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rew sl
mic tiles below. The sharp edge bit into her palm. Blood welled up, warm and sticky against her skin. She dihad taught her that a si
the grate open, the metal scraping softly against the wall. Her legs trembled, the muscles spasming from the years of sedatives pumped
ed the back of her throat, making her chest tight. She bit down hard on her lo
f invisible lasers waiting to slice her open or trigger an alarm. She reached into the pocket o
e red beams. They were tight, spaced irregularly. She mapped the
ow and precise. Halfway through, her right shoulder gave out. The old injury tore, a hot, sickening pain ripping th
Rain was coming down in sheets, hammering the mud below. Lightning
ers open. She didn'
lder, rolling to absorb the impact. But her legs gave out. She crashed into a puddle, mud spla
s stepped into her line of si
black trench coat soaked by the rain. Lightning cracked again, highlighting the man's
he analytical engine in
ose to his waist. He's armed. Ex-military. No, priva
in his shoulders, a slight widening of his stance. His eyes flickered w
lark." His voice was a low rumble, like a cello play
n her eyes vanished, replaced by a hollow, terrified stare. Her body started to shake, violent t
m her throat. She sound
her wrists, tracking the dark bruises from the
cowered. With that face and those muscles, he's wasting his time playing bodyguard.
is stubble jumped. A storm of complex emotio
something like it once before, years ago, in a place
off the ground. He threw her over his shoulder like a sack of flour. His gri
d back. She screamed, a raw, guttural so
limp against him. Saves m
n the shadows. He opened the back door and dumped her onto the leather seat. Th
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