. In the city, the place would have been condemned as a public health haz..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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fa57a54
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Damned hellhole," he muttered. "Oh, sure, there'll be cell service. Right. The only thing this island has is mosquitoes." Our mosquitoes weren't bad at all--I only had a bite or two after a day in the woods. He was just being cranky. It sounded like the man who'd hit the deer, and obviously, his mood hadn't improved."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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a961bb9
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By the time I caught up, the man was facedown with Daniel on his back, as if he'd knocked him flying clear off the porch. Knocked the radio from his hand, too. It lay a few feet from the man's outstretched fingers. "Moreno?" The other man's voice came over the radio. "What's up now?" The man--Moreno--lifted his head to answer. Daniel slammed his face into the ground so hard I winced. A moment of silence, then the other man sighed and discon..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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56e0b37
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We're going to crawl out of here until we get to Daniel, so he can help you walk." "I can walk--" "Don't play the hero or you'll get us captured." "That's so sweet. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." "Hey, I hugged you, didn't I? Now follow me and try not to make any noise." "Yes, ma'am." He leaned down toward my ear. "I like it when you order me around. It's really hot."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d495326
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I can walk--" "Don't play the hero or you'll get us captured." "That's so sweet. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." "Hey, I hugged you, didn't I?"
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Kelley Armstrong |
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f587f88
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We need to get him away from here," I said, "so we can interrogate him." "Interrogate me?" Moreno sputtered a laugh. "You kids are cute, you know that? You escape from a helicopter crash and suddenly you're outlaws. Let me tell you how this is going to work--" Daniel heaved Moreno to his feet. The man swung at him, but Daniel ducked easily and returned a one-two punch that left Moreno reeling. "Island wrestling champ," I said. "Only third p..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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07d2a2d
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Daniel heaved Moreno to his feet. The man swung at him, but Daniel ducked easily and returned a one-two punch that left Moreno reeling. "Island wrestling champ," I said. "Only third place in boxing, though, so you're getting off easy."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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d471e15
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You taking me to the other kids?" he asked. "There aren't any others," Daniel said. "We're the only ones who made it." Moreno laughed. "Right. That's sweet, protecting your buddies. Did you forget we have a source now? Little Nicky?" "Ni-Nicole?" I said. Daniel glanced back at me, his look warning me not to fall for it so fast. "We saw her get shot," I said. "Um, yeah, tranquilizer dart. I'd have thought you would know about those, Miss May..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4c82c33
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So, Maya, do you want to know the big secret? What you really are?" "Of course she does," Daniel said. "Good." Moreno flashed a smile. "Then this is where we begin negotiations. You two lead me back to that cabin and let me call my associates. We'll take you someplace safe and tell you everything you need to know." "Um, right," I said. "We've escaped a helicopter crash, trekked through the forest all night, and captured you. But that was ju..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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8f98375
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Then this is where we begin negotiations. You two lead me back to that cabin and let me call my associates. We'll take you someplace safe and tell you everything you need to know." "Um, right," I said. "We've escaped a helicopter crash, trekked through the forest all night, and captured you. But that was just for fun. Time to stop goofing off and turn ourselves in."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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f4a1614
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Your friends aren't going to find you," Daniel said. "And the nights are getting cold. It'll be a race between hypothermia and dehydration, see which kills you first." We paused a moment, letting that sink in, then I said, "Are you sure you don't want to talk to us?" Moreno rolled his eyes, still looking amused. "He'll think it's a lot less funny by morning," I said to Daniel. "We'll come back then, see if he's changed his mind."
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Kelley Armstrong |