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"Let’s go," I call to Sasha She unbuckles herself and stands up I wave her forward to exit ahead of o first and shake Harrison’s hand on the tarmac Sasha, to my surprise, does the sairl way that makes ine her to be?

She walks up next to aze finds my face "Nohat?"

I slide my shades down to cover my eyes and then blow out a breath of air I don’t want to think about what’s next I just need to forget for a day "What do you need, Sasha?"

"Huh?"

I turn and start walking towards the casino She follows "Are you hungry?"

She al how long I have to live The last thing on my mind is the breakfast buffet at the Gold Strike"

"OK," I say, giving up "We’re going hoht? Home It’s not my home, it’s not her home It’s just a place I keep in the desert to dry out after the kill A place where the sun can bake the dirt off my skin and boil away the bad blood

"I have no ho I’m here because other people control my destiny I have no free will, or opinions, or dreaht now, your orders Is that what you’re looking for? Is that what you want? Obedience? Surrender?"

"You wanna walk away?" I stop and look back at her, raisingdoor Ya can’t miss it" I pan my arm out towards the desert across the 15 freeway "I’uy, Sasha"

"That sounds like a declaration of innocence, to me Or at the very least, non-affiliation And we both know that’s about as far fro if not affiliated, Jaiving in and letting her win "Let’s just find our ride"

My heart’s not in the fight any

I turn and continue walking towards the Gold Strike Casino and I don’t look back But when the doors whoosh open, the little Set about ten paces before security stops , bald, and has a look to him that says professional He nods behindaround another equally professional-looking guard "I can’t come in!" she says in an uneven voice

So she is a kid The little brat isn’t as cool as she seeuard "Sorry, I’ the buffet anyway"